She reached out a rich ring, wrought all of gold,With a splendid stone displayed on the bandThat flashed before his eyes like a fiery sun;1820 It was worth a king's wealth, you may well believe.But he waved it away with these ready words:"Before God, good lady, I forgo all gifts

She released a knot lightly, and loosened a beltThat was caught about her kirtle,0 the bright cloakbeneath,Of a gay green silk, with gold overwrought,And the borders all bound with embroidery fine

Those words," said the woman, "are the worst of all,But I have had my answer, and hard do I find it!Kiss me now kindly; I can but go hence1795 To lament my life long like a maid lovelorn."She inclines her head quickly and kisses the knight,Then straightens with a sigh, and says as she stands,"Now, dear, as I depart, do me this pleasure:Give me some littl� gift, your glove or the like,1800 That I may think on you, man, and mourn the less.""Now by heaven," said he, "I wish I had hereMy most precious possession, to put it in your hands,For your deeds, beyond doubt, have often deservedA repayment far passing my power to bestow.1805 But a love-token, lady, were of little avail;It is not to your honor to have at this timeA glove as a guerdon° from Gawain's hand

Thus she tested his temper and tried many a time,1550 Whatever her true intent, to entice him to sin,But ,so fair was his defense that no fault appeared,Nor evil on either hand, but only bliss' they knew.

Till the lord came at last on his lofty steed,Beheld him there at bay before all his folk;Lightly he leaps down, leaves his courser,Bares his bright sword, and boldly advances;1585 Straight into the stream he strides towards his foe.The wild thing was wary of weapon and man;His hackles rose high; so hotly he snortsThat many watched with.alarm, lest the worst befall.The boar makes for the man with a mighty bound1590 So that he and his hunter came headlong togetherWhere the water ran wildest-the worse for the beast,For the man, when they first met, marked him with care,Sights well the slot, slips in the blade,Shoves it home to the hilt, and the heart shattered,1595 And he falls in his fury and floats down the water,ill-sped

God love you, gracious lady!" said Gawain then;"It is a pleasure surpassing, and a peerless joy,That one so worthy as you would willingly comeAnd take the time and trouble to talk V\'ith your knightAnd content you with his company-it comforts my heart.1540 But to take on myself the task of telling of love,And touch upon its texts, and treat of its themesTo one that, I know well, wields more powerIn that art, by a half, than a hundred suchAs I am where I live, or am like to become,1545 It were folly, fair dame, in the first degree!In all that I am able, my aim is to please,As in honor behooves me,0 and am evermore I am obliged toYour servant heart and soul, so save me our Lord!"Thus she tested his temper and tried many a time,1550 Whatever her true intent, to entice him to sin,But ,so fair was his defense that no fault appeared,Nor evil on either hand, but only bliss' they knew

But if the virtue that invests it were verily known,1850 It would be held, I hope, in higher esteem.For the man that possesses this piece of silk,If he bore it on his body, belted about,There is no hand under heaven that could hew him down,For he could not be killed by any craft on earth

Nay, not so, sweet sir," said the smiling lady;when the hunters unleashed the hounds. The words used by the poet are thre bare. "You shall not rise from your bed; I direct you better:mote, an onomatopoeic sequence of three long syllables, which I have replicated in my I shall hem and hold you on either hand,

And made happy ever after the hearts of their ladies.1520 And you are the noblest knight known in your time;No household under heaven but has heard of your fame,And here by your side I have sat for two daysYet never has a fair phrase fallen from your lipsOf the language of love, not one little word!1525 And you, that with sweet vows sway women's hearts,Should show your winsome ways, and woo a young thing,And teach by som� tokens the craft of true love.How! are you artless, whom all men praise?Or do you deem me so dull, or deaf to such words?J530 Fie!° Fie! For shame!In hope of pastimes newI have come where none can spy;Instruct me a little, do,While myhusband is not nearby.

nd the lord of the land rides late and long,mo Hunting the barren hinds over the broad heath.He had slain such a sum, when the sun sank low,Of does and other deer, as would dizzy one's wits.Then they trooped in together in triumph at last,And the count of the quarry quickly they take.1325 The lords.lent a hand6 with their liegemen many,Picked out the plumpest and· put them togetherAnd duly dressed the deer, as the deed requires.

