are ye
away leading this knight?"

"Sir," she said, "this knight is going to the siege that besiegeth my
sister in the Castle Perilous."

"Ah, ah," said Persant, "that is the Knight of the Red Lawns, the most
perilous knight that I know now living, a man that is without mercy,
and men say that he hath seven men's strength. God save you, sir, from
that knight, for he doth great wrong to that lady, which is great pity,
for she is one of the fairest ladies of the world, and me seemeth that
this damsel is her sister. Is not your name Linet?"

"Yea, sir," said she, "and my lady my sister's name is Dame Liones.
Now, my lord Sir Persant of Inde, I request you that ye make this
gentleman knight or ever he fight with the Red Knight."

"I will with all my heart," said Sir Persant, "if it please him to take
the order of knighthood of so simple a man as I am."

But Fair-hands thanked him for his good will, and told him he was
better sped, as the noble Sir Launcelot had already made him knight.
Then, after Persant and the damsel had promised to keep it close, he
told them his real name was Gareth of Orkney, King Arthur's nephew, and
that Sir Gawaine and Sir Agravaine and Sir Gaheris were all his
brethren, he being the youngest of them all. "And yet," said he, "wot
not King Arthur nor Sir Gawaine what I am."

The book saith that the lady that was besieged had word of her sister's
coming and a knight with her, and how he had passed all the perilous
passages, had won all the four brethren, and had slain the Black
Knight, and how he overthrew Sir Kay, and did great battle with Sir
Launcelot, and was made knight by him. She was glad of these tidings,
and sent them wine and dainty foods and bade Sir Fair-hands be of good
heart and good courage.

The next day Fair-hands and Linet took their horses again and rode
through a fair forest and came to a spot where they saw across the
plain many pavilions and a fair castle and much smoke. And when they
came near the siege Sir Fair-hands espied upon great trees, as he rode,
how there hung goodly armed knights by the necks, nigh forty of them,
their shields about their necks with their swords. These were knights
that had come to the siege to rescue Dame Liones, and had been overcome
and put to this shameful death by the Red Knight of the Red Lawns.

Then they rode to the dykes, and saw how strong were the defences, and
many great lords nigh the walls, and the sea upon the one side of