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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - · Classic Treasures - Must-Read Fiction Books

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  Speaker 1: Fit the first. After the siege and the assault had ceased, Detroy,
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  Speaker 1: the city had been destroyed and burned to brands and ashes.
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  Speaker 1: The warrior who wrought there the trains of treason was
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  Speaker 1: tried for his treachery. The truest on earth. This was
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  Speaker 1: aneas the noble. He and his high kindred afterwards conquered
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  Speaker 1: the provinces and became patrons of well nigh all the
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  Speaker 1: wealth in the West Aisles. As soon as rich Romulus
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  Speaker 1: turns him to Rome with great pride, he at once
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  Speaker 1: builds that city and names it with his own name,
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  Speaker 1: which it now has. Tissius turns to Tuscany and founds
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  Speaker 1: dwellings Longobard raises homes in Lombardy, and far over the
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  Speaker 1: French flood. Felix Brutus establishes Britain joyfully on many broad banks,
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  Speaker 1: where war and waste and wonders by turns have since dwelt,
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  Speaker 1: and many a swift interchange of bliss and woe. And
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  Speaker 1: when this Briton was founded by this great hero, bold
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  Speaker 1: men loving strife bred therein, and many a time they
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  Speaker 1: wrought destruction. More strange things have happened in this land
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  Speaker 1: since these days than in any other that I know.
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  Speaker 1: But of all the British kings that built here, Arthur
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  Speaker 1: was ever the most courteous, as I have heard tell. Therefore,
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  Speaker 1: I mean to tell of an adventure in the world
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  Speaker 1: which some count strange and extraordinary, even among the wonders
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  Speaker 1: of Arthur. If ye will listen to this lay but
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  Speaker 1: a little while, I will tell it forthright as I
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  Speaker 1: heard it told in town, as it is set down
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  Speaker 1: in story that cannot be changed, long written in the land.
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  Speaker 1: In true words, this king lay royally a camelot at
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  Speaker 1: Christmas Tide with many fine lords, the best of men,
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  Speaker 1: all the rich brethren of the round table, with right,
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  Speaker 1: rich revel and careless mirth. Therefore many heroes turn'd besides
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  Speaker 1: jousted full gaily, then return'd these gentle knights to the
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  Speaker 1: court to make carols. For there the feast was held
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  Speaker 1: full fifteen days alike, with all the meat and the
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  Speaker 1: mirth that men could devise, such a merry, tumult glorious
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  Speaker 1: to hear, joyful din by day, dancing at night. All
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  Speaker 1: was high joy in halls and chambers, with lords and
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  Speaker 1: ladies as pleased them best, with all the wheal in
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  Speaker 1: the world. They dwelt there together, the most famous knights
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  Speaker 1: save only Christ, the loveliest ladies that ever had life,
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  Speaker 1: and he, the comeliest of kings, who holds the court.
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  Speaker 1: For all this fair company were in their prime in
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  Speaker 1: the hall, the happiest troop and heaven with the proudest
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  Speaker 1: of kings. Truly, it would be hard to name anywhere
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  Speaker 1: so brave a band. When the new year was fresh
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  Speaker 1: and but newly come, the court was served double on
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  Speaker 1: the days. As soon as the King with his knights
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  Speaker 1: was come into the hall, the chanting in the chapel
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  Speaker 1: came to an end. Loud was the cry there of
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  Speaker 1: clerks and others. Noel was celebrated, anew shouted full often,
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  Speaker 1: and afterwards the great ones ran about to take Hansel
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  Speaker 1: called aloud for new Year's gifts. Ladies laughed full loud
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  Speaker 1: though they had lost, and he that one was not wroth,
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  Speaker 1: that may ye well trow all this mirth they made
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  Speaker 1: till the meat time, when they had washed worthily, they
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  Speaker 1: went to their seats. The best man ever above, as
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  Speaker 1: it best behooved, whoeen Gwenevere, for beauteus was set in
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  Speaker 1: the midst, placed on the high days adorned all about
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  Speaker 1: fine silk at the sides, a canopy over her of
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  Speaker 1: precious cloth of Toulouse, and tapestries of tars that were
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  Speaker 1: embroidered and set with the best gems that money could buy. Truly,
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  Speaker 1: no man could say that he ever beheld a comelier
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  Speaker 1: lady than she, with her dancing gray eyes. But Arthur
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  Speaker 1: could not eat till all were served. He was so
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  Speaker 1: merry in his birth, and somewhat childlike in his manner,
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  Speaker 1: his life pleased him well. He loved little, either to
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  Speaker 1: lie long or to sit low. So busied him his
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  Speaker 1: young blood in his wild brain. And another custom moved
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  Speaker 1: him also, that he, through chivalry, had taken up. He
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  Speaker 1: would never eat upon such a dear day before he
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  Speaker 1: was told an uncouth tale of some adventurous thing, of
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  Speaker 1: some great marble that he could believe, of ancient heroes
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  Speaker 1: of arms, of other adventures, or unless some person demanded
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  Speaker 1: of him a sure knight to join with him in jousting,
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  Speaker 1: to incur peril, to risk life against life, trusting each
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  Speaker 1: in the other, leaving the victory to fortune. This was
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  Speaker 1: the king's custom whenever he held court, at each goodly
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  Speaker 1: feast among his free company in the hall, and so
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  Speaker 1: with undaunted face he stride stoutly to his seat on
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  Speaker 1: that new year, making great mirth with everybody. Thus the
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  Speaker 1: great King stands waiting before the high table, talking of
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  Speaker 1: trifles full courteously. The good Gowan was placed there beside Gwenevere,
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  Speaker 1: an Agravain of the hard Hand, sat on the other side,
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  Speaker 1: both of them, the King's sisters sons and full shore knights.
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  Speaker 1: Bishop Baldwin at the top begins the table, and Yuaine
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  Speaker 1: Urion's son ate by these were placed on the days
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  Speaker 1: and honorably served, and after them many a good man
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  Speaker 1: at the side tables. Then the first course came in
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  Speaker 1: with a blare of trumpets, which were hung with many
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  Speaker 1: a bright banner. A new noise of kettle drums with
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  Speaker 1: noble pipes, wild and stirring melodies wakened the echoes, that
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  Speaker 1: many a heart heaved full high at their tones. Dainties
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  Speaker 1: of precious meats followed foison of fresh bands, and so
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  Speaker 1: on many dishes, that it was difficult to find place
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  Speaker 1: before the people to set on the cloth the silver
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  Speaker 1: that held the several courses. Each man, as he placed himself, preferred,
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  Speaker 1: partook without hesitation. Every two had twelve dishes between them,
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  Speaker 1: good beer and bright wine, both. Now I will tell
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  Speaker 1: you no more of their service, for everybody must well
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  Speaker 1: understand that there was no lack of opportunity for the
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  Speaker 1: people to take their food. Another noise, full news suddenly
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  Speaker 1: drew nigh. For scarcely had the music ceased a moment,
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  Speaker 1: and the first course had been properly served in the court,
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  Speaker 1: than there burst in at the hall door an awesome
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  Speaker 1: being in height, one of the tallest men in the world,
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  Speaker 1: from the neck to the waist. So square and so
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  Speaker 1: thick was he, and his loins and his limbs so
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  Speaker 1: long and so great that half giant. I believed him
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  Speaker 1: to have been, or at any rate, the largest of men,
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  Speaker 1: and with all the handsomest in spite of his bulk
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  Speaker 1: that ever rode. For though his back and breast were
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  Speaker 1: so vast, yet his belly and waist were properly slim,
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  Speaker 1: and all his form accordingly full, fairly shaped. At the
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  Speaker 1: hue of his noble face, men wondered he carried himself
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  Speaker 1: in hostile fashion, and was entirely green. All grew green
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  Speaker 1: was this man in his clothing, a straight coat sat
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  Speaker 1: tight to his sides, a fair mantle above adorned within
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  Speaker 1: the lining showed with costly trimming of shining white fur.
