Hast　overthrown　through　mere　unhappiness）；
  〃O　Sun；　that　wakenest　all　to　bliss　or　pain；
  O　moon；　that　layest　all　to　sleep　again；
  Shine　sweetly：　　twice　my　love　hath　smiled　on　me。〃
  What　knowest　thou　of　lovesong　or　of　love？
  Nay；　nay；　God　wot；　so　thou　wert　nobly　born；
  Thou　hast　a　pleasant　presence。　　Yea；　perchance；
  '〃O　dewy　flowers　that　open　to　the　sun；
  O　dewy　flowers　that　close　when　day　is　done；
  Blow　sweetly：　　twice　my　love　hath　smiled　on　me。〃
  'What　knowest　thou　of　flowers；　except；　belike；
  To　garnish　meats　with？　hath　not　our　good　King
  Who　lent　me　thee；　the　flower　of　kitchendom；
  A　foolish　love　for　flowers？　what　stick　ye　round
  The　pasty？　wherewithal　deck　the　boar's　head？
  Flowers？　nay；　the　boar　hath　rosemaries　and　bay。
  '〃O　birds；　that　warble　to　the　morning　sky；
  O　birds　that　warble　as　the　day　goes　by；
  Sing　sweetly：　　twice　my　love　hath　smiled　on　me。〃
  'What　knowest　thou　of　birds；　lark；　mavis；　merle；
  Linnet？　what　dream　ye　when　they　utter　forth
  May…music　growing　with　the　growing　light；
  Their　sweet　sun…worship？　these　be　for　the　snare
  （So　runs　thy　fancy）　these　be　for　the　spit；
  Larding　and　basting。　　See　thou　have　not　now
  Larded　thy　last；　except　thou　turn　and　fly。
  There　stands　the　third　fool　of　their　allegory。'
  For　there　beyond　a　bridge　of　treble　bow；
  All　in　a　rose…red　from　the　west；　and　all
  Naked　it　seemed；　and　glowing　in　the　broad
  Deep…dimpled　current　underneath；　the　knight；
  That　named　himself　the　Star　of　Evening；　stood。
  And　Gareth；　'Wherefore　waits　the　madman　there
  Naked　in　open　dayshine？'　　'Nay；'　she　cried；
  'Not　naked；　only　wrapt　in　hardened　skins
  That　fit　him　like　his　own；　and　so　ye　cleave
  His　armour　off　him；　these　will　turn　the　blade。'
  Then　the　third　brother　shouted　o'er　the　bridge；
  'O　brother…star；　why　shine　ye　here　so　low？
  Thy　ward　is　higher　up：　　but　have　ye　slain
  The　damsel's　champion？'　and　the　damsel　cried；
  'No　star　of　thine；　but　shot　from　Arthur's　heaven
  With　all　disaster　unto　thine　and　thee！
  For　both　thy　younger　brethren　have　gone　down
  Before　this　youth；　and　so　wilt　thou；　Sir　Star；
  Art　thou　not　old？'
  'Old；　damsel；　old　and　hard；
  Old；　with　the　might　and　breath　of　twenty　boys。'
  Said　Gareth；　'Old；　and　over…bold　in　brag！
  But　that　same　strength　which　threw　the　Morning　Star
  Can　throw　the　Evening。'
  Then　that　other　blew
  A　hard　and　deadly　note　upon　the　horn。
  'Approach　and　arm　me！'　　With　slow　steps　from　out
  An　old　storm…beaten；　russet；　many…stained
  Pavilion；　forth　a　grizzled　damsel　came；
  And　armed　him　in　old　arms；　and　brought　a　helm
  With　but　a　drying　evergreen　for　crest；
  And　gave　a　shield　whereon　the　Star　of　Even
  Half…tarnished　and　half…bright；　his　emblem；　shone。
  But　when　it　glittered　o'er　the　saddle…bow；
  They　madly　hurled　together　on　the　bridge；
  And　Gareth　overthrew　him；　lighted；　drew；
  There　met　him　drawn；　and　overthrew　him　again；
  But　up　like　fire　he　started：　　and　as　oft
  As　Gareth　brought　him　grovelling　on　his　knees；
  So　many　a　time　he　vaulted　up　again；
  Till　Gareth　panted　hard；　and　his　great　heart；
  Foredooming　all　his　trouble　was　in　vain；
