Gareth's mother had not forgotten that a year had passed since her boy had left her. In her quiet castle she had been busy planning a surprise for her prince.

"Gareth will be a knight to-day," she thought. "I will send our dwarf to him with a noble war-horse and armour fit for a knight. Surely he will begin his adventures the more gladly, that I help to send him forth," she murmured, thinking on the long year she had made him spend in the kitchen.

And Gareth was glad when he saw his mother's gift; and when he had put on the armour, there was no more handsome knight in all King Arthur's court than Sir Gareth. He mounted his horse, and, telling the dwarf to follow, rode quickly after Lynette.

But Gareth had not gone far, when he heard shouts behind him, and, turning, he saw that Sir Kay was riding after him.

"If it is possible, I will bring my kitchen-boy back again," thought Sir Kay, "for he works well." "Have you forgotten that I am your master?" he shouted, as he reached Gareth.

"You are no longer my master," said Gareth, "and I know that you are the most unkind of all Arthur's knights."

Then Sir Kay was so angry that he drew his sword, and Gareth drew his and struck Sir Kay so hard a blow, that he tumbled off his horse, and lay on the ground as if he were dead. Then Gareth took away his old master's sword and shield, and telling the dwarf to take Sir Kay's horse, he once more hurried on to reach Lynette.

Both Lancelot and Lynette had seen Sir Gareth fight with Sir Kay, for the King had asked Sir Lancelot to ride on before Gareth, that he might know if his new knight could use his sword.

When Lancelot had seen Sir Kay fall to the ground, he rode back to the court to tell King Arthur that his knight, Sir Gareth, was strong and true. And he sent men to bring home the wounded Sir Kay.

Now Lynette was more cross than ever because Lancelot had left her, and when Gareth at last rode up to her, she cried rudely, "You are only a kitchen-knave. Your clothes smell of cooking, and your dress is soiled with grease and tallow. Ride further off from me."

But what she said was not true, for Gareth had put on the beautiful armour his mother had sent him.

As Lynette mocked, Gareth rode quietly behind. In spite of her unkindness, he was happy. After the long days spent in the hot kitchen, the forest breeze seemed to touch him more gently than in the old days, and the trees seemed to him more beautiful. But though the streams seemed more clear, they still called to him, just as the streams in his own mountains used to do.

But Gareth had not much time to think of the trees and streams, for suddenly he heard the steps of some one hurrying through the forest, crushing the fallen twigs and crisp leaves underfoot in his great haste. Was it an adventure?

"Where are you running to?" said Gareth, as a man came in sight.

"O sir, six thieves have fallen upon my lord, and bound him to a tree, and I am afraid they will kill him."

"Show me where your lord is," said Gareth. And they rode together to the place where the knight was tied to a tree.

Then Gareth struck the first robber down with his sword, and killed another, and slew the third as he turned to run away.

"There were six thieves," thought Gareth; but when he turned to look for the other three, they were nowhere to be seen. They had all run away in great fright.

Then Gareth unbound the knight. And the knight was very grateful, and said, "Come and stay at my castle to-night, and to-morrow I will reward you."

"I want no reward," said Gareth. "And besides, I must follow this lady." But when he rode up to Lynette, she said, "Ride further off, for still you smell of the kitchen. "You are no knight, though you killed the robbers."

Then the knight who had been set free rode up, and asked Lynette to come to his castle, and as it was getting dark in the forest, she was glad to stay with him that night.

At supper-time, the knight put a chair for Gareth beside Lynette.

"Sir Knight, you are wrong to put a kitchen-knave beside me," said the lady, "for I am of noble birth."

"The noble-looking knight a kitchen-knave! What does the lady mean!" But he took Gareth to another table, and sat there himself with him.

The next morning Gareth and Lynette thanked the knight, and rode on, till they came to another great forest, and at the end of the forest they reached a broad river. There was only one place where the river was narrow and could be crossed, and this passage was guarded by two knights.