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  Speaker 1: And such his hood also that was caught back from
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  Speaker 1: his locks and lay on his shoulders, the hem well
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  Speaker 1: stretched hose of the same green that clung to his cap,
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  Speaker 1: and clean spurs under of bright gold upon silk bands
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  Speaker 1: richly barred, and shoes on his shanks as the hero rides,
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  Speaker 1: and all his vesture verily was clean, verdue both the
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  Speaker 1: bars of his belt and the other beauteous stones that
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  Speaker 1: were set in fine array about himself, and his saddle
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  Speaker 1: worked on silk. It would be too difficult to tell
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  Speaker 1: the half of the trifles that were embroidered there with
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  Speaker 1: birds and flies, with gay gods of green, the good
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  Speaker 1: over in the middle, the pendants of the Poottou, the
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  Speaker 1: proud crupper, the bits, and all the metal was enameled.
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  Speaker 1: The stirps that he stood on were colored the same,
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  Speaker 1: and his saddle bow likewise, and his fine reins that
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  Speaker 1: glimmered and glinted all of green stones. The horse that
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  Speaker 1: he rode on was of the same color, too, a
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  Speaker 1: green horse, great and thick, a steed full stiff to
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  Speaker 1: guide in gay embroidered bridle, and one bright dear to
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  Speaker 1: his master. This hero was splendidly dressed in green, and
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  Speaker 1: the hair of his head matched that of his horse.
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  Speaker 1: Fair flowing locks enfolded his shoulders. A beard as big
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  Speaker 1: as a bush hung over his breast, and it, together
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  Speaker 1: with his splendid hair, that reached from his head, was
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  Speaker 1: trimmed evenly all round above his elbows, so that half
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  Speaker 1: his arms were caught thereunder, in the manner of a
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  Speaker 1: king's hood that covers his neck. The mane of that
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  Speaker 1: great horse was much like it, very curly, and combed
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  Speaker 1: with knots full many folded in with gold wire about
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  Speaker 1: the fair green, always one knot of the hair another
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  Speaker 1: of gold. The tail and the forelock were twined in
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  Speaker 1: the same way, and both bound with a band of
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  Speaker 1: bright green, set with full precious stones the whole length
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  Speaker 1: of the dock, and then tied up with a thong
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  Speaker 1: in a tight knot, where rang many bells full bright
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  Speaker 1: of burnished gold. Such a steed in the world, such
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  Speaker 1: a hero as rides him, was never beheld in that
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  Speaker 1: hall before that time. His glances were like bright lightning,
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  Speaker 1: so set all that saw him. It seemed as if
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  Speaker 1: no man could door under his blows. He had neither helm,
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  Speaker 1: nor harbock, nor gorget, armor, nor breastplate, nor shaft, nor
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  Speaker 1: shield to guard or to smite. But in his one
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  Speaker 1: hand he had a holly twig that is greenest when
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  Speaker 1: groves are bare, and an axe in his other, a
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  Speaker 1: huge and prodigious one, a weapon merciless almost beyond description.
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  Speaker 1: The head had the vast length of an all yard,
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  Speaker 1: the blade all of green steel and of beaten gold,
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  Speaker 1: the bit brightly burnished, with a broad edge, as well
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  Speaker 1: shaped for cutting as sharp razors. The stern warrior gripped
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  Speaker 1: by it the steel of its stout staff, which was
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  Speaker 1: wound with iron to the end of the wood, and
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  Speaker 1: all engraven with green in beauteous work. A lace was
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  Speaker 1: lapped about it that was fastened the head and tied
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  Speaker 1: up often along the helve, with many precious tassels attached
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  Speaker 1: on rich embroidered buttons of bright green. This hero turns
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  Speaker 1: him in and enters the hall, riding straight to the
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  Speaker 1: high days, fearless of mischief. He greeted never a one,
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  Speaker 1: but looked loftily about, and the first word that he
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  Speaker 1: uttered was where is the governor of this company. Gladly
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  Speaker 1: I would see that hero and speak with him. He
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  Speaker 1: cast his eye on the knights, and rode fiercely up
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  Speaker 1: and down, stopped and gan ponder, who was there the
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  Speaker 1: most renowned. All gazed fixedly on the man, for everybody
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  Speaker 1: marbled what it might mean that a knight and a
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  Speaker 1: horse could have such a color as green grown as
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  Speaker 1: the grass, and greener it seemed, shining brighter than green
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  Speaker 1: enamel on gold. All were amazed, who stood there, and
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  Speaker 1: stalked nearer to him, with all the wonder in the
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  Speaker 1: world what he would do? For many marvels had they
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  Speaker 1: seen but such never before. Therefore, for phantom and fairy,
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  Speaker 1: the folk there deemed it, And for that reason many
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  Speaker 1: a noble warrior was slow to answer, and all were
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  Speaker 1: astonished at his voice, and sat stone still in a
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  Speaker 1: deep silence. Through the rich hall. Their voices sank, as
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  Speaker 1: though they had suddenly fallen asleep. I deem, however, that
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  Speaker 1: it was not all for fear, but somewhat for courtesy.
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  Speaker 1: But now let him to whom all differ, undertake the white.
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  Speaker 1: Then Arthur, before the high days, beheld that adventure and
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  Speaker 1: saluted the stranger properly, for never was he afraid, and said, sir,
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  Speaker 1: welcome indeed to this place. I am called Arthur, the
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  Speaker 1: head of this hostel. Light courteously down and tarry, I
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  Speaker 1: pray thee and whatso thy will is, we shall wit
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  Speaker 1: after nay, so help me he that sits on high
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  Speaker 1: quoth the hero to dwelt any time in this house
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  Speaker 1: was not my errand but because the fame of this
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  Speaker 1: people is lifted up so high, and thy town and
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  Speaker 1: thy men are held the best, the stoutest, and steel
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  Speaker 1: gear on steeds to ride, the whitest and the worthiest
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  Speaker 1: of the world's kind, and proved opponents in other proper sports.
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  Speaker 1: And here courtesy is known. As I have heard tell.
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  Speaker 1: It is this that has enticed me hither. Certainly at
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  Speaker 1: this time you may be sure by this branch that
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  Speaker 1: I bear here, that I pass in peace and seek
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  Speaker 1: not quarrel. For if I had set out with a
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  Speaker 1: company in fighting fashion, I have a hambok at home,
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  Speaker 1: and a helm, both a shield and a sharp spear
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  Speaker 1: shining bright, and other weapons to wield, I ween well also.
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  Speaker 1: But since I wished no war, my weeds are softer now.
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  Speaker 1: If thou these bold as all men tell, thou wilt
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  Speaker 1: grant me graciously the game that I ask. Arthur knew
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  Speaker 1: how to answer, and said, sir, courteous knight, if it
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  Speaker 1: is battle, thou cravest, thou shalt not fail of a
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  Speaker 1: fight here? Nay, I demand no fight in faith. I
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  Speaker 1: tell thee they are but beardless children about on this bench.
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  Speaker 1: If I were hasped in arms on a high steed,
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  Speaker 1: there is no man here to match me. Their might
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  Speaker 1: is so weak. Therefore I crave in this forward a
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: Christmas game, for it is Yule and New Year, and
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  Speaker 1: there are many gallants. If there be a man in
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  Speaker 1: this house who holds himself so hearty, and is so
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  Speaker 1: old in his blood, so rash in his head, that
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  Speaker 1: he dares stiffly strike one stroke for another, I shall
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  Speaker 1: give him as my gift, this rich gizar, this axe
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  Speaker 1: that is heavy enough to handle as he likes, and
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  Speaker 1: I shall abide the first flow as bare as I sit.
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  Speaker 1: If any warrior be white enough to try what I propose,
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  Speaker 1: let him leap lightly to me and take this weapon.
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  Speaker 1: I quit claim it forever. Let him keep it as
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  Speaker 1: his own, and I shall stand him a stroke firmly
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  Speaker 1: on this floor. At another time, by our lady, thou
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  Speaker 1: wilt grant me the boon of dealing him another blow.
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  Speaker 1: I will give him respite of a twelvemonth and a day.
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  Speaker 1: Now high, and let us see quickly if any herein
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  Speaker 1: dare say aught. If he had astonished them at first
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  Speaker 1: stiller were then all the retainers in the hall, the
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  Speaker 1: high and the low. The warrior on his steed, settled
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  Speaker 1: himself in his saddle, and fiercely his red eyes. He
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  Speaker 1: reeled about, bent his thick brows shining green, and waved
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  Speaker 1: his beard, waiting whoso would rise. When none would answer him,
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  Speaker 1: he coughed aloud, stretched himself haughtily, and began to speak,
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  Speaker 1: What is this Arthur's house? Said the hero, then, that
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  Speaker 1: his fames threw so many realms. Where is now your
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  Speaker 1: pride and your conquest, your fierceness and your wrath and
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  Speaker 1: your great words? Now is the rebel and the renowned
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  Speaker 1: of the round table will overcome by the word of
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  Speaker 1: a single man, for all tremble for dread without a
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  Speaker 1: blow shone With this, he laughed so loud the lord
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  Speaker 1: grieved the blood shot for shame into his face. Fair
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  Speaker 1: he waxed as wroth as the wind, and so did
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  Speaker 1: all that were there. The King so Keen of Mood,
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  Speaker 1: then stood near that proud man. Sir said he, by Heaven,
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  Speaker 1: thy asking is foolish, and as thou hast demanded folly,
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  Speaker 1: it behooves thee to find it. I know no man
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  Speaker 1: that is aghast of thy great words. Give me now
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  Speaker 1: this gisarm for God's sake, and I will grant thy
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: boon that thou hast bidden. Quickly he leaped to him
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  Speaker 1: and caught at his hand, and the other alights fiercely
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  Speaker 1: on foot. Now Arthur has his axe and grips the helve.
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  Speaker 1: He whirls it sternly about, as if he meant to
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  Speaker 1: strife with it. The bold stranger stood upright before him,
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  Speaker 1: higher than any in the house by a head, and
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  Speaker 1: more with stern cheer. He stood there, stroked his beard,
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  Speaker 1: and with cool countenance drew down his coat, no more
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  Speaker 1: afraid or dismayed for Arthur's great strokes than if some
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  Speaker 1: one had brought him a drink of wine. Upon the bench,
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: Gawan that sat by the Queen turned to the King.
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  Speaker 1: I beseech now with all courtesy that this affair might
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  Speaker 1: be mine, Would ye worthy lord, quoth gawin to the King,
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  Speaker 1: bid me step from this bench and stand by you there,
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  Speaker 1: that I, without rudeness, might leave this table, and that
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: by liege lady liked it not ill I would come
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  Speaker 1: to your help before your rich court for me. He
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  Speaker 1: thinks it is obviously unseemly that such an asking is
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: made so much of in your hall, even though ye
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: yourself be willing to take it upon you, while so
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  Speaker 1: many bold ones sit about you on the bench than
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  Speaker 1: whom I ween, none under heaven are higher of spirit,
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  Speaker 1: nor more mighty on the field where strike is reared.
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  Speaker 1: I am the weakest I know, and the feeblest of wit,
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  Speaker 1: And to tell the truth, they would be the least
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  Speaker 1: loss in my life. I am only to praise for
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  Speaker 1: as much as ye are my uncle. No other nobility
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  Speaker 1: than your blood, no eye in my body. And since
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  Speaker 1: this adventure is so foolish, it belongs not to you,
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  Speaker 1: I have asked it of you. First give it to me.
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  Speaker 1: Let this great court decide if I have not spoken well.
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  Speaker 1: The heroes took counsel together, and they all gave the
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  Speaker 1: same advice to free the crowned king and give the
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  Speaker 1: game to Gowan. Then the King commanded Gawin to rise
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  Speaker 1: from the table, and he right quickly stood up and
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  Speaker 1: made himself ready kneel down before the King and took
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  Speaker 1: the weapon, and Arthur lovingly left it to him, lifted
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  Speaker 1: up his hand and gave him God's blessing, and gladly
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  Speaker 1: bade him be hearty of heart and hand. Take care. Cousin,
• 21:30
  Speaker 1: quoth the King, that thou give him a cut, and
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  Speaker 1: if thou handle him properly, I readily believe that thou
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  Speaker 1: shalt endure the blow which he shall give. After, Gawin
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  Speaker 1: goes to the man with the gizzard in a hand,
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  Speaker 1: and he boldly awaits him, shrinking never a whit then
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: speaks to Sir Gawain, the Knight in the green rehearse
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  Speaker 1: we our agreement before we go farther. First I conjure
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  Speaker 1: thee hero how thou art call'd, that thou tell me
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  Speaker 1: it truly, so I may believe it in good faith,
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  Speaker 1: quoth the Knight Gowan. I am called, who give you
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  Speaker 1: this buffet whatever befalls after and at this time twelvemonth,
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  Speaker 1: I am to take from thee another with whatever weapon
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  Speaker 1: thou wilt, and from no wight else alive. The other
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: answers again, Sir Gawain, so thrive I as I am
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  Speaker 1: heartily glad that thou shalt give this blow by gog
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: quoth the Green Knight, Sir Gawain. It delights me that
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  Speaker 1: I am to get at thy fist what I have
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: requested here, and thou hast readily and truly rehearsed the
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: whole of the covenant that I asked of the King,
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: save that thou shalt assure me, sir, by thy troth,
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: that thou wilt seek me thyself wheresoever thou thinkest I
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: may be found upon the earth, and fetch for thyself
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: such wages as thou dealest me to day before this
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: rich company. Where should I seek, thee quoth Gawan? Where
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: is thy place? I know never where thou livest by
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: him that wroth me, Nor do I know thee Knight,
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: thy court, nor thy name. But tell me truly the
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: way and how thou art call'd, and I will use
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: all my wit to win my way thither, And that
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: I swear thee foresoth, and by my sure troth new
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: year will suffice for that. No more is needed now
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: quoth the man in green to gowan the courteous to
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: tell the truth. After I have received thy tap, and
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: thou hast smitten me, well, I shall promptly inform THEE
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: of my house and my home and mine own name.
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: Then thou mayst inquire about my journey and whole promise.
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: And if I speak no speech, then thou speedest the better,
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: for thou mayest linger at ease in thy land and
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: seek no further. Now take thy grim tool to thee,
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: and let us see how thou knockst gladly, sir. Forsooth
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: quoth Gawin, as he strokes his axe. The green knight
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: on the ground prepared himself properly. With the head a
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: little bowed, he disclos'd the flesh his long, lovely locks.
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: He laid over his crown and let the naked nape
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: of his neck show for the blow. Gwin gripped his
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: axe and gathered it on high the left foot. He
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: set before on the ground, and let the axe lightly
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: light smartly down on the naked flesh, so that the
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: sharp edge severed the giant's bones and shrank through the
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: clear flesh, and sheared it in Twain till the edge
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: of the brown steel bit into the ground. The fair
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: head fell from the neck to the earth, and many
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: pushed it with their feet, where it rolled forth. The
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: blood burst from the body and glistened on the green.