Lingered late alone, till daylight gleamed,The dogs began to bay with a deafening din, Under coverlet costly, cu�tained about.And they quieted them quickly and called them to heel, And as he slips into slumber, slyly there comesA hundred brave huntsmen, as I have heard tell, A little din at his door, and the latch lifted,1145 together. And he holds up his heavy head out of the clothes;Men at stations meet; 1185 A corner of the curtain he caught back a littleFrom the hounds they slip the tether;0 leash And kept watch warily, to see what befell.The echoing horns repeat, Lo! it was the lady, loveliest to behold,Clear in the· merry weather. That drew the door behind her deftly and still

At the clamor -of the quest, the quarry trembled; And was bound for his bed-abashed was the knight,Deer dashed through the dale, dazed with dread; J190 And laid his head low again in likeness of sleep;Hastened to the high ground, only to be And she stepped stealthily, and stole to his bed,Turned back by the beaters, who boldly shouted. Cast aside the curtain and came within,They harmed not the harts, with their high heads, And set herself softly on the bedside_ there,1155 Let the bucks go by, with their broad antlers, And lingered at her leisure, to look on his waking.For it was counted a crime, in the close season, 1195 The fair knight layfeigning for a long while,If a man of that demesne0 should molest the male deer. kingdom Conning in his conscience what his case mightThe hinds were headed up, with "Hey!" and "Ware!"0 Look out! Mean or amount to-a marvel he thought it.The does with great din were driven to the valleys. But yet he said to himself, "More seemly it were1160 Then you were ware,0 as they went, of the whistling conscious To try her intent by talking a li_ttle."of arrows;

I shall follow forthwith the form of our pledgeThat we framed to good effect amid fresh-filled cups."He clasps him accordingly and kisses him thrice,As amiably and as earnestly as ever he could."By heaven," said the host, "you have had some luckSince you took u� this trade, if the terms were good.""Never trouble aoout the terms," he returned at once,"Since all that I owe here is openly paid.""Marry!" said the other man, "mine is mu.ch less,For I have hunted all day, and nought have I gotBut this foul fox pelt, the fiend take the goods!Which but poorly repays those precious thingsThat you have· cordially conferred, those kisses threeso good.""Enough!" said Sir Gawain;"I thank you, by the rood!"0And how the fox was slainHe told him, as· they stood

Three times

Then the man began to muse, and mainly he thoughtIt was a pearl for his plight, the peril to comeWhen he gains the Green Chapel to get his reward:49Could he escape unscathed,0 the scheme were noble! unharmedThen he bore with her words and withstood them nomore

You are bound to a better man," the bold knight said,"Yet I prize the praise you have proffered me here,And soberly your servant, my sovereign I hold you,And acknowledge i;ne your knight, in the name of Christ."So they talked of this and that until 'twas nigh noon,And ever the lady languishing in likeness of love.3-5With feat0 words and fair he framed his defense, cleverFor were she never so winsome, the warrior hadThe less will to woo, for the wound that his bane0 - doom .must be.He must bear the blinding blow,For such is fate's decree;The lady asks leave to go;He grants it full and free

hether hands, in the end, go empty or no."!liO "By God," said Sir Gawain, "I grant it forthwith!If you find the game good, I shall gladly take part.""Let the bright wine be brought, and our bargain is done,"Said the lord of that land-the two laughed together.Then they drank and they dallied and doffed allconstrain

"In good faith," said Gawain, "you have guessed the truth:On a high errand and urgent I hastened away,For I am summoned by myself to seek for a placeI wish I knew whither, or where it might be!Far rather would I find it before the New Year1055 Than own the land of Logres, so help me our Lord!Wherefore, sir, in friendship this favor I ask,That you say in sober earnest, if something you knowOf the Green Chapel, on ground far or near,

Part III

That all his force was founded on the five joysThat the high Queen of heaven had in her child.And therefore, as I find, he fittingly hadOn the inner part of his shield her image portrayed,650 That when his look on it lighted, he never lost heart.The fifth of the five fives followed by this knightWere beneficence0 boundless and brotherly loveAnd pure min_d and manners, that none might impeach,0And compassion most precious 7-these peerless five655 Were forged arid made fast in him, foremost of men.Now all th�se five fives were confirmed in this knight,And each lmked in other, that end there was noneAnd fixed to five points, whose force never failed,Nor assembled all on a side, nor asunder either,660 Nor anywhere at an end, but whole and entireHowever the pattern proceeded or played �ut its course.kindnessdiscreditAnd so on his shining shield shaped was the knotRoyally in red gold against:r�g. gules,0 red (heraldic)665670That is the peerless pentangle, prized of oldin lore

hen they showed forth the shield, that shone all red,620 With the pentangle portrayed in e_urest g�l�. 5......=About his broad neck by the baldric0 he casts it, slantwise band625That was meet0 for the man, and matched him well.And why the pen�ngle is proper to that peerless princeI intend now to tell, though detain me it must.It is a sign by Solomon sagely devisedTo be a token of truth, by its title of old,For it is a figure fonTJ,ed of five points,And each line is linked and locked with the nextFor ever and ever, and hence it is calledfitting630 In all England, as I hear, the endless knot. 6635. And well may he wear it on his worthy arms,For ever faithful five"."fold in five-fold fashionWas Gawain in good works, as gold unalloyed,0Devoid of all villainy, with virtues aclofnecJ."--"--'in sight.On shield and coat in viewHe bore that emblem bright,As to his word most trueAnd in speech most courteous knight.pure640 And first, he was faultless in his five senses,Nor found ever to fail in his five fingers,645And all his fealty0 was fixed upon the five woundsThat Christ got on the cross, as the creed tells;And wherever this man in melee took part,His one thought was of this, past ali things else,

