wounded and mishandled, within the nearness of half a mile, so that
the knight knew he was nigh to the cell of the Hermit of whom at that
self-same cross-road he had asked tidings of King Arthur's knights, and
of that bad and evil land where many were brought to shame. And they who
had brought him thither were of one mind that they should make a wheel,
and break the knight upon it at the Cross by the parting of the ways
whereof I have told ye afore.

Now shall I leave speaking of this matter till I come again thereto,
and will forthwith tell ye how it fared with Morien when the three
had parted asunder, as I told ye afore (Sir Gawain, Morien, and Sir
Lancelot, he was the third), since they would fain make proof of that
which the Hermit had told them. Now will I tell ye of Morien ere that
I end the tale of Sir Gawain. Now doth the adventure tell that Morien,
that bold knight, rode the seaward way, and came safely to the passage
of the ford nigh unto the open sea. And all the day he met no man of
whom he might ask concerning his father; 'twas labour wasted, for all
who saw him fled from him. Little good might his asking do him, since
none who might walk or ride would abide his coming. But he saw there the
hoof-prints of horses, which lay before him and were but newly made; by
this he deemed that his father had passed that way but a short while
before.

Thus he followed the hoof-tracks to the passage of the sea. That night
had he neither rest nor slumber, nor found he place where he might
shelter, or where it seemed to him he might ask for food or lodging
beneath a roof.

The morning early, even as it dawned and men might see clearly and well
(which comforted him much), he came safely ahorse to where one might