While this was going on, the king and his knights returned. They saw at a glance what Brune had done, and cheered him loudly. The king rode up to him.
Brune knelt down by the body of the lion, and the king touched him lightly with his sword, saying:
"Sir Brune, I make you a knight of my Round Table. Be always loyal, brave, and merciful."
Then all the knights were glad, but Sir Brune was gladdest of all.
After Sir Brune, the Knight with the Badly Made Coat, had been at Arthur's Court for some months, he became eager to seek for the enemy of his father. Sir Lancelot, who took an interest in the big young knight, advised him to wait and try his strength at some smaller adventure first.
One day, when Sir Lancelot was away hunting, a damsel entered Arthur's hall. She carried a black shield which had painted on it a white hand holding a sword. She bowed to the king and said:
"My lord, I come for a knight to undertake the adventure of the black shield."
"And what is that adventure, fair damsel?" asked the king.
"That I may not tell you," answered the damsel, "except that it will cause much fighting and bloodshed to the knight who chooses it."
Some of the knights were eager to go, and Sir Kay pressed forward to finger the shield.
"Do not touch it, good Sir Kay," said the maiden, "for this adventure is not for you. I am to choose the knight."
She passed up and down the hall, looking into the face of each one. When she had seen them all she came back to Sir Brune and said:
"Young Knight with the Ugly Coat, will you take this shield?"
"Gladly, if my king allows," said the knight.
Then Arthur gave his permission, and Sir Brune followed the damsel out of the hall. Her horse was black, and wore white trappings. Sir Brune's horse was as brown as an autumn leaf. The two mounted and rode away. Sir Brune began to talk to the damsel, whose name was Elinor. At first she was agreeable, but after they had ridden many miles she became scornful, and told him she was sorry she had chosen him.
Sir Brune felt sad, because he had begun to love the damsel. He was afraid she did not like him because his coat was poor. He did not speak to her any more, but rode on sorrowfully beside her. After a long time they came to a castle enclosed by high walls. The gate stood open, and the damsel Elinor pointed to it and said, sighing: