CHAPTER VIII SIR GAWAINE AND THE GREEN KNIGHT.
IT befell that once when King Arthur held his Christmas feast atCamelot, some of the best of his knights, as Sir Lancelot and his kin,Sir Marhaus, Sir Pelles, and the sons of King Pellinore, were absent,wandering in search of adventures. Still there were many good Knightsof the Round Table in their places, and no lack of barons and ladiesto uphold the high revels. The king kept New-Year's Day with greatsplendour, bestowing rich gifts on all his knights and ladies. But whenthe banquet was spread at noontide, Arthur, as his custom was, would notsit at the table until some wondrous adventure should have happened.
He was not long kept waiting, for suddenly there rode into the greathall the tallest knight that had ever been seen by any of the court. Hisstature was that of a giant, and he had the bulk of four ordinary men.He was clad entirely in green, save that he wore spurs of bright gold.His long hair was green, and a bushy beard of the same colour flowedover his breast. The mighty steed on which he sat was also green, butits mane was decked with gold threads. This strange-looking knightcarried neither spear nor shield, but in one hand he bore a holly bough,and in the other a great axe with an edge like a razor and a massivehandle of solid iron. He entered without making any salutation; and themarvellous apparition of so huge a man and horse, all as green as grass,awed for the moment the boldest knight there, so that no one spoke tohim. At last, in a rough voice, he asked, "Where is the governor of thiscompany?"
At that King Arthur roused himself, saluted the Green Knightcourteously, and invited him to sit down at the banquet.
"That will I not do," answered the other. "I come not here to feast,but to seek the most valiant man of thy court, that I may prove him;but methinks here are only beardless children, for I see no man whois worthy to match me. If any one of you be bold enough to strike onestroke for another, this axe shall be his, and I will abide his blow,but he shall receive a stroke in return from me within twelve months anda day."
To this strange challenge none of the knights present was eager to makereply, for all of them felt that after a single blow from so strongan arm and so formidable a weapon as those of the Green Knight, no manwould be in condition either to receive or give another. When all werethus silent, the Green Knight rolled about his red eyes, and tauntinglyexclaimed that the famous Knights of the Round Table were no better thana pack of cowards. Then was King Arthur wrathful, and he sprang to hisfeet and said that he at least feared neither the Green Knight nor hisaxe, and that he would himself undertake the adventure. So he seizedthe axe, and the knight, placidly stroking his beard, drew down hisgarments, bared his neck, and awaited the blow.
When Sir Gawaine saw that, he came from his seat and entreated KingArthur not to hazard his own sacred person in that adventure, but to lethim undertake it instead. To this the king was loath to assent, but allthe court so entreated him that at last he resigned the axe to Gawaine.
"Who, then, art thou?" said the Green Knight, eying scornfully his newopponent.
"Wit thou well," answered Gawaine, "that I am Gawaine, son of King Lotof Orkney, Knight of the Round Table, and nephew unto our gracious lordKing Arthur."
The Green Knight smiled grimly. "It pleases me well," said he, "toreceive a blow from thee; but thou must swear that within a year and aday thou wilt seek me to receive a blow in return."
"Where shall I seek thee?" asked Gawaine. "Tell me thy name and abode."
"When thou hast smitten me," answered the knight, "then will I tellthee; and if I cannot speak at all, it will be so much the better forthee. Take now the axe, and let me see how thou canst smite."
So Gawaine gripped the axe, and the knight, throwing aside his longhair, again bared and bent his neck. Sir Gawaine, lifting the axe onhigh, smote with all his might, and so great a blow did he give thatthe knight's brawny neck was smitten clean through, as if it had beena twig, and his huge head rolled on the floor of the hall, Deemingthat now there was an end of their strange visitor, some of the knightspushed it with their feet as it went past them. But they had reckonedwithout knowing the marvellous vitality of the Green Knight. He receivedGawaine's stroke and the loss of his head as though nothing had befallenhim. Striding down the hall, he picked up his head. Then stepping backagain to his horse, he mounted, and held up his head at arm's length,the which, raising its eyelids and gazing sternly at Gawaine, said,"Well and mightily hast thou stricken me. Now be thou ready to go forthaccording to thy promise, and seek till thou find me. Get thee to theGreen Chapel, there to receive from me a blow on New-Year's mom; andif thou fail, then art thou recreant." So saying, the knight, stillcarrying his head in his outstretched hand, put spurs to his horse anddashed out of the hall. Undismayed either by this fearsome sight orby the warning words which the head had spoken, Gawaine burst out intogreat laughter, in which the king and his knights presently joined,though Queen Guenever and the ladies were still, in truth, too muchafeard to do so. And the banquet proceeded without further thought ofthe Green Knight.
