ght so fiercely that he
broke Gareth's spear. Then they both drew their swords, and fought
for a long time, till in the end Gareth won the victory.

Gareth then crossed over the river again to Lynette, and told her
to ride on, for the passage across the river was clear.

'Alas, that a kitchen-page should kill two brave knights!' cried
Lynette. 'But do not think your skill killed these men.' And she
told Gareth she had seen the horse of the first knight stumble, and
that that was why he was drowned. 'And, as for the second knight,
you came behind and slew him like a coward,' she said.

'Lady,' said Gareth, 'say what you like; but lead on, and I follow
to deliver your sister.' So Gareth and the lady rode on till
evening.

In the evening they came to a strange and dreary country, where
everything looked black. On one side of a black hawthorn hung a
black banner, on the other side hung a black shield. Beside the
shield there was a long black spear, and close to the spear there
was a great black horse, covered with silk, and the silk was black.
And looking blacker than all the rest was a huge black rock.

Through the darkness they could see some one sitting near the rock.
It was a knight, and he was armed in black armour, and his name was
'the Knight of the Black Land.'

Lynette saw the knight. 'Flee down the valley, before the Black
Knight saddles his horse,' she called to Gareth. But she knew that
even the Black Knight would not frighten her kitchen-knave.

The Black Knight saddled his horse and rode up to them. 'Is this
your knight, and has he come to fight me?' he asked Lynette.

'He is only a kitchen-boy, he is no knight of mine,' Lynette
answered. And in a cruel voice she added, 'I wish you could slay
him and take him out of my way; but he does wonderful deeds with
his sword, and has just slain two knights.'

'If he is no knight, I will take his horse and armour, and let him
go. It would be a shame to take his life,' said the Black Knight.

Gareth was very angry when he heard this. 'I am on my way to Castle
Dangerous, and I mean to reach it,' he said to the Black Knight.
'And as for my horse and armour, you cannot have them unless you
take them from me in fair fight.'

Then they began to fight on foot, and the Black Knight wounded
Gareth, but Gareth smote him with such strength, that his sword cut
through the knight's armour, and then the Black Knight fell to the
ground and died. This was the fiercest fig