Then he said to
Evelake, 'No man hereafter shall bear this shield but he shall repent
it, until Galahad, the last of my lineage, shall come to seek it, and
with it he shall do marvellous deeds.' 'Where shall the shield await his
coming?' asked Evelake. 'You shall leave it in the abbey where Nancien
the hermit shall lie after his death, and thither the knight Galahad
shall come for it soon after he receives the order of knighthood.' This
is the story of the shield, and this day has the prediction been
fulfilled. Wear the shield worthily and well, young knight, for much
glory and renown shall come to you through it. You are in God's hands;
to God commend yourself."

With these words the white knight vanished away, and in the place where
he had stood was seen but empty air.

Then the squire, who had heard these words, alighted and kneeled at
Galahad's feet, praying that he would make him a knight.

"That I shall consider," said Galahad. "But now let us return to the
abbey."

Here Galahad drove away a fiend that had long dwelt in a tomb near by,
where it made such noise that none could venture near it. But the
virtue of the shield protected him from all harm from this evil shape,
which was forced to depart.

When morning came, he asked the young squire his name.

"Sir," he answered, "men call me Melias de Lile, and I am the son of the
king of Denmark."

"Then, fair sir, since you come of kings and queens, I shall make you a
knight; and look you that knighthood sit well on you, for you should be
a mirror of chivalry."

"That shall I seek to be," said Melias.

Then Galahad gave him the accolade as he kneeled before him, and bade
him rise a knight.

"Now, dear sir," said Melias, "since you have done me this high honor,
it is but right that you grant me my first request, so that it be in
reason."

"You speak justly," said Galahad.

"I beg, then, that you let me ride with you in the quest of the Sangreal
till some adventure shall part us."

"That I grant willingly."

Armor was now brought to Melias, and when it had been girded upon him he
and Galahad rode away, and passed onward all that week without an
adventure. But on the Monday next, as they set out from an abbey, they
came to where a cross marked a parting of the road. On the cross was
written,--

"Ye knights-errant, that ride in quest of adventures, here lie two ways.
He that takes the right-hand road shall not leave it again, if he be a
good man and