d King
Arthur and the queen. But many of the knights of the Round Table were
slain and destroyed, more than half. And so three were come home
again, that were Sir Gawaine, Sir Ector, and Sir Lionel, and many
other that need not to be rehearsed. Then all the court was passing
glad of Sir Launcelot, and the king asked him many tidings of his son
Galahad. And there Launcelot told the king of his adventures that had
befallen him syne he departed. And also he told him of the adventures
of Galahad, Percivale, and Bors, which that he knew by the letter of
the dead damosel, and as Galahad had told him. Now God would, said the
king, that they were all three here. That shall never be, said
Launcelot, for two of them shall ye never see, but one of them shall
come again.

CHAPTER XVIII

HOW GALAHAD CAME TO KING MORDRAINS, AND OF OTHER MATTERS AND
ADVENTURES

Now saith the story that Galahad rode many journeys in vain. And at
the last he came to the Abbey where King Mordrains was, and when he
heard that, he thought he would abide to see him. And upon the morn,
when he had heard mass, Galahad came unto King Mordrains, and anon the
king saw him, which had lain blind a long time. And then he dressed
him against him, and said: Galahad, the servant of Jesu Christ, whose
coming I have abiden so long, now embrace me and let me rest on thy
breast, so that I may rest between thine arms, for thou art a clene
virgin above all knights, as the flower of the lily in whom virginity
is signified, and thou art the rose the which is the flower of all
good virtues, and in colour of fire. For the fire of the Holy Ghost is
taken so in thee that my flesh which was of dead oldness is become
young again. When Galahad heard his words, then he embraced him and
all his body. Then said he: Fair Lord Jesu Christ, now I have my will.
Now I require thee, in this point that I am in, thou come and visit
me. And anon Our Lord heard his prayer: therewith the soul departed
from the body. And then Galahad put him in the earth as a king ought
to be, and so departed and came into a perilous forest where he found
the well the which boileth with great waves, as the tale telleth
tofore. And as soon as Galahad set his hand thereto it ceased, so that
it burnt no more, and the heat departed. For that it brent it was a
sign of lechery, the which was that time much used. But that heat
might not abide his pure virginity. And this was taken in the country
for a miracl