Tales from Tennyson Read online

  GARETH AND LYNETTE.

  Old King Lot and good Queen Bellicent had three sons. Gawain and Modredwere Knights of the Round Table at Arthur's court, and young Gareth, whowas his mother's pet, sighed to think he had to stay home and be cuddledand fondled like a baby boy instead of riding off like a venturesomesoldier fighting gloriously for the king and winning a great name.

  "There!" he cried impatiently, one chilly spring day as he stood by thebrink of a rivulet and saw a bit of a pine tree caught from the bank bythe dashing, swollen waters of the stream and whirled madly away."That's the way the king's enemies would fall before my spear, if I hada spear to use! That stream can do no more than I can, even although itis merely icy water all cold with the snows while I'm tingling with hotblood and have strong arms. When Gawain came home last summer and askedme to tilt with him and Modred was the judge, didn't I shake him so inhis saddle that he said I had half overcome him? Humph! and motherthinks I'm still a child!"

  _Gareth went in to the queen_ and said: "Mother, if you love me listento a story I will tell. Once there was an egg which a great royal eaglelaid high above on the rocks somewhere almost out of sight and there wasa lad which saw the splendor sparkling from it, and the lightningsplaying around it and the little birds crying and clashing in the nest.The boy thought if he could only reach that egg he would be richer thana houseful of kings, and he was nearly driven from his sense with hisdesire for it. But whenever he reached to clamber up for it some one wholoved him restrained him saying, 'If you love me do not climb, lestyou break your neck.' So the boy did not climb, mother, and he did notbreak his neck, but he broke his heart pining for the glorious egg. Howcan you keep me tethered here, Mother? Let me go!"

  MOTHER, IF YOU LOVE ME LISTEN TO A STORY I WILL TELL.]

  "Have you no pity for me?" Queen Bellicent asked. "Stay here by yourpoor old father and me; chase the deer in our fir trees and marry somelovely bride I will get for you. You're my best son and so young."

  "Mother, a king once showed his son two brides and told him that he musteither win the beautiful one, or, if he failed, wed the other. Thepretty one was Fame and the other was Shame. Why should I follow thedeer when I can follow the king? Why was I born a man if I cannot do aman's work?"

  "But some of the barons say he isn't the true king."

  "Hasn't he conquered the Romans and driven off the heathen and made allthe people free? Who has a right to be king if not the man who has donethat? He is the true king."

  When Bellicent found that she could not turn Gareth from his purpose,she said that if he was determined he must do one thing before he askedthe king to make him a knight.

  "Anything," cried Gareth. "Give me a hundred proofs. Only be quick."

  The queen looked at him very slowly and said: "You are a prince, Gareth,but before you are fit to serve the king you must go into Arthur's courtdisguised and hire yourself to serve his meats and drink among thescullions and kitchen knaves. And you must not tell your name to anyoneand you must serve that way for a year and a day."

  The queen made this condition, thinking that Gareth would be too proudto play the slave. But he thought a moment, then answered: "A slave maybe free in his soul, and I can see the jousts there. You are my motherso I must obey you and I will be a scullion in King Arthur's kitchen andkeep my name a secret from everyone, even the king."

  So Bellicent grieved and watched Gareth every moment wherever he went,dreading the time when he should leave. And he waited until one windynight when she slept, then called two servants and slipped away withthem, all three dressed like poor peasants of the field.

  They walked away towards the south and as they came to the plainstretching to the mountain of Camelot, they saw the royal city upon itsbrow. Sometimes its spires and towers flashed in the sunlight; sometimesonly the great gate shone out before their eyes, or again the whole fairtown vanished away. Then the servants said:

  "Let us go no further, Lord. It's an enchanted city, and all a vision.The people say anyway, that Arthur isn't the true king, but only achangeling from fairyland, and that Merlin won his battles for him withmagic."

  Gareth laughed and replied that he had magic enough in his blood andhopes to plunge old Merlin into the Arabian sea. And he pushed them onto the gate. There was no other gate like it under heaven. The Lady ofthe Lake stood barefooted on the keystone and held up the cornice. Dropsof water fell from either hand and above were the three queens who wereArthur's friends, and on each side Arthur's wars were pictured in weirddevices with dragons and elves so intertwined that they made men dizzyto look at them. The servants cried out, "Lord, the gateway is alive!"Then a blast of music pealed out of the city, and the three queensstepped aside while an old man with a long beard came out and asked:

  "Who are you, my sons?"

