them, and they him again.  Fair lords, said he, what adventure brought you hither?  Sir, said Gawaine, to speak with you for to be confessed.  Sir, said the hermit, I am ready.  Then they told him so much that he wist well what they were.  And then he thought to counsel them if he might.  Then began Gawaine first and told him of his advision that he had had in the chapel, and Ector told him all as it is afore rehearsed.  Sir, said the hermit unto Sir Gawaine, the fair meadow and the rack therein ought to be understood the Round Table, and by the meadow ought to be understood humility and patience, those be the things which be always green and quick; for men may no time overcome humility and patience, therefore was the Round Table founded; and the chivalry hath been at all times so by the fraternity which was there that she might not be overcome; for men said she was founded in patience and in humility.  At the rack ate an hundred and fifty bulls; but they ate not in the meadow, for their hearts should be set in humility and patience, and the bulls were proud and black save only three.  By the bulls is to understand the fellowship of the Round Table, which for their sin and their wickedness be black.  Blackness is to say without good or virtuous works.  And the three bulls which were white save only one that was spotted:  the two white betoken Sir Galahad and Sir Percivale, for they be maidens clene and without spot; and the third that had a spot signifieth Sir Bors de Ganis, which trespassed but once in his virginity, but sithen he kept himself so well in chastity that all is forgiven him and his misdeeds.  And why those three were tied by the necks, they be three knights in virginity and chastity, and there is no pride smitten in them.  And the black bulls which said:  Go we hence, they were those which at Pentecost at the high feast took upon them to go in the quest of the Sangreal without confession:  they might not enter in the meadow of humility and patience.  And therefore they returned into waste countries, that signifieth death, for there shall die many of them:  every each of them shall slay other for sin, and they that shall escape shall be so lean that it shall be marvel to see them.  And of the three bulls without spot, the one shall come again, and the other two never.

CHAPTER IV

HOW THE HERMIT EXPOUNDED THEIR VISION

Then spake Nacien unto Ector:  Sooth it is that Launcelot and ye come down off one chair:  the chair betokeneth mastership and lordship which ye came down from.  But ye two knights, said the hermit, ye go to seek that ye shall never find, that is the Sangreal; for it is the secret thing of our Lord Jesu Christ.  What is to mean that Sir Launcelot fell down off his horse:  he hath left pride and taken him to humility, for he had cried mercy loud for his sin, and sore repented him, and our Lord hath clothed him in his clothing which is full of knots, that is