said King Arthur, that is past two mile; what would ye with the
beast? said Arthur. Sir, I have followed that beast long time,
and killed mine horse, so would God I had another to follow my
quest. Right so came one with the king's horse, and when the
knight saw the horse, he prayed the king to give him the horse:
for I have followed this quest this twelvemonth, and either I
shall achieve him, or bleed of the best blood of my body.
Pellinore, that time king, followed the Questing Beast, and after
his death Sir Palamides followed it.



CHAPTER XX

How King Pellinore took Arthur's horse and followed the
Questing Beast, and how Merlin met with Arthur.

SIR knight, said the king, leave that quest, and suffer me
to have it, and I will follow it another twelvemonth. Ah,
fool, said the knight unto Arthur, it is in vain thy desire,
<37>for it shall never be achieved but by me, or my next kin.
Therewith he started unto the king's horse and mounted into the
saddle, and said, Gramercy, this horse is my own. Well, said the
king, thou mayst take my horse by force, but an I might prove
thee whether thou were better on horseback or I.--Well, said the
knight, seek me here when thou wilt, and here nigh this well thou
shalt find me, and so passed on his way. Then the king sat in a
study, and bade his men fetch his horse as fast as ever they
might. Right so came by him Merlin like a child of fourteen year
of age, and saluted the king, and asked him why he was so