no power to stir. In the meanwhile
by good fortune there came Sir Galahad and found him there in peril of
death.

Then he said, "Ah, Melias, who hath wounded you? It would have been
better to ride the other way."

And when Sir Melias heard him speak, "Sir," he said, "for God's love
let me not die in this forest, but bear me unto the abbey near at hand."

"It shall be done," said Galahad, "but where is he that hath wounded
you?"

With that Sir Galahad heard some one cry, "Knight, keep thee from me!"

"Ah, sir," said Melias, "beware, for that is he that hath slain me."

Sir Galahad answered, "Sir knight, come at your peril."

So they came together as fast as their horses might run; and Galahad
smote the other so that his spear went through the knight's shoulder
and smote him down off his horse, and in the falling Galahad's spear
brake. With that came out another knight from the leaves, and brake a
spear upon Galahad before he might turn about. Then Galahad drew out
his sword and smote this one so that he fled away, and Sir Galahad
pursued fast after him. But soon he turned again unto Sir Melias, and
there he alighted and placed him softly on his horse before him, and
Sir Galahad climbed up behind, and held him in his arms, and so brought
him to the abbey and into his chamber. Here he placed the wounded
knight in the care of an old monk, that promised to heal him of his
wounds.

"Now I will depart," said Galahad, "for I have much on hand; many good
knights be full busy about it, and this knight and I were in the same
quest of the Holy Grail."

"Sir," said the good monk, "for his sins he was thus wounded; and I
marvel," said he to Melias, "how ye durst take upon you so rich a thing
as the high order of knighthood without clean confession, and that was
the cause ye were bitterly wounded. For the way on the right hand
betokeneth the high way of our Lord Jesu Christ, and the way of a true
good liver. And the other way betokeneth the way of sinners and of
misbelievers. Your pride and presumption in taking the quest of the
blessed Holy Grail made you to be overthrown, for it may not be
achieved but by virtuous living. Pride is head of all deadly sins, and
that caused you to depart from Sir Galahad. And when ye took the crown
of gold your sin was covetousness and theft. But this Galahad, the
holy knight, the which fought with the two knights that signify the two
deadly sins which were wholly in you, was ab