Galaor

“ So after they had returned to the tents awhile, Galaor said to the King, Sir, you well know it is the custom of your house, and of the whole kingdom of London, that the first boon which Knight or Damsel shall require from a new made Knight, ought to be granted. Truly so is the custom, replied the King. I am a Knight, rejoined Galaor, and I ask a boon of Norandel: it is that we keep company together for one whole year, being true to each other, and that nothing but death or captivity separate us. ”

“ Sir, quoth Galaor, since you have the hearts of your people so fully, fear you none but God. Even so, replied the King; great as your prowess is, your love and affection maketh me more secure. The following day after mass they set out to return to the town, and the King told Galaor he might inform Oriana of Norandel's birth, but in secrecy. So Galaor took her bridle, whereat well pleased was she for the love her father bore him, and because being the brother of Amadis, it was to her a comfort to see him. ”

“ Greatly heartened by the strange encounter, Galaor still pressed on to the goal of his adventure, the rock Galtares, which he hoped to free for ever from the tyrannous rule of the monster who usurped it. A few [107] days’ journey brought him to the fortalice, and at his defiance the giant issued from his castle, armed at all points, mounted upon a gigantic charger, and mouthing the most terrible threats imaginable. He rode fiercely at the young knight, hoping to end the combat at a blow. ”

“ That, replied the Dame, you shall not know yet, but I swear to you that on both sides he is of good and royal parentage. What shall I do, Don Galaor? said the King.—Methinks, Sir, you should consent; for the Child is of rare stature and comeliness, and cannot fail to be a good Knight. Let it be so then! Lisuarte answered. And he bade Grumedan take Don Galaor and King Cildadan to the Queen, and then all follow him to the Hermitage. How they were welcomed by the Queen and Oriana it is not necessary to relate, never were others better or more lovingly. ”

“ The Knight made no answer, but called to his Squire for two lances, and sent the one to Galaor. Again they encountered: Galaor's horse came on his knees and tottered, and was almost down; the stranger lost both his stirrups, and was fain to hold round the neck of his horse. Galaor spurred up his and had now sword in hand; thereat the stranger, somewhat abashed, exclaimed, you are desirous to do combat with the sword; certes, I fear it rather for you than for myself: if you do not believe me, you shall see. Do your worst! ”

“ Agrayes had taken his helm and thrown the shield round his neck, while the Squire was speaking: tell him to defend himself! quoth he. They ran their race; their spears brake, and Agrayes was dismounted, and his horse ran loose, whereat he was greatly ashamed. Galaor took his arms to avenge him; the lances were broken: their bodies met with such force, that Galaor's horse, being the weaker and more weary, fell and threw him, and then ran away. Amadis seeing this, blessed himself: in truth, said he, the Knight may well be praised, for he hath proved himself against two of the best in the world ”

“ Then coming into the presence, the Lady made her obeisance and said, Sir, I come here to see these Knights perform a covenant which they have made; and then she repeated what they had promised to Madasima, the Lady of Gantasi. Ah Galaor, cried the King, you have undone me! Galaor answered, better this than to die: if we had been known, all the world could not have saved our lives ”

“ Amadis leapt upon Gandalin's horse, and told his companions to follow him as fast as they could to find that Knight, for they were all greatly abashed. Quoth the Damsel, it will be a foolish quest: all the Knights of King Lisuarte's household would fail to find him without a guide. My friend, said Galaor, belike you know who he is, and where to be found? If I do, quoth she, I mean not to tell [41] you, for I would bring no harm to so good a man. Ah, Damsel, said Galaor, by the faith you owe to God, and by the thing in the world which you love best, tell me what you know of him. ”

“ Fear nothing, Lady, Gandalin made answer, he will raise such force that neither King Lisuarte nor the Emperor of Rome will dare attack him. May it please God, quoth she, that it be so! When night came, Norandel said to Don Galaor, Sir, I must now depart, for as your illness is so lingering and I can nothing profit you, it is better that I should attend to other things. You know it is not long since I have been a Knight, nor have I yet gained honour to be esteemed a man of worth by good men. ”

“ We must now follow the fortunes of Galaor, brother of Amadis, who had been so suddenly snatched away in his infancy by the giant. In due time he grew to be a youth of courage and address, and as he had heard that at no Court did chivalry flourish so gallantly as at that of King Lisuarte of Britain, he resolved to journey thither in the hope of receiving the honour of knighthood. His giant foster-father accompanied him, and they had travelled but two days when they came to the castle of a felon knight, whom, with his retainers, they saw attacking a single champion. ”

“ When they were within three bow-shots of each other, Galaor knew Florestan and the two Knights who rode foremost with him by their arms, and he said to Norandel, my good friend, you see there the three best Knights in company whom man can find. He with the white lions, is Don Florestan; he with the dark lions and the flower argent in a field azure, is Angriote of Estravaus; he with flowers or, is Don Quadragante; and the foremost of them with green arms, is Gavarte of the perilous valley, the good Knight who slew a serpent, and so won that name. Let us encounter them! ”

“ God and you Sir, said Galaor, have shewn us great favour in saving us from this search; it was our intent to seek those Knights every where, and if they would not discover themselves we should have fought with them till death, to prove, that though in the general battle they did the best, it would be otherwise in single fight. Norandel then begged those arms of the King which he courteously granted, then told he them in what peril they had been at the Castle of Arcalaus, and by what adventure they had escaped. ”

“ Galaor and Florestan, and Agrayes kept by him, being emulous to equal Beltenebros that day, and Don Bruneo watched to assist Galaor, who, like a lion made among the Giants, to equal him whom he thought the rival of Amadis, regardless of their great strength, and [244] those whom he saw fall under their blows. In this heat he came before Cartadaque, the Giant of the Defended Mountain, who with a heavy battle axe, notwithstanding Florestan had given him a deep wound in the shoulder, had already killed six Knights at his feet. Galaor made at him, and with his sword struck him upon the helmet ”

