Elfin music: an anthology of English fairy poetry

Her father was King of Fairyland,
Of the West, far and near,
A man of great power.
In the pavilion he found a costly bed
Covered with purple linen,
That was a beautiful sight.
Therein lay that noble lady,
Who had sent for Sir Launfal,
Who lovely gleamed so bright.
Because of the heat she had lowered her clothes,
Almost to her waist,
So she lay uncovered;
She was as white as a lily in May,
Or snow that falls on a winter day,
He never saw one so lively.
The red rose, when it is new,
Against her complexion is nothing of hue,
I dare well say in truth.
Her hair shone like gold wire,
No man can describe her attire,
Nor even imagine it in his heart.

This fairy lady informed Launfal that there was no man in all Christendom, be he king or emperor, whom she loved as much as himself. At these words, the knight was inflamed with a matching passion,

And kissed that sweet flower;
And sat down beside her,
And said, "Sweetheart, whatever happens,
I am devoted to your honor."

She tells him that she is aware of his current distress, and that if he will truly forsake all other women for love of her, she will enrich him inexhaustibly—

I will give you a purse alner,
Made of silk and clear gold,
With three fair images;
As often as you put your hand inside,
A mark of gold you shall find,
In whatever place you may be.

She also promises him her horse Blanchard and her squire Gyfre, with the additional advantage of her protection by magic art from the dangers of war or tournaments.

Sir Launfal entered into the agreement; they supped and slept together, and in the morning she dismissed him, warning him not to boast of his conquest if he wished to retain her love. He returned to Carlisle and was presently visited by ten men, riding upon packhorses and bearing gold, silver, rich garments, and bright armor. Once more he lived festively, but this time it was the poor and unfortunate whom he entertained. His reputation became so great that a tournament was called in the town to honor him. The knight closed it with a rich and royal feast which lasted a fortnight. During all this time he was visited nightly by his elfin mistress, but was destined now to be divided from her by the challenge of a knight in Lombardy, who sent messengers praying him to cross the sea and joust with him for the honor of his lady. The challenge was accepted by Launfal, who went with his horse and his squire to Lombardy. He achieved such a brilliant victory that he was envied by "all the lords of Italy," who vowed revenge for the defeat of their comrade but were themselves killed in great numbers, and the hero returned to Britain. The reputation of Launfal reached the ears of King Arthur, who sent for him. A feast of forty days took place, during which the queen took the opportunity to confess the passion she had long felt for the handsome knight who had escorted her to her wedding home. But the knight Launfal, faithful to his fairy mistress, rejected her advances. This unexpected insult changed her love into hatred and drove the false wife to denounce Launfal to her husband, claiming he had tried to seduce her. The infuriated monarch swore to have him killed immediately. This false accusation prompted the knight to boast for the first time of that mysterious mistress whose supernatural beauty, he declared, utterly transcended and eclipsed that of the queen. Through the intervention of certain illustrious knights—Gawain and Percival—a delay of a year and a fortnight was granted to Launfal to prove his claim.