  "We are peasants," answered Gareth, "who have come to see the glories ofyour king, but the city looked so strange through the morning mist thatmy men are wondering whether it is not a fairy city or perhaps no cityat all. So tell us the truth about it."

  "Oh, it's a fairy city," the old man answered, "and a fairy king andqueen came out of the mountain cleft at sunrise with harps in theirhands and built it to music, which means it never was built at all, andtherefore built forever."

  "Why do you mock me so?" Gareth cried angrily.

  "I am not mocking you so much as you are mocking me and every one wholooks at you, for you are not what you seem, still I know what you trulyare."

  Then the old man turned away and Gareth said to his men: "Our poorlittle white lie stands like a ghost at the very beginning of ourenterprise. Blame my mother's love for it and not her nor me."

  So they all laughed and came into the city of Camelot with its shadowyand stately palaces. Here and there a knight passed in or out, his armsclashing and the sound was good to Gareth's ears. Or out of a casementwindow glanced the pure eyes of lovely women. But Gareth made at oncefor the hall of the king where his heart fairly hammered into his earsas he wondered whether Arthur would turn him aside because of the halfshadow of a lie he had told the old man by the gate about being apeasant. There were many supplicants coming before the king to tell himof some hurt done them by marauders or the wild beasts, and each one wasgiven a knight by the king to help them.

  When Gareth's turn came, he rested his arms, one on each servant, andstepped forward saying: "A boon, Sir King! Do you see how weak I seem,leaning on these men? Pray let me go into your kitchen and serve therefor a year and a day, and do not ask me my name. After that I will fightfor you."

  "You are a handsome youth," said the king, "and worth something betterfrom the king, but if that is what you wish, go and serve under theseneschal, Sir Kay, Master of the Meats and Drinks."

  Sir Kay thought the boy had probably run away from the farm belonging tosome Abbey where he had not had enough to eat, and he promised that ifGareth would work well he would feed him until he was as plump as apigeon.

  But Lancelot, the king's favorite, said to Kay: "You don't understandboys as well as dogs and cattle. Can't you see by this lad's broad fairforehead and fine hands that he is nobly born? Treat him well or he mayshame you."

  "Fair and fine, forsooth," cried Kay. "If he had been a gentleman hewould have asked for a horse and armor."

  So he hustled and harried Garreth, _set him to draw water_, _hew wood_and labor harder than any of the grimy and smudgy kitchen knaves. Garethdid all with a noble sort of ease and graced the lowliest act, and whenthe knaves all gathered together of an evening to tell stories aboutArthur on the battlefields or of Lancelot in the tournament, Garethlistened delightedly or made them all, with gaping mouths, listencharmed, to some prodigious tale of his own about wonderful knightscutting their scarlet way through twenty folds of twisted dragons. Whenthere was a Joust and Sir Kay let him attend it, he went half besidehimself in an ecstasy watching the warriors clash their springingspears, and the sniffing chargers reel.

  At the end of the first month, lonely Queen Bellicent felt sorry
for herpoor, dear son, toiling and moiling among pots and pans, so she sent aservant to Camelot with the beaming armor of a knight and freed him fromhis vow. Gareth colored redder than any young girl and went alone in tothe king and told him all.

  SET HIM TO DRAW WATER, HEW WOOD.]

  "Make me your knight in secret," he begged Arthur, "and give me the verynext quest from your court!"

  "Son," answered the king, "my knights are sworn to vows of utterhardihood, of utter gentleness, of utter faithfulness in love and ofutter obedience to the king."

  Gareth sprang lightly from his knees: "My king, I can promise you for myhardihood; respecting my obedience, ask Sir Kay, and as for love I havenot loved yet, but God willing some day I will, and faithfully."

  The reply so pleased the great king, he laid his hand on Gareth's armand smiled and knighted him.

  A few days later _a noble maiden_ with a brow like a May-blossom and asaucy nose _passed into the king's hall with her page_ and told Arthurthat her name was Lynette, and that her beautiful sister, the LadyLyonors lived in the Castle Perilous which was beset with banditknights.

  A NOBLE MAIDEN WITH HER PAGE.]

  "A river courses about the castle in three loops," said she, "each loophas a bridge and every bridge is guarded by a wicked outlaw warrior, SirMorning-star, Sir Noon-sun and Sir Evening-star, while a fourth calledDeath, a huge man-beast of boundless savageries, is besieging my sisterin her own castle so as to break her will and make her wed with him.They are four fools," cried the maiden disdainfully, "but they aremighty men so I have come to ask for Lancelot to ride away with me tohelp us."

