HOW A KITCHEN-PAGE CAME TO HONOUR
Arthur was holding the high feast of Pentecost at a city and castle
called in those days Kink-Kenadon, upon the sands nigh Wales, and he
sat at meat with all the knights of the Round Table. Then came into
the hall two men well beseen and richly, and upon their shoulders there
leaned the goodliest young man and the fairest that ever any of the
knights had seen. He was higher than the other two by a foot and a
half, broad in the shoulders, well visaged, and the fairest and largest
handed that ever man saw; but he acted as though he might not walk nor
support himself unless he leaned upon their shoulders. They went with
him right unto the high dais without saying of any words.
Then this much young man pulled himself away, and easily stretched up
straight, saying: "King Arthur, God you bless and all your fair
fellowship of the Round Table. For this cause I am come hither, to
pray you to give me three gifts. They shall not be so unreasonable but
that ye may honourably grant them me, and to you no great hurt nor
loss. The first I will ask now, and the other two gifts I will ask
this day twelvemonth wheresoever ye hold your high feast."
"Now ask," said Arthur, "and ye shall have your asking."
"Now, sir, this is my petition for this feast, that you will give me
meat and drink sufficiently for this twelve-month, and at that day I
will ask mine other two gifts."
"This is but a simple asking," said the King; "ye shall have meat and
drink enough; I never refuse that to any, neither my friend nor my foe.
But what is your name I would know?"
"I cannot tell you," said he.
The King marvelled at this answer, but took him to Sir Kay, the
steward, and charged him that he should give the youth of all manner of
meats and drinks of the best, and also that he should have all manner
of finding as though he were a lord's son.
"That need not be," said Sir Kay, "to do such cost upon him; for I dare
undertake he is a villain born, and never will make a man, for had he
come of gentlemen he would have asked of you horse and armour; but such
as he is, so he asketh. And since he hath no name, I shall give him
the name Beaumains, that is Fair-hands, and into the kitchen I shall
bring him, and there he shall have rich broth every day, so that he
shall be as fat by the twelvemonth's end as a pork hog."
So the two men departed, and left him to Sir Kay, who scorned him and
mocked him. Thereat was Sir Gawaine wroth, and especially Sir
Launcelot bade Sir Kay leave off his mocking, "for," said he, "I dare
wager he shall prove a man of great honour."
"It may not be by any reason," said Sir Kay, "for as he is, so hath he
asked."
So Sir Kay ordered that a place be made for him, and Fair-hands went to
the hall door, and sat down among boys and lads, and there he ate
sadly. After meat Sir Launcelot bade him come to his chamber, where he
should have meat and drink enough, and so did Sir Gawaine; but he
refused them all; he would do none other but as Sir Kay commanded him.
As touching Sir Gawaine, he had reason to proffer him lodging, meat,
and drink, for he was nearer kin to him than he knew. But what Sir
Launcelot did was of his great gentleness and courtesy.
Thus Fair-hands was put into the kitchen, and lay nightly as the boys
of the kitchen did. And so he endured all that twelvemonth, and never
displeased man nor child, but always he was meek and mild. But ever
when there was any jousting of knights, that would he see if he could.
And where were any masteries done, thereat would he be, and there might
none cast bar nor stone to him by two yards. Then would Sir Kay say,
"How like you my boy of the kitchen?"
So it passed on till the least of Whitsuntide, which at that time the
King held at Carlion in the most royal wise that might be, as he did
every year. As he again sat at meat, there came a damsel into the hall
and saluted the King, and prayed him for succour. "For whom?" said the
King; "what is the adventure?"
"Sir," she said, "I have a lady of great honour and renown, and she is
besieged by a tyrant so that she may not out of her castle. And
because your knights are called the noblest of the world, I come to you
to pray you for succour."
"What is the name of your lady? and where dwelleth she? and who is he,
and what is his name, that hath besieged her?"
"Sir King," she said, "as for my lady's name, that shall not ye know
from me at this time, but I let you know she is a lady of great honour
and of great lands. And as for the tyrant that besiegeth and
destroyeth her lands, he is called the Red Knight of the Red Lawns."
"I know him not," said the King.
"Sir," said Sir Gawaine, "I know him well, for he is one of the most
dangerous knights of the world. Men say that he hath seven men's
strength, and from him I escaped once full hard with my life."