Till All-Saints' D�y0 with Arthur he stays,And he held a high feast to honor that knightWith great revels and rich, of the Round Table.Then lovely ladies and lords debonair540 With sorrow for Sir Gawain were sore at heart;Yet they covered their care with countenance glad:Many a mournful man made mirth for his sake.So after supper soberly he speaks to his uncleOf the hard hour at hand, and openly says,545 "Now, liege lord of my life; my leave I take;The terms of this task too well you know-To count the cost over conc�rns me nothing.But I am bound forth betimes to bear a strokeFrom the grim man in green, as God may direct."550 Then the first and foremost came forth in throng:Yvain and Eric and others of note,Sir Dodinal le Sauvage, the Duke of Clarence,Lionel and Lancelot and Lucan· the good,Sir Bors and Sir Bedivere, big men both,17skySeptember 29November 1555 And many manly knights more, with Mador de Ja Porte,All this courtly company comes with the kingTo counsel their comrade, with care in their hearts;There was much secret sorrow suffered that dayThat one so good as Gawain must go in this fashion560 To bear a bitter blow, and his bright sword565lay by.He said, "Why should I tarry?"And smiled with tranquil eye;"In destinies sad or merry,True men can but try."

castle as comely as a knight could own,On grounds fair and green, in a goodly parkWith a palisade of palings planted about770 For two miles and more, round many a fair tree.23The stout knight stared at that stronghold greatAs it shimmered and shone amid shining leaves,Then with helmet in hand he offers his thanks. To Jes_us a�d Saint Julian,

Now armed is Gawain gay,And bears his lance before,And soberly said good day,He thought forevermore.He struck his steed with the spurs and sped on his waySo fast that the flint-fire flashed from the stones.When th�y saw liim seaortb-llieywere--s-ore--aggr1eved,And all sighed softly, and �aid to each other,Fearing for their fellow, "Ill fortune it is675 T�at you, man, must be marred, that are most worthy!His equal on this earth can hardly be found;To have clealt more discreetly had done less harm,And have dubbed0 him a duke, with all due honor.A great leader and lord he was like to become680 And better so to have been than battered to bitsBeheaded by an elf-man, for empty pride!Who would credit that a king could be counseled so,appointedAnd caught in a cavil0 in a Christmas game'" t · · l. rivia argumentMany were the warm t�ars they wept from their eyes685 When goodly Sir Gawain was gone from the courtthat day.

On the morn when each man is mindful in heartThat God's son was sent down to suffer nur death,No household but is blithe for His blessed sake;So was it there on that day, with many delights.Both at larger meals and less they were lavishly served1000 By doughty0 lads on dais,0 with delicate fare;The old ancient lady, highest she sits;The lord at her left hand leaned, as I hear;Sir Gawain ih the center, beside the gay lady;Where the food was brought first to that festive board,1005 And thence throughout the hall, as they _held most fit,To each man was offered in order of rank.There was meat, there was mirth, there was much joy,That to tell all the tale would tax my wits,Though I pained me; perchance, to paint it with care;1010 But yet I know that our knight and the noble ladyWere accorded so closely in company there,With the seemly solace of their secret words,With speeches well-sped, spotless and pure,That each prince's pastime their pleasures far1015 outshone.Sweet pipes beguile their cares,And the trumpet of martial tone;Each tends his affairsAnd those two tend their own

Both in needful nourishment and nightly rest;You shall lie abed late in your lofty chamberTomorrow until mass, and meet then to dineWhen you will, with my wife, who will sit by your sideAnd talk with you at table, the better to cheeruoo our guest.PART IIIA-hunting I will goWhile you lie late and rest."The knight, inclining low,Assents to each behest.0uo5 "And Gawain," said the good host, "agree now to this:Whatever I win in the woods I will give you at eve,And all you have earned you must offer to me;Swear now, sweet friend, to swap as I say,Whether hands, in the end, go empty or no."!liO "By God," said Sir Gawain, "I grant it forthwith!If you find the game good, I shall gladly take part.""Let the bright wine be brought, and our bargain is done,"Said the lord of that land-the two laughed together.Then they drank and they dallied and doffed allconstraint

Then smiling said the lord, "Your search, sir, is done,For we shall see you to that site by the set time.1070 Let Gawain grieve no more over the Green Chapel;You shall be in your own bed, in blissful ease,All the forenoon, and fare forth the first of the year,And make the goal by midmorn, to mind your affairs,no fear!1075 Tarry till the fourth dayAnd ride on the first of the year.We shall set you on your way;It is not two miles from here."

