the
walls, where were many ships and mariners' noise, with "hale" and "ho."
Fast by there was a sycamore tree, whereupon hung a horn, the greatest
that ever they saw, of an elephant's bone. This the Knight of the Red
Lawns had hung up there that any errant knight might blow it, if he
wished the Knight of the Red Lawns to come to him to do battle. The
damsel Linet besought Fair-hands not to blow the horn till high noon,
for the Red Knight's might grew greater all through the morn, till, as
men said, he had seven men's strength.

"Ah, fie for shame, fair damsel," said Fair-hands, "say ye never so
more to me, for, were he as good a knight as ever was, I shall never
fail him in his most might, for either I will win honour honourably, or
die knightly in the field."

Therewith he spurred his horse straight to the sycamore tree, and blew
the horn so eagerly that all the siege and all the castle rang thereof.
And then there leaped out knights out of their tents, and they within
the castle looked over the walls and out at windows. Then the Red
Knight of the Red Lawns armed himself hastily, and two barons set his
spurs upon his heels, and all was blood red,--his armour, spear, and
shield. And an earl buckled his helm upon his head, and then they
brought him a red steed, and so he rode into a little vale under the
castle, that all that were in the castle and at the siege might behold
the battle.

Sir Fair-hands looked up at a window of the castle, and there he saw
the Lady Liones, the fairest lady, it seemed to him, that ever he
looked upon. She made courtesy down to him, and ever he looked up to
the window with glad countenance, and loved her from that time and
vowed to rescue her or else to die.

"Leave, Sir Knight, thy looking," said the Red Knight, "and behold me,
I counsel thee, and make thee ready."

Then they both put their spears in their rests, and came together with
all the might that they had. Either smote other in the midst of the
shield with such force that the breastplates, horse-girths, and
cruppers brake, and both fell to the earth stunned, and lay so long
that all they that were in the castle and in the siege thought their
necks had been broken. But at length they put their shields afore
them, drew their swords, and ran together like two fierce lions.
Either gave other such buffets upon the helm that they reeled backward;
then they recovered both, and hewed off great pieces of their harness
and thei