he cast away his helm and sword, and said:  Now am I a very wretch, cursed and most unhappy above all other knights.  So in this sorrow he abode all that day till it was night; and then he was faint, and laid him down and slept till it was midnight; and then he awakened and saw afore him a woman which said unto him right fiercely:  Sir Percivale, what dost thou here?  He answered, I do neither good nor great ill.  If thou wilt ensure me, said she, that thou wilt fulfil my will when I summon thee, I shall lend thee mine own horse which shall bear thee whither thou wilt.  Sir Percivale was glad of her proffer, and ensured her to fulfil all her desire.  Then abide me here, and I shall go and fetch you an horse.  And so she came soon again and brought an horse with her that was inly black.  When Percivale beheld that horse he marvelled that it was so great and so well apparelled; and not for then he was so hardy, and he leapt upon him, and took none heed of himself.  And so anon as he was upon him he thrust to him with his spurs, and so he rode by a forest, and the moon shone clear.  And within an hour and less he bare him four days’ journey thence, until he came to a rough water the which roared, and his horse would have borne him into it.

CHAPTER VI

Of the great danger that sir Percivale was in by his horse, and how he saw A serpent and A lion fight

And when Sir Percivale came nigh the brim, and saw the water so boistous, he doubted to overpass it.  And then he made a sign of the cross on his forehead.  When the fiend felt him so charged he shook off Sir Percivale, and he went into the water crying and roaring, making great sorrow, and it seemed unto him that the water brent.  Then Sir Percivale perceived it was a fiend, the which would have brought him unto his perdition.  Then he commended himself unto God, and prayed Our Lord to keep him from all such temptations; and so he prayed all that night till on the morn that it was day; then he saw that he was in a wild mountain the which was closed with the sea nigh all about, that he might see no land about him which might relieve him, but wild beasts.  And then he went into a valley, and there he saw a young serpent bring a young lion by the neck, and so he came by Sir Percivale.  With that came a great lion crying and roaring after the serpent.  And as fast as Sir Percivale saw this he marvelled, and hied him thither, but anon the lion had overtaken the serpent and began battle with him.  And then Sir Percivale thought to help the lion for he was the more natural beast of the two; and therewith he drew his sword, and set his shield afore him, and there he gave the serpent such a buffet that he had a deadly wound.  When the lion saw that, he made no resemblant to fight with him, but made him all the cheer that a beast