lly fair damsel, tall and
straight and clad from top to toe in flame-colored satin. In her hand
she bare a paten of silver and upon the paten was a napkin, and on the
napkin there was a wonderful ring of gold set with a clear blue stone.
And the damsel spoke in a voice both high and clear, saying: 'Lords and
Ladies, here have I a ring that may only be worn by the fairest and
worthiest lady in this room.'

"At these words, as you may suppose, there was a great deal of wonder
and much expectation, and a great deal of talk. For some said that one
lady should by rights have that ring and some said that another lady
should have it.

[Sidenote: _Of how Queen Morgana tryeth the ring._]

"Now the first to essay that ring was Queen Morgana le Fay, for she
supposed that this was a masque devised by King Pelles in honor of her.
So she took the ring in her hand and essayed to pass it upon her finger,
but lo! it would not pass the first joint thereof.

"At that Queen Morgana was filled with wrath, but still she dissembled
her anger and sat, waiting to see what would next befall.

[Sidenote: _Of how the Queen of North Wales tryeth the ring._]

"So after Queen Morgana le Fay had thus failed to wear that ring, the
Queen of North Wales said unto herself, 'Haply King Pelles may intend
this ring for me.' So she also took the ring and would have placed it
upon her finger, but lo! it grew so large that it would not stay where
it was placed, but fell off upon the table before the whole court of the
King.

"At this many who were there laughed aloud, and thereat the Queen of
North Wales was filled with anger and mortification as much as Queen
Morgana le Fay had been. But she also dissembled her anger before the
court and sat to watch what would befall.

"So after these two queens had so essayed, several others of the ladies
who were there each tried to put the ring upon her finger, but no one
could do so, for either it was too large, or else it was too small. Then
last of all the Lady Elaine the Fair, the King's daughter, essayed the
adventure of the ring, and lo! it fitted her as exactly as though it had
been made for her.

"At this both of those two queens aforesaid were more angered than ever,
for each said to herself, 'Certes, this King hath done this to put
affront upon us.' So that night they communed together what they should
do to punish King Pelles of Corbin and the Town of Corbin for that
affront which they deemed themselv