One day, a tall, strong young man arrived at Camelot. He was handsome and well made, with big, steady hands, but his clothes were plain, and no one there imagined he might be noble. The young man crossed the hall and knelt before King Arthur.

"Majesty, I have three requests to make."

"Speak," said Arthur, curious.

"First, I ask for food and shelter for one year. Second, at the end of that year, I will make my other two requests. And the third... well, that one must wait."

Arthur was intrigued by such a strange young man.

"What is your name?"

"I cannot tell you my name, sir. But you may call me whatever you wish."

Sir Kay, the master of the kitchens, laughed at him.

"Look at those big, clean hands. Fine hands that have never done a day's work. I shall call you Beaumains — Fair Hands. Come along, you will work in the kitchen."

And so the mysterious young man went to work in the kitchens of Camelot.

Beaumains worked in the kitchen for a whole year. He washed dishes, carried water, scrubbed pots, and helped prepare the banquets. Sir Kay was hard on him, always mocking him and saving the heaviest chores for him, but Beaumains never complained. He worked with a will, and he smiled.

The other servants liked him. They said Beaumains was strong as an ox and could carry by himself what three men carried. But what impressed them most was his kindness. He was gentle with everyone, helped the weaker servants, and never lost his temper, not even when Kay treated him badly.

Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain sometimes watched him at his work.

"There is something special about that boy," said Lancelot. "He is no ordinary servant."

"I agree," said Gawain. "The way he moves, the way he carries himself... there is nobility in him."

But Beaumains went humbly on with his work, and waited.

A year went by, and the feast of Pentecost came round — the day when Arthur always waited for some adventure before he would sit down to eat. Suddenly a damsel hurried into the hall, in great distress.

"King Arthur, I need help! My sister, Lady Lyonesse, is trapped in her own castle. A terrible knight, the Red Knight, holds it under siege. Please, send a knight to save her."

Arthur looked at his knights. But before anyone could offer, Beaumains came out of the kitchen and knelt before the king.

"Majesty, a year ago I asked for food and shelter, and you gave them to me. Now I make my second request: let me ride on this adventure and save Lady Lyonesse."

The hall fell silent. Everyone stared in surprise. The kitchen boy wanted to be a knight?

Sir Kay laughed out loud.

"Beaumains, a knight? He hardly knows how to hold a sword. All he knows is washing dishes."

But Arthur saw something in Beaumains' eyes.

"You shall have this adventure, Beaumains. But with no armor and no proper horse, how will you go?"

"That is my third request, majesty: that Sir Lancelot, the greatest of knights, make me a knight when I have proved myself worthy."

Lancelot smiled.

"I accept. When you have proved your worth, I will knight you myself."

The damsel, whose name was Linet, was furious.

"What? You give me a kitchen boy? I asked for a true knight, not a dishwasher!"

She rode off in anger. Beaumains found himself an old horse and followed her. And Sir Kay, still mocking, went after them, saying he would teach that kitchen boy a lesson.

On the road, Sir Kay caught up with Beaumains.

"Back to the kitchen, Beaumains. This is no place for you."

Kay charged with his lance. But Beaumains — who all that year had secretly trained with the guards — turned the blow aside and knocked Kay off his horse. Kay lay stunned on the ground, and Beaumains gathered up his armor and weapons.

"I'm sorry, Sir Kay, but I shall be needing these."

Linet had seen it all, and she was surprised.

"Perhaps you are not just a kitchen boy after all... but you still have much to prove."

They rode on. Soon another knight stood blocking their way: the Black Knight.

"No one passes here!" he roared.

Beaumains, now in armor, rode forward. The battle was fierce, but he fought with such skill that he defeated the Black Knight.

"Who trained you?" asked Linet, amazed.

"I practiced in secret, at night," said Beaumains. "And I learned by watching the great knights of Camelot."

The journey went on. Beaumains defeated the Green Knight in a dark forest, and then the Blue Knight beside a deep river. With every battle he fought with greater skill and greater courage, and Linet began to admire him.

"You are not only brave, you are noble," she said. "Who are you, really?"

"You will know soon," Beaumains promised.

At last they reached Lady Lyonesse's castle. There stood the terrible Red Knight, a giant of a man, his armor red as blood.

"Another knight come to die?" he laughed. "Come on, then!"

It was the hardest battle of all. It lasted for hours; the sun rose and set while the two of them fought. Beaumains was wounded, but he did not give up. The Red Knight was strong, but Beaumains was determined. At last, with one mighty blow, he brought the Red Knight down and set his sword against his neck.

"Mercy!" cried the Red Knight.

"Go to Camelot," said Beaumains. "Kneel before King Arthur and beg forgiveness for your crimes."

The castle gates opened, and Lady Lyonesse came out, even more beautiful than her sister. When she saw Beaumains, her heart leapt. Here was her rescuer.

"Who are you, noble knight?" she asked.

The time had come to tell the truth. Beaumains took off his helmet.

"My name is Gareth," he said. "I am the son of King Lot of the Isles, and brother to Sir Gawain. I am a prince by birth."

Everyone was astonished. The kitchen boy was, in truth, a prince.

"But why did you hide?" asked Linet. "Why did you work as a servant?"

"Because I wanted to prove my worth by my deeds, not by my name," Gareth explained. "Anyone can be born a prince, but to be truly noble — that must be earned. I worked humbly to learn humility. I bore the mockery to learn patience. I fought without a name to prove that honor comes from what you do, not from who you are."

Sir Lancelot, who had followed the adventure from afar, now appeared, smiling.

"You have proved yourself worthy beyond any doubt. Kneel, Gareth."

Gareth knelt, and Lancelot touched the sword to his shoulders.

"I make you a knight. Rise, Sir Gareth of Orkney."

They all returned to Camelot in a grand procession, and the Red Knight came with them, to ask forgiveness. When they arrived, Arthur embraced Gareth.

"Nephew, you have filled me with pride. Not because you are a prince, but because you had the courage to prove your worth the hard way."

Sir Kay, ashamed, knelt before Gareth.

"Forgive me, Sir Gareth. I was cruel to you when you worked in the kitchens."

Gareth smiled and helped him to his feet.

"There is nothing to forgive, Sir Kay. You taught me humility, the greatest of all virtues."

Gareth became one of the best-loved knights of the Round Table, and he married Lady Lyonesse, and they lived happily. But he never forgot what he had learned. He always treated servants and simple folk with respect, because he knew well what it was to be treated as lesser. And that kindness made him nobler still.