where she was prisoner, but he knew not what to do to aid her, for the tree
was very high, and he was no good climber of trees.

While he stood there watching that falcon he heard the portcullis of the
castle lifted, with a great noise, and the drawbridge let fall, and
therewith there came a lady riding out of the castle very rapidly upon a
white mule, and she rode toward where Sir Launcelot watched the falcon upon
the tree. When that lady had come nigh to Sir Launcelot, she cried out to
him: "Sir Knight, didst thou see a falcon fly this way?" Sir Launcelot
said: "Yea, Lady, and there she hangs, caught by her lunes in yonder
elm-tree."

Then when that lady beheld how that her falcon hung there she smote her
hands together, crying out: "Alas, alas! what shall I do? That falcon is my
lord's favorite hawk! While I was playing with her a while since, she
slipped from me and took flight, and has sped as thou dost see. Now when my
lord findeth that I have lost his hawk in that wise he will be very angry
with me, and will haply do me some grievous hurt."

[Sidenote: The Lady beseeches Sir Launcelot to get her the falcon again]
Quoth Sir Launcelot: "Lady, I am very sorry for you." "Sir," she said, "it
boots nothing for you to be sorry for me unless you can aid me." "How may I
aid you in this?" said Sir Launcelot. "Messire," quoth she, "how otherwise
could you aid me than by climbing up into this tree for my hawk? For if you
aid me not in such a fashion, I know not what I shall do, for my lord hath
a very hot and violent temper, and he is not likely to brook having his
favorite hawk lost to him, as it is like to be."

Upon this Sir Launcelot was put to a great pass and knew not what to do,
for he had no good mind to climb that tree. "Lady," quoth he, "I prithee