  Laboured　within　him；　for　he　seemed　as　one
  That　all　in　later；　sadder　age　begins
  To　war　against　ill　uses　of　a　life；
  But　these　from　all　his　life　arise；　and　cry；
  'Thou　hast　made　us　lords；　and　canst　not　put　us　down！'
  He　half　despairs；　so　Gareth　seemed　to　strike
  Vainly；　the　damsel　clamouring　all　the　while；
  'Well　done；　knave…knight；　well…stricken；　O　good　knight…knave
  O　knave；　as　noble　as　any　of　all　the　knights
  Shame　me　not；　shame　me　not。　　I　have　prophesied
  Strike；　thou　art　worthy　of　the　Table　Round
  His　arms　are　old；　he　trusts　the　hardened　skin
  Strikestrikethe　wind　will　never　change　again。'
  And　Gareth　hearing　ever　stronglier　smote；
  And　hewed　great　pieces　of　his　armour　off　him；
  But　lashed　in　vain　against　the　hardened　skin；
  And　could　not　wholly　bring　him　under；　more
  Than　loud　Southwesterns；　rolling　ridge　on　ridge；
  The　buoy　that　rides　at　sea；　and　dips　and　springs
  For　ever；　till　at　length　Sir　Gareth's　brand
  Clashed　his；　and　brake　it　utterly　to　the　hilt。
  'I　have　thee　now；'　but　forth　that　other　sprang；
  And；　all　unknightlike；　writhed　his　wiry　arms
  Around　him；　till　he　felt；　despite　his　mail；
  Strangled；　but　straining　even　his　uttermost
  Cast；　and　so　hurled　him　headlong　o'er　the　bridge
  Down　to　the　river；　sink　or　swim；　and　cried；
  'Lead；　and　I　follow。'
  But　the　damsel　said；
  'I　lead　no　longer；　ride　thou　at　my　side；
  Thou　art　the　kingliest　of　all　kitchen…knaves。
  '〃O　trefoil；　sparkling　on　the　rainy　plain；
  O　rainbow　with　three　colours　after　rain；
  Shine　sweetly：　　thrice　my　love　hath　smiled　on　me。〃
  'Sir；and；　good　faith；　I　fain　had　addedKnight；
  But　that　I　heard　thee　call　thyself　a　knave；
  Shamed　am　I　that　I　so　rebuked；　reviled；
  Missaid　thee；　noble　I　am；　and　thought　the　King
  Scorned　me　and　mine；　and　now　thy　pardon；　friend；
  For　thou　hast　ever　answered　courteously；
  And　wholly　bold　thou　art；　and　meek　withal
  As　any　of　Arthur's　best；　but；　being　knave；
  Hast　mazed　my　wit：　　I　marvel　what　thou　art。'
  'Damsel；'　he　said；　'you　be　not　all　to　blame；
  Saving　that　you　mistrusted　our　good　King
  Would　handle　scorn；　or　yield　you；　asking；　one
  Not　fit　to　cope　your　quest。　　You　said　your　say；
  Mine　answer　was　my　deed。　　Good　sooth！　　I　hold
  He　scarce　is　knight；　yea　but　half…man；　nor　meet
  To　fight　for　gentle　damsel；　he；　who　lets
  His　heart　be　stirred　with　any　foolish　heat
  At　any　gentle　damsel's　waywardness。
  Shamed？　care　not！　thy　foul　sayings　fought　for　me：
  And　seeing　now　thy　words　are　fair；　methinks
  There　rides　no　knight；　not　Lancelot；　his　great　self；
  Hath　force　to　quell　me。'
  Nigh　upon　that　hour
  When　the　lone　hern　forgets　his　melancholy；
  Lets　down　his　other　leg；　and　stretching；　dreams
  Of　goodly　supper　in　the　distant　pool；
  Then　turned　the　noble　damsel　smiling　at　him；
  And　told　him　of　a　cavern　hard　at　hand；
  Where　bread　and　baken　meats　and　good　red　wine
  Of　Southland；　which　the　Lady　Lyonors
  Had　sent　her　coming　champion；　waited　him。
  Anon　they　past　a　narrow　comb　wherein
  Where　slabs　of　rock　with　figures；　knights　on　horse
  Sculptured；　and　deckt　in　slowly…waning　hues。
  'Sir　Knave；　my　knight；　a　hermit　once　was　here；
  Whose　holy　hand　hath　fashioned　on　the　rock
  The　war　of　Time　against　the　soul　of　man。
  And　yon　four　fools　have　sucked　their　allegory
  From　these　damp　walls；　and　taken　but　the　form。
  Know　ye　not　these？'　and　Gareth　lookt　and　read
  In　letters　like　to　those　the　vexillary
  Hath　left　crag…carven　o'er　the　streaming　Gelt
  'PHOSPHORUS；'　then　'MERIDIES''HESPERUS'
  'NOX''MORS；'　beneath　five　figures；　armed　men；
  Slab　after　slab；　their　faces　forward　all；
  And　running　down　the　Soul；　a　Shape　that　fled
  With　broken　wings；　torn　raiment　and　loose　hair；
  For　help　and　shelter　to　the　hermit's　cave。
  'Follow　the　faces；　and　we　find　it。　　Look；
  Who　comes　behind？'
  For　onedelayed　at　first
  Through　helping　back　the　dislocated　Kay
  To　Camelot；　then　by　what　thereafter　chanced；
  The　damsel's　headlong　error　through　the　wood
  Sir　Lancelot；　having　swum　the　river…loops
  His　blue　shield…lions　coveredsoftly　drew
  Behind　the　twain；　and　when　he　saw　the　star
  Gleam；　on　Sir　Gareth's　turning　to　him；　cried；
  'Stay；　felon　knight；　I　avenge　me　for　my　friend。'
  And　Gareth　crying　pricked　against　the　cry；
  But　when　they　closedin　a　momentat　one　touch
  Of　that　skilled　spear；　the　wonder　of　the　world
  Went　sliding　down　so　easily；　and　fell；
  That　when　he　found　the　grass　within　his　hands
  He　laughed；　the　laughter　jarred　upon　Lynette：
  Harshly　she　asked　him；　'Shamed　and　overthrown；
  And　tumbled　back　into　the　kitchen…knave；
  Why　laugh　ye？　that　ye　blew　your　boast　in　vain？'
  'Nay；　noble　damsel；　but　that　I；　the　son
  Of　old　King　Lot　and　good　Queen　Bellicent；
  And　victor　of　the　bridges　and　the　ford；
  And　knight　of　Arthur；　here　lie　thrown　by　whom
  I　know　not；　all　through　mere　unhappiness
  Device　and　sorcery　and　unhappiness
  Out；　sword；　we　are　thrown！'　　And　Lancelot　answered；　'Prince；
  O　Gareththrough　the　mere　unhappiness
  Of　one　who　came　to　help　thee；　not　to　harm；
  Lancelot；　and　all　as　glad　to　find　thee　whole；
  As　on　the　day　when　Arthur　knighted　him。'
  Then　Gareth；　'ThouLancelot！thine　the　hand
  That　threw　me？　　An　some　chance　to　mar　the　boast
  Thy　brethren　of　thee　makewhich　could　not　chance
  Had　sent　thee　down　before　a　lesser　spear；
  Shamed　had　I　been；　and　sadO　Lancelotthou！'
  Whereat　the　maiden；　petulant；　'Lancelot；
  Why　came　ye　not；　when　called？　and　wherefore　now
  Come　ye；　not　called？　　I　gloried　in　my　knave；
  Who　being　still　rebuked；　would　answer　still
  Courteous　as　any　knightbut　now；　if　knight；
  The　marvel　dies；　and　leaves　me　fooled　and　tricked；
  And　only　wondering　wherefore　played　upon：
  And　doubtful　whether　I　and　mine　be　scorned。
  Where　should　be　truth　if　not　in　Arthur's　hall；
  In　Arthur's　presence？　　Knight；　knave；　prince　and　fool；
  I　hate　thee　and　for　ever。'
  And　Lancelot　said；
  'Blessed　be　thou；　Sir　Gareth！　knight　art　thou
  To　the　King's　best　wish。　　O　damsel；　be　you　wise
  To　call　him　shamed；　who　is　but　overthrown？
  Thrown　have　I　been；　nor　once；　but　many　a　time。
  Victor　from　vanquished　issues　at　the　last；
  And　overthrower　from　being　overthrown。
  With　sword　we　have　not　striven；　and　thy　good　h