SIR PALAMEDES, THE SARACEN KNIGHT
Quod he: “ By Goddes holy spell,
So high a venture was not known,
Nor so divine a miracle.
A certain beast there runs alone,
That ever in his belly sounds
A hugeous cry, a monster moan,
As if a thirty couple hounds
Quested within him. Now God saith
(I swear it by His holy wounds
And by His lamentable death,
And by His holy Mother’s face !)
That he shall know the Beauteous Breath
And taste the Goodly Gift of Grace
Who shall achieve this marvel quest.”
Then Arthur sterte up from his place,
And sterte up boldly all the rest,
And sware to seek this goodly thing.
But now the dwarf doth beat his breast,
And speak on this wise to the king,
That he should worthy knight be found
Who with his hands the dwarf should bring
By might one span from off the ground.
Whereat they jeer, the dwarf so small,
The knights so strong: the walls resound
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