entreated the King, 'that I may
work in your kitchen and eat and drink there for a year. After that
I will fight.'

And King Arthur looked at Gareth, and saw that though he leaned on
his servants he was tall and strong, and that though he wore rough
clothes, he was as noble-looking as any of his knights.

'You ask but a small boon,' said the King. 'Would you not rather
serve me as my knight?'

And Gareth longed to say 'Yes.' But as he could not break the
promise he had given to his mother, he said again, that the only
boon he asked was to be allowed to work in the King's kitchen.

Then the King sent for Sir Kay, the steward of his kitchen, and
told him to make Gareth one of his kitchen-boys. But Sir Kay did
not wish this noble-looking lad in his kitchen, and he made fun of
him and mocked him, because he would not tell his name, nor where
his home was.

But Sir Lancelot, the noblest knight in all the land, was kind to
Gareth, and Gareth's brother, Sir Gavaine, who had gone to Arthur's
court long ago, was kind to him too. Yet Sir Gavaine did not know
that Gareth was his brother, for the little prince he had left at
home looked very different to the King's new kitchen-boy.

In the kitchen Gareth soon began to find out what a difficult task
he had undertaken, for the sake of one day being a knight. He ate
his meals with rough kitchen-boys, and as Gareth's mother had
taught her little prince daintily, he did not like their rough
ways; and at night he slept in a shed with dirty kitchen-boys.

And because Sir Kay did not like Gareth, he would bustle and hurry
him, and make him work harder than any of the other lads, and give
him all the roughest work to do. It was Gareth who had to draw the
water and cut the wood, while the other servants played.

But when at last his work was done, Gareth would listen gladly as
the servants talked of Lancelot and the King. He loved to hear how
Lancelot had twice saved the King's life, and how since then there
had grown up a great friendship between the King and his brave
knight.

And Gareth was glad when he heard that though Lancelot was first in
all the tournaments or mock battles, yet on the battle-field his
hero King was mightiest of all.

But when the servants' talk was rough and rude, Gareth would not
listen, but sang some of his old mountain-songs, carolling like
any lark, and the servants stopped their talk to listen.

It seemed a long year to Gareth, the longest year i