Stories of King Arthur's Knights

vain, for in dreamland the Queen had forgottenall about the hunt.'If I dress quickly, I shall not be very late,' thought the Queen,as she heard the far-off sound of the hunting-horn. And she was soquick that in a very short time she and her little waiting-maidwere out, and riding up to a grassy knoll. But the huntsmen werealready far away. 'We will wait here to see them ride homewards,'said the Queen, and they drew up their horses to watch and listen.They had not waited long, when they heard the sound of horse'shoofs, and turning round, the Queen saw Prince Geraint, one ofArthur's knights. He was unarmed, except that his sword hung at hisside. He wore a suit of silk, with a purple sash round his waist,and at each end of the sash was a golden apple, which sparkled inthe sunlight.'You are late for the hunt, Prince Geraint,' said the Queen.'Like you, I have come, not to join the hunt, but to see it pass,'said the Prince, bowing low to the beautiful Queen. And he asked tobe allowed to wait with her and the little maid.As they waited, three people, a lady, a knight and a dwarf, cameout of the forest, and rode slowly past. The knight had his helmetoff, and the Queen saw that he looked young and bold.'I cannot remember if he is one of Arthur's knights. I must knowhis name,' she said. And she sent her little maid to find out whothe strange knight was.But when the little maid asked the dwarf his master's name, thedwarf answered rudely that he would not tell her.'Then I will ask your master himself,' said the maid. But as shestepped towards the knight, the dwarf struck her with his whip, andthe little maid, half-angry and half-frightened, hurried back tothe Queen, and told her how the dwarf had treated her.Prince Geraint was angry when he heard how rude the dwarf had beento the Queen's little messenger, and said that he would go and findout the knight's name.But the dwarf, by his master's orders, treated the Prince as rudelyas he had treated the little maid. When Geraint felt the dwarf'swhip strike his cheek, and saw the blood dropping on to his purplesash, he felt for the sword at his side. Then he remembered thatwhile he was tall and strong, the dwarf was small and weak, and hescorned to touch him.Going back to the Queen, Geraint told her that he had not been ableto find out the knight's name either, 'but with your leave, I willfollow him to his home, and compel him to ask your pardon,' saidthe Prince. And the Queen allowed him to follow the knight.'When you come back, you will perhaps bring a bride with you,' saidthe Queen. 'If she be a great lady, or if she be only abeggar-maid, I will dress her in beautiful robes, and she shallstand among the fairest ladies of my court.''In three days I shall come back, if I am not slain in battle withthe knight,' said Geraint. And he rode away, a little sorry not tohear the merry sound of the hunter's horn, and a little vexed thathe had undertaken this strange adventure.Through valleys and over hills Geraint followed the lady, theknight and the dwarf, till at last, in the evening, he saw them gothrough the narrow streets of a little town, and reach a whitefortress. Into this fortress the lady, the knight and the dwarfdisappeared.