"I will ride with thee, brother," said Balan, "and help thee all I
may." So the two went on their way till, presently, they met with
an old man--Merlin's self, though they knew him not, for he was
disguised. "Ah, Knight," said Merlin to Balin, "swift to strike and
swift to repent, beware, or thou shalt strike the most dolorous
blow dealt by man; for thou shalt slay thine own brother." "If I
believed thy words true," cried Balin hotly, "I would slay myself
to make thee a liar." "I know the past and I know the future," said
Merlin; "I know, too, the errand on which thou ridest, and I will
help thee if thou wilt." "Ah!" said Balin, "that pleases me well."
"Hide you both in this covert," said Merlin; "for presently there
shall come riding down this path King Ryons with sixty of his
knights." With these words he vanished. So Balin and Balan did as
he had bidden them, and when King Ryons and his men entered the
little path, they fell upon them with such fury that they slew more
than forty knights, while the rest fled, and King Ryons himself
yielded him to them. So Sir Balan rode with King Ryons to Camelot
that he might deliver him to King Arthur; but Balin went not with
them, for he would see more adventures before he sought King
Arthur's presence again.

After many days' travel and many encounters, it befell that, one
evening, Balin drew near to a castle; and when he would have sought
admittance, there stood by him an old man, and said: "Balin, turn
thee back, and it shall be better for thee," and so vanished. At
that moment there was blown a blast on a horn, such as is sounded
when the stag receives its death; and hearing it, Balin's heart
misgave him, and he cried: "That blast is blown for me, and I am
the prize. But not yet am I dead!"