four knights whom he had overcome, with intent to hold them
prisoner as aforetold.

And now turn we to King Arthur's court and consider what befell there after
Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel had left it in search of adventures.

[Sidenote: Sir Ector follows Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel] When Sir Ector
found that Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel had gone away in that fashion he
was very much grieved in spirit; wherefore he said to himself, "Meseems my
brother might have taken me with him as well as our cousin." So he went to
King Arthur and besought his leave to quit the court and to ride after
those other two and to join in their adventures, and King Arthur very
cheerfully gave him that leave. So Sir Ector made him ready with all
despatch, and rode away at a great gait after Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel.
And ever as Sir Ector rode he made diligent inquiry and he found that those
two knights had ridden before him, so he said to himself: "By and by I
shall overtake them--if not to-day, at least by night, or by to-morrow
day."

[Sidenote: Sir Ector seeks adventure] But after a while he came to a
cross-roads, and there he took a way that Sir Launcelot and Sir Lionel had
not taken; so that, after he had gone a distance, he found that he had
missed them by taking that road. Nevertheless, he went on until about the
prime of the day, what time he met a forester, to whom he said: "Sirrah,
saw you two knights ride this way--one knight clad in white armor with a
white shield upon which was depicted the figure of a lady, and the other
knight clad in red armor with the figure of a red gryphon upon his shield?"
"Nay," said the forester, "I saw not such folk." Then said Sir Ector, "Is
there any adventure to be found hereabouts?" Upon this the forester fell to
laughing in great measure. "Yea," he said, "there is an adventure to be
found hard by and it is one that many have undertaken and not one yet hath
ever fulfilled." Then Sir Ector said, "Tell me what that adventure is and I
will undertake it."

"Sir," said the forester, "if you will follow along yonder road for a
distance you will find a very large, strong castle surrounded by a broad
moat. In front of that castle is a stream of water with a fair, shallow
ford, where the roadway crosses the water. Upon this side of that ford
there groweth a thorn-tree, very large and sturdy, and upon it hangs a
basin of brass. Strike upon that basin with the butt of your spear, and you
shall present