The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short Read Online Free Page A

loves you, that ought to be enough, don't you think?"
    Sir Yoder bowed his head in acceptance, and the crowd roared it's approval—they had had a
marvelous
day's entertainment. Then Erec turned back to Enide. Tm sorry we were interrupted," he said, as soon as the cheering had subsided. "But you never had a chance to give me your answer. Will you marry me, Enide?"
    "Yes, Sir Erec, I will!" Enide replied breathlessly.
    And so it was that Sir Givret finished his first quest, and a fine quest it had turned out to be. Not only had Erec done what he set out to do, teaching Sir Yoder, son of Nut, a valuable lesson, but Lady Enide had been rescued from marrying the wicked Count Oringle, and she and Erec had found love. Even the crowd had had a grand time. Only Count Oringle had had a really bad day, and that didn't bother Givret at all.

Chapter 6
Sir Erec's Next Quest
    Erec and Enide were married the next day. Givret rode back to Camelot to report on their adventures, while Erec bought two horses and took Lady Enide and her father to Wales, to present them to his father. King Lac was delighted with them both. He gave the happy couple their very own castle and made Sir Valens his chief advisor. It all felt like Happily Ever After.
    But there's one thing about Happily Ever After that storytellers sometimes forget to mention: It takes a while to get it right. You see, not everyone has the same idea of Happily Ever After. So, when two people try to find happiness together, there are always a few details to work out. Erec, for instance, thought happiness was either riding alone in search of adventures or sitting at home by a fire in peace and quiet. Enide, on the other hand, was happiest when she was talking. Well, it was a problem.
    That was the situation that Givret found some six months later when he came for a visit. Erec received his friend with delight, and for several minutes they exchanged news. Then Givret asked, "So, hows married life?"
    "It's wonderful!" Erec replied heartily.
    "Good, good," Givret said, but after a moment, he asked, "Is it so wonderful that you've decided to give up adventures and knightly deeds for Enide?"
    Erec stared at Givret. "What? Don't be silly! Why would you ask that?"
    "That's what they're saying in the village," Givret said. "They're calling you, um, Sir Erec the Pussycat."
    "I never said any such thing!" Erec exclaimed. "Enide's the one who visits the village, anyway."
    At that moment, Enide burst into the room. "Givret!" she squealed. "They
told
me it was you, but I had to come see for myself! I'm
so
glad to see you! You look wonderful! Do you like my dress? Erec gave it to me yesterday, just as a present. He spoils me so! Are you well? But I can see you are! Did you just now arrive? Has Erec offered you anything to eat? We have some tea cakes with raspberries! Oh, dear, whoever would have thought that today we would get a visit from our very dearest friend? Without you we never would have met! Have you been riding all day? I like riding, too, but I haven't been out in, oh, forever, except for a few shopping trips to the village, just for things that we couldn't do without, and these darling buttons that I saw and just had to have. They'll be perfect on a pink dress, don't you think? If only I had one!"
    Enide stopped to show Givret the buttons, and he managed to say, Tm glad to see you, too, Enide," before she started again.
    "I used to have a pink dress," Enide began, "but honestly, it had red ribbons on it, if you can imagine, and so I gave it away, but if I had—"
    During all this, Erec had been gazing at Enide with suspicion dawning in his eyes. "Enide," he said. "Be quiet for a moment, can't you?"
    Enide stared at Erec. He had never hushed her before.
    "I have to ask you something," Erec said. "They're saying down in the village that I've promised to give up adventures forever for your sake. Do you know why people would think that?"
    Enide clapped her hands to her mouth and giggled.