the winning knight does not show up the next morning; particularly so since she learns from her cousin Jason every evening that the victorious knight has been none other than her 'strange or unknown young man'. Ipomadon has been careful to seek out this cousin every evening after the fighting to declare his identity. Well, not quite his complete identity. Having won the fighting on three successive days, Ipomadon leaves secretly again, leaving the Proud once again distraught at his departure. Ipomadon travels the world, fighting in tournaments, becomes King of Apulia following his father's death, and hears one day that the Proud is being besieged in her city by a knight called Lyoline. This ugly knight is threatening to take her away with him to India. Ipomadon makes his way to King Maleager's court once again, just in time to witness the arrival of the Proud's messenger, begging for some assistance for her lady. But curiously, Ipomadon has chosen to arrive at King Maleager's court in such a way that he is not recognised, not even by the queen. He pretends to be a fool, and the reader (or listener) is treated to a comic scene in which the fool Ipomadon is first ridiculed and then accepted by the knights and noblemen, little knowing who he really is. Cabanus is conveniently absent from court on this occasion. The maiden who has been sent as a messenger by the Proud is mightily unimpressed that a fool should wish to take on the challenge, but since nobody else in the court seems at all inclined to offer their services, the king allows Ipomadon the fool to take it up. Ipomadon follows the maiden and her dwarf, with the maiden hurling insults and telling him in no uncertain terms to go away, in much the same way as a maiden representing the imprisoned lady of Synadoun will do to the hero of Thomas Chestre's fourteenth century Middle English Arthurian romance Libeaus Desconus. At last, having defeated many hostile knights along the way, Ipomadon, the maiden and her dwarf arrive near the city where the Proud is being besieged. Lyoline is on horseback outside the city wall, shouting great boasts. Ipomadon removes himself to a forest nearby, while the maiden enters the city. Ipomadon sends his cousin out to discover what colour armour Lyoline is wearing. He is wearing black armour and is