A Famous Kitchen Boy

It was one day when King Arthur was holding a Round Table court at
Kynke Kenadonne by the sea. And they were at their meat, three hundred
and fifty knights, when there came into the hall two men well clad
and fine-looking. And, as the old story says, there leaned upon their
shoulders "the goodliest young man and the fairest that ever they all
saw, and he was large and long and broad in the shoulders, and well
visaged, and the fairest and the largest-handed that ever man saw,
but he fared as if he might not go or bear himself--"

The two men supported the young man up to the high dais upon which
Arthur was feasting. When the young man that was being helped forward
was seen there was silence. Then the young man stretched up straight
and besought Arthur that he would give him three gifts.

"The first gift I will ask now," he said, "but the other two gifts I
will ask this day twelve months wheresoever you hold your high feast."

"Ask," replied Arthur, "and you shall have your asking."

"Sir, this is my petition for this feast: that you will give me meat
and drink enough for this twelvemonth, and at that day I will ask mine
other two gifts."

"My fair son," said Arthur, "ask better. This is but simple asking."

But the young man would ask no more. And when the King, who had taken a
great liking to him, asked him for his name, the young man said that he
could not tell him.

The King took him to Sir Kay, the steward, and charged him to give the
young man the best of all the meats and drinks and to treat him as a
lord's son.

But Sir Kay was angry, and said: "An he had come of gentlemen, he would
have asked of you horse and armor, but such as he is, so he asketh.
And since he hath no name, I shall give him a name that shall be
Beaumains, that is Fair-hands, and into the kitchen shall I bring him,
and there he shall have fat brose every day, that he shall be as fat by
the twelvemonth's end as a pork hog."

And Sir Kay scorned him and mocked at him. On hearing this both Sir
Launcelot, the greatest of the Knights of the Round Table, and Sir
Gawaine were wroth and bade Sir Kay leave his mocking.

"I dare lay my head," said Sir Launcelot, "he shall prove a man of
great worship."

"It may not be by no reason," replied Sir Kay, "for as he is so hath he
asked."

Beaumains, or Fair-hands, was put into the kitchen, and lay there
nightly as the boys of the kitchen did. The old book says: "He endured
all that twelvemonth, and never displeased man nor child, but always he
was meek and mild. But ever when he saw any jousting of knights, that
would he see an he might."

Sir Launcelot gave him gold to spend, and clothes, and whenever the boy
went where there were games or feats of strength he excelled in them
all.

But always Sir Kay would taunt him with these words spoken to others,
"How like you my boy of the kitchen?"

And so Fair-hands, the kitchen boy, continued in service for a year.
At the close of the year came a lady to the court and told about her
sister who was besieged in a castle by a tyrant who was called the
Red Knight of the Red Laundes. But she would not tell her name, and
therefore the King would not permit any of his knights to go with her
to rescue her sister from the Red Knight, who was one of the worst
knights in the world.

But at the King's refusal, Beaumains, or Fair-hands, as he was called,
spoke, "Sir King, God thank you, I have been this twelvemonth in your
kitchen, and have had my full sustenance, and now I will ask my two
gifts that be behind."

"Ask, upon my peril," said the King.

"Sir, this shall be my two gifts: first, that you will permit me to go
with this maiden that I may rescue her sister. And second, that Sir
Launcelot shall ride after me and make me knight when I require it of
him."

And both these requests the King granted. But the maiden was angry
because, she said, he had given her naught but his kitchen page.

Then came one to Fair-hands and told him that his horse and armor were
come for him. And there was a dwarf with everything that Beaumains
needed, and all of it the richest and best it was possible for man to
have. But though he was horsed and trapped in cloth of gold, he had
neither shield nor spear.

Then said Sir Kay openly before all, "I will ride after my boy of the
kitchen."

Just as Beaumains overtook the maiden, so did Sir Kay overtake his
former kitchen page.

"Sir, know you not me?" he demanded.

"Yea," said Beaumains, "I know you for an ungentle knight of the court.
Therefore beware of me."

