fiercely on the
assailants.

He attacked these, indeed, with such fury that many of them were soon
stretched on the ground; while the others fled into a thick forest,
whither they were hotly pursued by their assailant.

On seeing him thus ride away, Percivale was deeply grieved, for he well
knew his rescuer was Galahad, and he had no horse to follow him.

He went forward as fast as he could on foot, and had not gone far when
he met a yeoman riding on a hackney, and leading a great war-horse,
blacker than any bear.

Percivale begged that he would lend him this horse, that he might
overtake a knight before him. But this the yeoman refused, saying that
the owner of the horse would slay him if he should do so.

Not long afterwards, as Percivale sat woebegone beneath a tree, an armed
knight came riding past on the black horse, pursued by the yeoman, who
called him robber, and moaned bitterly that his master would kill him
for the loss of his charge.

"Lend me your hackney," said Percivale; "I may get you your horse
again."

This the yeoman gladly did, and Percivale pursued the robber knight,
loudly bidding him to stand and deliver.

The knight at this turned and rode fiercely upon him, but directed his
spear against the horse instead of the rider, striking it in the breast,
so that it fell to the earth.

He now rode away, without heeding Percivale's angry demand that he
should stop and fight it out on foot. When the dismounted knight found
that his antagonist would not turn, he was so filled with chagrin that
he threw away his helm and sword, and raved like one out of his wits.
Thus he continued till night came on, when he lay down exhausted and
fell into a deep slumber.

Near the midnight hour he suddenly awakened, and saw in the road before
him a woman, who said,--

"Sir Percivale, what do you here?"

"I do neither good nor ill," he replied.

"You need a horse," she said. "If you will promise to do my will when I
shall summon you, I will lend you mine. You will find him no common
one."

"I promise that," cried Percivale. "I would do much for a horse just
now."

"Wait, then; I shall fetch you the noblest animal you ever bestrode."

She departed, but quickly came again, leading a horse of midnight
blackness, and richly apparelled for knightly service.

Percivale looked at it with admiration. He had not hoped for so great
and noble a steed as this. Thanking her warmly, he sprang to his feet,
leaped to