- Gareth, the youngest (and tallest) son of Bellicent and Lot of Orkney sees a tree fall. He muses about how the wind managed to bring it down while he—a living, breathing man—is not even able to wield a lance.
- His mother keeps him at home, despite the fact that he managed to best his older brother Gawain in battle.
- Gareth tries to convince his mother to let him go by telling her the story of a poor young man who pined away when his mother refused to let him climb after a golden egg.
- Bellicent refuses, asking Gareth to have pity on her loneliness and expressing her fear for his safety if he becomes a knight. She tells him to stay with her, to enjoy hunting. She'll choose a bride for him. No worries.
- Not buying it, Gareth accuses Bellicent of condemning him to a life of shame.
- She responds by reminding Gareth that Arthur’s kingship is still in question.
- But Gareth is undeterred, citing Arthur’s victories in battle as proof enough for him of his legitimacy.
- Bellicent finally gives Gareth permission head for Arthur's court, on one condition: he has to serve a year as a kitchen drudge, keeping his identity secret, before he becomes a knight.
- Gareth heads for Arthur’s court, with two of his servants, dressed as a peasant.
- When they reach Camelot it seems magical to them, appearing and disappearing like a mist. Pictures of the Lady of the Lake and three other mysterious women decorate the gate, interspersed with scenes from Arthur’s battles.
- A mysterious old man they meet tells them that the city is enchanted and advises them not to enter.
- When Gareth takes offense, the old man says that Gareth, too, is not what he seems. He reminds him that he's about to lie to King Arthur, after all.
- When Gareth arrives at court, he watches Arthur deal with three requests from his people before making his own: to serve as a kitchen drudge in the castle. Arthur agrees.
- Gareth is a dedicated and obedient servant. He spends a lot of time watching jousts, besting the other boys in fights, and telling stories about knightly adventures.
- Bellicent regrets forcing Gareth to serve as a kitchen boy and sends his armor to Camelot, releasing him from his promise to her. Now he can be a knight.
- Arthur secretly makes Gareth a knight, telling only Lancelot of his identity. He agrees to grant Gareth the first quest that presents itself in the hall.
- A beautiful lady named Lynette appears in court. She asks for Lancelot to rescue her sister from four brothers who are holding her prisoner in her castle.
- Arthur grants the quest to Gareth. Offended by being assigned what appears to be a lowly kitchen knave to her case, Lynette departs in a huff, with Gareth following close behind.
- Lynette mocks and insults Gareth, telling him to leave her. But he tells her he is sworn to protect her.
- Lynette takes a wrong turn, plunging the two of them into a dangerous wood populated by thieves. There they come across six men throwing another man into a swamp.
- Gareth defeats three of the men and sends the other three on the run, saving the seventh man’s life. He reveals himself to be a local baron and invites Gareth and Lynette to his house.
- At dinner, the baron, surprised by Lynette’s horrible treatment of Gareth, counsels him to leave her and win glory some other way. Gareth refuses.
- The next day Gareth and Lynette come to the first ford in the river. It’s guarded by Sir Morning Star, who has his three beautiful damsels arm him for a fight.
- Gareth defeats Sir Morning Star. He forces Lynette to save the man’s life by asking it of him, then sends the knight to Arthur for justice.
- Lynette continues to mock Gareth, although she acknowledges that the scent and savor of the kitchen is not so strong on Gareth now that the “wind has changed.”
- Next Gareth defeats Sir Noon-day Sun when his horse slips and falls in the river.
- The two approach Sir Star of Evening, an old man who appears naked because he is ensconced in hardened skins to deflect sword-blows. His old, grizzled wife arms him for battle.
- This battle is the most difficult Gareth has undertaken so far, but he wins it thanks to some encouragement from Lynette.
- After the battle, Lynette acknowledges Gareth as a knight and apologizes for the way she mocked him.
- Gareth responds that no true knight would let mere words make him angry. And now that Lynette’s words are kind, he feels he can do anything with ease.
- The two take shelter in a cave. Lancelot arrives and, mistaking Gareth for Sir Morning Star, knocks him from his horse. Then he hears Gareth’s name and helps him up.
- As Gareth sleeps, Lynette complains to Lancelot that now that he is here, Gareth will be denied his final victory. The knight who guards the castle wants to fight Lancelot, not some unknown knight.
- But Lancelot agrees to dress Gareth in his armor so that he'll have the fight.
- The three reach the Castle Perilous, where Lady Lyonors is imprisoned by a knight named Death.
- Gareth blows a horn three times, causing the flaps of Death’s tent to fold back and reveal him on his black horse, fully armed and decked out like a skeleton.
- Gareth quickly knocks Death from his horse and splits his helmet in two, revealing Death to be a boy younger than himself.
- The boy explains that his three brothers forced him to disguise himself. They wanted to provoke Arthur and Lancelot to a fight and never believed anyone would get this far.
- Those who told this story long ago said that Gareth married Lyonors. But he who told it later says he married Lynette.