Now when he had sung another lay, Gandin arose and stood before the king, holding the lute in his hand. “Sir King,” he said, “bethink thee of what thou didst promise me.”;
And Mark answered: “Of good will will I do it. Tell me what wilt thou?”
“Give me Iseult,” quoth the knight.
“Friend,” said Mark, “whatever else thou desirest thou shalt have, but this may not be.”
“Verily, Sir King,” said Gandin, “I will neither much nor little, but Iseult alone.”
The King spake: “Of a truth, that shall not be!”
“Sire, wilt thou then break thy promise? If thou be thus forsworn, henceforth shall men hold thee unworthy to be king of any land. Bid them read the right of kings, and if this be not so, then will I renounce my claim. Or, dost thou, or any other say that thou didst not swear to give me what I asked, then will I assert my right against thee, or against whomsoever the court may choose.
My body shall be overcome with fight ere I renounce my claim. Choose thou a knight to ride in the ring against me, and I will prove by combat that fair Iseult is mine.” The king looked all about and on either side if he might find one who would dare to uphold his cause; but there was no man who would set his life on such a wager, nor would Mark himself fight for his queen, for Gandin was so strong and valiant that none durst take up his challenge.
Weeping and Lamenting
Now Tristan had ridden forth to the woods to hunt, and as he came homeward to the court he heard on the way the news of what had chanced. It was all true: Gandin had led the queen, weeping and lamenting bitterly from the palace to the seashore. On the shore was pitched a tent, rich and costly, wherein he led the queen that they might wait till tide and river rose and floated the bark, which now laying on the sand.
Tristan heard the tale from beginning to end, he mounted his horse and took his harp in his hand, and rode swiftly, even to the haven. There he turned aside secretly, to a grove, made his horse fast to the bough of a tree, and with his harp in his hand took his way to the tent. The knight of Ireland sat there, armed, beside the weeping queen, whom he strove hard to comfort, but little might it avail, till he saw Tristan and his harp.
He greeted Gandin, saying: “God save thee, fair minstrel!”
“Gramercy, gentle knight.”
“Sir,” he said, “I have hastened hither. Men have told me thou art come from Ireland: I too am from thence. I pray thee, of thine honor, lake me back to mine own land.”
The Irish knight made answer: “That will I do; but sit thee down, play to me, and if thou canst comfort my lady, whom thou sees weeping sorely, I will give thee the fairest garment that is in this tent.”
This a fair offer, Sir Knight,” said Tristan. “I have good hope that I may do so; and her grief be not so great that it will stay not for any man`s playing, she must needs be consoled.”
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