The Blue Flower [16]
and one rode
in yellow, and the third rode in black and yellow. So they
cried Martimor that he should give them passage, for they
followed a quest.
"Passage takes, who passage makes!" cried Martimor.
"Right well I know your quest, and it is a foul one."
Then the knight in black rode at him lightly,
but Martimor encountered him with the spear and smote him
backward from his horse, that his head struck the coping of
the bridge and brake his neck. Then came the knight in
yellow, walloping heavily, and him the spear pierced through
the midst of the body and burst in three pieces: so he fell on
his back and the life went out of him, but the spear stuck
fast and stood up from his breast as a stake.
Then the knight in black and yellow, that was as big as
both his brethren, gave a terrible shout, and rode at Martimor
like a wood lion. But he fended with his shield that the
spear went aside, and they clapped together like thunder, and
both horses were overthrown. And lightly they avoided their
horses and rushed together, tracing, rasing, and foining.
Such strokes they gave that great pieces were clipped away
from their hauberks, and their helms, and they staggered to
and fro like drunken men. Then they hurtled together like
rams and each battered other the wind out of his body. So
they sat either on one side of the bridge, to take their
breath, glaring the one at the other as two owls. Then they
stepped together and fought freshly, smiting and thrusting,
ramping and reeling, panting, snorting, and scattering blood, for
the space of two hours. So the knight in black and yellow,
because he was heavier, drave Martimor backward step by step till
he came to the crown of the bridge, and there fell grovelling.
At this the Lady Beauvivante shrieked and wailed, but the damsel
Lirette cried loudly, "Up! Martimor, strike again!"
Then the courage came into his body, and with a great
might he abraid upon his feet, and smote the black and yellow
knight upon the helm by an overstroke so fierce that the sword
sheared away the third part of his head, as it had been a
rotten cheese. So he lay upon the bridge, and the blood ran
out of him. And Martimor smote off the rest of his head
quite, and cast it into the river. Likewise did he with the
other twain that lay dead beyond the bridge. And he cried to
Flumen, "Hide me these black eggs that hatched evil thoughts."
So the river bore them away.
Then Martimor came into the Mill, all for-bled;
"Now are ye free, lady," he cried, and fell down in a swoon.
Then the Lady and the Maid wept full sore and made great dole
and unlaced his helm; and Lirette cherished him tenderly to
recover his life.
So while they were thus busied and distressed, came Sir
Lancelot with a great company of knights and squires riding
for to rescue the princess. When he came to the bridge all
bedashed with blood, and the bodies of the knights headless,
"Now, by my lady's name," said he, "here has been good
fighting, and those three caitiffs are slain! By whose hand
I wonder?"
So he came into the Mill, and there he found Martimor
recovered of his swoon, and had marvellous joy of him, when he
heard how he had wrought.
"Now are thou proven worthy of the noble order of
knighthood," said Lancelot, and forthwith he dubbed him
knight.
Then he said that Sir Martimor should ride with him to the
court of King Pellinore, to receive a castle and a fair lady
to wife, for doubtless the King would deny him nothing to reward
the rescue of his daughter.
But Martimor stood in a muse; then said he, "May a knight
have his free will and choice of castles, where he will
abide?"
"Within the law," said Lancelot, "and by the King's word
he may."
"Then choose I the Mill," said Martimor, "for here will I
dwell."
"Freely spoken," said Lancelot, laughing, "so art thou Sir
Martimor of the Mill; no doubt the King will confirm it. And
now what sayest thou of ladies?"
"May a knight have his free will and choice here also?"
said he.
"According to
in yellow, and the third rode in black and yellow. So they
cried Martimor that he should give them passage, for they
followed a quest.
"Passage takes, who passage makes!" cried Martimor.
"Right well I know your quest, and it is a foul one."
Then the knight in black rode at him lightly,
but Martimor encountered him with the spear and smote him
backward from his horse, that his head struck the coping of
the bridge and brake his neck. Then came the knight in
yellow, walloping heavily, and him the spear pierced through
the midst of the body and burst in three pieces: so he fell on
his back and the life went out of him, but the spear stuck
fast and stood up from his breast as a stake.
Then the knight in black and yellow, that was as big as
both his brethren, gave a terrible shout, and rode at Martimor
like a wood lion. But he fended with his shield that the
spear went aside, and they clapped together like thunder, and
both horses were overthrown. And lightly they avoided their
horses and rushed together, tracing, rasing, and foining.
Such strokes they gave that great pieces were clipped away
from their hauberks, and their helms, and they staggered to
and fro like drunken men. Then they hurtled together like
rams and each battered other the wind out of his body. So
they sat either on one side of the bridge, to take their
breath, glaring the one at the other as two owls. Then they
stepped together and fought freshly, smiting and thrusting,
ramping and reeling, panting, snorting, and scattering blood, for
the space of two hours. So the knight in black and yellow,
because he was heavier, drave Martimor backward step by step till
he came to the crown of the bridge, and there fell grovelling.
At this the Lady Beauvivante shrieked and wailed, but the damsel
Lirette cried loudly, "Up! Martimor, strike again!"
Then the courage came into his body, and with a great
might he abraid upon his feet, and smote the black and yellow
knight upon the helm by an overstroke so fierce that the sword
sheared away the third part of his head, as it had been a
rotten cheese. So he lay upon the bridge, and the blood ran
out of him. And Martimor smote off the rest of his head
quite, and cast it into the river. Likewise did he with the
other twain that lay dead beyond the bridge. And he cried to
Flumen, "Hide me these black eggs that hatched evil thoughts."
So the river bore them away.
Then Martimor came into the Mill, all for-bled;
"Now are ye free, lady," he cried, and fell down in a swoon.
Then the Lady and the Maid wept full sore and made great dole
and unlaced his helm; and Lirette cherished him tenderly to
recover his life.
So while they were thus busied and distressed, came Sir
Lancelot with a great company of knights and squires riding
for to rescue the princess. When he came to the bridge all
bedashed with blood, and the bodies of the knights headless,
"Now, by my lady's name," said he, "here has been good
fighting, and those three caitiffs are slain! By whose hand
I wonder?"
So he came into the Mill, and there he found Martimor
recovered of his swoon, and had marvellous joy of him, when he
heard how he had wrought.
"Now are thou proven worthy of the noble order of
knighthood," said Lancelot, and forthwith he dubbed him
knight.
Then he said that Sir Martimor should ride with him to the
court of King Pellinore, to receive a castle and a fair lady
to wife, for doubtless the King would deny him nothing to reward
the rescue of his daughter.
But Martimor stood in a muse; then said he, "May a knight
have his free will and choice of castles, where he will
abide?"
"Within the law," said Lancelot, "and by the King's word
he may."
"Then choose I the Mill," said Martimor, "for here will I
dwell."
"Freely spoken," said Lancelot, laughing, "so art thou Sir
Martimor of the Mill; no doubt the King will confirm it. And
now what sayest thou of ladies?"
"May a knight have his free will and choice here also?"
said he.
"According to