d he spake graciously and asked me
my name; so when I had told it him, and said that I was a king's son, he
pondered, not knowing what to do, for I could not tell him whose son I
was.

Whereupon one of the knights came near me and shaded his eyes with his
hand as one does in a bright sun, meaning to mock at me for my shining
armour, and he drew nearer and nearer till his long stiff beard just
touched me, and then I smote him on the face, and he fell on the floor.

So the king being in a rage, roared out from the door, 'Slay him!' but I
put my shield before me and drew my sword, and the women drew together
aside and whispered fearfully, and while some of the knights took spears
and stood about me, others got their armour on.

And as we stood thus we heard a horn blow, and then an armed knight came
into the hall and drew near to the King; and one of the maidens behind
me, came and laid her hand on my shoulder; so I turned and saw that she
was very fair, and then I was glad, but she whispered to me: 'Sir Squire
for a love I have for your face and gold armour, I will give you good
counsel; go presently to the King and say to him: "In the name of Alys
des roses and Sir Guy le bon amant I pray you three boons,"--do this, and
you will be alive, and a knight by to-morrow, otherwise I think hardly
the one or the other.'

'The Lord reward you damoyzel,' I said. Then I saw that the King had
left talking with that knight and was just going to stand up and say
something out loud, so I went quickly and called out with a loud voice:

'O King Gilbert of the rose-land, I, Lionel of the golden wings, pray of
you three boons in the name of Alys des roses and Sir Guy le bon amant.'

Then the King gnashed his teeth because he had promised if ever his
daughter Alys des roses came back safe again, he would on that day grant
any three boons to the first man who asked them, even if he were his
greatest foe. He said, 'Well, then, take them, what are they?'

'First, my life; then, that you should make me a knight; and thirdly,
that you should take me into your service.'

He said, 'I will do this, and moreover, I forgive you freely if you will
be my true man.' Then we heard shouting arise through all the city
because they were bringing the Lady Alys from the ship up to the palace,
and the people came to the windows, and the houses were hung with cloths
and banners of silk and gold, that swung down right from the eaves to the
ground; lik