.

Then they rode to Camelot at the dawning, and delivered Rience to the
porter at the gate, to be led to King Arthur when he should sit in
hall, and the two knights rode away. So, by the capture of King Rience,
his host was put to naught, and the king paid his homage to King
Arthur, and swore on the sacred relics of the Abbey of Camelot to be
his true man while he should live.

At that time Balin could not meet with the felon knight, Sir Garlon,
who wrought evil by wizardry, and he and his brother went their
different ways seeking adventure. Sir Balin returned to King Arthur and
became one of his most valiant knights.

It happened on a day that King Arthur journeyed with his knights from
Camelot to London, and he lay in his pavilion in the heat of the day.
As he rested he heard the noise of a horse, and looking out of the flap
of his tent, he saw a strange knight passing, making great complaint
and sorrowing, and with him was a damsel.

'Abide, fair sir,' said Arthur, 'and tell me wherefore you are
troubled.'

'Ye may little amend it,' answered the knight, and passed on.

Later came Sir Balin and saluted the king, who told him of the strange
knight sorrowing as he rode, and the king bade him follow and bring
back the knight to him, 'for,' said he, 'the sorrows of that knight
were so piercing that I would fain know his grief.'

Sir Balin took horse and lance and rode many miles through the forest,
and by evening he came upon the knight and the lady.

'Sir knight,' said Balin, 'ye must come with me unto my lord, King
Arthur, for to tell him the cause of your sorrow.'

'That will I not,' answered the knight, 'for it would do me none
avail.'

'Sir, make ready,' replied Balin, 'for ye must needs go with me, or
else I will fight with you and take you by force.'

'No heart have I to fight, for all joy of life is dead with me,' said
the knight, 'but I am on a fierce quest, and ye must be my warrant if I
go with you that I be not kept from my quest.'

'I will gladly warrant you,' said Balin, and together with the lady
they turned back.

'I fear not to tell you my sorrow,' said the knight as they rode. 'I
but lately returned from fighting the pagans in the north, and when I
came to my father's hall, men told me that the lady that I loved most
tenderly had been robbed away by a villain knight. And as I sorrowed
and went forth to seek the knight to slay him, lo, there I saw my lady,
who had escaped unscathed from