hting him, but fawned upon him with
every mark of joy and gratitude, he cast down his shield and removed his
helm, and sat there stroking the neck and shoulders of the beast.

Until noon he comforted himself with the fellowship of the lion. Then it
took up its whelp and bore it away, leaving Percivale alone. But he was
not unhappy, for he believed fervently in God, and prayed with all
earnestness that he might be saved from unholy things, and chosen as a
champion of right and truth.

When night came, Percivale, to his joy, saw the lion coming towards him.
It crouched at his feet like a spaniel, and all that night the lion and
the knight slept in company, his head being pillowed on the shoulder of
the beast.

But during the night a strange dream came to him. He seemed to see two
women, one of whom was young, and rode upon a lion, and the other was
old, and sat upon a gliding serpent. And the younger spoke to him as
follows,--

"Sir Percivale," she said, "my lord salutes you, and sends a warning to
you to make ready, for to-morrow you will have to fight with the
strongest champion in the world. And if overcome you will be shamed to
the world's end."

"Who is your lord?" he asked.

"The greatest lord in all the world," she said; and then suddenly
vanished.

Then came the lady upon the serpent, and said,--

"Sir Percivale, I have done you no harm, and yet you have worked me
injury."

"What have I done? I have been always heedful to offend no lady."

"I have long nourished here a great serpent, and yesterday you killed it
for seeking its prey. Why did you this? The lion was not in your care."

"I aided the lion because it was a nobler beast than the serpent. In
that I did nothing against you."

"You did me a great wrong, and in return for this injury I demand that
you become my man."

"That shall I never be," he answered.

"Beware, then, proud knight, who pride yourself on your piety. You have
robbed me of that which I loved; take heed that I catch you not
unawares, or mine you shall be, body and soul."

With these words she departed, and Percivale finished his sleep without
further vision. In the morning, when he awoke, he felt feeble. And as he
rose and blessed himself he saw not far off in the sea a ship that
sailed towards him. As it came near he perceived it to be covered within
and without with white samite, while on the deck stood an old man
dressed in a surplice like a priest.

"Sir," said Perci