Stories of King Arthur's Knights, Told to the Children Part 7

But when at last his work was done, Gareth would listen gladly as the servants talked of Lancelot and the King. He loved to hear how Lancelot had twice saved the King's life, and how since then there had grown up a great friendship between the King and his brave knight.

And Gareth was glad when he heard that though Lancelot was first in all the tournaments or mock battles, yet on the battle-field his hero King was mightiest of all.

But when the servants' talk was rough and rude, Gareth would not listen, but sang some of his old mountain-songs, carolling like any lark, and the servants stopped their talk to listen.

It seemed a long year to Gareth, the longest year in all his life, but at last it came to an end. A whole year had pa.s.sed, and another of the King's great feast-days had begun.

Gareth woke up on that morning, thinking, 'Now at last I can be one of King Arthur's knights; now at last I am free.'

In the dining-room he sprang eagerly to the King's side. 'A boon, King Arthur, grant me this boon,' he cried, 'that I serve you no longer as a kitchen-page, but as a knight.'

Arthur loved the n.o.ble-looking lad, and was pleased with his eagerness. 'I make you my knight, to win glory and honour for our land,' said the King. But the secret of Gareth's knighthood was to be kept from all but Sir Lancelot, till the new knight, Sir Gareth, had won for himself great fame.

'You shall begin at once,' said the King. And he promised Gareth that he should be the first of all his knights to leave his court that day.

As he spoke, a beautiful lady called Lynette came into the hall, in great haste. 'A knight to rescue my sister, King Arthur,' she cried.

'Who is your sister, and why does she need a knight?' asked the King.

And Lynette told Arthur that her sister was called the Lady Lyonors, and that Lyonors was rich and had many castles of her own, but a cruel knight, called the Red Knight, had shut her up in one of her own castles. The name of the castle in which she was a prisoner was Castle Dangerous. And the Red Knight said he would keep Lady Lyonors there, till he had fought King Arthur's bravest knight. Then he would make Lyonors his wife. 'But,' said Lynette, 'my sister will never be the bride of the Red Knight, for she does not love him.'

Then Arthur, looking round his knights, saw Gareth's eyes growing bright, and heard Gareth's voice ringing out, 'Your promise, King.'

And the King said to Gareth, 'Go and rescue the Lady Lyonors from the Red Knight.'

'A kitchen-page go to rescue the Lady Lyonors!' shouted Sir Kay in scorn.

When Lynette heard that, she was angry, and said, 'I came for Sir Lancelot, the greatest of all your knights, and you give me a kitchen-boy.' In her anger, she walked out of the palace gates, and rode quickly down the streets. She neither looked nor waited to see if Gareth followed.

'I will wait for nothing,' thought the new knight, and he hurried after Lynette to the palace gates, but there he was stopped.

Gareth's mother had not forgotten that a year had pa.s.sed since her boy had left her. In her quiet castle she had been busy planning a surprise for her prince.

'Gareth will be a knight to-day,' she thought. 'I will send our dwarf to him with a n.o.ble war-horse and armour fit for a knight.

Surely he will begin his adventures the more gladly, that I help to send him forth,' she murmured, thinking half-regretfully of the long year she had made him spend in the kitchen.

And Gareth was glad when he saw his mother's gift; and when he had put on the armour, there was no more handsome knight in all King Arthur's court than Sir Gareth. He mounted his horse, and, telling the dwarf to follow, rode quickly after Lynette.

But Gareth had not gone far, when he heard shouts behind him, and, turning, he saw that Sir Kay was riding after him.

'If it is possible, I will bring my kitchen-boy boy back again,'

thought Sir Kay, 'for he works well.' 'Have you forgotten that I am your master?' he shouted, as he reached Gareth.

'You are no longer my master,' said Gareth, 'and I know that you are the most unkind of all Arthur's knights.'

Then Sir Kay was so angry that he drew his sword, and Gareth drew his and struck Sir Kay so hard a blow, that he tumbled off his horse, and lay on the ground as if he were dead. Then Gareth took away his old master's sword and shield, and telling the dwarf to take Sir Kay's horse, he once more hurried on to reach Lynette.