“ At this Galaor sighed with exceeding [111] sorrow,—since it must be so, you must obey the will of God, and if perchance you go to the court of my Lord your father, kiss his hand for me, and tell him that I remain at his service, though as you see, more dead than alive. Norandel then took his leave, and on the morrow sailed to Great Britain. ”

“ Coming near, he saw Lisuarte with the chain about his neck; and then, with grief and rage that defied danger, he ran at the first five, exclaiming, Ah, traitors! to your own misfortune have you laid hands upon the best man in the world! The five at once ran at him; he smote the first so sternly, that the wood of his lance appeared through his back, and he fell dead; the others smote him with such force that his horse fell upon his knees, and one of them drove his spear between Galaor's shield and breast-plate. ”

“ The next day as Norandel and Don Guilan were with Galaor, to console him for the great sorrow which he endured because of his brother and his kinsmen, they heard the trumpets and clarions sound in the King's tent, which was a signal for the people to arm. They bound up their wounds fast that the blood might not issue, and armed [72] themselves and rode thither. They found the King armed in fresh armour and on a fresh horse, consulting with King Arban, and King Cildadan, and Don Grumedan, whether he should attack the Knights who were in the mountain. ”

“ Then he told them all that Amadis had said, and how he besought that they would not seek him, for they could not help his ill, and that they should not grieve for his death. Holy Mary! cried they, the best Knight in the world is about to perish! but we will seek him, and, if we cannot with our lives help him, we will bear him company with our deaths. Ysanjo then told Galaor his brother's request that he would make Gandalin a Knight, and take the Dwarf into his service: this he [127] delivered weeping, and they weeping also heard it. The Dwarf for pure grief was beating his head against a wall ”

“ His adventures at the Court of Lisuarte would fill a goodly volume, and included a war of extermination against the giants, the defeat of the usurper Barsinan and the enchanter Archelaus, as well as a score of other exploits, even a meagre account of which would overflow the pages set apart for the description of this romance. His adventures are intertwined with those of his brother Galaor, whom he even once meets in fierce combat, neither recognizing the other because of his armour. ”

“ Since you have obeyed so well you may come alone for the future, and see that you keep him fifteen days, that he die not, but live in great agony, and by that time they will be here who shall make him atone for the wrongs he hath done them. When Galaor heard this he found that the old man was his mortal enemy, howbeit he took hope for what she had said to him. The old man and the Damsel then went out of the garden ”

“ That would be a dear secret, quoth he, which you wished to know, and I should withhold, but no other must know it: he is son to the King your father! and then he told her all. You have [53] made me right glad, cried Oriana, and I truly thank you, for the near tie between us: if he be good by nature, you will make him more so; and if otherwise, your example will amend him. Thus they went on till they reached the town; there Oriana went with her mother, and Galaor took his comrade Norandel to his lodging. ”

“ Then the hermit waked Sir Galahad and bade him rise, as a gentlewoman had great need of him, so Sir Galahad rose and asked her what she wished. 'Galahad,' said she, 'I will that you arm yourself, and mount your horse and follow me, and I will show you the highest adventure that ever any Knight saw.' And Sir Galahad bade her go, and he would follow wherever she led. In three days they reached the sea, where they found the ship where Sir Bors and Sir Percivale were lying. ”

“ The two Knights saluted each other courteously, and then the White Knight told Sir Galahad the story of the shield, and how it had been given into his charge. Afterwards they parted, and Sir Galahad and his squire returned unto the Abbey whence they came.
The monks made great joy at seeing Sir Galahad again, for they feared he was gone for ever; and as soon as he was alighted from his horse they brought him unto a tomb in the churchyard where there was night and day such a noise that any man who heard it would be driven nigh mad, or else lose his strength. ”

“ The tournament was over and Gawain was taken into the castle and laid upon a bed. "Ector," he said, "do you know who the knight was who wounded me?"
"Yes," said Ector, "I know him. There is only one who could do such things as I saw him do. It was Galahad. His arms were like Galahad's too, only when we saw him last he had no shield."
"Ector," said Gawain, "it is Galahad who will find the Holy Grail. We are not like him, and we cannot do the things that he can do. We have gone far enough in this quest. I shall seek the Holy Grail no more." ”

“ Now Sir Galahad was yet without shield, and so he rode four days without any adventure. After even-song of the fourth day he came to a white abbey, and there he was received with great reverence, and led to a chamber wherein he was ware of two knights of the Round Table, the one King Bagdemagus and the other Sir Uwaine. They went unto him and made of him great solace; and they told him that within this place was a shield that no man might bear about his neck without great harm to himself, unless he were the worthiest knight of the world. ”

“ And when they saw Galahad they cried, "Knight, defend thyself, for we assure thee nothing but death."
Then Galahad put forth his spear, and smote the foremost to the earth. And therewith all the others smote him on his shield great strokes so that their spears brake. Then Sir Galahad drew out his sword, and set upon them so hard that it was marvel to see it, and so, through great force, he made them to forsake the field. Galahad chased them till they entered into the castle, and then passed through the castle and out at another gate. ”

“ At this treacherous act Galahad drew his sword in wrath, and with a keen blow smote off the left arm of his antagonist, whom he pursued into the forest.
[Pg 150] He soon returned, however, and took up Melias gently, for the truncheon of the spear was in his body, and bore him on his horse in his arms to an abbey near at hand. Here the wounded knight was unarmed and laid upon a bed, where the rites of the church were administered to him.
"Sir Galahad," he then said, "let death come when it will, I am at peace with God." And he drew the truncheon of the spear from his body, and swooned away. ”