A damsel guides him to Tarquin, asking that if he wins this fight that he come to the aid of maidens distressed by a knight in the forest. While Launcelot and Tarquin fight, Tarquin explains that he persecutes knights because he is after the slayer of his brother — Launcelot. Sir Launcelot kills him, releases Tarquin's latest prisoner, Sir Gaheris, and sends him to free the other prisoners; then Launcelot rides on. All the freed prisoners ride back to Camelot except Lionel, Ector, and Kay, who resolve to find Launcelot instead.
Launcelot, meanwhile, rides with the damsel, traps the thief and rapist who has been troubling maidens and kills him. As the damsel parts from him, she advises him to marry, but Launcelot explains that neither marriage nor love of a mistress is fitting for a knight, for one ties him down and the other can involve him in wrong causes.
In time he comes to Tentagil Castle, where Uther conceived Arthur on Lady Igrayne — a castle where maidens have been imprisoned by giants for seven years. He slays the giants and rides on. He sleeps wherever he can and eventually comes to a castle where he is well lodged. That night he sees three knights attack a fourth — Sir Kay — and he leaps to Kay's rescue. Afterward, while Kay sleeps, Launcelot takes Kay's shield and armor, leaving his own, and rides off. In Launcelot's armor, Kay can ride home in peace, since no one will come against Launcelot. Launcelot, in the armor of boastful and unpopular Kay, has fights on his hands. He overcomes and impishly teases Ector, Ywain, and Gawain, among others, unhorsing them and leaving them so that they have "much sorow to gete their horsis agayne."
