CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The Weasel's Nest
"Greeting, good knights," he announced. "I am Sir Tristram."
Nothing could have thrown Sir Launcelot's party into greaterastonishment. And yet no news could have been pleasanter.
"Right glad are we to see you, Sir Tristram, since we have sought youfor a great number of days. I am Sir Launcelot. Here is SirPercival." And so this knight announced them all.
The two knights, Sir Tristram on the one hand, Sir Launcelot, on theother, observed each other. Each of them found much to like in theother. Then and there was the beginning of a friendship that was tolast until the day of Sir Tristram's death.
After the first few moments, had passed, Sir Tristram came to thereason for his coming among them.
That the danger was grave, they knew at once. King Mark was cruel andcrafty. He would not venture this attempt unless he were certain thathe had great numbers behind him.
"My thought seems to be to retire to the nearest castle and theredefend ourselves as best we can," said Sir Percival.
"A right kindly thing, this of yours, Sir Tristram, to bring us thisnews. And if we come out of this, I hope that I shall be able to findyou at any place you bespeak," Sir Launcelot remarked.
"The kindness is on the part of this man here." And Sir Tristram toldthem of Walker. "Need I say that I stay with you and share in yourfortune such as it is. It should offer great sport and I would notmiss it, if I could."
Sir Launcelot nodded his head nor did he make any further demur.
"And you two?" he now asked of Gouvernail and Walker.
"Oh, I," replied Sir Gouvernail, "I find my place where my master is."
"And I?" added Walker. "I owe something to Sir Percival and so I toowill stay."
"Well then, perhaps we may keep them off, though not so easily," saidSir Neil.
"We can but try," added Sir Launcelot.
But now Sir Dagonet, jester and fool, made his way forward.
"Spoke you of finding castle?" he asked of Sir Percival.
Sir Percival nodded his head.
"Good man," Sir Dagonet spoke now to Walker. "Did this weasel king sayaught as to the number of men he would send against us?"
"Only, master, that when he mentioned that he would send one hundredor more and with them twenty knights, one there, thought that numbernot enough and advised that the king add to it. Which the king said hewould do."
"The more the better," said Sir Dagonet.
"A strange wish," said Sir Neil. "But then you are fool and that wishbelongs to a fool."
"Yet not such a great fool after all," spoke up Sir Launcelot. "TrulyDagonet, I often wonder at you. For here is what is in Dagonet's mind.Since the weasel comes after us and leaves his home empty, why not goto the home of the weasel?"
Such a laugh now went up. For all of these knights saw that this wouldbe a deed that would ring throughout Britain and if successful, makeMark the laughing stock of the land.
But after the laughter, Sir Tristram spoke, "I ask a strange thing,good knights, and hope it will receive favor in your eyes. King Markhas been a strange uncle to me. He has treated me scurvily oft enough.Yet when, if we come through this event as we hope, I would that youhold no further ill will against him. Understand me well. I ask fornaught, if any among us are hurt at his hand, for then he deserves allthat comes to him. But if we come through so that all can laugh athim, then I ask you to forget the ill will for which he gives you suchgood cause. For after all, he is blood kin of mine, a sorry thing, yetwhich I cannot forget." And now the knight waited answer.
Now all the knights turned to Sir Tristram and there was somethingabout him that made them nod their heads in assent.
"Then do we promise this thing, you ask," said Percival. "So now letus go to the weasel's nest."
In great humor and with many jests the men made their way to the roadupon which the two knights of King Mark had made their return. And sowe find that as the crafty king was making his way forward to theattack, believing that it would be an overpowering surprise, andalready counting the fruits of victory, his intended victims wereslipping through his clutches and making their way into the last ofall places he could imagine.
Now on their way, Sir Percival called the two yeomen, Gouvernail andWalker to him. And though he did not remember the event that Walkernarrated yet was he glad he had followed a kindly thought. And Allantoo, realized that bread cast upon the water often returns.
"Need you a good yeoman?" ventured Walker hopefully.
"If you are half as good as your friend here, then indeed have I needfor you," was Sir Percival's reply.
"I count him my better, Sir Knight," replied Gouvernail.
"This fool would overpraise me and lead you to expect overmuch," saidWalker. "I will do my best if you will but try me."
"That I shall," replied the knight. And thereupon the two, Gouvernailand Walker, fell back a little way and came to Allan who was glad of achance to talk to Gouvernail. And as they rode forward the boylistened to some of the tales and some of the doings of Sir Tristram.
Now in the front there rode, the two, Sir Tristram and Sir Launcelotand with them Sir Dagonet.
"Truly, I often wonder, good Dagonet, wherefore they call you a fool,"spoke Sir Launcelot. "Here comes this thought of yours that could comeonly from the wisest man or the greatest fool. Often, I wonder whichyou are."
"Yet good Launcelot, since I am I, I know which of these I am. Whatsooth, what matters it, which you and all of these," and Sir Dagonetpointed to the others with them, "which you think me? If it pleasesall of you, it pleases me to be a fool. Howsoever, it is ill windthat does not blow some good and here we have Sir Tristram who is notin Ireland though I had reason for believing him there."
"Faith, friend, and I had but decided that I would journey hencewardwithin two days," replied Sir Tristram wonderingly.
"See you then, Launcelot. I made but a fool's guess. Had I been awise man I would not have been two days ahead of Sir Tristram."
Now Sir Tristram who knew the way advised silence. For they werenearing the great castle walls. When they came thereto they found thegates closed and the drawbridge up.
Then did Sir Tristram make call to those within. And these mistakingthis for the party that had gone therefrom hastened to obey andlowered the drawbridge and unlocked the gates. And then foundthemselves facing strange knights, a strange party. And of all of themthey only recognized Sir Tristram.
Then would they have made great ado to close the gates but it was toolate.
"Tell you all within these gates, that we shall treat none harshlyexcept those who would make trouble."
So when Sir Percival's party was safely esconced, Sir Tristram leftthem for a few moments. A few moments that lasted into the half hour.For he went to see his lady love who was even then with the queen.
Nor did the queen treat him as harshly as she might have. Perhapsthis was because she felt that they were safe as long as this nephewwas with these intruders. Or perhaps she had not favored the illtreatment by her royal spouse of so brave a knight.
And if King Mark and his men had been surprised to find the birdflown, imagine then what must have been their thoughts when theyreturned and found that they could not enter their own gates. That thebird was there and was shouting defiance at them. And worse yet, thatin these shouts of defiance there was laughter and taunt and jest attheir expense.
"What now?" asked the cruel and crafty king.
Nor could one of his men tell him.
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