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Page 28
"And I," said Percival the Pure; and they looked at each other in
astonishment.
"I do not know the child's name," continued Gerald the Glad; "but as I
was riding in the forest I heard some one singing the merriest song! And
when I looked through the trees I saw a little boy bending under a heavy
burden. I hastened to help him, but when I reached the spot he was gone.
I should like to hear him sing again."
"I rode by the highway," said Sir Brian the Brave, "and I came suddenly
upon a crowd of great, rough fellows who were trying to torment a small
black dog; and just as I saw them, a little boy ran up, as brave as a
knight, and took the dog in his arms, and covered it with his coat. The
rest ran away when I rode up; but the child stayed, and told me his
name--Gauvain."
"Why!" exclaimed Kenneth the Kind, "he is the boy who brings wood and
water for Granny Slowsteps. I tarried all night at her cottage, and she
told me of his kindness."
"I saw a lad at the spring near by," said Percival the Pure. "He hurried
to fill his bucket, and some rude clown muddied the water as the child
reached down; but he spoke no angry words, and waited patiently till the
water was clear again. I should like to find his home and see him
there."
Now Sir Tristram had waited to hear them all; but when Sir Percival had
finished, he arose and cried:--
"Come, and I will carry you to the child!" And when the knights followed
him, he led them to the home where little Gauvain was working with his
mother, as happy as a lark and as gentle as a dove.
It was noonday, and the sun was shining brightly on the shields of the
knights, and their plumes were waving in the breeze; and when they
reached the gate, Sir Tristram blew a loud blast on a silver trumpet.
Then all the hens began to cackle, and the dog began to bark, and the
horse began to neigh, and the pigs began to grunt; for they knew that it
was a great day. And little Gauvain and his mother ran out to see what
the matter was.
When the knights saw Gauvain they looked at each other, and every one
cried out: "He is the child!" And Tristram the True said to the
mother:--
"Greeting to you! The king, our wise ruler, has sent us here to see your
good child; for a good child is more precious than a kingdom. And the
king offers him his love and favor if you will let him ride with us to
live at the king's court and learn to be a knight."
Little Gauvain and his mother were greatly astonished. They could
scarcely believe that such a thing had happened; for it seemed very
wonderful and beautiful that the king should send messengers to little
Gauvain. After the knights had repeated it, though, they understood; and
little Gauvain ran to his mother and put his arms around her; for he
knew that if he went with the knights he must leave her, and the mother
knew that if she let him go she must live without him.
The rooster up on the fence crowed a very loud "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" to
let everybody know he belonged to Gauvain; and a little chick that had
lost its mother cried, "Peep! peep!" And when the mother heard this, she
answered the knights and said:--
"I cannot spare my good child from my home. The king's love is precious;
but I love my child more than the whole world, and he is dearer to me
than a thousand kingdoms."
Little Gauvain was so glad when he heard her answer that he looked again
at the knights with a smiling face, and waved his hand to them as they
rode away. All day and all night they rode, and it was the peep of day
when they came to the king's highway. Then they rode slowly, for they
were sad because of their news; but the king rejoiced when he heard it,
for he said: "Such a child, with such a mother, will grow into a knight
at home."
The king's words were true; for when the king was an old, old man,
Gauvain rode to his court and was knighted.
Gauvain had a beautiful name of his own then, for he was called "Gauvain
the Good"; and he was brave, happy, kind, pure, and true. And he was
beloved by all the people in the world, but most of all by his mother.
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