fest and the strongest place of
defence in all King Ban's dominions, wherefore he had intrenched himself
there with all of his knights and with his Queen, hight Helen, and his
youngest son, hight Launcelot.

Now this child, Launcelot, was dearer to Queen Helen than all the world
besides, for he was not only large of limb but so extraordinarily beautiful
of face that I do not believe an angel from Paradise could have been more
beautiful than he. He had been born with a singular birth-mark upon his
shoulder, which birth-mark had the appearance as of a golden star enstamped
upon the skin; wherefore, because of this, the Queen would say: "Launcelot,
by reason of that star upon thy shoulder I believe that thou shalt be the
star of our house and that thou shalt shine with such remarkable glory that
all the world shall behold thy lustre and shall marvel thereat for all time
to come." So the Queen took extraordinary delight in Launcelot and loved
him to the very core of her heart--albeit she knew not, at the time she
spake, how that prophecy of hers concerning the star was to fall so
perfectly true.

Now, though King Ban thought himself very well defended at his Castle of
Trible, yet King Claudas brought so terribly big an army against that place
that it covered the entire plain. A great many battles were fought under
the walls of the castle, but ever King Claudas waxed greater and stronger,
and King Ban's party grew weaker and more fearful.

[Sidenote: King Ban bethinks him of King Arthur] So by and by things came
to such a pass that King Ban bethought him of King Arthur, and he said to
himself: "I will go to my lord the King and beseech help and aid from him,
for he will certainly give it me. Nor will I trust any messenger in this
affair other than myself; for I myself will go to King Arthur and will
speak to him with my own lips."

Having thus bethought him, he sent for Queen Helen to come into his privy
closet and he said to her: "My dear love, nothing remaineth for me but to
go unto the court of King Arthur and beseech him to lend his powerful aid
in this extremity of our misfortunes; nor will I trust any messenger in
this affair but myself. Now, this castle is no place for thee, when I am
away, therefore, when I go upon this business, I will take thee and
Launcelot with me, and I will leave you both in safety at King Arthur's
court with our other son, Sir Ector, until this war be ended and done." And
to these Queen Hel