behind them, Go and fetch them to me." Up then started seven outlaws
and came to Gamelyn and the steward. "Yield up your bows and arrows,"
they commanded. "That will I never do," replied Gamelyn boldly, "even
if there were a dozen of you, I would fight you all." When they saw
he was not afraid they did not attempt to harm him, but asked him
civilly to come before their master. "Who is your master?" said
Gamelyn, and they all answered, "Our master is the crowned king of
the outlaws." "Adam, let us go to him," said Gamelyn. "This man is
probably courteous and of gentle birth; he will not, for shame,
refuse us food and drink." So they went together to the outlaw king.
"Who are you and what do you seek here?" he asked. "We come here
because, like you, we dare not stay at home. We shall do no harm
except perhaps to shoot a deer or two for food." "You shall have
enough to eat," said the king. "Sit down and eat and drink of our
best." So they stayed with the outlaws that night.

In the morning the outlaws began to talk amongst themselves, and at
last one of them told the king that his guest was Gamelyn, whose
deeds were well known amongst them. So the king honoured Gamelyn and
made him a chief of the outlaws, next in rank to himself.

Three weeks went by, and the two led a merry life amongst the
outlaws. Then the king heard to his great delight that his offences
were pardoned, and he could go home to live in peace. The outlaws had
to appoint a new king. They wasted no time in electing Gamelyn, and
for some time he led all their expeditions.

Meanwhile the false knight, his brother, was made sheriff of the
county, in spite of his injured back, and immediately he set a price
on his young brother's head, and declared him outlawed. He sent out