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: Yet never faltered nor fell the hero for all that,
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: but stoutly he started up with firm steps, and fiercely
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: he rushed forth where the hero stood, caught his lovely
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: head and lifted it up straight away. Then he turned
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: to his steed, seized the bridle, stepped into the steel bough,
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: and strode aloft, holding the head in his hand by
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: the hair, and as soberly the man sat in his saddle,
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: as if no mishap had ailed him, though he was
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: headless on the spot. He turned his trunk about that
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: ugly body that bled many. A one of them thought
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: he had lost his reason, for he held the head
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: straight up in his hand, turned the face toward the
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: highest on the days, and it lifted up the eyelids,
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: and looked straight out, and spoke thus much with his mouth,
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: as ye may now hear, look Gawan, that thou be
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: ready to go as thou hast promised, and seek loyally
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: Hero till thou findt me, as thou hast promised in
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: this hall, in the hearing of these knights to the
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: Green Chapel, Go thou, I charge thee to receive such
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: a blow as thou hast doubt thou deservest to be
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: promptly paid on New Year's morn. As the knight of
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: the Green Chapel, many know me. Therefore, if thou strivest
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: to find me, thou shalt never fail, and so come,
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: or it behooves thee to be called recreant. With a
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: wild rush, he turn'd the reins and flew out at
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: the hall door, his head in his hand, so that
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: the fire of the flint flew from the foal's hoofs
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: to what country he vanish'd knew none there, no more
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: than they wist. Whence he was come. The king and
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: gown roared with laughter that green man. But this adventure
• 27:43
  Speaker 1: was reckoned a marvel among men. Though the courteous King
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: wondered at his heart. He let no semblance be seen,
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: but set aloud to the comely Queen with courteous speech,
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: Dear Dame, to day will be never dismayed. Well becoming
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: are such tricks at Christmas in lack of entertainment to
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: laugh and sing about among these pleasant carols of knights
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: and ladies. Nevertheless, I may well go to my meat,
• 28:13
  Speaker 1: for I cannot deny that I have seen a marvel.
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: He glanced at Sir Gawain and said, cheerfully. Now, sir,
• 28:21
  Speaker 1: hang up thine axe. It has hewn enough, and it
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: was put above the days to hang on the tapestry,
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: where all men might marvel at it and buy and
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: avouch the wonderful happening. Then they turned to the board.
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: These heroes together, the King and the good Knight, and
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: the keen men, served them double of all dainties, as
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: was most fitting, with all manner of meat and minstrevy.
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: Both they spent that day in joy until it came
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: to an end. Now take care, Sir Gawain, that thou
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: blenche not for the pain to pross secuted. This adventure
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: that thou hast taken on hand fit the second one.
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: This handsel of adventures had Arthur in the beginning, in
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: the young years, since he yearned to hear boasting. Although
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: there was little news when they went to their seats.
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: Now they are provided with stern work, their hands quite
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: full Gowan was glad to begin those games in the hall.
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: But it would not be surprising if the end were heavy.
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: For though men be merry in mind when they have
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: much drink, yet a year runs full swiftly, and yields
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: never the same. The beginning full seldom matches the end.
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: And so this Yule went by, and the year after it,
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: each season in turn following the other. After Christmas came
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: the crabbed lent that tries the flesh with fish and
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: more simple food. But then the weather of the world
• 30:03
  Speaker 1: quarrels with the winter, and though the cold still clings,
• 30:07
  Speaker 1: the clouds lift copiously, descends the rain in warm showers,
• 30:13
  Speaker 1: and falls upon the fair earth. Flowers show there, green
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: are the garments, both of fields and of grows. Birds
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: hurry to build, and lustily they sing for the solace
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: of the soft summer that follows. Thereafter, blossoms swell into
• 30:34
  Speaker 1: bloom in rose, rich and rank, and lovely notes are
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: heard in the beauteous wood. Two after the season of summer,
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: with the soft winds, when zephyrs blows on seeds and herbs,
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: happy is the plant that waxes. Then, when the dank
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: dew drops from the leaves to await the blissful glands
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: of the bright sun. But then harvest hastens and hardens
• 31:05
  Speaker 1: it soon warns it to wax full ripe against the winter.
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: He drives withdrawt the dust to rise from the face
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: of the earth, to fly full high. The wild wind
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: of the welkin wrestles with the sun. The leaves fall
• 31:25
  Speaker 1: from the bough and light on the ground. The grass
• 31:29
  Speaker 1: becomes all gray that erst was green. Then all ripes
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: and rots that which formerly flourish'd, And thus runs the
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: year in yester years many and winter returns again, without
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: asking any man till the michaelmass moon has come in wintry. Wise,
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: then thinks gown full soon of his anxious voyage. Three
• 32:02
  Speaker 1: Yet till all Hallow's day with Arthur, he lingers, and
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: Arthur made a feast on that festival for the hero's sake,
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: with great and gay revel of the round table knights,
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: froe courteous and comely ladies, all for love of that
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: man were in sorrow. But nevertheless they spoke only of earth,
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: and many a joyless one there made jests for his
• 32:29
  Speaker 1: gentle sake. After meat, he mournfully addresses his uncle and
• 32:35
  Speaker 1: speaks of his passage, and openly he says, now, leach,
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: Lord of my life, believe I ask of you, ye
• 32:44
  Speaker 1: know the cost of this case. I do not care
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: to tell you even a trifle of its dangers. But
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: I am ready to start for the fray, no later
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: than to morrow morn, to seek the man in green,
• 32:58
  Speaker 1: as God will guide me. Then the best of the
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: castle gathered together, Vain and Eirik and others for many
• 33:09
  Speaker 1: Sir Dondinel de Savage, the Duke of Clarence, Lancelot and
• 33:14
  Speaker 1: Lionel and Lucan, the good Sir Bors and Sir Bedevere,
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: big men both, and many other proud ones, with Madour
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: du Laporte. All this company of the court came nearer
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: to the King to counsel the Knight with care at
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: their hearts. There was much deep grief felt in the
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: hall that so worthy a one as Gowan should go
• 33:41
  Speaker 1: on that errand to endure a sorry dint and deal
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: no one himself with his brand. But the Knight, ever
• 33:53
  Speaker 1: made good cheer, and said, why should I swerve from
• 33:56
  Speaker 1: stern and strange destiny? What can a man do but try? Four?
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: He lingered there all that day, and on the morn
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: made ready early, he asked for his arms, and they
• 34:12
  Speaker 1: were all brought. First, a carpet of Toulouse was stretched
• 34:17
  Speaker 1: over the floor, and much was the gilt gear that
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: gleamed upon it. The brave man stepped thereon and handled
• 34:25
  Speaker 1: the steel clad in a doublet of costly tars. And
• 34:30
  Speaker 1: afterwards a well wrought hood closed on top and bound
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: within with a glistening white fur. Then they put sabotans
• 34:42
  Speaker 1: upon the hero's feet, lapped his legs in steel, with
• 34:47
  Speaker 1: fair greaves, to which were attached well polished polynides fastened
• 34:53
  Speaker 1: about his knees with knots of gold fine cuisses. Then
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: that well enclosed his thick, brawny thighs they attached with thongs.
• 35:04
  Speaker 1: Next the decorated bernie of bright steel rings upon precious
• 35:09
  Speaker 1: stuff encased the hero, and well burnished braces upon his
• 35:14
  Speaker 1: two arms, with elbow pieces goodly and gay, and gloves
• 35:19
  Speaker 1: of plate, and all the goodly gear that might avail
• 35:23
  Speaker 1: him at that time, with rich coat armor, gold spears
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: well fastened, and a sure brant girt about his side
• 35:33
  Speaker 1: with a silken sash. Five when he was hasped in arms,
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: his harness was rich. The least latchet or loop gleamed
• 35:47
  Speaker 1: with gold. So harnessed as he was, he heard his
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: mass offered and adored at the high altar. When he
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: came to the King and his court courteously took his
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: leave of lords and ladies, and they kissed him and
• 36:04
  Speaker 1: conveyed him, entrusting him to Christ. By that time was
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: brigolet ready and girt with a saddle that gleamed full gaily,
• 36:15
  Speaker 1: with many gold fringes everywhere, nailed anew prepared for that emergency.