"Noble sir," said the knight, "I cannot but thinkAll the honor is your own-may the high king repay you!And your man to command l account myself hereAs I ain bound and beholden, and shall be, comewhat may."The lord with all his mightEntreats his guest to stay;Brief answer makes the knight:Next morning he must away

Another lady led her by the left handThat was older than she-an ancient, it seemed,And held in high honor by all men apout.950 But unlike to look upon, those ladies were, 2For if the one was 'fresh, the other was faded:Bedecked in bright red was the body of one;Flesh hung in folds on the face of the other;On one a high headdress, ,hung all with pearls;955 Her bright throat and bosom f?ir to behold,Fresh as the first snowfallen upon hills;27A wi:rriple0 the other one wore round her throat; doth wrappingHer swart0 chin well swaddled, swathed all in white; darkHer forehead enfolded in flounces of silk960 That framed a fair fillet,0 of fashion ornate.. headbandAnd nothing bare beneath save the black brows,The two eyes and the nose, the naked lips,And they unsightly to see, and sorrily bleared.A beldame,0 by God, she may well be deemed, formidable lady965 · of pride!She was short and thick of waist,Her buttocks round and wide;More toothsome, to his taste,Was the beauty by her side.

No sooner had Sir Gawain signed0 himself thriceT�an_ he was ware,0 in the wood, of a wondrous dwelling,765 W1thm a moat, on a mound, bright amid boughsOf many a tree great of girth that grew by the water-crossedconsciousPART IIA castle as comely as a knight could own,On grounds fair and green, in a goodly parkWith a palisade of palings planted about770 For two miles and more, round many a fair tree.23The stout knight stared at that stronghold greatAs it shimmered and shone amid shining leaves,Then with helmet in hand he offers his thanks. To Jes_us a�d Saint Julian,0 that are gentle both, travelers' protector775 That in courteous accord had inclined to his prayer;"Now fair harbor," said he, "I humbly beseech!"Then he pricks his proud steed with the plated spurs,And by chance he has chosen the chief path780That brought the bold knight to the bridge's endin haste.The bridge hung high in air;The'gates were bolted fast;The walls well-framed to bearThe fury of the blast.785 The man on his mount remained on the bankOf the deep double moat that 'defended the place.The wall went in the water wondrous deep,And a long way aloft it loomed overhead.It was built of stone blocks to the battlements' height,790 With corbels0 under supporting bracketscornices0 in comeliest style; projecting layersWatch-towers trusty protected the gate,With many a lean loophole, to look from within:A better-made barbican° the knight beheld never. fortificationAnd behind it he beheld a great hall and fair:795 Turrets rising in tiers, with tines at their tops,Spires set beside them, splendidly tall,With finials0 well-fashioned, as1filigree fine. ornamental topsChalk-white chimneys over chambers highGleamed in gay array upon gables and roofs;800 The pinnacles in panoply, pointing in air,So vied there for his view that verily it seemedA castle cut of paper for a king's feast

Then the other laughed aloud, and lightly he said,mo "Such harm as I have had, I hold it quite healed.You are so fully confessed, your failings made known,And bear the plain penance of the point of my blade,I hold you polished as a pearl, as pure and as brightAs you had lived free of fault since first you were born.2395 And I give you, sir, this girdle that is gold-hemmedAnd green as my garments, that, Gawain, you mayBe mindful_ of this meeting when you mingle in throngWith nobles of renown-and known by this tokenHow it chanced at the Green Chapel, to chivalrousknights

True men pay what they owe

You are rushing into risks that you reek not0 of: are heedlessThere is a villain in yon valley, the veriest on earth,For he is rugged and rude, and ready with his fists,2100 And most immense in his mold of mortals alive,And his body bigger than the best fourThat are in Arthur's house, Hector or any.He gets his grim way at the Green. Chapel;None passes by that place so proud in his arms2105 That he does not'dash him down with his deadly blows,For he is heartless wholly, and heedless of right,For be it chaplain or churl0 that by the Chapel rides, person ofMonk or mass-priest or any man else, low classHe would as soon strike him dead as stand on two feet.2110 Wherefore I say, just as certain as you sit there astride,You cannot but be killed, if his counsel holds,For he would trounce0 you in a trice,0 had you thrash I an instanttwenty livesfor sale.He has lived long in this land2115 And dealt out deadly bale;0 harmAgainst his heavy handYour power cannot prevail

