A WONDERFUL TALE OF KING SOLOMON AND HIS WIFE
That night lay Solomon before the ship with little fellowship. And
when he was on sleep him thought there come from heaven a great
company of angels, and alit into the ship, and took water which was
brought by an angel, in a vessel of silver, and sprente all the ship.
And after he came to the sword, and drew letters on the hilt. And
after went to the ship's board, and wrote there other letters which
said: Thou man that wilt enter within me, beware that thou be full
within the faith, for I ne am but Faith and Belief. When Solomon
espied these letters he was abashed, so that he durst not enter, and
so drew him aback; and the ship was anon shoven in the sea, and he
went so fast that he lost sight of him within a little while. And then
a little voice said: Solomon, the last knight of thy lineage shall
rest in this bed. Then went Solomon and awaked his wife, and told her
of the adventures of the ship. Now saith the history that a great
while the three fellows beheld the bed and the three spindles. Then
they were at certain that they were of natural colours without
painting. Then they lift up a cloth which was above the ground, and
there found a rich purse by seeming. And Percivale took it, and found
therein a writ and so he read it, and devised the manner of the
spindles and of the ship, whence it came, and by whom it was made.
Now, said Galahad, where shall we find the gentlewoman that shall make
new girdles to the sword? Fair sir, said Percivale's sister, dismay
you not, for by the leave of God I shall let make a girdle to the
sword, such one as shall long thereto. And then she opened a box, and
took out girdles which were seemly wrought with golden threads, and
upon that were set full precious stones, and a rich buckle of gold.
Lo, lords, said she, here is a girdle that ought to be set about the
sword. And wit ye well the greatest part of this girdle was made of my
hair, which I loved well while that I was a woman of the world. But as
soon as I wist that this adventure was ordained me I clipped off my
hair, and made this girdle in the name of God. Ye be well found, said
Sir Bors, for certes ye have put us out of great pain, wherein we
should have entered ne had your tidings been. Then went the
gentlewoman and set it on the girdle of the sword. Now, said the
fellowship, what is the name of the sword, and what shall we call it?
Truly, said she, the name of the sword is the Sword with the strange
girdles; and the sheath, mover of blood; for no man that hath blood in
him ne shall never see the one part of the sheath which was made of
the tree of life. Then they said to Galahad: In the name of Jesu
Christ, and pray you that ye gird you with this sword which hath been
desired so much in the realm of Logris. Now let me begin, said
Galahad, to grip this sword for to give you courage; but wit ye well
it longeth no more to me than it doth to you. And then he gripped
about it with his fingers a great deal; and then she girt him about
the middle with the sword. Now reck I not though I die, for now I hold
me one of the blessed maidens of the world, which hath made the
worthiest knight of the world. Damosel, said Galahad, ye have done so
much that I shall be your knight all the days of my life. Then they
went from that ship, and went to the other. And anon the wind drove
them into the sea a great pace, but they had no victuals: but it
befell that they came on the morn to a castle that men call
Carteloise, that was in the marches of Scotland. And when they had
passed the port, the gentlewoman said: Lords, here be men arriven
that, an they wist that ye were of King Arthur's court, ye should be
assailed anon. Damosel, said Galahad, He that cast us out of the rock
shall deliver us from them.