y reason of the tail at his back."

But Martimor was half merry and half wroth, and crying "'Ware!" he
dressed his spear beneath his arm. Right so he rushed upon Sir Lancelot,
and so marvellously did his harness jangle and smite together as he
came, that the horse of Sir Lancelot was frighted and turned aside. Thus
the point of the fir-tree caught him upon the shoulder and came near to
unhorse him. Then Martimor drew rein and shouted: "Ha! ha! has Iron-Tail
done well?"

"Nobly hast thou done," said Lancelot, laughing, the while he amended
his horse, "but let not the first stroke turn thy head, else will the
tail of thy helmet hang down afore thee and mar the second stroke!"

So he kept his horse in hand and guided him warily, making feint now on
this side and now on that, until he was aware that the youth grew hot
with the joy of fighting and sought to deal with him roughly and bigly.
Then he cast aside his spear and drew sword, and as Martimor walloped
toward him, he lightly swerved, and with one stroke cut in twain the
young fir-tree, so that not above an ell was left in the youth's hand.

Then was the youth full of fire, and he also drew sword and made at Sir
Lancelot, lashing heavily as, he would hew down a tree. But the knight
guarded and warded without distress, until the other breathed hard and
was blind with sweat. Then Lancelot smote him with a mighty stroke upon
the head, but with the flat of his sword, so that Martimor's breath went
clean out of him, and the blood gushed from his mouth, and he fell over
the croup of his horse as he were a man slain.

Then Sir Lancelot laughed no more, but grieved, for he weened that he
had harmed the youth, and he liked him passing well. So he ran to him
and held him in his arms fast and tended him. And when the breath came
again into his body, Lancelot was glad, and desired the youth that he
would pardon him of that unequal joust and of the stroke too heavy.

At this Martimor sat up and took him by the hand. "Pardon?" he cried.
"No talk of pardon between thee and me, my Lord Lancelot! Thou hast
given me such joy of my life as never I had before. It made me glad to
feel thy might. And now am I delibred and fully concluded that I also
will become a knight, and thou shalt instruct me how and in what land I
shall seek great adventure."

II

How Martimor was Instructed of Sir Lancelot to Set Forth Upon His Quest

So right gladly did Sir Lancelot advise the young Mart