  Gareth was up in a twinkling with kindled eyes. "A boon, Sir King, thisquest," he cried. "I am only a knave from your kitchen, but I cantopple over a hundred such fellows. Your promise, king."

  "You are rough and sudden and worthy to be a knight. Therefore go," saidArthur to the great amazement of the court.

  "Fie on you, King!" exclaimed Lynette in a fury. "I asked you for yourbest knight, Lancelot, and you give me a slave from your kitchen," andshe scampered down the aisle, leaped to her horse and flitted out of theweird white gate. "A kitchen slave!" she sputtered as she flew. "Whydidn't the king send me a knight that fights for love and glory?"

  Gareth in the meantime had strode to the side doorway of the royal hallwhere he saw a war-horse awaiting him, the gift of Arthur and worth halfthe price of a town. His two servants stood by with his shield andhelmet and spear. Dropping his coarse kitchen cloak to the floor, heinstantly harnessed himself in his armor, leaped to the back of hisbeautiful steed and flashed out of the gateway while all his kitchenmates threw up their caps and cried, "God bless the king and all hisfellowship!"

  "Maiden, the quest is mine," he said to Lynette as he overtook her,"Lead and I follow."

  "Away with you!" she cried, nipping her slender nose. "You smell ofkitchen grease. See there, your master is coming!"

  Indeed she told the truth, for Sir Kay, infuriated with Gareth'sboldness in the king's hall was hounding after them. "Don't you knowme?" he shouted.

  "Yes, too well," returned Gareth. "I know you to be the most ungentleknight in Arthur's court."

  "Have at me, then," cried Kay, whereupon Gareth pounced upon him withhis gleaming lance and struck him instantly to the earth, then turnedfor Lynette and said again, "Lead and I follow."

  But Lynette had hurried her galloping palfrey away and would not stopthe beast until his heart had nearly burst with its violent throbbing.Then she turned and eyed Gareth as scornfully as ever. As he pranced toher side she observed:

  "Do you suppose scullion, that I think any more of you now that by somegood luck you have overthrown your master. You dishwasher andwater-carrier, you smell of the kitchen quite as much as before."

  "Maiden," Gareth rejoined gently, "Say what you will, but whatever yousay, I will not leave this quest until it is ended or I have died forit."

  "O, my, how the knave talks! But you'll soon meet with another knavewhom in spite of all the kitchen concoctions ever brewed, you'll notdare look in the face."

  "I'll try him," answered Gareth with a smile that maddened Lynette. Andaway she darted again far into the strange avenues of the limitlesswoods.

  Gareth plunged on through the pine trees after her and a serving-mancame breaking through the black forest crying out, "They've bound mymaster and are throwing him into the lake!"

  "Lead and I follow," cried Gareth to Lynette, and she led, plunging intothe pine trees until they came upon a hollow sinking away into a lake,where six tall men up to their thighs in reeds and bulrushes weredragging a seventh man with a stone about his neck toward the water todrown him.

  Gareth sprang upon three and stilled them with his doughty blows, butthree scurried away through the trees; then Gareth loosened the stonefrom the gentleman and set him on his feet. He proved to be a baron anda friend of Arthur and asked Gareth what he could do to show hisgratitude for the saving of his life. Gareth said he would like anight's shelter for the lady who was with him. So they rode over towardthe graceful manor house where the baron lived, and as they rode he saidto Gareth.

  "I believe you are of the Table," meaning that Gareth was a Knight ofthe Round Table.

  "Yes, he is of the table after his own fashion," Lynette laughed, "forhe serves in Arthur's kitchen." And turning toward Gareth she added, "Donot imagine that I admire you the more for having routed these miserablecowardly foresters; any thresher with his flail could have done that."

  And when they were seated at the baron's table, Gareth by Lynette'sside, she cried out to their host, "It seems dreadfully rude in you,Lord Baron, to place this knave beside me. Listen to me: I went to KingArthur's court to ask for Sir Lancelot to come to help my sister, and asI ended my plea, up bawls this kitchen boy: 'Mine's the quest.' AndArthur goes mad and sends me this fellow who was made to kill pigs andnot redress the wrongs of women."

  So Gareth was seated at another table and the baron came to him andasked him whether it might not be better for him to relinquish hisquest, but the lad replied that the king had given it to him and hewould carry it through. The next morning he said again to proud Lynette,"Lead and I follow."

