"
"Sir Knight," said Sir Launcelot, "I ask only one boon of thee; if thou art
of a mind to take so much shame upon thee, as appears to be the case, let
me not, at least, die like a felon without any weapon. Let me have my sword
in my hand, even if I have no other defence. For if a knight must die, it
is a shame for him to die without weapons. So hang my sword upon yonder
bough, where I may reach it, and then thou mayst slay me."
"Nay," said Sir Phelot, "I will not do that, for I know very well how
wonderful is thy prowess. Wherefore I believe that even if thou wert
otherwise unarmed thou mightst overcome me if thou hadst thy sword. So I
will give thee no such chance, but will have my will of thee as thou art."
[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot is put to a sad pass to escape] Then Sir
Launcelot was put to a great pass of anxiety, for he wist not what to do to
escape from that danger in which he lay. Wherefore he looked all about him
and above him and below him, and at last he beheld a great branch of the
elm tree just above his head, very straight and tough. So he catched this
branch and broke it off from the tree and shaped it to a club of some sort.
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