"Will you fight two knights," mocked Lynette, "or will you turn back again?"

"Six knights would not make me turn back," said Gareth, as he rushed into the river. One knight rushed in from the further side, and Gareth and he fought with their swords in the middle of the stream. At last Gareth smote him on the helmet so violently that he fell down into the water and was drowned.

Then Gareth spurred his horse up the bank where the other knight stood waiting for him, and this knight fought so fiercely that he broke Gareth's spear. Then they both drew their swords, and fought for a long time, till in the end Gareth won the victory.

Gareth then crossed over the river again to Lynette, and told her to ride on, for the passage across the river was clear.

"Alas, that a kitchen-page should kill two brave knights!" cried Lynette. "But do not think your skill killed these men." And she told Gareth she had seen the horse of the first knight stumble, and that that was why he was drowned. "And, as for the second knight, you came behind and slew him like a coward," she said.

"Lady," said Gareth, "say what you like; but lead on, and I follow to deliver your sister." So Gareth and the lady rode on till evening.

In the evening they came to a strange and dreary country, where everything looked black. On one side of a black hawthorn hung a black banner, on the other side hung a black shield. Beside the shield there was a long black spear, and close to the spear there was a great black horse, covered with silk, and the silk was black. And looking blacker than all the rest was a huge black rock.

Through the darkness they could see some one sitting near the rock. It was a knight, and he was armed in black armour, and his name was "the Knight of the Black Land."

Lynette saw the knight. "Flee down the valley, before the Black Knight saddles his horse," she called to Gareth. But she knew that even the Black Knight would not frighten her kitchen-knave.

The Black Knight saddled his horse and rode up to them. "Is this your knight, and has he come to fight me?" he asked Lynette.

"He is only a kitchen-boy, he is no knight of mine," Lynette answered. And in a cruel voice she added, "I wish you could slay him and take him out of my way; but he does wonderful deeds with his sword, and has just slain two knights."

"If he is no knight, I will take his horse and armour, and let him go. It would be a shame to take his life," said the Black Knight.

Gareth was very angry when he heard this. "I am on my way to Castle Dangerous, and I mean to reach it," he said to the Black Knight. "And as for my horse and armour, you cannot have them unless you take them from me in fair fight."

Then they began to fight on foot, and the Black Knight wounded Gareth, but Gareth smote him with such strength, that his sword cut through the knight's armour, and then the Black Knight fell to the ground and died. This was the fiercest fight Gareth had ever fought, and it lasted for an hour and a half.

Once more Gareth went back to Lynette a conqueror, but still she cried, "Do not come near me, kitchen-knave. You have slain a noble knight. Let me ride on alone."

"Whatever happens I will follow you till we reach the Lady Lyonors," said Gareth.

They were coming near to Castle Dangerous now, but before they reached it, a knight dressed all in green stopped them.

And Gareth fought the Green Knight too. But when he had struck him to the ground, the Green Knight begged Gareth to spare his life.

"It is useless to ask me to spare your life, for you shall die, unless the Lady Lynette asks me to set you free," said Gareth. And he began to undo the helmet of the Green Knight, as if he meant to slay him.

"I will never ask a favour of a kitchen-page," said Lynette haughtily. "I will never ask you to spare the Green Knight's life."

"Spare my life," entreated the Green Knight, "and I and my thirty followers will serve you for ever."

"It is useless for you to ask me," repeated Gareth. "Only the Lady Lynette can save your life." And again he lifted his sword, as if to slay the Green Knight.

"You will not slay him, for if you do, you will be sorry," stammered Lynette, as she saw Gareth's sword coming down to kill the knight.

Gareth heard Lynette's voice, and at once put away his sword, and gave the Green Knight his freedom.

In his gratitude the knight persuaded Gareth and Lynette to stay with him that night, "and in the morning I will help you to reach Castle Dangerous," he said.