And whilst they were there, lo! there came
five knights riding through the forest, and, the leaves being thin like to
a mist of green, Percival perceived them a great way off. So he cried out
in a loud voice: "Mother! Mother! Behold! Yonder is a whole company of
angels such as I saw yesterday! Now I will go and give them greeting."
But his mother said: "How now! How now! Wouldst thou make address unto
angels!" And Percival said: "Yea; for they appear to be both mild of face
and gentle of mien." So he went forward for to greet those knights.
[Sidenote: Percival holds discourse with five knights] Now the foremost of
that party of knights was Sir Ewaine, who was always both gentle and
courteous to everybody. Wherefore, when Sir Ewaine saw Percival nigh at
hand, he gave him greeting and said, "Fair youth, what is thy name?" Unto
this Percival made reply: "My name is Percival." Sir Ewaine said: "That is
a very good name, and thy face likewise is so extraordinarily comely that I
take thee to be of some very high lineage. Now tell me, I prithee, who is
thy father?" To this Percival said, "I cannot tell thee what is my lineage,
for I do not know," and at that Sir Ewaine marvelled a very great deal.
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