HOW SIR GALAHAD ENTERED INTO THE SHIP, AND OF A FAIR BED THEREIN, WITH
OTHER MARVELLOUS THINGS, AND OF A SWORD
In the meanwhile Galahad blessed him, and entered therein; and then
next the gentlewoman, and then Sir Bors and Sir Percivale. And when
they were in, it was so marvellous fair and rich that they marvelled;
and in middes of the ship was a fair bed, and 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 Euphrates;
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 begrip him at the handles 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
begrip it. By my faith, said he, now have I failed. Bors set his hand
thereto and failed. Then Galahad beheld the sword and saw letters like
blood that said: Let see who shall essay to draw me out of my sheath,
but if he be more hardier than any other; and who that draweth me, wit
ye well 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 sirs, said the gentlewoman, wit ye well that the drawing
of this sword is warned to all men save all only to 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 afterward one of the wyttyest men of the world. And
so upon a day it befel 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 befel
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.