Now as they rode through the forest, they met with a knight sore beset
by six thieves, and him Sir Gareth rescued. The knight then bade
Gareth and the damsel rest at his castle, and entertained them right
gladly until the morn, when the two rode forth again. Presently, they
drew near to a deep river where two knights kept the ford. "How now,
kitchen knave? Will ye fight or escape while ye may?" cried the
damsel. "I would fight though there were six instead of two," replied
Sir Gareth. Therewith he encountered the one knight in midstream and
struck him such a blow on the head that he fell, stunned, into the
water and was drowned. Then, gaining the land, Gareth cleft in two
helmet and head of the other knight, and turned to the damsel, saying,
"Lead on; I follow."

But the damsel mocked him, saying: "What a mischance is this that a
kitchen boy should slay two noble knights! Be not overproud,
Turn-spit. It was but luck, if indeed ye did not attack one knight
from behind." "Say what you will, I follow," said Sir Gareth.

So they rode on again, the damsel in front and Sir Gareth behind, till
they reached a wide meadow where stood many fair pavilions; and one,
the largest, was all of blue, and the men who stood about it were
clothed in blue, and bore shields and spears of that color; and of
blue, too, were the trappings of the horses. Then said the damsel,
"Yonder is the Blue Knight, the goodliest that ever ye have looked
upon, and five hundred knights own him lord." "I will encounter him,"
said Sir Gareth; "for if he be good knight and true as ye say, he will
scarce set on me with all his following; and man to man, I fear him
not." "Fie!" said the damsel, "for a dirty knave, ye brag loud. And
even if ye overcome him, his might is as nothing to that of the Red