Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XVI CHAPTER VIII

CHAPTER VIII

Of an advision which Sir Bors had that night, and how he
fought and overcame his adversary.

AND anon as he was asleep him befell a vision, that there
came to him two birds, the one as white as a swan, and
the other was marvellous black; but it was not so great
as the other, but in the likeness of a Raven.  Then the
white bird came to him, and said:  An thou wouldst give
me meat and serve me I should give thee all the riches of
the world, and I shall make thee as fair and as white as I
am.  So the white bird departed, and there came the black
bird to him, and said:  An thou wolt, serve me to-morrow
and have me in no despite though I be black, for wit thou
well that more availeth my blackness than the other's
whiteness.  And then he departed.

And he had another vision: him thought that he
came to a great place which seemed a chapel, and there he
found a chair set on the left side, which was worm-eaten
and feeble.  And on the right hand were two flowers like
a lily, and the one would have benome the other's whiteness,
but a good man departed them that the one touched
not the other; and then out of every flower came out
many flowers, and fruit great plenty.  Then him thought
the good man said:  Should not he do great folly that
would let these two flowers perish for to succour the
rotten tree, that it fell not to the earth? Sir, said he, it
seemeth me that this wood might not avail.  Now keep
thee, said the good man, that thou never see such adventure
befall thee.

Then he awaked and made a sign of the cross in midst
of the forehead, and so rose and clothed him.  And there
came the lady of the place, and she saluted him, and he
her again, and so went to a chapel and heard their service.
And there came a company of knights, that the lady had
sent for, to lead Sir Bors unto battle.  Then asked he his
arms.  And when he was armed she prayed him to take a
little morsel to dine.  Nay, madam, said he, that shall I
not do till I have done my battle, by the grace of God.
And so he leapt upon his horse, and departed, all the
knights and men with him.  And as soon as these two
ladies met together, she which Bors should fight for
complained her, and said:  Madam, ye have done me wrong
to bereave me of my lands that King Aniause gave me,
and full loath I am there should be any battle.  Ye shall
not choose, said the other lady, or else your knight withdraw
him.

Then there was the cry made, which party had the
better of the two knights, that his lady should rejoice all
the land.  Now departed the one knight here, and the
other there.  Then they came together with such a
raundon that they pierced their shields and their hauberks,
and the spears flew in pieces, and they wounded either
other sore.  Then hurtled they together, so that they fell
both to the earth, and their horses betwixt their legs; and
anon they arose, and set hands to their swords, and smote
each one other upon the heads, that they made great
wounds and deep, that the blood went out of their bodies.
For there found Sir Bors greater defence in that knight
more than he weened.  For that Pridam was a passing
good knight, and he wounded Sir Bors full evil, and he
him again; but ever this Pridam held the stour in like
hard.  That perceived Sir Bors, and suffered him till he
was nigh attaint.  And then he ran upon him more and
more, and the other went back for dread of death.  So in
his withdrawing he fell upright, and Sir Bors drew his
helm so strongly that he rent it from his head, and gave
him great strokes with the flat of his sword upon the
visage, and bade him yield him or he should slay him.
Then he cried him mercy and said:  Fair knight, for God's
love slay me not, and I shall ensure thee never to war
against thy lady, but be alway toward her.  Then Bors
let him be; then the old lady fled with all her knights.