"Fair damsel," said the King, "there be knights here would do their
best to rescue your lady, but because ye will not tell her name, nor
where she dwelleth, therefore none of my knights that be here now shall
go with you by my will."
"Then must I speak further," said the damsel.
With these words Fair-hands came before the King, while the damsel was
there, and thus he said: "Sir King, God reward you, I have been these
twelve months in your kitchen, and have had my full sustenance, and now
I will ask my two gifts that be behind."
"Ask upon my peril," said the King.
"Sir, these shall be my two gifts. First, that ye will grant me this
adventure of the damsel, and second, that ye shall bid Launcelot of the
Lake to make me knight, for of him I will be made knight, and else of
none. I pray you let him ride after me, and make me knight when I
request him."
"All this shall be done," said the King.
"Fie on thee," said the damsel, "shall I have none but one that is your
kitchen-page?" Then was she wroth, and took her horse and departed.
Thereupon there came one to Fair-hands, and told him that his horse and
armour was come for him, with all things that he needed in the richest
manner. Thereat all the court had much marvel from whence came all
that gear. When he was armed and came into the hall to take leave of
King Arthur and Sir Gawaine and Sir Launcelot, there were but few so
goodly knights as he was. He prayed Sir Launcelot that he would hie
after him, and so departed and rode after the damsel.
Many people followed after Fair-hands to behold how well he was horsed
and trapped in cloth of gold, but he had neither shield nor spear.
Then Sir Kay said all openly in the hall, "I will ride after my boy of
the kitchen, to see whether he will know me for his better."
Sir Launcelot and Sir Gawaine counselled him to abide at home;
nevertheless he made ready and took his horse and his spear and rode
off. Just as Fair-hands overtook the damsel, Sir Kay came up, and
said, "Fair-hands, what sir, know ye not me?"
Then he turned his horse, and knew it was Sir Kay, that had done him
all the despite, as we have heard afore. "Yea," said Fair-hands, "I
know you for an ungentle knight of the court and therefore beware of
me."
Therewith Sir Kay put his spear in its rest, and ran straight upon him,
and Fair-hands came on just as fast with his sword in his hand. And so
he put away his spear with his sword, and with a foin[1] thrust him
through the side, so that Sir Kay fell down as if he were dead. Then
Fair-hands alighted down and took Sir Kay's shield and his spear, had
his dwarf mount upon Sir Kay's horse, and started upon his own horse
and rode his way. All this Sir Launcelot saw, and so did the damsel.
By this time Sir Launcelot had come up, and Fair-hands offered to joust
with him. So they rushed together like boars, and for upwards of an
hour they had a hard fight, wherein Sir Launcelot had so much ado with
Fair-hands that he feared himself to be shamed. At length he said,
"Fair-hands, fight not so sore; your quarrel and mine is not so great
but we may leave off."
"That is truth," said Fair-hands, "but it doth me good to feel your
might, and yet, my lord, I showed not my uttermost."
"Well," said Sir Launcelot, "I promise you I had as much to do as I
might to save myself from you unashamed; therefore ye need have no fear
of any earthly knight."
"Hope ye then," said Fair-hands, "that I may anywhere stand as a proved
knight?"
"Yea," said Launcelot, "do as ye have done, and I shall be your
warrant."
"Then I pray you give me the order of knighthood," said Fair-hands.
"Then must ye tell me your name," said Launcelot, "and of what kin ye
be born."
"Sir, if ye will not make me known, I will," said Fair-hands.
"That I promise you by the faith of my body, until it be openly known,"
said Sir Launcelot.
"Then, sir," he said, "my name is Gareth; I am own brother unto Sir
Gawaine."
"Ah! sir," said Launcelot, "I am more glad of you than I was, for ever
me thought ye should be of great blood, and that ye came not to the
court either for meat or for drink."
Then Sir Launcelot gave him the order of knighthood, and Sir Gareth
went his way.
Sir Launcelot now came to Sir Kay and had him carried home upon his
shield. He was with difficulty healed of his wounds, and all men
scorned him. In especial Sir Gawaine and Sir Launcelot said it was not
for Sir Kay to rebuke the young man, for full little he knew of what
birth he was and for what cause he came to this court.
[1] Foin: reach forth.