Week 13 Story: Sir Lancelot and the Five Hundred Knights

As Lancelot made his way through the forest, he met with many hermits and had an adventure with the Knight who stole his horse and his helm and got them back again. He learned from one of the hermits that Sir Galahad was his son and that it was he who at the Feast of Pentecost had sat in the Siege Perilous, which it was ordained by Merlin that no one should sit in it and save the best Knight in the world. All night, Sir Lancelot abode with the hermit and laid him to rest.

In the morning, he told the hermit goodbye and rode away. He came to a fair plain with a great castle. There were a full five hundred Knights on horseback, and those near the castle were mounted on black horses with black trappings, and white horses with white trappings. The two sides fought and Sir Lancelot looked on.

It seemed that the black Knights nearest to the castle were doing worse so Sir Lancelot rode to aid in the fight. He smote many white Knights but the white Knights did their best to tire him out. No Knight can fight forever so Lacelot eventually got so tired he could not even lift his arms. The white Knights took him away into the forest to let him rest.

"I was the best fighter, but now I am shamed and am more sinful than ever." said Sir Lancelot. Once we was rested, he rode his horse until he found a chapel with a nun. She asked him his name and what he was seeking.

"Ah Lancelot," said she, "you were the most wonderful man in the world and the most adventures, if you lost the tournament, that is no marvel. It was a sign and the black Knights were a sign of the sins they still hold. The white Knights were on their way to holiness and then the quest has already begun for them. You saw both sides: the sinners and the good men. When you saw the sinners overcome, you went in to help. That's what caused your misadventure. I beware that you will have everlasting pain for all white Knights have pity for you. Since you have chosen the wrong side and still carry all your sins, you shall be sent to hell," said the nun.

Sir Lancelot feared his fate for he was just trying to help the black Knights. For the rest of his life, he did everything in his power to rid his sins and prove to the nun that he did not deserve to go to hell for what he did.

Author's Note: The original story has Lancelot fighting with the black Nights and the white Knights taking him off into the woods once he gets tired. When he finds the nun, she only warns him that he saw both sides and that all earthly Knights have pity for him. I changed it to where Lancelot is punished for accidentally helping the black Knights so he can do everything in his power for the rest of his life to prove that he was not wrong. I just wanted to add in a little twist at the end instead of having the nun only warning Lancelot.

Sir Lancelot and the Five Hundred Knights by Andrew Lang.

Lancelot. Source: Wikipedia