How soundly he slept, I presume not to say, 2030 Yet he left hot his love-gift, the lady's girdle;·For there were matters of moment his thoughts might well Gawain, for his own good, forgot not that:pursue. When the bright sword was belted and bound on hisLet him lie and wait; haunches,1995 He has little more to do, Then twice with that token he twined him about.Then listen, while I relate Sweetly did he swathe him in that swatch· of silk,How they kept their rendezvous. 2035 That girdle of green so goodly to see,That against the gay red showed gorgeous bright.Part IV Yet he wore not for its wealth that wondrous girdle,Now the New Year draws near, and the night passes, Nor pride in its pendants, though polished they were,The day dispels the dark, by the Lord's decree; Though glittering gold gleamed at the ends,2040 But to keep himself safe when consent he must2000 But wild weather awoke in the world without: To endure a deadly blow, and all defenseThe clouds in the cold sky cast down their snow denied.With great gusts from the north, grievous to bear.Sleet showered aslant upon shivering beasts; And now the bold knight cameThe wind warbled wild as it whipped from aloft, Into the courtyard wide;2045 That folk of worthy fame2005 And drove the drifts deep in the dales below. He thanks on every side

And therefore, good friend, come feast with your aunt;Make merry in my house; my men hold you dear,And I wish you as well, sir, with all my heart,2470 As any mortal man, for your matchless faith."But the knight said him nay, that he might by no means.They clasped then and kissed,. and commended eachother

For one may keep a deed dark, but undo it no whit,For where a fault is made fast, it is fixed evermore.

The king comforts the knight, and the court alltogetherAgree with gay laughter and gracious intentThat the lords and the ladies belonging to the Table,Each brother of that band, a baldric should have,A belt borne oblique, of a bright green,To be worn with one accord for that worthy's sake.So that was taken as a token by the Table Round,And he honored that had it, evermore after,As the best book of knighthood bids it be known

She guided me in this guise to your glorious hall,To assay,0 if such it were, the surfeit0 of pride test I excessThat is rumored 6f the retinue of the Round Table.She put this shape upon me to· puzzle your wits,2460 To afflict the fair queen, and frighten her to deathWith awe of that elvish man that eerily spokeWith his head in his hand before the high table. 3She was with my wife at home, that old withered lady,Your own aunt is she, Arthur's half-sister,2465 The Duchess' daughter of Tintagel, that dear King UtherGot Arthur on after, that honored is now.And therefore, good friend, come feast with your aunt;Make merry in my house; my men hold you dear,And I wish you as well, sir, with all my heart,2470 As any mortal man, for your matchless faith."But the knight said him nay, that he might by no means.They clasped then and kissed,. and commended eachother

That shall I give you gladly," said �he Green Knight then;"Bertilak de Hautdesert, this barony I hold.

But your girdle, God love you! I gladly shall takeAnd be pleased to possess, not for the pure gold,Nor the bright be4 itself, nor the beauteous pendants,Nor for wealth, nor worldly state, nor workmanship fine,But a sign of excess it shall seem oftentimesWhen I ride in renown, and remember with shameThe faults and the frailty of the flesh perverse,How its tenderness entices the foul taint of sin;And so when praise and high prowess have pleased myheart

our cut taught me cowardice, care for my life,2380 And coveting came after, contrary bothTo largesse and loyalty belonging to knights.Now am I faulty and false, that fearful was everOf disloyalty and lies-bad luck to them both!-and greed.2385 I confess, knight, in this place,My faults are grave indeed;Let me gain back your good grace,And hereafter I shall take heed.

"For that is my belt about you, that same braided girdle,My wife it was that wore it; I know well the tale,And the count of your kisses and your conduct too,And the wooing of my wife-it was all my scheme!She made trial of a man most faultless by farOf all that ever walked over the wide earth;As pearls to white peas, more precious and prized,So is Gawain, in good faith, to other gay knights.Yet you lacked, sir, a little in loyalty there,But the cause was not cunning, nor courtship either,But that you loved your own life; the less, then, toblame

First I flourished with a feint, in frolicsome mood,And left your hide unhurt-and here I did wellBy the fair terms we fixed on the first night;And fully and faithfully you followed accord:Gave over all your gains as a good man should.A second feint, sir, I assigned for the morningYou kissed my comely wife-each kiss you restored.For both of these there behooved0 but two feigned were deservedblow

That I shall finish this affair, nor further graceallow."2305 He stands prepared to strikeAnd scowls with both lip and brow;No marvel if the man mislikeWho can hope no rescue now.He gathered up the grim ax and guided it well:2310 Let the barb at the blade's end brush the bare throat;He hammered down hard, yet harmed him no whitSave a scratch on one side, that severed the skin;The end of the hooked edge entered the flesh

