The knight went on ahead of them all, his maiden and his dwarf beside him. He rode most haughtily and fast towards the sparrow-hawk, but around it there was such a press of the eager common-folk that one could get no closer to it than the length of a crossbow shot.

The count came on to the field. He came towards the commoners and threatened them with a switch he held in his hand; the commoners drew back. The knight advanced and said calmly to his maiden: ‘My damsel, this bird, which is so well moulted and so beautiful, is to be rightfully yours – for you are most beautiful and noble, and so it shall be all my life. Go ahead, my sweet friend, take the sparrow-hawk from the perch.’

The maiden started to reach for it, but Erec ran to challenge her, caring nothing for the other’s haughtiness. ‘Damsel,’ said he, ‘away! Be satisfied with some other bird, for you have no right to this one. Regardless of whom it may upset, this sparrow-hawk will never be yours, for a better one than you claims it – a much more beautiful and courtly maiden.’

This displeased the other knight. But Erec esteemed him little and had his damsel come forward. ‘Fair one,’ he said, ‘come forward! Take the bird from the perch, for it is right that you should have it! Damsel, come forward! I am prepared boldly to uphold the contest, if anyone dares come forth against me, for not one can compare with you, any more than the moon compares with the sun, neither in beauty, nor in worth, nor in nobility, nor in honour.’

When he heard Erec so vigorously propose battle, the other could stand it no more. ‘What?’ he said. ‘Who are you, vassal, who have challenged me for the sparrow-hawk?’

Erec fearlessly answered him: ‘I am a knight from another land. I have come to seek this sparrow-hawk, and it is right, though some may find it unpleasant, that this maiden should have it.’

‘Away with you!’ said the other. ‘That will never be. It was madness that brought you here! If you want to have the sparrow-hawk, you’ll have to pay dearly for it.’

‘Pay for it, vassal? And with what?’

‘You’ll have to do battle with me if you don’t relinquish it.’

‘Now you’ve said something very foolish,’ said Erec; ‘in my opinion these are empty threats, for I fear you very little.’

‘Then I defy you immediately, for this cannot be disputed without a battle.’

Erec replied: ‘Then may God grant it, for I never desired anything so much!’ Now you will hear the blows.

The field was clear and open; there were people on all sides. The two knights drew well apart from one another, then spurred their steeds to begin the battle. They sought each other with the heads of their lances and struck with such power that the shields were pierced and broken, the lances shattered and splintered, and the cantles broken into pieces behind them; they could no longer stay in their stirrups. Both of them were thrown to the ground; the horses ran off across the field.

At once they jumped back to their feet. They had not missed with their lances. They drew their swords from their scabbards, savagely went at each other with the cutting edges and traded violent assaults; their helmets resounded and broke. The combat with the swords was intense: they inflicted on each other great blows, for they in no way held themselves back. They split apart whatever they hit, slicing shields and denting hauberks. The iron reddened with their blood. The combat lasted a long time; they struck so many times that they grew very tired and discouraged. Both the maidens were weeping; each of the knights saw his damsel weep, raise her hands to God and pray that He might grant the victory to the one who was striving on her account.

‘Vassal,’ said the knight, ‘let us draw back a bit and rest a while, for our blows have become too weak; we should strike better blows, for it is very near evening. It is a very shameful and humiliating thing that this battle is taking so long. See there that gracious maiden who weeps for you and calls upon God! She is praying very softly for you and mine is doing likewise for me. For the sake of our ladies we must renew our efforts, with our steel blades.’

Erec replied: ‘You have spoken well.’

Then they rested briefly. Erec looked towards his lady, who was very softly praying for him. As soon as he saw her, his strength was renewed; because of her love and her beauty he regained his great courage. He remembered the queen, to whom he had said in the woods that he would avenge his shame or else increase it further.

‘Well, what am I waiting for like a coward?’ he said.