[Sidenote: Percival maketh himself armor of willow twigs] Now after
Percival had ridden upon his way for a very long time, he came at last out
of that part of the forest and unto a certain valley where were many osiers
growing along beside a stream of water. So he gathered branches of the
willow-trees and peeled them and wove them very cunningly into the likeness
of armor such as he had seen those knights wear who had come into his
forest. And when he had armed himself with wattled osiers he said unto
himself, "Now am I accoutred as well as they." Whereupon he rode upon his
way with an heart enlarged with joy.
By and by he came out of the forest altogether and unto a considerable
village where were many houses thatched with straw. And Percival said to
himself: "Ha! how great is the world; I knew not that there were so many
people in the world."
[Sidenote: How Percival rode in the world] But when the folk of that place
beheld what sort of a saddle was upon the back of the pack-horse; and when
they beheld what sort of armor it was that Percival wore--all woven of
osier twigs; and when they beheld how he was armed with a javelin and with
no other weapon, they mocked and laughed at him and jeered him.
Pages:
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468