Now as Queen Helen entered that meadow she beheld that a very wonderful
lady was there, and this lady bare the child Launcelot in her arms. And the
lady sang to Launcelot, and the young child looked up into her face and
laughed and set his hand against her cheek. All this Queen Helen beheld;
and she likewise beheld that the lady was of a very extraordinary
appearance, being clad altogether in green that glistered and shone with a
wonderful brightness. And she beheld that around the neck of the lady was a
necklace of gold, inset with opal stones and emeralds; and she perceived
that the lady's face was like ivory--very white and clear--and that her
eyes, which were very bright, shone like jewels set into ivory. And she saw
that the lady was very wonderfully beautiful, so that the beholder, looking
upon her, felt a manner of fear--for that lady was Fay.

(And that lady was the Lady of the Lake, spoken of aforetime in the Book of
King Arthur, wherein it is told how she aided King Arthur to obtain that
wonderful, famous sword yclept Excalibur, and how she aided Sir Pellias,
the Gentle Knight, in the time of his extremity, and took him into the lake
with her. Also divers other things concerning her are told of therein.)

Then the Queen came near to where the lady was, and she said to her,

"Lady, I pray you give me my child again!" Upon this the Lady of the Lake
smiled very strangely and said: "Thou shalt have thy child again, lady, but
not now; after a little thou shalt have him again." Then Queen Helen cried
out with great agony of passion: "Lady, would you take my child from me?
Give him to me again, for he is all I have left in the world. Lo, I have
lost house and lands and husband, and all the other joys that life has me
to give, wherefore, I beseech you, take not my child from me." To this the
Lady of the Lake said: "Thou must endure thy sorrow a while longer; for it