land upon which Sir Lamorack had been cast by the tempest.

[Sidenote: The fisher-folk disarm Sir Lamorack] Now whilst Sir Lamorack
lay sleeping in the heather in that wise as aforetold, there came by that
way several fisher-folk; these, when they saw him lying there, thought at
first that he was dead. But as they stood talking concerning him, Sir
Lamorack was aware of their voices and woke and sat up and beheld them.

Then the chiefest of those fisher-folk spake and said, "Who are you, and
how came you here?" Him Sir Lamorack answered: "Alas! friend! I am a poor
soul who was cast ashore from a shipwreck, naked as you see me. Now I pray
you, give me some clothes to cover my nakedness, and give me some food to
eat, and lend me such succor as man may give to man in distress."

Then the chief fisherman perceived the ring upon Sir Lamorack's finger that
Sir Tristram had given him, and he said, "How got you that ring upon your
finger?" Sir Lamorack said, "He who was my friend gave it to me." "Well,"
quoth the fisherman, "I will give you clothes to wear and food to eat, but
if I do so you must give me that ring that I see upon your hand. As for
lending you aid, I must tell you that the lord of this island hath ordained
upon peril of our lives that all who come hither must straightway be
brought before him to be dealt with as he may deem fitting. Wherefore,
after I have fed you and clothed you I must immediately take you to him."

[Sidenote: The fisher-folk give Sir Lamorack clothes and food] "Alas!"
quoth Sir Lamorack, "this is certes an inhospitable land into which I have
come! Ne'ertheless, as I am naked and starving, I see that I have no choice
other than that which ye put upon me." So therewith he gave the chief of
the fisher-folk the ring that Sir Tristram had given him, and in return the
fishermen gave him such garments as they could spare to cover his
nakedness; and they gave him black bread and cheese to eat, and bitter ale
to drink from a skin that they carried with them. After that they tied Sir
Lamorack's hands behind his back, and so, having made him prisoner, they
brought him to the castle of Sir Nabon, and before Sir Nabon who was there
at that time.

Now it chanced that the swineherd of Sir Nabon's castle had been slain in a
quarrel with one of his fellows, so that when Sir Nabon beheld Sir
Lamorack, that he was big and sturdy of frame, he said: "I will spare this
fellow his life, but I will make him my swine