Thereupon Sir Kay put his spear in the rest and ran straight upon
him, and Beaumains came fast upon him with his sword in his hand. And
Beaumains knocked the spear out of the knight's hand and Sir Kay fell
down as he had been dead. Beaumains took Sir Kay's shield and spear and
rode away upon his own horse. The dwarf took Sir Kay's horse.

Just then along came Sir Launcelot, and Beaumains challenged him to
a joust. And so they fought for the better part of an hour, rushing
together like infuriated boars. And Sir Launcelot marveled at the young
man's strength, for he fought more like a giant than like a knight. At
last he said, "Fight not so sore; your quarrel and mine is not so great
but we may leave off."

"Truly that is truth," said Beaumains, "but it doth me good to feel
your strength, and yet, my lord, I showed not the most I could do."

Then Sir Launcelot confessed to Beaumains that he had much ado to
save himself, and that Beaumains need fear no earthly knight. And
then Beaumains confessed to Sir Launcelot that he was the brother of
Sir Gawaine and the youngest son of King Lot; that his mother, Dame
Morgawse, was sister to King Arthur, and that his name was Gareth.

After that Launcelot knighted Gareth, and Gareth rode on after the
maiden whose sister was kept a prisoner by the Red Knight.

When he overtook her she turned upon him and said: "Get away from me,
for thou smellest all of the kitchen. Thy clothes are dirty with grease
and tallow. What art thou but a ladle-washer?"

"Damosel," replied Beaumains, "say to me what you will, I will not go
from you whatsoever you say, for I have undertaken to King Arthur for
to achieve your adventure, and so shall I finish it to the end or I
shall die therefor."

Then came a man thereby calling for help, for six thieves were after
him. Even when Beaumains had slain all the six thieves and set the man
free from his fears, then the maiden used him despicably, calling him
kitchen boy and other shameful names.

On the next day Beaumains slew two knights who would not allow him and
the maiden to cross a great river.

But all the maiden did was to taunt him. "Alas," she said, "that ever
a kitchen page should have that fortune to destroy even two doughty
knights; but it was not rightly force, for the first knight stumbled
and he was drowned in the water, and by mishap thou earnest up behind
the last knight and thus happily slew him."

"Say what you will," said Beaumains, "but with whomsoever I have ado
withall, I trust to God to serve him or he depart."

"Fie, fie, foul kitchen knave," answered the maiden, "thou shalt see
knights that shall abate thy boast."

And so she continued to scold him and would not rest therefrom. And
they came to a black land, and there was a black hawthorn, and thereon
hung a black banner, and on the other side there hung a black shield,
and by it stood a black spear great and long, and a great black horse
covered with silk, and a black stone fast by.

And before the Knight of the Black Lands the maiden used Beaumains
despicably, calling him kitchen knave and other such names. And the
Black Knight and Beaumains came together for battle as if it had been
thunder. After hard struggle Beaumains killed the Black Knight and rode
on after the damosel.

"Away, kitchen boy, out of the wind," she cried, "for the smell of thy
clothes grieves me."

And so ever despitefully she used him. Yet he overcame the Green
Knight, who was the brother of the Black Knight, and spared his life at
the maiden's request.

And it was after the vanquishing of the Green Knight that they saw
a tower as white as any snow, and all around the castle it was
double-diked. Over the tower gate there hung fifty shields of divers
colors, and under that tower was a fair meadow. And the lord of the
tower looked out of his window and beheld Beaumains, the maiden, and
the dwarf coming.

"With that knight will I joust," called the lord of the tower, "for I
see that he is a knight errant."

And before the knight the maiden used him despitefully.

And ever he replied, patiently, "Damosel, you are uncourteous so to
rebuke me, for meseemeth I have done you good service." Then did the
heart of the maiden soften a little.

"I marvel what manner of man you be," she said, "for it may never be
otherwise but that you come of a noble blood, for so shamefully did
woman never rule a knight as I have done you, and ever courteously you
have suffered me, and that comes never but of gentle blood."

"Damosel," answered Beaumains, "a knight may little do that may not
suffer a damosel. And whether I be gentleman born or not, I let you
wit, fair damosel, I have done you gentleman's service."

