he hall
and saluted the King, and prayed him for succour. "For whom?" said the
King; "what is the adventure?"

"Sir," she said, "I have a lady of great honour and renown, and she is
besieged by a tyrant so that she may not out of her castle. And
because your knights are called the noblest of the world, I come to you
to pray you for succour."

"What is the name of your lady? and where dwelleth she? and who is he,
and what is his name, that hath besieged her?"

"Sir King," she said, "as for my lady's name, that shall not ye know
from me at this time, but I let you know she is a lady of great honour
and of great lands. And as for the tyrant that besiegeth and
destroyeth her lands, he is called the Red Knight of the Red Lawns."

"I know him not," said the King.

"Sir," said Sir Gawaine, "I know him well, for he is one of the most
dangerous knights of the world. Men say that he hath seven men's
strength, and from him I escaped once full hard with my life."

"Fair damsel," said the King, "there be knights here would do their
best to rescue your lady, but because ye will not tell her name, nor
where she dwelleth, therefore none of my knights that be here now shall
go with you by my will."

"Then must I speak further," said the damsel.

With these words Fair-hands came before the King, while the damsel was
there, and thus he said: "Sir King, God reward you, I have been these
twelve months in your kitchen, and have had my full sustenance, and now
I will ask my two gifts that be behind."

"Ask upon my peril," said the King.

"Sir, these shall be my two gifts. First, that ye will grant me this
adventure of the damsel, and second, that ye shall bid Launcelot of the
Lake to make me knight, for of him I will be made knight, and else of
none. I pray you let him ride after me, and make me knight when I
request him."

"All this shall be done," said the King.

"Fie on thee," said the damsel, "shall I have none but one that is your
kitchen-page?" Then was she wroth, and took her horse and departed.

Thereupon there came one to Fair-hands, and told him that his horse and
armour was come for him, with all things that he needed in the richest
manner. Thereat all the court had much marvel from whence came all
that gear. When he was armed and came into the hall to take leave of
King Arthur and Sir Gawaine and Sir Launcelot, there were but few so
goodly knights as he was. He prayed Sir Launcelot that he would hie
afte