"Sir Knight," saith Lancelot, "thither shall I go where God may please; but you, whitherward are you bound to go?" "Sir, I go to see one of my brethren and my two sisters, for I have been told that he hath fallen on such mishap as that he is called the Poor Knight, whereof am I sore sorrowful." "Certes," saith Lancelot, "poor he is, the more the pity! Howbeit, will you do him a message from me?" "Sir," saith the knight, "Right willingly!" "Will you present him with this horse on my behalf, and tell him how Lancelot that harboured with him hath sent it?" "Sir," saith the knight, "Right great thanks, and blessed may you be, for he that doth a kindness to a worshipful man loseth it not." "Salute the two damsels for me," saith Lancelot. "Sir, right willingly!" The knight delivereth the horse to his squire, and taketh leave of Lancelot. XI. Thereupon, Lancelot departeth from the hermitage and rideth on until he cometh forth of the forest, and findeth a waste land, a country broad and long wherein wonned neither beast nor bird, for the land was so poor and parched that no victual was to be found therein. Lancelot looketh before him and seeth a city appear far away. Thither rideth he full speed and seeth that the city is so great that it seemeth him to encompass a whole country. He seeth the walls that are falling all around, and the gates ruined with age. He entereth within and findeth the city all void of folk, and seeth the great palaces fallen down and waste, and the great grave-yards full of sepulchres, and the tall