While they yet talked, there entered the prison a damsel. She went
up to the King at once, and said: "Knight, will ye undertake to
fight in the cause of the lord of this castle?" "That I may not
say," replied the King, "unless first I may hear what is his
quarrel." "That ye shall not know," replied the damsel, "but this I
tell you: if ye refuse, ye shall never leave this dungeon alive,
but shall perish here miserably." "This is a hard case," said the
King, "that I must either die or fight for one I know not, and in a
cause that I may not hear. Yet on one condition will I undertake
your lord's quarrel, and that is that he shall give me all the
prisoners bound here in this dungeon." "It shall be as ye say,"
answered the damsel, "and ye shall also be furnished with horse and
armour and sword than which ye never saw better." Therewith the
damsel bade him follow her, and brought him to a great hall where
presently there came to him squires to arm him for the combat; and
when their service was rendered, the damsel said to him: "Sir
Knight, even now there has come one who greets you in the name of
Queen Morgan le Fay, and bids me tell you that the Queen, knowing
your need, has sent you your good sword." Then the King rejoiced
greatly, for it seemed to him that the sword that the damsel gave
him was none other than the good sword Excalibur.

When all was prepared, the damsel led King Arthur into a fair
field, and there he beheld awaiting him a knight, all sheathed in
armour, his vizor down, and bearing a shield on which was no
blazonry. So the two knights saluted each other, and, wheeling
their horses, rode away from each other some little space.

Then turning again, they laid lance in rest, and rushing upon each