ary reconciliation with Mark was effected. Then there came
out of Ireland a knight, Sir Morhoult, to claim tribute due to the Irish
king by King Mark. Tristan fought with the stranger, wounded him unto
death, and was himself wounded by the poisoned lance of his adversary.
Only in the country where the poison was brewed was there hope of succor
for the wounded hero; and accordingly Tristan set out for Ireland, in a
boat without sails and without rudder, albeit well victualled. The
helpless boat, however, bore its precious burden safely to Ireland.

The wounded knight, who concealed his real name, was kindly received by
the Irish king, who gave him into the charge of his wife and his
daughter, La Belle Iseut, both skilled leeches. The latter, fair and
golden-haired, altogether lovely, became the special attendant of the
wounded knight: "And when she had searched his wound, she found in the
bottom of his wound that there was poison, and within a little while she
healed him, and therefore Tristan cast great love to la Belle Iseut, for
she was at that time the fairest lady in the world, and then Sir Tristan
taught her to harp, and she began to have a great fantasy unto Sir
Tristan." Unfortunately the mother of Iseut discovered by chance that
Tristan was the slayer of her brother, Sir Morhoult. Tristan must leave,
and nothing but the love of Iseut and the honor of the king saved him
from the wrath of the queen and enabled him to escape unmolested.

For long years we hear no more of la Belle Iseut in Tristan's life,
which is wholly devoted to winning himself a place at the Round Table
and putting to shame his wicked uncle, King Mark. But he had never
forgotten Iseut, and praised her so enthusiastically that King Mark
conceived a desire to have her for his wife. Tristan, despatched to
Ireland to fetch Iseut to be his uncle's bride, was kindly received on
account of his honorable mission, and of the great renown he had won. He
made a formal demand for the princess: "I desire that ye will give me la
Belle Iseut, your daughter, not for myself, but for mine uncle King
Mark, that shall have her to wife, for so have I promised him." "Alas,"
said the king, "I had liever than all the land that I have ye would wed
her yourself." "Sir, an I did, then were I shamed for ever in this
world, and false of my promise."

All was made ready for the voyage, and la Belle Iseut was committed to
the care of Tristan: "a fairer couple or one more mee