Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XXI

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 CHAPTER XXI
 
 How King Mark found Sir Tristram naked, and made him
 to be borne home to Tintagil, and how he was there
 known by a brachet.
 
 THEN the knight took up the giant's head and bare it with him
 unto King Mark, and told him what adventure betid him in the
 forest, and how a naked man rescued him from the grimly giant,
 Tauleas.  Where had ye this adventure? said King Mark.  Forsooth,
 said Sir Dinant, at the fair fountain in your forest where many
 adventurous knights meet, and there is the mad man.  Well, said
 King Mark, I will see that wild man.  So within a day or two King
 Mark commanded his knights and his hunters that they should be
 ready on the morn for to hunt, and so upon the morn he went unto
 that forest.  And when the king came to that well he found there
 lying by that well a fair naked man, and a sword by him.  Then
 King Mark blew and straked, and therewith his knights came to
 him; and then the king commanded his knights to:  Take that naked
 man with fairness, and bring him to my castle.  So they did
 softly and fair, and cast mantles upon Sir Tristram, and so led
 him unto Tintagil; and there they bathed him, and washed him, and
 gave him hot suppings till they had brought him well to his
 remembrance; but all this while there was no creature that knew
 Sir Tristram, nor what man he was.
 
 So it fell upon a day that the queen, La Beale Isoud, heard of
 such a man, that ran naked in the forest, and <387>how the king
 had brought him home to the court.  Then La Beale Isoud called
 unto her Dame Bragwaine and said:  Come on with me, for we will
 go see this man that my lord brought from the forest the last
 day.  So they passed forth, and spered where was the sick man. 
 And then a squire told the queen that he was in the garden taking
 his rest, and reposing him against the sun.  So when the queen
 looked upon Sir Tristram she was not remembered of him.  But ever
 she said unto Dame Bragwaine:  Meseemeth I should have seen him
 heretofore in many places.  But as soon as Sir Tristram saw her
 he knew her well enough.  And then he turned away his visage and
 wept.
 
 Then the queen had always a little brachet with her that Sir
 Tristram gave her the first time that ever she came into
 Cornwall, and never would that brachet depart from her but if Sir
 Tristram was nigh thereas was La Beale Isoud; and this brachet
 was sent from the king's daughter of France unto Sir Tristram for
 great love.  And anon as this little brachet felt a savour of Sir
 Tristram, she leapt upon him and licked his lears and his ears,
 and then she whined and quested, and she smelled at his feet and
 at his hands, and on all parts of his body that she might come
 to.  Ah, my lady, said Dame Bragwaine unto La Beale Isoud, alas,
 alas, said she, I see it is mine own lord, Sir Tristram.  And
 thereupon Isoud fell down in a swoon, and so lay a great while
 And when she might speak she said:  My lord Sir Tristram, blessed
 be God ye have your life, and now I am sure ye shall be
 discovered by this little brachet, for she will never leave you. 
 And also I am sure as soon as my lord, King Mark, do know you he
 will banish you out of the country of Cornwall, or else he will
 destroy you; for God's sake, mine own lord, grant King Mark his
 will, and then draw you unto the court of King Arthur, for there
 are ye beloved, and ever when I may I shall send unto you; and
 when ye list ye may come to me, and at all times early and late I
 will be at your commandment, to live as poor a life as ever did
 queen <388>or lady.  O Madam, said Sir Tristram, go from me, for
 mickle anger and danger have I escaped for your love.