But go on, man, in God's name, and get to the p�int!Deliver me my destiny, and do it without delay,For I shall stand to the stroke and stir not an inchTill your ax has hit home-on my honor I swear it!""Have at you then!" said the other, and heaves it aloft,And glares down as grimly as he had gone mad.Be made a mighty feint, but marred not his hide;Withdrew the ax adroitly bef9re it did damage.Gawain gave no ground, nor glanced up aside,But stood still as a stone, or else a stout stumpThat is held in hard earth by a hundred roots.Then merrily does he mock him, the man all in green:"So now you have your nerve again, I needs must strike;Uphold the high knighthood that Arthur bestowed,

God love you, Sir Gawain!" said the Green Knight then,2240 "And well met this morning, man, at my place!And you have followed me faithfully and found mebetimes,And on the business between u� we both are agreed:Twelve months ago today you took what was yours,And you at this New Year must yield me the same.2245 And we have met in these mountains, remote from alleyes:There is none here to halt us or hinder our sport;Unhasp your high helm, and have here your wages;Make no more demur than I did myselfWhen you hacked off my head with one hard blow."2250 "No, by God," said Sir Gawain, "that granted me life,I shall grudge not the guerdon,0 grim though it prove; repaymentBestow but one stroke, and l shall stand still,And you may lay on as you like till the last of my debtis paid

But I must to the Chapel to chance my luckAnd say to that same man such words as I please,Befall what may befall through Fortune's will2135 or whim.Though he be a quarrelsome knaveWith a cudgel0 great and grim,The Lord is strong to save:His servants trust in Him.

And so, good Sir Gawain, let the grim man be;Go off by some other road,· in God's own name!2120 Leave by some other land, for the love of Christ,And I shall get me home again, and give you my wordThat I shall swear by God's self and the saints above,By heaven and by my halidom0 and other oaths more, sacred relicTo conceal this day's deed, nor say to a soul2125 That ever you fled for fear from any that I knew.""Many thanks!" said the other man-and demurring0 objectinghe speaks-"Fair fortune befall you for your friendly words!And conceal this day's deed I doubt not you would,But though you never told the tale, if I turned back now,mo Forsook this place for fear, and fled, as you say,I were a caitiff0 coward; I could not be excused.

Rides down the rough slope right to the valley;And then he looked a little about him�the landscapewas wild,And not a soul to be seen, nor sign of a dwelling,2165 But high banks on either hand hemmed it about,With many a ragged rock and rough-hewn crag;The skies seemed scored0 by the scowling peaks.Then he halted his horse, and held the rein fast,And sought on every side for a sight of the Chapel,2170 But no such place appeared, which puzzled him sore,Yet he saw some way off what seemed like a mound,A hillock high and broad, hard by the water,Where the stream fell in foam down the face of the steepAnd bubbled as if it boiled on its bed below.2175club 21so21852190219522002205scraped 22102215PART IVThe knight urges his horse, and heads for the knoll;Leaps lightly to earth; loops well the reinOf his steed to a stout branch, and stations him there.He stricles straight to the mound, and strolls all about,Much wondering what it was, but no whit the wiser;It had a hole at one end, and on either side,And was covered with coarse grass in clumps all without,And hollow all within, like some old cave,Or a crevice of an old crag-he could not discernaright

Praised the noble porter, who prayed on his kneesThat God save Sir Gawain, and bade him good day,And went on his way alone with the man2075 That would lead him before long to that luckless placeTo face the sad fate that must befall him there.Under bare boughs they ride, where steep banks rise,Over high cliffs they climb, where cold snow clings;The heavens held aloof, but heavy thereunder2080 Mist mantled the moors, moved on the slopes.Each hill had a hat, a huge cape of cloud;Brooks bubbled and broke as they ran between rocks,Flashing in freshets0 that waterfalls fed. streamsRoundabout was the road that ran through the wood2085 Till the sun at that season was soon to rise,that day.They were on a hilltop high;The white snow round them lay;The man that rode nearby2090 Now bade his master stay

Part IV

Then the lady, that longed to look on the knight,Came forth from her closet with her comely maids.The fair hues of her flesh, her face and her hairAnd her body and her bearing were beyond praise,945 And excelled the queen herself, as Sir Gawain thought.He goes forth to greet her with gracious intent;

And Gawain," said the good host, "agree now to this:Whatever I win in the woods I will give you at eve,And all you have earned you must offer to me;Swear now, sweet friend, to swap as I say

And soon the lord himself descends from his chamberTo meet in mannerly fashion the man on his floor.835 He said, "To this house you are heartily welcome:What is here is wholly yours, to have in your powerand sway."0 controlSays Gawain with a smile"May Christ your pains repay!"840 They embrace in courteous styleAs men well mef that day.Gawain gazed on the host that greeted him there,And a lusty fellow he looked, the lord of that place:A man of massive mold, and of middle age;845 Broad, bright was his beard, of a beaver's hue, 9Strong, steady his stance, upon stalwart shanks,His face fierce as fire, fair-spoken withal,And well-suited he seemed in Sir Gawain's sightTo be a master of men in a mighty keep.

