" said the damosel, "that sword is mine, and if ye
will give me a gift when I ask it you, ye shall have it."

"By my faith," said Arthur, "I will give you what gift ye will ask."

"Well!" said the damosel. "Go ye into yonder barge, and row yourself to
the sword, and take it and the scabbard with you, and I will ask my gift
when I see my time."

So Sir Arthur and Merlin alit and tied their horses to two trees, and so
they went into the ship, and when they came to the sword that the hand
held, Sir Arthur took it up by the handles, and took it with him, and
the arm and the hand went under the water. And so they came unto the
land and rode forth, and then Sir Arthur saw a rich pavilion.

"What signifieth yonder pavilion?"

"It is the knight's pavilion," said Merlin, "that ye fought with last,
Sir Pellinore; but he is out; he is not there. He hath ado with a knight
of yours that hight Egglame, and they have foughten together, but at the
last Egglame fled, and else he had been dead, and he hath chased him
even to Carlion, and we shall meet with him anon in the highway."

"That is well said," said Arthur, "now have I a sword; now will I wage
battle with him, and be avenged on him."

"Sir, you shall not so," said Merlin, "for the knight is weary of
fighting and chasing, so that ye shall have no worship to have ado with
him; also he will not be lightly matched of one knight living, and
therefore it is my counsel, let him pass, for he shall do you good
service in short time, and his sons after his days. Also ye shall see
that day in short space, you shall be right glad to give him your sister
to wed."

"When I see him, I will do as ye advise me," said Arthur. Then Sir
Arthur looked on the sword, and liked it passing well.

"Whether liketh you the better," said Merlin, "the sword or the
scabbard?"

"Me liketh better the sword," said Arthur.

"Ye are more unwise," said Merlin, "for the scabbard is worth ten of the
swords, for whiles ye have the scabbard upon you, ye shall never lose no
blood be ye never so sore wounded, therefore keep well the scabbard
always with you."

So they rode unto Carlion, and by the way they met with Sir Pellinore;
but Merlin had done such a craft, that Pellinore saw not Arthur, and he
passed by without any words.

"I marvel," said Arthur, "that the knight would not speak."

"Sir," said Merlin, "he saw you not, for an he had seen you, ye had not
lightly departed."

So they came unto Carl