Then approached Modred there,
with innumerable folk; he bare in his hand a battle-axe strong; he
began to hew exceeding hardily; and the posts all hewed in pieces,
that held up the hall. There I saw Wenhaver eke, dearest of women to
me; all the mickle hall roof with her hand she drew down; the hall gan
to tumble, and I tumbled to the ground, so that my right arm brake in
pieces,--then said Modred, 'Have that!' Down fell the hall; and
Walwain gan to fall, and fell on the earth; his arms both brake. And I
grasped my dear sword with my left hand, and smote off Modred his
head, so that it rolled on the field. And the queen I cut all in
pieces with my dear sword, and afterwards I set her down in a black
pit. And all my good people set to flight, so that I knew not under
Christ, where they were gone. But myself I gan stand upon a weald, and
I there gan to wander wide over the moors, there I saw gripes, and
grisly fowls! Then approached a golden lion over the down;--a beast
most fair, that our Lord made;--the lion ran towards me, and took me
by the middle, and forth gan her move, and to the sea went. And I saw
the waves drive in the sea; and the lion in the flood went with
myself. When we came in the sea, the waves took her from me; but there
approached a fish, and brought me to land;--then was I all wet, and
weary from sorrow, and sick. When I gan to wake, greatly gan I to
quake; then gan I to tremble as if I all burnt with fire. And so I
have all night of my dream much thought; for I wot with certainty,
gone is all my bliss, for ever in my life sorrow I must endure! Alas!
that I have not here Wenhaver, my queen!"

Then answered the knight: "Lord, thou hast wrong; men should never a
dream with sorrow interpret. Thou art the mightiest man, that reigneth
in land, and the wisest of all that dwelleth under heaven. If it were
befallen--as will it not our Lord!--that Modred, thy sister's son, had
taken thy queen, and set all thy royal land in his own hand, that thou
to him committedest, when thou thoughtest to go to Rome; and had he
done all this with his treachery, the yet thou mightest thee avenge
with weapon worthily, and eft thy land hold, and govern thy people,
and thine enemies fell, who did evil to thee, and slay them all clean,
that there remain not one."

Arthur then answered, noblest of all kings: "So long as is ever,
weened I that never, that ever Modred, my relative, who is man dearest
to me, would betray me, for all