Part II

The ground and the groves wear gowns of green;Birds build their nests, and blithely sing510 That solace of all sorrow with summer comes515ere long,And blossoms day by dayBloom rich and rife0 in throng;Then every grove so gayOf the greenwood rings with song.And then the season of summer with the soft winds,When Zephyr sighs low4 over seeds and shoots;Glad is the green plant growing abroad,When the dew at dawn drops from the leaves,520 To get a gracious glance from the golden sun.But harvest with harsher winds follows hard after,Warns him to ripen well ere winter comes

That brought him to a bower where bedding was noble,9. Broad, bright was his beard, of a beaver's hue. Seen. 7, p. 8 (line 182).PART II 25With heavy silk hangings hemmed all in gold,855 Coverlets and counterpanes0 curiously wrought, bedspreadsA canopy over the couch, clad all with fur,Curtains running on cords, caught to gold rings,Woven rugs on the walls of eastern work,And the floor, under foot, well-furnished with the same

Now he rides in his array through the realm of Logres,Sir Gawain, God knows, though it g�ve him small joy!All alone must he lodge through many a long nightWhere the food that he fancied was far from his plate;695 He had no mate but his mount, over mountain and plain,Nor man to say his mind to but almighty God,Till he had wandered well-nigh into North Wales.All the islands of Anglesey he holds on his left,And follows, as he fares, the fords by the coast,700 Comes over at Holy Head, and enter·s nextThe Wilderness of,Wirral8

Where is," he said,"The captain of this crowd?9 ,Keenly I wish225230235To see that sire with sight, and to himself saymy say."He swaggered all aboutTo scan the host so gay;He halted, as if in doubtWho in that hall held sway

Sir Gawain, forget not to go as agreed,And cease not to seek till me, sir, you find,450 As you promised in the presence of these proud knights.To the Green Chapel come, I charge you, to takeSuch a blow as you bestowed-you deserve, beyonddoubt,A knock on your neck next New Year's morn.The Knight of the Green Chapel I am well-known tomany,455 Wherefore you cannot fail to find me at last;Therefore come, or be counted a recreant0 knight.

Yet fell not the fellow, nor faltered a whit,But stoutly he starts forth upon stiff shanks,And as all stood staring he stretched forth his hand,Laid hold of his head and heaved it aloft,Then goes to the green steed, grasps the bridle,435 Steps into the stirrup, bestrides his mount,And his head by the hair in his hand holds,And as steady he sits in the stately saddleAs he had met with no mishap, nor missing werehis head.440 His bulk 'about he haled,0 hauledThat fearsome body that bled;There were many in the court that quailed0 coweredBefore all his say was said.

The Green Knight upon ground girds him0 prepares himselfwith care;Bows a bit with his head, and bares his flesh;His long lovely locks he laid over his crown,420 Let the naked nape for the need be shown.Gawain grips to his ax and gathers it aloftThe left foot on the floor before him he set

Sir Gawain," said the Green Knight, "by Gog, I rejoice2That your fist shall fetch this favor I seek,And you have readily rehearsed, and in right terms,Each clause of my covenant with the king your lord,Save that you shall assure me, sir, upon oath,395 That you shall seek me yourself, wheresoever you thinkMy lodgings may lie, and look for such wagesAs you have offered me here before all this host.""What is the way there?" said Gawain, "Where doyou live?I never heard of your house, by Him that made me,400 Nor I know you not, knight, your name nor your court.But tell me truly thereof, and teach me your name,And I shall fare forth to find you, so far as I may,And this I say in good certain, and swear upon oath.

Keep, cousin," said the king, "what you cut with this day,And if you rule it aright, then readily, I know,You shall stand the stroke it will strike after."Gawain goes to the guest with gisarme in hand,And boldly he bides there, abashed not a whit.Then hails he Sir Gawain, the horseman in green:"Recount we our contract, ere you come further.13First I ask and adjure0 you, how you are called solemnly command380 That you tell me true, so that trust it I may."385"In good faith," said the good knight, "Gawain am IWhose buffet befalls you, whate'er betide after,

And at this time ?welvemonth ta.ke from you anotherWith what weapon you will, and with no man elsealive."The other nods assent:"Sir Gawain, as I may thrive,I am wondrous well contentThat you this dint0 shall drive.