• 36:22
  Speaker 1: The bridle bared about was bound with bright gold. The
• 36:27
  Speaker 1: decoration of the breastplate and of the fine housings, the
• 36:31
  Speaker 1: crupper and the capisen accorded with the saddle bow, and
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: all was adorned with rich red gold nails that glittered
• 36:41
  Speaker 1: and gleamed like the gleam of the sun. Then he
• 36:46
  Speaker 1: took the helm and quickly kissed it. It was stoutly
• 36:50
  Speaker 1: stabled and stuffed within. It was high on his head,
• 36:54
  Speaker 1: hasped behind with a light uryson over the ventel, embroidered
• 37:01
  Speaker 1: and bound with the best gems on a broad silken border,
• 37:06
  Speaker 1: and birds on the seams like painted popinjays. Preening themselves
• 37:12
  Speaker 1: here and there turtle doves and true loves thickly interlaced.
• 37:18
  Speaker 1: As many birds there were as had been in town
• 37:21
  Speaker 1: for seven winters. The circlet that surrounded his crown was
• 37:26
  Speaker 1: even more precious, a device of gleaming diamonds. Six Then
• 37:36
  Speaker 1: they showed him the shield that was of sheer ghouls,
• 37:41
  Speaker 1: with a pentangle painted in pure gold. He took it
• 37:45
  Speaker 1: by the baldric and cast it about his neck, and
• 37:49
  Speaker 1: it became the hero passing fair. And why the pentangle
• 37:54
  Speaker 1: pertains to that noble prince, I mean to tell you,
• 37:57
  Speaker 1: though it should delay me. It is a sign that
• 38:00
  Speaker 1: Solomon set formerly as a token of truth by its
• 38:05
  Speaker 1: own right. For it is a figure that holds five points,
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: and each line overlaps and locks in another, and throughout
• 38:15
  Speaker 1: it is endless, and the English call it everywhere as
• 38:19
  Speaker 1: I hear the endless knot. Therefore it suits this knight
• 38:25
  Speaker 1: in his clear arms, forever faithful in five things, and
• 38:29
  Speaker 1: in each of them five ways. Gowan was known for good,
• 38:34
  Speaker 1: And as we find gold devoid of every villainy adorned
• 38:40
  Speaker 1: with virtues. Therefore the new pentangle he bore on shield
• 38:45
  Speaker 1: and coat, as the man most true of speech, and
• 38:49
  Speaker 1: the Knight gentlest of behavior. Seven First he was found
• 38:57
  Speaker 1: faultless in his five wits. And again the hero failed
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: never in his five fingers. And all his affiance in
• 39:06
  Speaker 1: this world was in the fived wounds that Christ received
• 39:11
  Speaker 1: on the cross, as the Creed tells. And wheresoever this
• 39:16
  Speaker 1: man was hard bestead in the malay, his pious thought
• 39:22
  Speaker 1: was in this, above all other things, to take all
• 39:27
  Speaker 1: his strength from the five joys that the courteous Queen
• 39:31
  Speaker 1: of Heaven had of her child. For this cause the
• 39:36
  Speaker 1: Knight had her image comely painted in the greater half
• 39:40
  Speaker 1: of his shield, that when he looked down there upon
• 39:44
  Speaker 1: his courage never abated. The fifth five that I find
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: that the Hero used for generosity and fellowship above all things,
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: his purity, and his courteousy that never swerved, and pity
• 40:02
  Speaker 1: that passes all qualities. These very five were more surely
• 40:08
  Speaker 1: set upon that warrior than upon any other. Now, all
• 40:14
  Speaker 1: these were established fivefold in this night, and each one
• 40:19
  Speaker 1: was fastened in another that had no end. And they
• 40:23
  Speaker 1: were fastened on five points that never failed, nor met anywhere,
• 40:28
  Speaker 1: nor sundered either, but finished always without end, at each
• 40:33
  Speaker 1: corner wherever the game began or concluded. Therefore, on his
• 40:41
  Speaker 1: fair shield this knot was painted royally with red gold
• 40:46
  Speaker 1: upon red ghouls. That is the true Pentangle, as the
• 40:52
  Speaker 1: people properly call it now, was a gay gowan. Armed.
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: He caught up his lance right there, and with a
• 41:01
  Speaker 1: good day he went for evermore. Eight He spurred his
• 41:11
  Speaker 1: steed with the spurs, and sprang on his way so
• 41:15
  Speaker 1: swiftly that the stone struck out fire after him. All
• 41:20
  Speaker 1: who saw the gentleman sighed in heart, and the hero
• 41:25
  Speaker 1: said altogether to each other in their love, that comely night,
• 41:29
  Speaker 1: by Christ, it is a shame that thou hero must
• 41:33
  Speaker 1: be lost. Thou art so noble of life in a faith,
• 41:38
  Speaker 1: it is not easy to find his match upon earth.
• 41:42
  Speaker 1: To have acted more, were it warily, would have been
• 41:46
  Speaker 1: better counsel, and to have made Yon dear one a duke.
• 41:53
  Speaker 1: It would well become him to be a brilliant leader
• 41:56
  Speaker 1: of people here. This would have been better than to
• 41:59
  Speaker 1: have him utterly destroyed, given over to an elfish man
• 42:03
  Speaker 1: for mere boasting pride. Who ever knew any king to
• 42:08
  Speaker 1: take such counsel as to suffer knights to be so
• 42:11
  Speaker 1: tricked for a Christmas game, much warm water welled from eyes.
• 42:16
  Speaker 1: When that seemly sire departed from the dwellings that day,
• 42:21
  Speaker 1: he made no stop, but whightily went his way. Many
• 42:25
  Speaker 1: a tiresome path he rode, as I heard the book
• 42:28
  Speaker 1: tell nine now rides his hero Sir Gawin, through the
• 42:42
  Speaker 1: realm of low Grays in God's behalf. Though to him
• 42:46
  Speaker 1: it seemed no play oft alone companionless, he lodged at
• 42:51
  Speaker 1: night in places where he found not before him the
• 42:54
  Speaker 1: fare that he liked. No company had he but his
• 42:58
  Speaker 1: full by friths and doubt, nor nobody but God to
• 43:02
  Speaker 1: talk with. By the way till that he approached nigh
• 43:07
  Speaker 1: unto North Wales, he kept all the isles of Anglesea
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: on the left side, and fared over the fords by
• 43:16
  Speaker 1: the forelands over at the Holy Head, till he again
• 43:20
  Speaker 1: took land in the wilderness of Wirral. There dwelt but
• 43:26
  Speaker 1: few that loved either God or man with good heart.
• 43:31
  Speaker 1: And ever as he fared, he asked of men that
• 43:34
  Speaker 1: he met if they had heard any talk of a
• 43:37
  Speaker 1: green knight, saw the green chapel in any spot thereabout.
