you so, as soon as I see him." And Kay said: "I will show him to
you. Come up into the bower where your knights are assembled.
It was from there we saw him coming, and my lord Gawain himself
awaits you there. My lady, let us hasten thither, for here we
have too long delayed." Then the Queen bestirred herself, and
coming to the windows she took her stand by my lord Gawain, and
straightway recognised the knight. "Ha! my lords," she cries,
"it is he. He has been through great danger. He has been in a
battle. I do not know whether Erec has avenged his grief, or
whether this knight has defeated Erec. But there is many a dent
upon his shield, and his hauberk is covered with blood, so that
it is rather red than white." "In sooth, my lady," quoth my lord
Gawain, "I am very sure that you are quite right. His hauberk is
covered with blood, and pounded and beaten, showing plainly that
he has been in a fight. We can easily see that the battle has
been hot. Now we shall soon hear from him news that will give us
joy or gloom: whether Erec sends him to you here as a prisoner at
your discretion, or whether he comes in pride of heart to boast
before us arrogantly that he has defeated or killed Erec. No
other news can he bring, I think." The Queen says: "I am of the
same opinion." And all the others say: "It may well be so."

(Vv. 1171-1243.) Meanwhile Yder enters the castle gate, bringing
them news. They all came down from the bower, and went to meet
him. Yder came up to the royal terrace and there dismounted from
his horse. And Gawain took the damsel and helped her down from
her palfrey; the dwarf, for his part, dismounted too. There were
more than one hundred knights standing there, and when the three
newcomers had all dismounted they were led into the King's
presence. As soon as Yder saw the Queen, he bowed low and first