The year wore round till All-hallowmas, when Sir Gawaine began to thinkof his ghastly tryst with the headless knight, and prepared him forhis journey. King Arthur held a feast in honour of his nephew, andthereafter Gawaine set out amid great lamentations, for there were fewthat expected to see him again in life, since it was certain that if theGreen Knight smote off his head, he would not be able to rise and takeit in his hand. But he rode forth showing no sign of fear; and aftera long and tedious journey through a wild and desolate country, duringwhich he had many perilous adventures with serpents, wolves, bulls,bears, and wild men, he found himself, on Christmas morning, in a deepforest of ancient oaks. Looking around him, he saw at a little distancethe noblest castle he had ever beheld, with walls that rose to a greatheight, and massive towers of gray stone. Riding up to the gate, hefound it shut fast, and the drawbridge raised. Lifting up his voice,Gawaine summoned the castle, and there appeared at the gate a porter,who asked his errand. The knight answered that he sought a lodging. Thenanswered the porter that he should be welcome to dwell there as long ashe would.
Straightway the drawbridge was let down, the gate flew open, and Gawaineentered. When he dismounted from his horse it was well stabled; whilemany knights and squires came forward to receive the rider, conductedhim into the great hall of the castle, and relieved him of his helmetand armour. Then the lord of the castle came forward, courteously badeGawaine welcome, and embraced him. He was a man of vast stature andgreat strength, with a stem but noble countenance. He led Gawaine into asplendid chamber, and assigned him a page to wait upon him.
Having donned the rich robes that were provided for him, the knightreturned to the hall, where he sat down with his host and the numerousguests to a noble banquet. In answer to the questions which werecourteously asked him, Sir Gawaine informed his entertainer that he wasa knight of King Arthur's court, whereat there was joy in the hall, andevery one in the company made much of him. After dinner all the partywent to the chapel to hear even-song. There Sir Gawaine sat by thelord-and his lady, who was young and sprightly, and surpassed even QueenGuenever in beauty. Gawaine, at the bidding of her lord, saluted herwith a kiss, whereat she blushed rosy red, and he begged permission tobe her knight and servant. When evensong had been said, all returnedto the hall, where they were served with wine and spices, and therewas much pleasant converse. The lord took off his hood--the which wasadorned with gold and precious stones--placed it on a spear, and saidthat he who made the most mirth should have it for his guerdon. It waswon by Sir Gawaine, who told many stories that he had heard in KingArthur's court; but he bestowed the hood upon the page that served him.
After three days had been pleasantly passed in feasting andmerry-making, the guests began to depart, and Gawaine bethought him ofthe quest he was sworn to follow. But the lord of the castle sought todetain him, and asked him how it happened that he was away from Arthur'scourt at Christmas-tide. Gawaine answered that he had a tryst at theGreen Chapel on New-Year's mom. The lord said he would show
him theplace, for it was only two miles distant from his castle; and to hearthis Gawaine was well pleased. Then the lord said he was going out tothe chase. He asked the knight to stay within and keep his lady companythe while. "Whatever," he said, "I win in the chase shall be thine, andwhatever thou mayst achieve while I am absent thou shalt give to me."To this mirthful bargain Gawaine cheerfully assented. The knight of thecastle went forth accordingly into the forest with huntsmen and hounds,and Gawaine in the meanwhile entertained the lady. Very soon she gavehim to understand that if he would he might have her love; but he, beingmindful of his duty to his host, answered only that he would ever be herknight and faithful servant, nor could she gain more from him even whenshe kissed him with her rosy lips. At night her lord returned, and gaveto Gawaine a deer which he had slain in the chase; and thereupon Gawainegave him in return the kiss which the lady had bestowed upon him. Thelord smiled, and asked him if that were all he had gained; but to thatGawaine made no answer.
The next day the lord again went forth with his men and hounds, and thelady once more sought Gawaine, to whom she again spoke tender words,and bestowed on him a second kiss, to no more purpose than the first. Atnight the master of the castle brought back with him a wolf's skin forGawaine, who had only the kiss to give in exchange. On the third day thefair dame openly and eagerly professed her love for the knight; andso marvellous was her beauty, that only by dint of great efforts didGawaine remain true to his knightly vows. When the lady found that hewould in nowise respond to her blandishments save by such courtesiesas it was proper for a knight to offer, she drew from her finger a richring, and begged him to accept it as a keepsake; but he excused himself.Then she took off the green girdle she wore, and proffered that to him;but it also he refused.
