h an order on thee."

"Sir," said Griflet, "I beseech you make me knight."

"Sir," said Merlin, "it were great pity to lose Griflet, for he will be
a passing good man when he is of age, abiding with you the term of his
life. And if he adventure his body with yonder knight at the fountain,
it is in great peril if ever he come again, for he is one of the best
knights in the world, and the strongest man of arms."

"Well," said Arthur. So at the desire of Griflet the king made him
knight. "Now," said Arthur unto Sir Griflet, "sith I have made you
knight thou must give me a gift."

"What ye will," said Griflet.

"Thou shalt promise me by the faith of thy body, when thou hast jousted
with the knight at the fountain, whether it fall ye to be on foot or on
horseback, that right so ye shall come again unto me without making any
more debate."

"I will promise you," said Griflet, "as you desire."

Then took Griflet his horse in great haste, and dressed his shield and
took a spear in his hand, and so he rode at a great wallop till he came
to the fountain, and thereby he saw a rich pavilion, and thereby under a
cloth stood a fair horse well saddled and bridled, and on a tree a
shield of divers colors and a great spear. Then Griflet smote on the
shield with the butt of his spear, that the shield fell down to the
ground. With that the knight came out of the pavilion and said, "Fair
knight, why smote ye down my shield?"

"For I will joust with you," said Griflet.

"It is better ye do not," said the knight, "for ye are but young, and
late made knight, and your might is nothing to mine."

"As for that," said Griflet, "I will joust with you."

"That is me loath," said the knight, "but sith I must needs, I will
dress me thereto. Of whence be ye?" said the knight.

"Sir, I am of Arthur's court."

So the two knights ran together that Griflet's spear all to-shivered;
and therewithal he smote Griflet through the shield and the left side,
and brake the spear that the truncheon stuck in his body, that horse and
knight fell down.

When the knight saw him lie so on the ground, he alit, and was passing
heavy, for he weened he had slain him, and then he unlaced his helm and
gat him wind, and so with the truncheon he set him on his horse and gat
him wind, and so betook him to God, and said he had a mighty heart, and
if he might live he would prove a passing good knight. And so Sir
Griflet rode to the court, where great dole was made