• 43:41
  Speaker 1: It all nicked him with nay that never in their life,
• 43:45
  Speaker 1: saw they any man of such green hue. The Knight
• 43:51
  Speaker 1: took strange roads, by many a rough bank. His cheer
• 43:55
  Speaker 1: changed full oft ere he saw that chapel, many a
• 44:02
  Speaker 1: cliff he overclimbed, in strange countries, far sundered from his friends,
• 44:07
  Speaker 1: lonely he rode at each ford or water where the
• 44:11
  Speaker 1: hero passed. It were strange if he found not a
• 44:14
  Speaker 1: foe before him, and that so foul and so fell,
• 44:18
  Speaker 1: that it behooved him to fight so many marbles in
• 44:23
  Speaker 1: the mountains. There the man found that it were too
• 44:26
  Speaker 1: tedious to tell of the tenth part. Sometimes he roared
• 44:30
  Speaker 1: with serpents, and with wolves, also sometimes with savages that
• 44:35
  Speaker 1: dwelt in the cliffs, both with bulls and bears, and boars,
• 44:39
  Speaker 1: sometimes and giants that assailed him from high fell. Had
• 44:46
  Speaker 1: he not been doughty and stern and served God, doubtless
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: he had been dead and slain for oft But the
• 44:54
  Speaker 1: warfare tried him not so much, but that the winter
• 44:58
  Speaker 1: was worse, and the cold clear waters shed from the
• 45:02
  Speaker 1: clouds and froze ere it might fall to the barren
• 45:06
  Speaker 1: earth near slain with the sleet. He slept in his
• 45:11
  Speaker 1: iron more nights than enough on naked rocks, where clattering
• 45:16
  Speaker 1: from the crest, the cold burn ran and hung high
• 45:20
  Speaker 1: over his head in hard icicles. Thus, in peril and
• 45:26
  Speaker 1: pain and plights full hard through the country, wanders this
• 45:31
  Speaker 1: night all alone till Christmas Eve. At that tide to Mary,
• 45:38
  Speaker 1: he made his moan that she might direct his riding
• 45:42
  Speaker 1: and lead him to some dwelling. Eleven merrily on the
• 45:47
  Speaker 1: morn he rides by a mount into a forest full deep,
• 45:51
  Speaker 1: that was strangely wild. High hills were on each side,
• 45:56
  Speaker 1: and woods beneath of hoar oaks full hue a hundred together.
• 46:02
  Speaker 1: The hazel and the hawthorn were twined, all together, covered
• 46:06
  Speaker 1: everywhere with rough, ragged moss, and many unblithe birds upon
• 46:12
  Speaker 1: bare twigs that piteously pipe bear for pain of the cold.
• 46:19
  Speaker 1: The knight upon Brigolette rides all alone under the boughs,
• 46:25
  Speaker 1: threw many a moss and mire, mourning for his trials,
• 46:29
  Speaker 1: lest he should never survive to see the service of
• 46:32
  Speaker 1: that sire who on that very night was born of
• 46:35
  Speaker 1: a lady. To quell our pain. And therefore, sighning, he said,
• 46:41
  Speaker 1: I beseech thee Lord and marry that is mildest mother.
• 46:46
  Speaker 1: So dear for some harbor where I might properly hear
• 46:50
  Speaker 1: mass in thy mattens to morrow. Meekly I ask it,
• 46:54
  Speaker 1: And there too, earnestly I pray my painter to ave.
• 46:59
  Speaker 1: And he rode in his prayer and lamented for his misdeeds.
• 47:07
  Speaker 1: Oftentimes he blessed himself and said, Christ cross speed me.
• 47:13
  Speaker 1: Twelve the hero had not crossed himself more than thrice.
• 47:19
  Speaker 1: Ere he was aware in the wood of a dwelling
• 47:21
  Speaker 1: on a hill, above a clearing, on a mount, hidden
• 47:25
  Speaker 1: under the boughs of many a huge tree. About the
• 47:28
  Speaker 1: ditches a castle, the comeliest that ever knight owned, set
• 47:34
  Speaker 1: on a prairie, a park all about, with its beautiful palace, pinnacled,
• 47:39
  Speaker 1: full thick, and surrounded with many a tree for more
• 47:43
  Speaker 1: than two miles. The hero gazed at the castle on
• 47:47
  Speaker 1: that one side, as it shimmered and shone through the
• 47:51
  Speaker 1: fair oaks. Then he humbly doffed his helm, and devoutly
• 47:57
  Speaker 1: he thanked Jesus and Saint Julian, who are both gentle,
• 48:02
  Speaker 1: who courteously had directed him, And hearkened to his cry.
• 48:07
  Speaker 1: Now bonn hostile, quoth the man, I beseech you Yet
• 48:13
  Speaker 1: then he spurs Brigolai with his gilt heels, and he
• 48:17
  Speaker 1: full fortunately takes the way to the chief road that
• 48:22
  Speaker 1: soon brought the hero to the bridge, And in haste
• 48:25
  Speaker 1: the bridge was securely lifted, the gates locked fast, the
• 48:30
  Speaker 1: walls were well arrayed. No wind blast did it fear. Thirteen.
• 48:38
  Speaker 1: The hero that sat on his horse abode on the
• 48:42
  Speaker 1: bank of the deep double ditch that stretched to the
• 48:44
  Speaker 1: place the wall sank in the water, wondrous deep, and
• 48:50
  Speaker 1: again a full huge height. It towered aloft of hard
• 48:55
  Speaker 1: hewn stone up to the top courses corbelt an the
• 49:00
  Speaker 1: battlement in the best manner, and above fine watch towers ranged,
• 49:05
  Speaker 1: along with many good loop holes that shone full clean,
• 49:11
  Speaker 1: a better Barbican than Hero never looked upon. And farther
• 49:17
  Speaker 1: within he beheld the high hall, with towers set full
• 49:22
  Speaker 1: thickly about and fair and wondrous high filioles with carved tops,
• 49:29
  Speaker 1: cunningly devised chalk white chimneys. Enough he saw that gleamed
• 49:34
  Speaker 1: for white on the battlements. So many painted pinnacles were
• 49:39
  Speaker 1: set everywhere, built so thick among the crenellations of the
• 49:44
  Speaker 1: castle that it verily appeared cut out of paper. Fair enough,
• 49:49
  Speaker 1: it seemed to the noble Knight on his horse, if
• 49:52
  Speaker 1: he could only attain the shelter within to harbor in
• 49:56
  Speaker 1: that hostel while the holiday lasted. He and soon there
• 50:01
  Speaker 1: appeared on the wall a right pleasant porter, who took
• 50:05
  Speaker 1: his message and greeted the knight. Rout forty good sir,
• 50:12
  Speaker 1: quoth gawan, which'll go, my errand to the high lord
• 50:16
  Speaker 1: of this house to crave harbor. Yea by Peter, quoth
• 50:21
  Speaker 1: the porter. And truly I trow that ye are welcome, sir,
• 50:24
  Speaker 1: to dwell while you like. Then the man went again quickly,
• 50:30
  Speaker 1: and a crowd of folk with him to receive the knight.
• 50:34
  Speaker 1: They let down the great draw and eagerly poured out
• 50:38
  Speaker 1: and kneeled down on their knees upon the cold earth
• 50:41
  Speaker 1: to welcome the hero, as it seemed to them proper.
• 50:45
  Speaker 1: They opened up wide the broad gate for him, and
• 50:49
  Speaker 1: he raised them courteously and rode over the bridge. Several
• 50:53
  Speaker 1: attendants held his saddle while he alighted, and afterwards good
• 50:58
  Speaker 1: men enough stabled his deed. Then knights and squires came
• 51:03
  Speaker 1: down to bring this hero joyfully into the hall. When
• 51:07
  Speaker 1: he lifted up his helm, people enough hurried to take
• 51:11
  Speaker 1: it at his hand. In order to serve the courteous
• 51:14
  Speaker 1: one his sword and his shield. They took two. Then
• 51:19
  Speaker 1: he greeted full courteously the knights, each one, and many
• 51:23
  Speaker 1: a proud man pressed there to honor that prince, all
• 51:29
  Speaker 1: hasped in his high weeds. They led him to the hall,
• 51:33
  Speaker 1: where a fair fire burned fiercely upon the hearth. Then
• 51:37
  Speaker 1: the Lord of the people came from his chamber to
• 51:40
  Speaker 1: meet courteously the man on the floor. He said, ye
• 51:46
  Speaker 1: are welcome to wield as you like what is here.
