Pellinore is in love with Piggy, a middle-aged woman who is the daughter of the Queen of Flanders. He and the other two knights were with her until the magic barge arrived at her castle. They got into it, because knights never refuse an adventure, and it took them away from her, all the way to Morgause's island. Pellinore is therefore very unhappy. Morgause tries to attract Palomides, Grummore and Pellinore, by taking them hunting for a unicorn. Her four sons are disturbed. They visit Saint Toirdealbhach again-he has been their teacher, since their mother cared little about their education-and ask him for another story.
He tells one about a witch, then the boys decide that, to get their mother's attention, they will catch a unicorn. They learn that they must have a virgin girl as bait, so they force their kitchen maid, Meg, to come with them. She doesn't want to go, but they make her. They make plans, and Agravaine seems the most interested in making people do what he wants. He suggests that they drive the unicorn home with sticks, then adds, "We could hit Meg too." Book 2, Chapter 7, pg. 265 A beautiful, tame, sweet unicorn arrives, but Agravaine, who has pretended Meg was his mother, cannot stand it to be near her and kills it. The other boys are furious. They decide that they can at least bring the unicorn's head to their mother, so, miserably, they hack it off. But when they finally get it to the castle, Morgause is too busy with Sir Grummore to even notice them.
