5 Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3 How the Lady of the Lake Took Back Her Necklace from Sir Pellias The next day, true to his word in response to the Lady Ettard's taunts, Sir Gawaine challenged Sir Pellias to a fight and Pellias accepted. Everyone watched as the two great knights and former friends faced each other. The

Lady Ettard watched from a distance but, as Sir Pellias once again wore the magical necklace, she found herself wishing that he would win. The two men crashed together in the middle of the field. At first it seemed that Pellias had won. Sir Gawaine's spear broke and he was pushed forcefully off his horse, hitting the ground as though dead. But as Pellias rode off, he realized that he, too, had been injured. The tip of Gawaine's spear must have pierced his armor and broken off in his side, for he was in great pain and bleeding heavily. Parcenet and a dwarf happened to be riding through the forest at just that time and came upon the suffering Pellias. The dwarf knew of a holy hermit healer who might be able to help and they carefully brought Pellias to the hermit's home. They arrived too late, however, for Pellias was already in his final

death swoon. "I am afraid nothing can be done," the hermit said. Just then, the door opened and a beautiful lady strode in. Dressed all in green, with arms covered with bracelets of emeralds and opals, she had an ivory face and her eyes were as sparkly and as black as her hair. The hermit knew immediately that she was no ordinary human. "Give me just a few minutes with this man," she begged. "I can help him. I promise not to use any bad magic." The hermit agreed. Once left alone with Pellias, Nymue first took her necklace from around his neck and put it back on her own. Next she pressed a magical stone to Pellias's wound and watched as the spearhead was pulled out. Upon the blood that quickly followed, Nymue pressed a square of magical cloth. Finally, she brought forth a small tube

filled with a blue potion. Pouring a drop onto Pellias's dry lips, she watched as the wounded knight came back suddenly from the edge of death. There was no denying, however, that he had come back as someone different. "Am I dead?" Pellias asked her. "No," Nymue replied, "but you are no longer what you were. In order to save your life, I had to give you a potion that made you only half-man. You are now also half-fairy." Nymue now wore the magical necklace and as Sir Pellias gazed upon her he felt nothing but gratitude and love. In fact, as half-fairy, he felt better than he ever had. His body was as light as air and his soul was filled with joy. "Can I now come to live with you?" he asked. "Since you have saved my life, can I now give you that life forever?" Nymue whispered, "Since the first time I saw you, that is all I have ever wanted."

The two sealed their new love with a kiss. Meanwhile, Parcenet and the dwarf, unaware of Pellias's recovery, had made their way back to Grantmesnle with news of his coming death. Sir Gawaine, still weak from his fall, was beside himself with guilt. "First I betrayed him," he said, "and now I will be responsible for his death. I must go and seek his forgiveness!" Gawaine stopped first at the hermit's home and then continued on in the direction the hermit told him Pellias and Nymue had gone. He was happy to learn that Nymue had healed his friend, but he still needed to find him and make things right. Gawaine rode until the forest began to grow quite dark. Suddenly, there appeared a pale blue light, seemingly for Gawaine to follow. In that light, which shone brighter and clearer than the moon, Gawaine was able to see every petal of every tall flower that

surrounded him. Arriving finally at a beautiful blue lake, Gawaine realized that he must be in the land of the fairy. Suddenly, he saw Nymue and something that looked like a spirit come out of the lake. Realizing that the spirit was Pellias, Gawaine happily rushed forward to hug him, but Sir Pellias stopped him gently. Pellias explained to Sir Gawaine that he was now only half-human. He told Gawaine that he loved and forgave him, but that his life would now be something else, something lived with Nymue. "But where will you go?" Sir Gawaine asked. "I will be there," Sir Pellias said, pointing to the lake, where Sir Gawaine saw only water, but where Pellias promised there was a wonderful city of gold and blue and fields full of flowers. Sir Gawaine looked into the face of Sir