In the Court of King Arthur 15 – Lowe · Verses Across
Literature · Fantasy
In the Court of King Arthur 15The Weasel's Nest
18
Literature · Fantasy
In the Court of King Arthur 15
The Weasel's Nest
LoweEnglish
"Greeting, good knights," he announced. "I am Sir Tristram."
Nothing could have thrown Sir Launcelot's party into greater astonishment. And yet no news could have been pleasanter.
"Right glad are we to see you, Sir Tristram, since we have sought you for a great number of days. I am Sir Launcelot. Here is Sir Percival." And so this knight announced them all.
The two knights, Sir Tristram on the one hand, Sir Launcelot, on the other, observed each other. Each of them found much to like in the other. Then and there was the beginning of a friendship that was to last until the day of Sir Tristram's death.
After the first few moments, had passed, Sir Tristram came to the reason for his coming among them.
That the danger was grave, they knew at once. King Mark was cruel and crafty. He would not venture this attempt unless he were certain that he had great numbers behind him.
"My thought seems to be to retire to the nearest castle and there defend ourselves as best we can," said Sir Percival.
"A right kindly thing, this of yours, Sir Tristram, to bring us this news. And if we come out of this, I hope that I shall be able to find you at any place you bespeak," Sir Launcelot remarked.
"The kindness is on the part of this man here." And Sir Tristram told them of Walker. "Need I say that I stay with you and share in your fortune such as it is. It should offer great sport and I would not miss it, if I could."
Sir Launcelot nodded his head nor did he make any further demur.
"And you two?" he now asked of Gouvernail and Walker.
"Oh, I," replied Sir Gouvernail, "I find my place where my master is."
"And I?" added Walker. "I owe something to Sir Percival and so I too will stay."
"Well then, perhaps we may keep them off, though not so easily," said Sir Neil.
"We can but try," added Sir Launcelot.
But now Sir Dagonet, jester and fool, made his way forward.
"Spoke you of finding castle?" he asked of Sir Percival.
Sir Percival nodded his head.
"Good man," Sir Dagonet spoke now to Walker. "Did this weasel king say aught as to the number of men he would send against us?"
"Only, master, that when he mentioned that he would send one hundred or more and with them twenty knights, one there, thought that number not enough and advised that the king add to it. Which the king said he would do."
"The more the better," said Sir Dagonet.
"A strange wish," said Sir Neil. "But then you are fool and that wish belongs to a fool."
"Yet not such a great fool after all," spoke up Sir Launcelot. "Truly Dagonet, I often wonder at you. For here is what is in Dagonet's mind. Since the weasel comes after us and leaves his home empty, why not go to the home of the weasel?"
Such a laugh now went up. For all of these knights saw that this would be a deed that would ring throughout Britain and if successful, make Mark the laughing stock of the land.
But after the laughter, Sir Tristram spoke, "I ask a strange thing, good knights, and hope it will receive favor in your eyes. King Mark has been a strange uncle to me. He has treated me scurvily oft enough. Yet when, if we come through this event as we hope, I would that you hold no further ill will against him. Understand me well. I ask for naught, if any among us are hurt at his hand, for then he deserves all that comes to him. But if we come through so that all can laugh at him, then I ask you to forget the ill will for which he gives you such good cause. For after all, he is blood kin of mine, a sorry thing, yet which I cannot forget." And now the knight waited answer.
Now all the knights turned to Sir Tristram and there was something about him that made them nod their heads in assent.
"Then do we promise this thing, you ask," said Percival. "So now let us go to the weasel's nest."
In great humor and with many jests the men made their way to the road upon which the two knights of King Mark had made their return. And so we find that as the crafty king was making his way forward to the attack, believing that it would be an overpowering surprise, and already counting the fruits of victory, his intended victims were slipping through his clutches and making their way into the last of all places he could imagine.
Now on their way, Sir Percival called the two yeomen, Gouvernail and Walker to him. And though he did not remember the event that Walker narrated yet was he glad he had followed a kindly thought. And Allan too, realized that bread cast upon the water often returns.
"Need you a good yeoman?" ventured Walker hopefully.
"If you are half as good as your friend here, then indeed have I need for you," was Sir Percival's reply.
"I count him my better, Sir Knight," replied Gouvernail.
"This fool would overpraise me and lead you to expect overmuch," said Walker. "I will do my best if you will but try me."
"That I shall," replied the knight. And thereupon the two, Gouvernail and Walker, fell back a little way and came to Allan who was glad of a chance to talk to Gouvernail. And as they rode forward the boy listened to some of the tales and some of the doings of Sir Tristram.
Now in the front there rode, the two, Sir Tristram and Sir Launcelot and with them Sir Dagonet.
"Truly, I often wonder, good Dagonet, wherefore they call you a fool," spoke Sir Launcelot. "Here comes this thought of yours that could come only from the wisest man or the greatest fool. Often, I wonder which you are."
"Yet good Launcelot, since I am I, I know which of these I am. What sooth, what matters it, which you and all of these," and Sir Dagonet pointed to the others with them, "which you think me? If it pleases all of you, it pleases me to be a fool. Howsoever, it is ill wind that does not blow some good and here we have Sir Tristram who is not in Ireland though I had reason for believing him there."
"Faith, friend, and I had but decided that I would journey henceward within two days," replied Sir Tristram wonderingly.
"See you then, Launcelot. I made but a fool's guess. Had I been a wise man I would not have been two days ahead of Sir Tristram."
Now Sir Tristram who knew the way advised silence. For they were nearing the great castle walls. When they came thereto they found the gates closed and the drawbridge up.
Then did Sir Tristram make call to those within. And these mistaking this for the party that had gone therefrom hastened to obey and lowered the drawbridge and unlocked the gates. And then found themselves facing strange knights, a strange party. And of all of them they only recognized Sir Tristram.
Then would they have made great ado to close the gates but it was too late.
"Tell you all within these gates, that we shall treat none harshly except those who would make trouble."
So when Sir Percival's party was safely esconced, Sir Tristram left them for a few moments. A few moments that lasted into the half hour. For he went to see his lady love who was even then with the queen.
Nor did the queen treat him as harshly as she might have. Perhaps this was because she felt that they were safe as long as this nephew was with these intruders. Or perhaps she had not favored the ill treatment by her royal spouse of so brave a knight.
And if King Mark and his men had been surprised to find the bird flown, imagine then what must have been their thoughts when they returned and found that they could not enter their own gates. That the bird was there and was shouting defiance at them. And worse yet, that in these shouts of defiance there was laughter and taunt and jest at their expense.