Both Lancelot and Lynette had seen Sir Gareth fight with Sir Kay, for the King had asked Sir Lancelot to ride on before Gareth, that he might know if his new knight could use his sword.

When Lancelot had seen Sir Kay fall to the ground, he rode back to the court to tell King Arthur that his knight, Sir Gareth, was strong and true. And he sent men to bring home the wounded Sir Kay.

Now Lynette was more cross than ever because Lancelot had left her, and when Gareth at last rode up to her, she cried rudely, 'You are only a kitchen-knave. Your clothes smell of cooking, and your dress is soiled with grease and tallow. Ride further off from me.'

But what she said was not true, for Gareth had put on the beautiful armour his mother had sent him.

As Lynette mocked, Gareth rode quietly behind. In spite of her unkindness, he was happy. After the long days spent in the hot kitchen, the forest breeze seemed to touch him more gently than in the old days, and the trees seemed to him more beautiful. But though the streams seemed more clear, they still called to him, just as the streams in his own mountains used to do.

But Gareth had not much time to think of the trees and streams, for suddenly he heard the steps of some one hurrying through the forest, crushing the fallen twigs and crisp leaves underfoot in his great haste. Was it an adventure?

'Where are you running to?' said Gareth, as a man came in sight.

'O sir, six thieves have fallen upon my lord, and bound him to a tree, and I am afraid they will kill him.'

'Show me where your lord is,' said Gareth. And they rode together to the place where the knight was tied to a tree.

Then Gareth struck the first robber down with his sword, and killed another, and slew the third as he turned to run away.

'There were six thieves,' thought Gareth; but when he turned to look for the other three, they were nowhere to be seen. They had all run away in great fright.

Then Gareth unbound the knight. And the knight was very grateful, and said, 'Come and stay at my castle to-night, and to-morrow I will reward you.'

'I want no reward,' said Gareth. 'And besides, I must follow this lady.' But when he rode up to Lynette, she said, 'Ride further off, for still you smell of the kitchen.' 'You are no knight, though you killed the robbers.'

Then the knight who had been set free rode up, and asked Lynette to come to his castle, and as it was getting dark in the forest, she was glad to stay with him that night.

At supper-time, the knight put a chair for Gareth beside Lynette.

'Sir Knight, you are wrong to put a kitchen-knave beside me,' said the lady, 'for I am of n.o.ble birth.'

'The n.o.ble-looking knight a kitchen-knave! What does the lady mean!' But he took Gareth to another table, and sat there himself with him.

The next morning Gareth and Lynette thanked the knight, and rode on, till they came to another great forest, and at the end of the forest they reached a broad river. There was only one place where the river was narrow and could be crossed, and this pa.s.sage was guarded by two knights.

'Will you fight two knights,' mocked Lynette, 'or will you turn back again?'

'Six knights would not make me turn back,' said Gareth, as he rushed into the river. One knight rushed in from the further side, and Gareth and he fought with their swords in the middle of the stream. At last Gareth smote him on the helmet so violently that he fell down into the water and was drowned.

Then Gareth spurred his horse up the bank where the other knight stood waiting for him, and this knight fought so fiercely that he broke Gareth's spear. Then they both drew their swords, and fought for a long time, till in the end Gareth won the victory.

Gareth then crossed over the river again to Lynette, and told her to ride on, for the pa.s.sage across the river was clear.

'Alas, that a kitchen-page should kill two brave knights!' cried Lynette. 'But do not think your skill killed these men.' And she told Gareth she had seen the horse of the first knight stumble, and that that was why he was drowned. 'And, as for the second knight, you came behind and slew him like a coward,' she said.

'Lady,' said Gareth, 'say what you like; but lead on, and I follow to deliver your sister.' So Gareth and the lady rode on till evening.

In the evening they came to a strange and dreary country, where everything looked black. On one side of a black hawthorn hung a black banner, on the other side hung a black shield. Beside the shield there was a long black spear, and close to the spear there was a great black horse, covered with silk, and the silk was black.

And looking blacker than all the rest was a huge black rock.

Through the darkness they could see some one sitting near the rock.