CHAPTER V
 
 Of the good counsel that the hermit gave to them.
 
 
 CERTES, said Gawaine, soothly have ye said, that I see it
 openly.  Now, I pray you, good man and holy father, tell
 me why we met not with so many adventures as we were
 wont to do, and commonly have the better.  I shall tell
 you gladly, said the good man; the adventure of the
 Sangreal which ye and many other have undertaken the
 quest of it and find it not, the cause is for it appeareth
 not to sinners.  Wherefore marvel not though ye fail
 thereof, and many other.  For ye be an untrue knight
 and a great murderer, and to good men signifieth other
 things than murder.  For I dare say, as sinful as Sir
 Launcelot hath been, sith that he went into the quest of
 the Sangreal he slew never man, nor nought shall, till that
 he come unto Camelot again, for he hath taken upon him
 for to forsake sin.  And nere that he nis not stable, but
 by his thought he is likely to turn again, he should be next
 to enchieve it save Galahad, his son.  But God knoweth his
 thought and his unstableness, and yet shall he die right an
 holy man, and no doubt he hath no fellow of no earthly
 sinful man.  Sir, said Gawaine, it seemeth me by your words
 that for our sins it will not avail us to travel in this quest
 Truly, said the good man, there be an hundred such as ye
 be that never shall prevail, but to have shame.  And when
 they had heard these voices they commended him unto
 God.
 
 Then the good man called Gawaine, and said:  It is
 long time passed sith that ye were made knight, and never
 sithen thou servedst thy Maker, and now thou art so old
 a tree that in thee is neither life nor fruit; wherefore bethink
 thee that thou yield to Our Lord the bare rind, sith
 the fiend hath the leaves and the fruit.  Sir, said Gawaine
 an I had leisure I would speak with you, but my fellow
 here, Sir Ector, is gone, and abideth me yonder beneath
 the hill.  Well, said the good man, thou were better to be
 counselled.  Then departed Gawaine and came to Ector,
 and so took their horses and rode till they came to a
 forester's house, which harboured them right well.  And
 on the morn they departed from their host, and rode long
 or they could find any adventure.