alled upon for to ride a-maying with her all bright and early
upon the morning of the day as aforesaid.

And the Queen further ordained that each of these knights should choose
him a lady for the day. And she ordained that each lady should ride
behind the knight upon the horse which he rode. And she ordained that
all those knights and ladies and all such attendants as might be of that
party should be clad entirely in green, as was fitting for that pleasant
festival.

Such were the commands that the Queen ordained, and when those who were
chosen were acquainted with their good fortune they took great joy
therein; for all they wist there would be great sport at that
maying-party.

So when the next morning was come they all rode forth in the freshness
of dewy springtide; what time the birds were singing so joyously, so
joyously, from every hedge and coppice; what time the soft wind was
blowing great white clouds, slow sailing across the canopy of heaven,
each cloud casting a soft and darkling shadow that moved across the
hills and uplands as it swam the light blue heaven above; what time all
the trees and hedgerows were abloom with fragrant and dewy blossoms, and
fields and meadow-lands, all shining bright with dew, were spread over
with a wonderful carpet of pretty flowers, gladdening the eye with their
charm and making fragrant the breeze that blew across the smooth and
grassy plain.

For in those days the world was young and gay (as it is nowadays with
little children who are abroad when the sun shines bright and things are
a-growing) and the people who dwelt therein had not yet grown aweary of
its freshness of delight. Wherefore that fair Queen and her court took
great pleasure in all the merry world that lay spread about them, as
they rode two by two, each knight with his lady, gathering the blossoms
of the May, chattering the while like merry birds and now and then
bursting into song because of the pure pleasure of living.

[Sidenote: _They feast very joyously._]

So they disported themselves among the blossoms for all that morning,
and when noontide had come they took their rest at a fair spot in a
flowery meadow that lay spread out beside the smooth-flowing river about
three miles from the town. For from where they sat they might look down
across the glassy stream and behold the distant roofs and spires of
Camelot, trembling in the thin warm air, very bright and clear, against
the blue and radiant sky beyond