The three were clad like tillers of the soil. And rippled like an ever-fleeting wave, The Lady of the Lake stood; all her dress Southward they set their faces. The birds Wept from her sides as water flowing made away; And saying: Son, I have seen the good ship sail Keel upward, and mast downward, in the heavens, 250 And solid turrets topsy-turvy in air; Take thou the truth as thou hast told it me. Toward the sunrise, each with harp in hand, And built it to the music of their harps. And, as thou sayest, it is enchanted, son, For there is nothing in it as it seems Saving the King; tho' some there be that hold 260 Clear honor shining like the dewy star Affection, and the light of victory, Then came a widow crying to the King: 'A boon, Sir King! Thy father, Uther, reft From my dead lord a field with violence; For howsoe'er at first he proffer'd gold, 329 Yet, for the field was pleasant in our eyes, We yielded not; and then he reft us of it Perforce and left us neither gold nor field. Said Arthur, 'Whether would ye? gold or field?' To whom the woman weeping, 'Nay, my lord, The field was pleasant in my husband's eye.' Then came Sir Kay, the seneschal, and cried, 'A boon, Sir King! even that thou grant her none, 360 This railer, that hath mock'd thee in full hall None; or the wholesome boon of gyve and gag.' But Arthur: We sit King, to help the wrong'd Thro' all our realm. The woman loves her lord. Peace to thee, woman, with thy loves and hates ! The kings of old had doom'd thee to the flames; Aurelius Emrys would have scourged thee dead, And Uther slit thy tongue; but get thee Then Arthur cried to rend the cloth, to rend In pieces, and so cast it on the hearth. An oak tree smoulder'd there. • The goodly knight! What! shall the shield of Mark stand among these?' For, midway down the side of that long hall, A stately pile, whereof along the front, Some blazon'd, some but carven, and some blank, His arms were carven only; but if twain, His arms were blazon'd also; but if none, The shield was blank and bare, without a sign Saving the name beneath. And Gareth saw The shield of Gawain blazon'd rich and bright, And Modred's blank as death; and Arthur cried 409 To rend the cloth and cast it on the hearth. 'More like are we to reave him of his crown Than make him knight because men call him king. The kings we found, ye know we stay'd their hands From war among themselves, but left them kings; Of whom were any bounteous, merciful, Truth-speaking, brave, good livers, them we enroll'd Among us, and they sit within our hall. But Mark hath tarnish'd the great name of king, |