rd the
war-horse neigh, and when they beheld Sir Launcelot where he lay, they
drew rein and marvelled very greatly to see a knight sleeping so soundly at
that place, maugre all the noise and tumult of their passing. So Queen
Morgana called to her one of the esquires who followed after them, and she
said to him: "Go softly and see if thou knowest who is yonder knight; but
do not wake him."

[Sidenote: An esquire knoweth Sir Launcelot] So the esquire did as she
commanded; he went unto that apple-tree and he looked into Sir Launcelot's
face, and by hap he knew who it was because he had been to Camelot
erstwhiles and he had seen Sir Launcelot at that place. So he hastened back
to Queen Morgana and he said to her: "Lady, I believe that yonder knight is
none other than the great Sir Launcelot of the Lake, concerning whom there
is now such report; for he is reputed to be the most powerful of all the
knights of King Arthur's Round Table, and the greatest knight in the world,
so that King Arthur loves him and favors him above all other knights."

Now when Queen Morgana le Fay was aware that the knight who was asleep
there was Sir Launcelot, it immediately entered her mind for to lay some
powerful, malignant enchantment upon him to despite King Arthur. For she
too knew how dear Sir Launcelot was to King Arthur, and so she had a mind
to do him mischief for King Arthur's sake. So she went softly to where Sir
Launcelot lay with intent to work some such spell upon him. But when she
had come to Sir Launcelot she was aware that this purpose of mischief was
not possible whilst he wore that ring upon his finger which the Lady of the
Lake had given him; wherefore she had to put by her evil design for a
while.

[Sidenote: Queen Morgana le Fay sets a mild enchantment upon Sir
Launcelot] But though she was unable to work any malign spell upon him,
she was able to cause it by her magic that that sleep in which he lay
should remain unbroken for three or four hours. So she made certain
movements of her hands above his face and by that means she wove the
threads of his slumber so closely together that he could not break through
them to awake.

After she had done this she called to her several of the esquires who were
of her party, and these at her command fetched the shield of Sir Launcelot
and laid him upon it. Then they lifted him and bore him away, carrying him
in that manner to a certain castle in the forest that was no great distance
aw