e, so would God I had another
to follow my quest. Right so came one with the king's horse, and when
the knight saw the horse, he prayed the king to give him the horse: for
I have followed this quest this twelvemonth, and either I shall achieve
him, or bleed of the best blood of my body. Pellinore, that time king,
followed the Questing Beast, and after his death Sir Palamides followed
it.

CHAPTER XX. How King Pellinore took Arthur's horse and followed the
Questing Beast, and how Merlin met with Arthur.

SIR knight, said the king, leave that quest, and suffer me to have it,
and I will follow it another twelvemonth. Ah, fool, said the knight unto
Arthur, it is in vain thy desire, for it shall never be achieved but
by me, or my next kin. Therewith he started unto the king's horse and
mounted into the saddle, and said, Gramercy, this horse is my own. Well,
said the king, thou mayst take my horse by force, but an I might prove
thee whether thou were better on horseback or I.--Well, said the knight,
seek me here when thou wilt, and here nigh this well thou shalt find me,
and so passed on his way. Then the king sat in a study, and bade his men
fetch his horse as fast as ever they might. Right so came by him Merlin
like a child of fourteen year of age, and saluted the king, and asked
him why he was so pensive. I may well be pensive, said the king, for I
have seen the marvellest sight that ever I saw. That know I well, said
Merlin, as well as thyself, and of all thy thoughts, but thou art but a
fool to take thought, for it will not amend thee. Also I know what thou
art, and who was thy father, and of whom thou wert begotten; King Uther
Pendragon was thy father, and begat thee on Igraine. That is false,
said King Arthur, how shouldest thou know it, for thou art not so old of
years to know my father? Yes, said Merlin, I know it better than ye or
any man living. I will not believe thee, said Arthur, and was wroth with
the child. So departed Merlin, and came again in the likeness of an old
man of fourscore year of age, whereof the king was right glad, for he
seemed to be right wise.

Then said the old man, Why are ye so sad? I may well be heavy, said
Arthur, for many things. Also here was a child, and told me many things
that meseemeth he should not know, for he was not of age to know my
father. Yes, said the old man, the child told you truth, and more would
he have told you an ye would have suffered him. But ye have done a th