• 51:50
  Speaker 1: All is your own to have at your will and commandment.
• 51:55
  Speaker 1: Gramercy quoth gown Christ reward you for it. Like glad heroes,
• 52:01
  Speaker 1: either folded the other in his arms. Fifteen Gowan looked
• 52:10
  Speaker 1: on the man who greeted him so goodly, and thought
• 52:13
  Speaker 1: it a bold hero that owned the castle, a huge
• 52:16
  Speaker 1: warrior for the knots, and of great age. Broad and
• 52:22
  Speaker 1: bright was his beard, and all beaver hued from gated
• 52:26
  Speaker 1: was he on his stalwart limbs, with a face as
• 52:30
  Speaker 1: fierce as fire, and a free speech. And to the
• 52:34
  Speaker 1: hero he seemed well suited indeed to govern a nation
• 52:37
  Speaker 1: of good people. The Lord turned to a chamber and
• 52:42
  Speaker 1: promptly commanded to give Gowen a retinue to serve him
• 52:46
  Speaker 1: in lowly wise, and they were ready at his bidding,
• 52:50
  Speaker 1: men enough, who brought him to a bright bower, where
• 52:54
  Speaker 1: the bending was curtains of pure silk with clear gold
• 52:58
  Speaker 1: hems and kovach right curious, with comely borders, adorned above
• 53:04
  Speaker 1: with bright fur curtains running on ropes, red gold rings,
• 53:10
  Speaker 1: tapestries of Toulouse and tars hung on the wall, and
• 53:16
  Speaker 1: underfoot on the floor of the same pattern. There with
• 53:21
  Speaker 1: mirthful speeches, the hero was despoiled of his burne and
• 53:25
  Speaker 1: of his bright weeds. Quickly men brought him rich robes
• 53:30
  Speaker 1: that he might pick and choose the best for his change.
• 53:35
  Speaker 1: As soon as he took one and was wrapped therein
• 53:38
  Speaker 1: that sat upon him seemly with sailing skirts, the hero,
• 53:44
  Speaker 1: by his fidgeon visage verily seemed to wellnigh every man
• 53:49
  Speaker 1: in looks glowing and lovely is all his limbs. It
• 53:54
  Speaker 1: seemed to them that Christ never made a comelier night.
• 53:58
  Speaker 1: Wherever in the world he were. It seemed as if
• 54:01
  Speaker 1: he might be a prince without peer. In the field
• 54:04
  Speaker 1: where fell men fight sixteen. A chair before the chimney
• 54:12
  Speaker 1: where charcoal burned was prepared for Sir Gowain richly with
• 54:16
  Speaker 1: cloths and cushions upon counterpanes that were both fine. And
• 54:22
  Speaker 1: then a beauteous mantle was cast on the man of
• 54:25
  Speaker 1: a brown fabric, richly embroidered and fairly furred within with
• 54:30
  Speaker 1: the best skins, all of ermine the hood of the same.
• 54:36
  Speaker 1: And he sat on that settle in seemly rich attire,
• 54:39
  Speaker 1: and warmed him thoroughly, and then his chair mended. Soon
• 54:44
  Speaker 1: a table was raised up on trestle's full fare, and
• 54:47
  Speaker 1: set with a clean cloth that showed clear white napkins,
• 54:51
  Speaker 1: salt cellar, and silver spoons. The hero washed when he would,
• 54:58
  Speaker 1: and went to his meet. Men served him seemly enough,
• 55:02
  Speaker 1: double fold as was proper, with pottages various and suitable,
• 55:08
  Speaker 1: seasoned in the best manner, and many kinds of fish,
• 55:12
  Speaker 1: some baked in bread, some broiled on the coals, some boiled,
• 55:16
  Speaker 1: some in sauces, savored with spices, and always discourse so
• 55:21
  Speaker 1: pleasant that it pleased the warrior full freely, and often
• 55:28
  Speaker 1: the hero called it a feast right courteously. When all
• 55:32
  Speaker 1: the retainers together praised him as courteous, Do this penance now,
• 55:37
  Speaker 1: and soon things will be better. Right mirthful was he
• 55:41
  Speaker 1: for the wine that went to his head seventeen Then
• 55:48
  Speaker 1: they questioned and inquired sparingly, in skillful queries put to
• 55:53
  Speaker 1: the Prince himself, till he courteously acknowledged that he was
• 55:57
  Speaker 1: of the court which noble Arthur holds alone, who is
• 56:01
  Speaker 1: the rich royal king of the round table, And that
• 56:05
  Speaker 1: it was Gowan himself that sits in the house by
• 56:09
  Speaker 1: chance come for that Christmas. When the Lord had learned
• 56:13
  Speaker 1: that he had that hero, he laughed aloud, so dear
• 56:17
  Speaker 1: it seemed to him, and all the men in the
• 56:20
  Speaker 1: castle made much joy at appearing promptly in the presence
• 56:24
  Speaker 1: of him who contains in his own per person all
• 56:28
  Speaker 1: worth and prowess and gracious traits, and is ever praised
• 56:34
  Speaker 1: above all the men in the world. His renowned is
• 56:37
  Speaker 1: the greatest. Each warrior said full softly to his companion,
• 56:44
  Speaker 1: Now shall we see courteous turms of behavior and the
• 56:48
  Speaker 1: blameless forms of noble talking? What profit there is in speech?
• 56:54
  Speaker 1: May we learn without asking? Since we have taken that
• 56:57
  Speaker 1: fine Father of nurture, God has indeed given us his grace,
• 57:04
  Speaker 1: who grants us to have such a guest as Gowan,
• 57:08
  Speaker 1: on account of whose birth men sit and sing for joy.
• 57:13
  Speaker 1: This hero will now teach us what distinguished manners are.
• 57:16
  Speaker 1: I think that those who hear him will learn how
• 57:20
  Speaker 1: to make love. Eighteen. When dinner was done, and the
• 57:31
  Speaker 1: dear ones risen, the time was nigh arrived at the night.
• 57:36
  Speaker 1: Chaplains took their way to the chapels and rang full
• 57:39
  Speaker 1: loudly as they should, to the melodious even song of
• 57:43
  Speaker 1: the high time. The Lord turns thither, and the lady
• 57:47
  Speaker 1: also into a comely closet. Daintily she enters Gowan joyfully
• 57:53
  Speaker 1: proceeds and goes thither straight away. The Lord takes him
• 57:58
  Speaker 1: by the mantle and leads him to his seat, recognizes
• 58:01
  Speaker 1: him openly, and calls him by his name, and says
• 58:05
  Speaker 1: he is welcomest white in the world. And Gawan thanked
• 58:09
  Speaker 1: him thoroughly, and either embraced the other, and they sat
• 58:13
  Speaker 1: soberly together during the service. Then the lady desired to
• 58:18
  Speaker 1: look on the night, and came from her closet with
• 58:20
  Speaker 1: many fair maidens. But she was fairer than all the
• 58:25
  Speaker 1: others in flesh and face, in skin and form, in
• 58:29
  Speaker 1: complexion and demeanor, more beautiful than Genevere, it seemed to
• 58:35
  Speaker 1: the hero he walked through the chancel to greet that
• 58:39
  Speaker 1: gracious one. Another lady led her by the left hand,
• 58:45
  Speaker 1: that was older than she, an ancient lady, it seemed,
• 58:49
  Speaker 1: and one highly honored by the knights about her. But
• 58:53
  Speaker 1: unlike to look on were the ladies. For if the
• 58:55
  Speaker 1: younger was fair, yellow, was the other rich red. On
• 58:59
  Speaker 1: the one bloomed everywhere, rough wrinkled cheeks rolled on the other.
