should draw it but that of Lancelot, or his son Galahad.
Nor can any man have forgotten the dolorous stroke which Balin dealt my
grandfather King Pellam, of which he is not yet healed, nor shall be
till I heal him. So has Merlin prophesied."

As they talked thus a lady on a white palfrey was seen riding down the
river side to where they stood. Reaching the group, she saluted the
king and queen, and asked if Sir Lancelot were there.

"I am here, fair lady," he answered.

"Sad is it," she said, while tears flowed from her eyes, "that all your
great renown is changed since this day's dawn."

"Damsel, why say you this?"

"Until to-day you were the best knight in the world," she answered. "But
he who should say this now would speak falsely, for there has come a
better than you. And this is proved by the adventure of the sword to
which you dared not set your hand. Remember well what I have said."

"As touches that," rejoined Lancelot, "I never had the pride of being
the best knight in the world, nor do I envy my son if any worship has
passed from me to him."

"Yet you were the greatest; and still are among sinful men," she
persisted. "And, sir king," she said to Arthur, "this more I am bid to
say, from the holy lips of Nancien the hermit, that to you shall fall
to-day the greatest of honors; for this day the Sangreal shall appear in
your palace, and feed you and all your fellowship of the Round Table!"

With these words she turned her palfrey and rode away as she had come,
leaving all who had heard her lost in wonder and admiration.

When they had a little got over their wonder at what they had seen, the
king gave orders that the stone should be taken from the water, saying
that he would have it set up as a monument of those strange events.

"And as it may be long before you all come together here again, I should
like to have you joust in the meadow of Camelot, by way of honor to this
day."

Thus he spoke; but his real purpose was to see Galahad proved, for he
feared that if he once left the court it might be long before he should
see him again. Then the knights put on their armor and rode to the
meadow in a gallant cavalcade. Galahad also, at the earnest request of
the king, put on armor, but he would take no shield, though the king and
Lancelot prayed him to do so. The most he would consent to do was to
take a spear.

But noble work he did that day, meeting all men who cared to break
spears with him, so that b