"Ah, Sir Knight," quoth she, "surely thou wouldst not refuse the girdledidst thou but know its worth. Whoso weareth that girdle bound about hisbody can by no means be wounded or slain."
When Gawaine heard that, he remembered that on the next day he wassworn to receive a stroke from the Green Knight, and he thought that thegirdle would then be very welcome to him. So he assented to receiveit from the lady. Then said she, "I will not give it thee unless thoupromise on thy knightly word to keep the gift secret from my lord."And Sir Gawaine had by this time become so eager for the girdle that hepromised as she desired. Then she bestowed it upon him, and three kissesalso. In no long time after this his host came back with a great boarthat he had slain, the which he gave to Gawaine, who in return kissedhim thrice, but, according to his pledge, said nothing about the girdle.
On the following day Gawaine armed himself, having first wrapped thelady's girdle about his body, mounted his good horse, and set out forthe Green Chapel, having taken an affectionate leave of the lord andlady of the castle. The lord had appointed one of his men to guide himto the place, who led him through the oak-wood, and past huge mountainswith their tops all shrouded in mist, till they came to the mouth of avalley all dark and desolate. Therein, said the squire, was the GreenChapel; but he himself would go no farther, for it was the most perilousplace in the world. "He who dwells there," he said, "is full stiff andstern, and bigger than any four knights in King Arthur's court. No manhath ever yet been to the Green Chapel whom he did not slay by a singleblow of his hand. I counsel thee therefore, Sir Knight, to quit thisperilous quest, and withdraw thee; and if thou dost, I swear to theethat I will never reveal it."
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But Gawaine, bearing in mind his promise to the Green Knight, andcomforted also in heart by knowing the magic power of the girdle, wouldnot hearken to the squire, but bade him farewell, and rode on into theravine. Long time he rode by a wild and rugged path, amid beetling rocksand huge leafless trees, but saw nothing, till at last he came wherethere was a great cave in the rock, and he was aware of a horriblesound, like to the sharpening of a steel blade on a grindstone, but farlouder. Nothing dismayed, the knight called out, "Who dwelleth here,with whom I may hold discourse?"
A rough voice answered, bidding him abide where he was; and presentlyforth from the cave strode the Green Knight, with his grim head againon his shoulders, and carrying in his hand a new axe with a blade fullbright and keen.
"Give thee good-morrow, Knight," quoth he to Gawaine. "Well and trulyhast thou kept thy time. Have now thy helm off, and take thy pay atonce."
"By my faith," answered Gawaine, "I do not begrudge thee thy will."
Then he took off his helm and bared his neck, and calmly awaited theblow. The Green Knight raised the axe, and brought it down with so muchmight that it hissed as it swept through the air; but he made it passjust by Gawaine, who shrank a little as it came by him. The Green Knightlaughed scornfully.
"Behold," he said, "thou art a Knight of the Table Round, and yetshowest fear before thou hast felt harm. So did not I when thou didststrike me, and therefore must I be the better man."
"It is true," said Gawaine, "that I have shrunk once, but I will notagain. Therefore strike thou, and speedily."
Again the Green Knight brought down the axe close by his neck, butGawaine moved not at all nor changed countenance. So the third time theknight smote him full on the neck, and the axe just drew blood, but nomore. Then Gawaine drew his sword.
"Have a care," said he, "that thou strike not again, for my covenantwith thee was only to receive one blow."
Then the other laughed loud, and when Gawaine looked at him, behold,he was no longer the Green Knight, but his late host, the lord of thecastle.
"Know thou," said he, "that I sent my lady to thee to try thee, and inthe main I found thee true; but thou sinnedst a little for love of thylife when thou didst take the girdle and spoke nothing of it to me."
Then was Gawaine sore abashed, and he denounced bitterly his owncowardice and covetousness, and took off the girdle and threw it to thelord of the castle.
"Nay," said the other, "now that thou art repentant, I hold thee to beas clean as if thou hadst never sinned."
And he gave him the girdle as a token of his adventure, and invited himto return again with him to the castle. This, however, Gawaine, who wasstill exceedingly ashamed, would not do, but he desired to be rememberedto the fair lady that had beguiled him. He thanked the lord for thegirdle, and said he would wear it in memory of his fault. Then he askedthe other for his name, and the knight said he was called Bemlak deHautdesert, and that he served Morgan le Fay. She it was who had causedhim to go in the guise of the Green Knight to Camelot, to test therenown of the Round Table, hoping to grieve Arthur and Guenever. Thenthe two parted, and Gawaine rode back to Camelot, where he was joyfullywelcomed, and told all his adventures even as they have been here setdown.