At the first charge, their powerful lances pass through the shining
shields, but neither lance breaks and they draw back and gallop
at one another once more.
This
time both lances crack as they
clash together and their horses fall beneath them. Yet the knights
leap lightly
to their feet, hammering at each other's gleaming helmets with
their swords until they are dented and smashed all over. Their
eyes shoot out flame as they try their hardest to harm one another.
It is past noon. Their bones ache from the blows they receive and from the effort of giving them in return. Still the fight goes on. Sweat and blood pour into their eyes so that they can hardly see and many of their blows miss their target. They throw their swords and shields aside and grab one another angrily. Each one tries to drag the other to the ground and they fall on their knees, too tired to rise. Yet the other knight has almost no breath left in his body, and Erec is able to seize him by the lacings of his helmet and force him to bend to the ground.
'I cannot deny it,' gasped the knight. 'You have beaten me. Tell me your name, I beg you.'
'I will before I leave here,' Erec replied, 'but first I want to know your name and story, and what is the "Joy" which is supposed to be connected with this adventure.'
