_How Sir Galahad entered into the ship, and of a fair bed therein, with
other marvellous things, and of a sword._
In the mean while Galahad blessed him and entered therein, and then
next the gentlewoman, and then Sir Bors and Sir Percivale. And when
they were therein, it was so marvellous fair and rich that they
marvelled. And in the midst of the ship was a fair bed, and Sir Galahad
went thereto, and found there a crown of silk. And at the feet was a
sword rich and fair, and it was drawn out of the sheath half a foot and
more, and the sword was of divers fashions, and the pommel was of
stone, and there was in him all manner of colours that any man might
find, and every each of the colours had divers virtues, and the scales
of the haft were of two ribs of divers beasts. The one beast was a
serpent, which was conversant in Calidone, and is called the serpent of
the fiend. And the bone of him is of such a virtue, that there is no
hand that handleth him shall never be weary nor hurt: and the other
beast is a fish, which is not right great, and haunteth the flood of
Eufrates; and that fish is called Ertanax, and his bones be of such a
manner of kind, that who that handleth them shall have so much will
that he shall never be weary, and he shall not think on joy nor sorrow
that he hath had, but only that thing that he beholdeth before him. And
as for this sword there shall never man begripe it at the handle but
one, but he shall pass all other. In the name of God, said Percivale, I
shall essay to handle it. So he set his hand to the sword, but he might
not begripe it. By my faith, said he, now have I failed. Bors set his
hand thereto and failed. Then Galahad beheld the sword, and saw the
letters like blood, that said, Let see who shall assay to draw me out
of my sheath, but if he be more hardier than other, and who that
draweth me, wit ye well that he shall never fail of shame of his body,
or to be wounded to the death. By my faith, said Galahad, I would draw
this sword out of the sheath, but the offending is so great, that I
shall not set my hand thereto. Now sir, said the gentlewoman, wit ye
well that the drawing of this sword is forbidden to all men, save all
only unto you. Also this ship arrived in the realm of Logris, and that
time was deadly war between king Labor, which was father unto the
maimed king, and king Hurlame, which was a Saracen. But then was he
newly christened, so that men held him afterwards one of the wittiest
men of the world. And so upon a day it befell that king Labor and king
Hurlame had assembled their folk upon the sea, where this ship was
arrived, and there king Hurlame was discomfit, and his men slain, and
he was afeard to be dead, and fled to his ship, and there found this
sword, and drew it, and came out and found king Labor, the man in the
world of all Christendom in whom was then the greatest faith. And when
king Hurlame saw king Labor, he dressed this sword, and smote him upon
the helm so hard, that he clave him and his horse to the earth with the
first stroke of his sword. And it was in the realm of Logris; and so
befell great pestilence and great harm to both realms. For sithen
increased neither corn nor grass, nor well nigh no fruit, nor in the
water was no fish, wherefore men call it the lands of the two marches,
the waste land, for that dolorous stroke. And when king Hurlame saw
this sword so carving, he turned again to fetch the scabbard: and so
came into this ship, and entered, and put up the sword in the sheath.
And as soon as he had done it, he fell down dead afore the bed. Thus
was the sword proved, that none ne drew it but he were dead or maimed.
So lay he there till a maiden came into the ship, and cast him out, for
there was no man so hardy of the world to enter into that ship for the
defence.