"Fair nephew," quoth Arthur, "shall we to-day find hostel where we may take rest, for we have sore need thereof?"
"Fair Sire, be at rest; food shall ye have now," answered Sir Gawain.
"'Tis a good word," quoth Kay; "right gladly will I serve the first course unto the king, and to my comrades after?"
"Kay," saith Sir Gawain "not for all the world might ye guess the marvels I have found!" Then he told unto them the adventure, even as it had fallen out, the while he guided them to the burg. As they rode adown the street the king marvelled greatly at the riches he beheld, and Kay spake a courteous word,
"Castle, he who hence might bear ye
Would do ill an he should spare ye!"
Thus came they all into the inner burg, and, still ahorse, into the great hall, but they found no man to whom they might speak, or to whose care they might give their steeds. Then they said to each other, "'Twere ill to let them fast," and the king spake, "I counsel that after supper we go forth into yonder fair meadow."
This they held for good rede, and dis-