  But the maiden responded, "We are almost at the place where one of theknaves is stationed. Don't you want to go home? He will slay you andthen I'll go back to Arthur and shame him for giving me a knight fromhis kitchen cinders."

  "Just let me fight," cried Gareth, "and I'll have as good luck as littleCinderella who married the prince."

  So they came to the first coil of the river and on the other side saw arich white pavilion with a purple dome and a slender crimson flagfluttering above. The lawless Sir Morning-star paced up and downoutside.

  "Damsel, is this the knight you've brought me?" he shouted.

  "Not a knight, but a knave. The king scorned you so he sent some onefrom his kitchen."

  "Come Daughters of the Dawn and arm me!" cried Sir Morning-star, andthree bare-footed, bare-headed maidens in pink and gold dresses broughthim a blue coat of mail and a blue shield.

  "A kitchen knave in scorn of me!" roared the blue knight. "I won't fighthim. Go home, knave! It isn't proper for you to be riding abroad with alady."

  "Dog, you lie! I'm sprung from nobler lineage than you," and sayingthis, Gareth sprang fiercely at his adversary who met him in the middleof the bridge. The two spears were hurled so harshly that both knightswere thrown from their horses like two stones but up they leapedinstantly. Gareth drew forth his sword and drove his enemy back down thebridge and laid him at his feet.

  "I yield," Sir Morning-star cried, "don't kill me."

  "Your life is in the hands of this lady," Gareth replied. "If she asksme to spare you I will."

  "Scullion!" Lynette cried, reddening with shame. "Do you suppose I willask a favor of you?"

  "Then he dies," and Gareth was about to slay the wounded knight whenLynette screamed and told him he ought not to think of killing a man ofnobler birth than himself. So Gareth said,
"Knight, your life is sparedat this lady's command. Go to King Arthur's court and tell him that hiskitchen knave sent you, and crave his pardon for breaking his laws."

  "I thought the smells of the odors of the kitchen grew fainter while youwere fighting on the bridge," Lynette remarked to Gareth as he took hisplace behind her and told her to lead, "but now they are as strong asever."

  So they rode on until they arrived at the second loop of the river wherethe knight of the Noonday-Sun flared with his burning shield that blazedso violently that Gareth saw scarlet blots before his eyes as he turnedaway from it.

  "Here's a kitchen knave from Arthur's hall who has overthrown yourbrother," Lynette called across the river to him.

  "Ugh!" returned Sir Noonday-Sun, raising his visor to reveal his roundfoolish face like a cipher, and with that he pushed his horse into thefoaming stream.

  Gareth met him midway and struck him four blows of his sword. As he wasabout to deal the fifth stroke the horse of the Noonday-Sun slipped andthe stream washed his dazzling master away. Gareth plucked him out ofthe water and sent him back to King Arthur.

  "Lead and I follow," he said to Lynette.

  "Do not fancy," she rejoined, as she guided him toward the third passingof the river, "that I thought you bold or brave when you overcame SirNoonday-Sun; he just slipped on the river-bed. Here we are at the thirdfool in the allegory, Sir Evening-star. You see he looks naked but he isonly wrapped in hardened skins that fit him like his own. They will turnthe blade of your sword."

  "Never mind," Gareth said, "the wind may turn again and the kitchenodors grow faint."

  Then Lynette called to the Evening-star:

  "Both of your brothers have gone down before this youth and so will you.Aren't you old?"

  "Old with the strength of twenty boys," said Sir Evening-star.

  "Old in boasting," Gareth cried, "but the same strength that slew yourbrothers can slay you."

  Then the Evening-star blew a deadly note upon his horn and astorm-beaten, russet, grizzly old woman came out and armed him in aquantity of dingy weapons. The two knights clashed together on thebridge and Gareth brought the Evening-star groveling in a minute to hisfeet on his knees. But the other vaulted up again so quickly that Garethpanted and half despaired of winning the victory.

  Then Lynette cried: "Well done, knave; you are as noble as any knight.Now do not shame me; I said you would win. Strike! strike! and the windwill change again."

  Gareth struck harder, he hewed great pieces of armor from the oldknight, but clashed in vain with his sword against the hard skin, untilat last he lashed the Evening-star's sword and broke it at the hilt. "Ihave you now!" he shouted, but the cowardly knight of the Evening-starwrithed his arms about the lad till Gareth was almost strangled. Yetstraining himself to the uttermost he finally _tossed his foe headlongover the side of the bridge_ to sink or to swim as the waves allowed.

