"Well," said the black knight very grimly, "thou shalt have thy choice."
Therewith he gave certain orders, whereupon a great many fierce fellows set
upon Sir Ector and stripped him of all his armor, and immediately haled him
off, half-naked, to that dungeon aforementioned.

[Sidenote: The sable knight makes prisoner of Sir Ector] There he found
many knights of King Arthur's court, and several of the Round Table, all of
whom he knew, and when they beheld Sir Ector flung in unto them in that
fashion they lifted up their voices in great lamentation that he should
have been added to their number, instead of freeing them from their
dolorous and pitiable case. "Alas," said they, "there is no knight alive
may free us from this dungeon, unless it be Sir Launcelot. For this Sir
Turquine is, certes, the greatest knight in all the world, unless it be Sir
Launcelot."

[Illustration: Queen Morgana appears unto Sir Launcelot]




Chapter Third


_How Sir Launcelot was Found in a Sleep by Queen Morgana le Fay and Three
Other Queens who were with Her, and How He was Taken to a Castle of Queen
Morgana's and of What Befell Him There._

[Sidenote: Four Queens and their courts pass by where Sir Launcelot lies
sleeping] So Sir Launcelot lay in deep slumber under that apple-tree, and