ese two damsels
that you entreat so churlishly?"

"Sir," saith he, "They have disherited me of mine own hold in this
forest that Messire Gawain gave them."

"Sir," say they to Perceval, "This knight is a robber, and none other
but he now wonneth in this forest, for the other robber-knights were
slain by Messire Gawain and Lancelot and another knight that came with
them, and, for the sore suffering and poverty that Messire Gawain and
Lancelot saw in us aforetime, and in the house of my brother in whose
castle they lay, were they fain to give us this hold and the treasure
they conquered from the robber-knights, and for this doth he now lead
us away to slay and destroy us, and as much would he do for you and all
other knights, so only he had the power."

"Sir Knight," saith Perceval, "Let be these damsels, for well I know
that they say true, for that I was there when the hold was given them."

"Then you helped to slay my kindred," saith the knight, "And therefore
you do I defy!"

"Ha," saith the Knight Coward to Perceval, "Take no heed of that he
saith, and wax not wroth, but go your way!"

"Certes," saith Perceval, "This will I not do: Rather will I help to
challenge the honour of the damsels."

VII.

"Ha, Sir," saith the Knight Coward, "Never shall it be challenged of
me!"

Perceval draweth him back. "Sir," saith he, "See here my champion that
I set in my place."

The robber knight moveth toward him, and smiteth him so sore on the
shield that he breaketh his spear, but he might not unseat the Coward
Knight, that sate still upright as aforehand in the saddle-bows. He
looketh at the other knight that hath drawn his sword. The Knight
Coward looketh on the one side and the other, and would fain have fled
and he durst. But Perceval crieth to him: "Knight, do your endeavour
to save my honour and your own life and the honour of these two
damsels!"

And the robber-knight dealeth him a great buffet of his sword so as
that it went nigh to stun him altogether. Howbeit the Coward Knight
moveth not. Perceval looketh at him in wonderment and thinketh him
that he hath set too craven a knight in his place, and now at last
knoweth well that he spake truth. The robber-knight smiteth him all
over his body and giveth him so many buffets that the knight seeth his
own blood.

"By my head," saith he, "You have wounded me, but you shall pay
therefor, for I supposed not that you were minded to slay me!"

He draweth hi