  "Lead and I follow," Gareth said to Lynette.

  "No, it is lead no longer," the maiden replied. "Ride beside me theknightliest of all kitchen knaves. Sir I am ashamed that I have treatedyou so. Pardon me. I do wonder who you are, you knave."

  "You are not to blame for anything," Gareth said, "except for yourmistrusting of the king when he sent you some one to defend you. Yousaid what you thought and I answered by my actions."

  At that moment he heard the hoofs of a horse clattering in the roadbehind him. "Stay!" cried a knight with a veiled shield, "I have come toavenge my friend, Sir Kay."

  Gareth turned, and in a thrice had closed in upon the stranger, but whenhe felt the touch of the stranger knight's magical spear, which was thewonder of the world he fell to the earth. As he felt the grass in hishands he burst into laughter.

  TOSSED HIS FOE OVER THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE.]

  "Why do you laugh?" asked Lynette.

  "Because here am I, the son of old King Lot and good Queen Bellicent,the victor of the three bridges, and a knight of Arthur's thrown by noone knows whom."

  "I have come to help you and not harm you," said the strange knight,revealing himself. It was Lancelot, whom King Arthur had sent to keep aguardian eye upon young Gareth in this his first quest, to prevent himfrom being killed or taken away.

  "And why did you refuse to come when I wanted you, and now come just intime to shame my poor defender just when I was beginning to feel proudof him?" asked Lynette.

  "But he isn't shamed," Lancelot answered. "What knight is not overthrownsometimes? By being defeated we learn to overcome, so hail Prince andKnight of our Round Table!" "You did well Gareth, only you and yourhorse were a little weary."

  SHE TENDED HIM AS GENTLY AS A MOTHER.]

  Lynette led them into a glen and a cave where they found pleasant drinksand meat, and where Gareth fell asleep.

  "You have good reason to feel sleepy," cried Lynette. "Sleep soundly andwake strong." _And she tended him as gently as a mother_, and watchedover him carefully as he slept.

  When Gareth woke Lancelot gave him his own horse and shield to use infighting the last awful outlaw, but as they drew near Lynette clutchedat the shield and pleaded with him: "Give it back to Lancelot," saidshe. "O curse my tongue that was reviling you so today. He must do thefighting now. You have done wonders, but you cannot do miracles. Youhave thrown three men today and that is glory enough. You will get allmaimed and mangled if you go on now when you are tired. There, I vow youmust not try the fourth."

  But Gareth told her that her sharp words during the day had just spurredhim on to do his best and he said he must not now leave his quest untilhe had finished. So Lancelot advised him how best to manage his horseand his lance, his sword and his shield when meeting a foe that wasstouter than himself, winning with fineness and skill where he lacked instrength.

  But Gareth replied that he knew but one rule in fighting and that was todash against his foe and overcome him.

  "Heaven help you," cried Lynette, and she made her palfrey halt."There!" They were facing the camp of the Knight of Death.

  There was a huge black pavilion, a black banner and a black horn. Garethblew the horn and heard hollow tramplings to and fro and muffled voices.Then on a night-black horse, in night-black arms rode forth the dreadwarrior. A white breast-bone showed in front. He spoke not a word whichmade him the more fearful.

  "Fool!" shouted Gareth sturdily. "People say that you have the strengthof ten men; can't you trust to it without depending on these toggeriesand tricks?"

  But the Knight of Death said nothing. Lady Lyonors at her castle windowwept, and one of her maids fainted away, and Gareth felt his headprickling beneath his helmet and Lancelot felt his blood turning cold.Every one stood aghast.

  Then the chargers bounded forward and Gareth struck Death to the ground.Drawing out his sword he split apart the vast skull; one half of it fellto the right and one half to the left. Then he was about to strike atthe helmet when out of it peeped the face of a blooming young boy, asfresh as a flower.

  "O Knight!" cried the laddie. "Do not kill me. My three brothers made medo it to make a horror all about the castle. They never dreamed thatanyone could pass the bridges."

  Then Lady Lyonors with all her house had a great party of dancing andrevelry and song and making merry because the hideous Knight of Deaththat had terrified them so was only a pretty little boy. And there wasmirth over Gareth's victorious quest.

  And some people say that Gareth married Lynette, but others who tell thestory later say he wedded with Lyonors.