s Sir Tristram to a promise] King Mark said: "I
have listened to your singing for this long while concerning the Lady Belle
Isoult. So the quest I would have you undertake is this: that you go to
Ireland, and bring thence the Lady Belle Isoult to be my Queen. For because
of your songs and ballads I have come to love her so greatly that I believe
that I shall have no happiness in life until I have her for my Queen. So
now, since you have pledged me your word upon your knighthood to do my
bidding in this case, such is the quest that I would send you upon." And
therewith he smiled upon Sir Tristram very strangely.

[Sidenote: How Sir Tristram fell into despair] Then Sir Tristram perceived
how he had been betrayed and he put aside his harp and rose from where he
sat. And he gazed for a long while at King Mark, and his countenance was
wonderfully white like that of a dead man. Then by and by he said: "Sir, I
know not why you have put this upon me, nor do I know why you have betrayed
me. For I have ever served you truly as a worthy knight and a kinsman
should. Wherefore I know not why you have done this unto me, nor why you
seek to compass my death. For you know very well that if I return to
Ireland I shall very likely be slain either by the Queen or by some of her
kindred, because that for your sake I slew in battle Sir Marhaus, the
Queen's brother of Ireland. Yet, so far as that is concerned, I would
rather lose my life than succeed in this quest, for if so be I do not lose
my life, then I must do that which I would liever die than do. Yea; I
believe that there was never any knight loved a lady as I love the Lady
Belle Isoult. For I love her not only because of her beauty and
graciousness, but because she healed mine infirmities and lent ease unto my
great sufferings and brought me back from death unto life. Wherefore that
which you bid me fulfil is more bitter to me than death."

"Well," said King Mark, "I know nothing of all this--only I know that you
have given me your knightly word to fulfil this quest."

"Very well," said Sir Tristram, "if God will give me His good help in this
matter, then I will do that which I have pledged my knighthood to
undertake." Therewith he turned and went out from that place in such great
despair that it was as though his heart had been turned into ashes. But
King Mark was filled with joy that he should have caused Sir Tristram all
that pain, and he said to his heart: "This is some satisfact