Gawain by Guenevere340 Toward the king doth now incline:"I beseech, before all here,That this melee0 may be mine

For I find it not fit, as in faith it is known,When such a boon is begged before all these knights,350 Though you be tempted thereto,· to take it on yourselfWhile so bold men about upo11 benches sit.That no host under heaven is hardier of will,Nor better brothers-in-arms where battle is joined;I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest;355 And the loss of my life would be least of any;That I have you for uncle is my only praise;My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth;And for that this folly befits not a king,And it is l that have asked it, it ought to be mine,360 And if my claim be not comely let all this .court judge,in sight."The court assays the claim.And in counsel all uniteTo give Gawain the game365 And release the king outright.

The stranger before him stood there erect,Higher than any in the house by a head and more;With stern look as he stood, he stroked his beard,335 And with undaunted countenance drew down his coat,No more moved nor dismayed for his mighty blowsThan any bold man on bench had brought him a drinkof wine.

And so I call in this court for a Christmas game,For 'tis Yule and New Year, and many young bloods about;If any in this house such hardihood claims,Be so bold in his blood, his brain so wild,As stoutly to strike one stroke for another,I shall give him as my gift this gisarme noble,This ax, that is heavy enough, to handle as he likes,290 And I shall bide the first blow, as bare as I sit.11weakIf there be one so wilful my words to assay,0 put to the test295' 300305310315320Let him leap hither lightly, lay hold of this weapon;I quitclaim0 it forever, keep it as his own,And I shall stand him a stroke, steady on this floor,So you grant me the guerdon° to give him another,sans blame.In a twelvemonth and a dayHe shall have of me the same;Now be it seen straightwayWho dares take up the game."

But in his one hand he had a holly bobThat is goodliest in_ green when groves are bare,And ali ax in his other, a huge and immense,A wicked piece of work in words to expound:9210 The head on its haft was an ell0 long; forty-five inchesThe spike of green steel, resplendent with gold;215The blade burnished bright, with a broad edge,As well shaped to shear as a sharp razor;Stout was the stave in the strong man's grip,That was wound all with iron to the weapon's end,With engravings in green of goodliest work

There hurtles in at the hall-door an unknown riderOne the greatest on ground in growth of his frame;From broad neck to buttocks so bulky and thick,And his loins and his legs so long and so great,140 Half a giant on earth I hold him to be,But believe him no less than the largest of men,And that the seemliest in his stature to see, as he rides,For in back and in breast though his body was grim,His waist in its width was worthily small,145 And formed with every feature in fair accord, was he.Great wonder grew in hallAt his hue most strange to see,For rhan and gear and all150 Were green as green could be.And in guise all of green, the gear and the man:A coat cut close, that clung t� his sides,And a mantle to match, made with a liningOf furs cut and fitted-the fabric was noble,155 Embellished all with ermine, and his hood beside,That was loosed from his locks, and laid onhis shoulders.With trim hose and tight, the same tint of green,7His great calves were girt,0 and gold spurs under encircledHe bore on silk bands that embellished his heels160 And footgear well-fashioned, for riding most fit. 'And all his vesture0 verily was verdant green; clothingBoth the bosses0 on his belt and other circular ornamentsbright gemsThat were richly ranged on his raiment nobleAbout himself and his saddle, set upon silk,165 That to tell half the trifles would tax my wits,The butterflies and birds embroidered thereonIn green of the gayest, with many a gold thread.The pendants of the breast-band, the princelycrupper,0 strap around rumpAnd the bars of the bit were brightly enameled;170 The stout stirrups were green, that steadied his feet,And the bows of the saddle and the side-panels both,That gleamed all and glinted with green gems about.The steed he bestrides of that same green

But Arthur would not eat till all were Served;So light was his lordly heart, and a little boyish;His life he liked lively-the less he caredTo be lying for long, or long to sit,So busy his young blood, his brain so wild.90 And also a point of pride pr'icked him in heart,For he nobly had willed, he would never eatOn so high a holiday, till he had heard firstOf some fair feat or fray0 some far-borne tale, battleOf some marvel of might, that he might trust,95 By champions of chivalry achieved in arms,Or some suppliant0 came seeking some single knight seeker of helpTo join with him in jousting, in jeopardy0 each dangerTo lay life for life, and leave it to fortuneTo afford him on field fair hap0 or other. chance100 Such is the king's custom, when his court he holds

This king lay at Camelot at Christmastide;Many good knights and gay his guests were there,Arrayed of the Round Table rightful brothers,40 With feasting and fellowship and carefree mirth.There true men contended in tournaments many,Joined there in jousting these gentle knights,Then came to the court for carol-dancing, 4For the feast was in force full fifteen days,45 With all the meat and the mirth that men could devise,Such gaiety and glee, glorious to hear,Brave din by day, dancing by night.High, were their hearts in haHs and chambers,These lords and these ladies, for life was sweet.so In peerless pleasures passed they their days,The most noble knights known under Christ,And the loveliest ladies that lived on earth ever,And he the comeliest king, that that court holds,For all this fair folk in their first age