Lugodoc’s summary of Book 12 – The Chevalier Mal Fet
After two years of open-air nude raving in the wild wood, Launcelot was eventually captured by Sir Bliant and his brother Selivant, a good knight who tried to help him recover his wits by looking after him at his castle, though in chains.
A year and a half later, Launcelot broke the chains to save Bliant from Sir Breuse Saunce Pite and his brother Bertelot (who lost a hand in the fight). Six months after that he went absent to join a passing boar hunt and was gored in a hermitage. Eventually he escaped and returned to the city of Corbin, and after winning the town’s acceptance as the village idiot was one day spotted by Elaine, sleeping by the well in her garden. There Dame Brisen cast a sleep spell upon him, and King Pelles had him taken to the Sangreal, and Launcelot was healed and made “sane” again.
Too embarassed to go home, Launcelot was put up by King Pelles in Castle Bliant and assumed the name “Le Chevaler Mal Fet” (the knight who has trespassed). He renamed the island on which the castle stood as “Joyous Isle” and was soon back on form anonymously winning jousts again.
Eventually, Sirs Percivale and Ector appeared, looking for a random scrap, and after Percivale crossed the lake he and Launcelot fought, finally recognising each other after a two hour fight. Then Launcelot’s brother Ector and Elaine joined them, and they relaxed together.
Meanwhile Sirs Bors and Lionel collected Helin le Blank (Bors’ fifteen year-old son out of King Brandegore’s daughter) and took him to Camelot to be made a Round Table knight.
Ector also persuaded Launcelot to end his years of self-imposed exile, and bidding farewell to all at Corbin (including a tearful Elaine and a by-now fifteen-year-old Galahad) they rode with Percivale back to Logris.
Welcoming Launcelot back after his unexplained five year absence, Arthur assumed he had gone mad for the love of Elaine, but many knew about Guenevere’s part in the affair.
Sir Tristram rode off unarmoured to Camelot for the Feast of Pentecost, and on the way at last encountered Palomides, who at first refused to fight the unarmoured Tristram, but Tristram borrowed a suit from Palomides’ last victim (Sir Galleron of Galway, bleeding nearby) and they set to. It was a close fight, but after two hours “by fortune Sir Tristram smote Palomides’ sword out of his hand” and a dispirited Palomides asked to be forgiven for being desirous of Tristram’s woman and asked to be friends again.
Tristam accepted, and he and Galleron were Palomides’ Godfathers when the Saracen was finally christened later that day by the Suffragan of Carlisle, and they rode together to Camelot for the Feast of Pentecost, where also was headed Galahad.
And after the feast “… Sir Tristram returned again unto Joyous Gard, and Sir Palomides followed the Questing Beast.” And now the stage is set for The Quest of the Sangreal.
At A Glance:
Book 12 Chapter Overview:
1. How Sir Launcelot in his madness took a sword and fought with a knight, and leapt in a bed.
2. How Sir Lancelot was carried in an horse litter, and how Sir Launcelot rescued Sir Bliant, his host.
3. How Sir Launcelot fought against a boar and slew him, and how he was hurt, and brought unto an hermitage.
4. How Sir Launcelot was known by Dame Elaine, and was borne into a chamber and after healed by the Sangreal.
5. How Sir Launcelot, after that he was whole and had his mind, he was ashamed, and how that Elaine desired a castle for him.
6. How Sir Launcelot came into the joyous Isle, and there he named himself Le Chevaler Mal Fet.
7. Of a great tourneying in the Joyous Isle, and how Sir Pervivale and Sir Ector came thither, and Sir Percivale fought with him.
8. How each of them knew other, and of their great courtesy, and how his brother Sir Ector came unto him, and of their joy.
9. How Sir Bors and Sir Lionel came to King Brandegore, and how Sir Bors took his son Helin le Blank, and of Sir Launcelot.
10. How Sir Launcelot with Sir Percivale and Sir Ector came to the court, and of the great joy of him.
11. How La Beale Isoud counselled Sir Tristram to go unto the court, to the great feast of Pentecost.
12. How Sir Tristram departed unarmed and met with Sir Palomides, and how they smote each other, and how Sir Palomides forbare him.
13. How that Sir Tristram gat him harness of a knight which was hurt, and how he overthrew Sir Palomides.
14. How Sir Tristram and Sir Palomides fought long together, and after accorded, and how Sir Tristram made him to be christened.