She begged him to forgive her, and this Beaumains did with all his
heart.

Then they met Sir Persant of Inde, who was dwelling only seven miles
from the siege, and the maiden besought Beaumains to flee while there
was yet time. But he refused.

And when Sir Persant and Beaumains met they met with all that ever
their horses might run, and broke their spears either into three
pieces, and their horses rushed so together that both their horses fell
dead to the earth. And they got off their horses and fought for more
than two hours. And Beaumains spared his life only at the maiden's
request.

Then Beaumains told Sir Persant that his name was Sir Gareth. And
the maiden said that hers was Linet, and that she was sister to Dame
Lionesse, who was besieged.

Then the dwarf took word to the lady who was besieged, and the others
came on after.

"How escaped he," said the lady, Dame Lionesse, "from the brethren of
Sir Persant?"

"Madam," said the dwarf, "as a noble knight should."

"Ah," said Dame Lionesse, "commend me unto your gentle knight, and pray
him to eat and drink and make him strong. Also pray him that he be of
good heart and courage, for he shall meet with a knight who is neither
of bounty, courtesy, nor gentleness; for he attendeth unto nothing but
murder, and that is the cause I cannot praise him nor love him."

All that night Beaumains lay in an hermitage, and upon the morn he and
the damosel Linet broke their fast and heard mass. Then took they their
horses, and, riding through a fair forest, they came out upon a plain
where there were many pavilions and tents and a castle and much smoke
and a great noise. When they came near the siege Beaumains espied upon
great trees goodly knights hanging by the neck, their shields about
their necks with their swords, and gilt spurs upon their heels. There
hung high forty knights.

"What meanest this?" said Sir Beaumains.

"Fair sir, "answered the damosel, "these knights came hither to this
siege to rescue my sister, Dame Lionesse, and when the Red Knight of
the Red Lands had overcome them he put them to this shameful death."

Then rode they to the dikes, and saw them double-diked with full
warlike walls; and there were lodged many great lords nigh the walls;
and there was great noise of minstrelsy; and the sea beat upon the side
of the walls, where there were many ships and mariners' noise. And also
there was fast by a sycamore-tree, and there hung a horn, the greatest
that ever they saw, of an elephant's bone. Therewith Beaumains spurred
his horse straight to the sycamore-tree, and blew so eagerly the horn
that all the siege and the castle rang thereof. And then there leaped
out knights out of their tents and pavilions, and they within the
castle looked over the walls and out of windows. Then the Red Knight of
the Red Lands armed him hastily, and two barons set on his spurs upon
his heels, and all was blood red, his armor, spear, and shield.

"Sir," said the damosel Linet, "look you be glad and light, for yonder
is your deadly enemy, and at yonder window is my sister, Dame Lionesse."

Then Beaumains and the Red Knight put their spears in their rests,
and came together with all their might, and either smote the other in
the middle of their shields, that the surcingles and cruppers broke
and fell to the earth both, and the two knights lay stunned upon the
ground. But soon they got to their feet and drew their swords and ran
together like two fierce lions. And then they fought until it was past
noon, tracing, racing, and foining as two boars. Thus they endured
until evensong time, and their armor was so hewn to pieces that men
might see their naked sides. Then the Red Knight gave Beaumains a
buffet upon the helm, so that he fell groveling to the earth.

Then cried the maiden Linet on high: "Oh, Sir Beaumains, where is thy
courage? Alas! my sister beholdeth thee and she sobbeth and weepeth."

When Beaumains heard this he lifted himself up with great effort and
got upon his feet, and lightly he leaped to his sword and gripped it in
his hand. And he smote so thick that he smote the sword out of the Red
Knight's hand. Sir Beaumains fell upon him and unlaced his helm to have
slain him. But at the request of the lords he saved his life and made
him yield him to the lady.

And so it was that Beaumains, or Sir Gareth, as his real name was, came
into the presence of his lady and won her love through his meekness and
gentleness and courtesy and courage, as every true knight should win
the love of his lady.