The battling Perceval and the Dragon Knight struggled and strove and drove themselves on and struck with their fists and their swords alike till they hewed straps from their mail collars, slashed the laces from their helms and were finally so exhausted that they collapsed on the ground. But ill luck befell Perceval: as he landed his sword slipped from his grasp, and the knight who was bent on evil – and had already done so much – seized it and leapt back to his feet, clutching both their naked swords, and advanced on him. Perceval scrambled up at once, and almost died of anguish when he saw his sword in the knight’s hand. He came at him boldly, raising his shield to protect himself, but the knight had little fear of him now and began to show it: he knew how to use a sword, and dealt him such a blow in the side that he cut away a great chunk of flesh and the blood began to pour. But before he could step back Perceval seized hold of him, and in the winking of an eye he prised the steel sword from his grip and cried:
‘Hang on to yours, knight – I’ve got mine!’

The Dragon Knight, with his fierce, bold heart, answered: ‘True, but it’s cost you – take a look at your side: it’s gushing blood! I tell you, neither your white shield nor the cross will save you now!’

‘We’ll see who comes off best today!’ said Perceval, and he sprang to the attack. The Dragon Knight didn’t shrink from him, but assailed him with his sword, and they threw themselves boldly into the fray and dealt each other cruel and mighty blows. They split open helms, smashed rings from hauberks, beat and pounded, smote and hammered. The Dragon Knight was amazed that he could do no damage to the shield with the red cross, and sensed that Perceval was stronger and fitter than at the start.

Gerbert's Continuation of Perceval