ve thee
dwell near me at mine inn." And Gareth said to his brother, "Sir, thou
art very good to me."

[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine traineth Gareth in knightly skill._]

So it was that after that time Sir Gawaine took Gareth into his favor
and did many acts of kindness unto the youth. And so Gareth dwelt nigh
to Sir Gawaine, and Sir Gawaine instructed him in the use of arms. And
ever Sir Gawaine was astonished that the youth should learn so quickly
and so well the arts of chivalry and of knighthood. For Sir Gawaine wist
not that Gareth had been taught many of these things, and that others
came easily to him by nature, because of the royal and knightly blood
from which he had sprung.

[Sidenote: _Sir Kay scorneth Gareth._]

And ever in the same measure that Sir Gawaine bestowed his favor upon
Gareth, in that degree Sir Kay scorned him. So it came to pass that when
Sir Kay would meet Gareth he would say to whomsoever was present at that
time, some such words as these: "Lo! you! this is our kitchen knave who
had no spirit to ask of the King's Majesty any higher boon than this,
that he be allowed to sup fat broth in the kitchen." So Sir Kay ever
called Gareth a kitchen knave, and so calling him he would maybe say,
"Sirrah, get thee upon the other side of me, for the wind bloweth toward
me and thou smellest vilely of the kitchen." And because Sir Kay
perceived that the hands of Gareth were soft and very white he named the
youth "Beaumains," saying, "Look you at this kitchen knave, how fat and
white are his hands from dwelling in lazy idleness." So Gareth was known
as "Beaumains" by all those who were of the King's court.

But when Sir Gawaine heard this talk of Sir Kay he remembered him of how
Sir Percival had been one time scorned by Sir Kay in such a manner as
this. And Sir Gawaine said: "Messire, let be, and torment not this
youth, lest evil befall thee. Remember how thou didst hold Sir Percival
in scorn when he was a youth, and how he struck thee such a buffet that
he nigh broke thy neck."

Then Sir Kay looked very sourly upon Sir Gawaine, and said, "This
Beaumains is not such as Sir Percival was when he was young." And Sir
Gawaine laughed and said, "Nevertheless, be thou warned in season."

* * * * *

So it was that Gareth dwelt for a year at the King's court, eating the
meat of idleness. And many laughed at him and made sport of him who
would have paid him court and honor had they know