the bravest knights in King Arthur's Court was Sir
Geraint. Once he was in the forest with Queen Guinevere and one
of her maidens, when a lady, a knight, and a dwarf rode by. The
queen told the maiden to go to the dwarf and ask who his master
was.

As the maiden approached them, she saw that the knight had a very
proud face. She asked the dwarf his master's name, but he said,
roughly:

"I do not know."

"If you do not know," answered the maiden, "I will ask him
myself."

She started to ride up to the knight, but the dwarf struck at her
with his whip. Upon this, she went back and told the queen and
Sir Geraint what had passed. Sir Geraint was very angry, and he
said to the queen:

"Fair queen, I will ride after this knight and his dwarf and
avenge the insult done to your maiden. If I succeed, I shall
return in three days."

"Do so," said the queen, "and I trust you will succeed, not only
in this, but in all things which you attempt. Some day you will
love some fair lady. Before you marry her, bring her to me, and
no matter how poor or how rich she may be, I will clothe her for
her wedding in the most beautiful garments in the world. They
shall shine like the sun."

So off rode Sir Geraint, keeping at some distance behind the
lady, the knight, and the dwarf. At last, after passing through
many woods, he lost sight of them as they disappeared beyond the
top of a hill. Sir Geraint rode up, and saw below him, in a
valley, the one street of a little town. On one side was a
fortress, so new that the stone of which it was built was still
white; while on the other side stood a gray old castle, fast
falling into decay. He saw the three people he was following
enter the fortress.

In the little town there was a great deal of noise and bustle. At
first Sir Geraint could not find any place to stay, for the
houses were all full. He stopped before a servant who was
scouring his master's armor, and asked what all the noise meant.
The servant said:

"The Sparrow-hawk," and went on working.

Then he met an old man carrying a sack of corn, and asked him the
same question. The old man made the same reply. Next Sir Geraint
approached one who was making armor, and questioned him. Without
looking up the man replied:

"Friend, he who works for the Sparrow-hawk has little time for
answering questions."

Sir Geraint was vexed, and said:

"I am weary of hearing of your Sparrow-hawk. I do not understand
what you mean. Will