an oak tree that grew nigh to the
cottage, there to rest himself for a while with great pleasure. And as he
sat there there came a barelegged lass from the cottage and brought him
fresh milk to drink; and there came a good, comely housewife and brought
him bread and cheese made of cream; and Sir Percival ate and drank with
great appetite.

Now whilst Sir Percival sat there resting and refreshing himself in that
wise, there appeared of a sudden coming thitherward, a tall and noble
knight riding upon a piebald war-horse of Norway strain. So when Sir
Percival beheld that knight coming in that wise he quickly put on his
helmet and mounted his horse and made him ready for defence in case the
knight had a mind to assail him.

[Sidenote: Sir Percival bespeaketh the strange knight] Meantime that
knight came riding up with great haughtiness of bearing to where Sir
Percival was, and when he had come nigh enough he bespake Sir Percival,
saying: "Sir Knight, I pray you to tell me your name and whither you go,
and upon what quest?"

Unto this Sir Percival made reply: "Messire, I do not choose to tell you my
name, for I am a young knight, very new to adventure, and I know not how I
shall succeed in that quest which I have undertaken. So I will wait to try
the success of that adventure before I tell my name. But though I may not
tell my name I will tell you whither I go and upon what quest. I go for to
find a certain castle called Beaurepaire, and I intend to endeavor to
liberate the lady of that castle from the duress of a certain knight hight
Sir Clamadius, who, I understand, holds her by siege within the walls
thereof."

Now, when Sir Percival had ceased speaking, the strange knight said: "Sir,
this is a very singular thing: for that adventure of which you speak is the
very adventure upon which I myself am bound. Now, as you say, you are a
very young knight unused to arms, and as I am in the same degree a knight
well seasoned in deeds of arms, it is more fitting that I should undertake
this quest than you. For you may know how very well I am used to the
service of arms when I tell you that I have had to do in four and twenty
battles of various sorts; some of them friendly and some of them otherwise;
and that I have had to do in more than four times that many affairs-at-arms
with single knights, nearly all of them of great prowess. So now it would
seem fitting that you should withdraw you from this affair and let me first
essay