• 59:05
  Speaker 1: The kerchiefs of one, broidered with many clear pearls, openly
• 59:10
  Speaker 1: displayed her breast in her bright throat, which shone clearer
• 59:15
  Speaker 1: than snow that falls on the hills. The other covered
• 59:19
  Speaker 1: her neck with a gorget that wrapped her black chin
• 59:23
  Speaker 1: in milk white pleats. Her forehead was completely enveloped in
• 59:28
  Speaker 1: silken folds, adorned and tricked with many small ornaments. And
• 59:33
  Speaker 1: naught was bare of that lady, but the black brows,
• 59:36
  Speaker 1: the two eyes, the nose, and the naked lips, and
• 59:40
  Speaker 1: those were ugly to behold, and oddly bleared a gracious
• 59:46
  Speaker 1: lady in the land, one might call her forsooth. Her
• 59:50
  Speaker 1: body was short and thick her hips round and broad.
• 59:54
  Speaker 1: More pleasant to look on was the beams she led nineteen.
• 1:00:03
  Speaker 1: When Gowmon looked on that beauteous one, who gazed graciously,
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 1: he took leave of the Lord and went toward them.
• 1:00:11
  Speaker 1: The elder he saluted, bowing full low. The lovelier he
• 1:00:16
  Speaker 1: took a little in his arms. He kissed her calmly
• 1:00:19
  Speaker 1: and nightly. He greeted her. They welcomed him, and he
• 1:00:23
  Speaker 1: quickly asked to be their servant if it pleased them.
• 1:00:26
  Speaker 1: They took him between them and led him conversing to
• 1:00:29
  Speaker 1: the fireplace in the parlor, and straightway they called for spices,
• 1:00:35
  Speaker 1: which men speeded to bring them unsparingly, and the pleasant
• 1:00:39
  Speaker 1: wine therewith each time. The Lord leaped up merrily, full often,
• 1:00:45
  Speaker 1: and saw to it that the mirth never faulted. Gaily,
• 1:00:49
  Speaker 1: He snatched off his hood and hung it on a spear,
• 1:00:52
  Speaker 1: and extorted them to win it as a prize. He
• 1:00:57
  Speaker 1: to have it, who should make the most mirth that
• 1:01:02
  Speaker 1: Christmas tide? And I shall try, by my faith, with
• 1:01:05
  Speaker 1: the help of my friends, to compete the best. Ere
• 1:01:09
  Speaker 1: I lose my apparel. Thus, with laughing mien, the Lord
• 1:01:14
  Speaker 1: makes Mary in order to glad Sir Gowain with games
• 1:01:19
  Speaker 1: in the hall. That night. When it came time, the
• 1:01:23
  Speaker 1: king commanded lights. Sir Gowain took his leave and went
• 1:01:27
  Speaker 1: to his bed twenty on the morn, when, as every
• 1:01:32
  Speaker 1: man knows, God was born to die for us, joy
• 1:01:36
  Speaker 1: waxes in every dwelling in the world for his sake.
• 1:01:41
  Speaker 1: So it did there on that day, with many dainties,
• 1:01:44
  Speaker 1: a meats and meals, right quaint dishes, and brave men
• 1:01:48
  Speaker 1: on the days, dressed in their best. The old ancient
• 1:01:52
  Speaker 1: wife sits in the highest, the courteous lord placed by
• 1:01:57
  Speaker 1: her as I trow Gowan and the gay Lady together
• 1:02:01
  Speaker 1: just in the middle, and as the courses properly come,
• 1:02:05
  Speaker 1: and afterwards the rest throughout all the hall, as it
• 1:02:10
  Speaker 1: seemed to them, each man, in his degree, was properly served.
• 1:02:16
  Speaker 1: There was meat, there was mirth. There was much joy
• 1:02:20
  Speaker 1: that it were arduous for me to tell thereof, though
• 1:02:23
  Speaker 1: to note that I took pains belike. But yet I
• 1:02:27
  Speaker 1: know that Gowin and the lovely Lady took comfort in
• 1:02:30
  Speaker 1: each other's company, in the choice play of their of
• 1:02:35
  Speaker 1: their sharp wits, and the pure courtesy of their modest talk,
• 1:02:39
  Speaker 1: their disport surpassed. Indeed, that at any royal game trumps
• 1:02:45
  Speaker 1: and drums came playing loudly. Each man minded his own business,
• 1:02:51
  Speaker 1: and they too minded theirs. Twenty one much delight was
• 1:02:57
  Speaker 1: taken there that day, and the second and the third
• 1:03:00
  Speaker 1: followed is pleasantly. The joy of Saint John's day was
• 1:03:04
  Speaker 1: gentle to hear of, and it was the last of
• 1:03:07
  Speaker 1: the festival. The people considered there were guests to go
• 1:03:12
  Speaker 1: upon the gray morn, therefore wondrous. Late they sat up
• 1:03:17
  Speaker 1: and drank the wine, danced full gaily with sweet carols.
• 1:03:21
  Speaker 1: At the last, when it was late, they took their leave,
• 1:03:25
  Speaker 1: each good man to wend on his way. Gowan gave
• 1:03:30
  Speaker 1: his host good day. But the good man takes him
• 1:03:33
  Speaker 1: and leads him to his own chamber by the fireplace,
• 1:03:36
  Speaker 1: And there he draws him aside and prompt properly thanks
• 1:03:40
  Speaker 1: him for the great worship that he had granted him
• 1:03:43
  Speaker 1: in honoring his house on that high tide, in embellishing
• 1:03:48
  Speaker 1: his castle with his good cheer. Indeed, Sir, while I live,
• 1:03:52
  Speaker 1: I shall be the better that Gawan hath been my
• 1:03:55
  Speaker 1: guest at God's own feast, Gray Mercy, Sir, both Gawan
• 1:04:01
  Speaker 1: in good faith. The merit is yours. All, the honor
• 1:04:04
  Speaker 1: is your own. The High King reward you, and I
• 1:04:07
  Speaker 1: am your man to work your behest in high and low,
• 1:04:12
  Speaker 1: as I am bound by right. The Lord eagerly strives
• 1:04:17
  Speaker 1: to hold the night longer, but Gawan answers him that
• 1:04:20
  Speaker 1: he can in no wise. Twenty two. Then the Hero
• 1:04:27
  Speaker 1: asked of him full fairly, what extraordinary deed had driven
• 1:04:31
  Speaker 1: him at that dear time from the King's court to
• 1:04:34
  Speaker 1: go all alone so boldly ere the holidays were wholly
• 1:04:38
  Speaker 1: over forsooth, sir, quoth the Hero, Ye say, but the truth,
• 1:04:43
  Speaker 1: a high errand and a hasty had me from these dwellings.
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 1: For I am summoned to such a place as I
• 1:04:51
  Speaker 1: know not in the world whitherward to when to find it?
• 1:04:56
  Speaker 1: I would not, for all the land in logress, fail
• 1:05:00
  Speaker 1: to reach it on New Year's morns. So our Lord
• 1:05:03
  Speaker 1: help me. Therefore, sir, this request I require of you here,
• 1:05:09
  Speaker 1: that ye tell me truly if ever ye heard the
• 1:05:12
  Speaker 1: tale of the Green Chapel, where in the world it stands,
• 1:05:16
  Speaker 1: and of the green and of the night green in
• 1:05:19
  Speaker 1: color that keeps it there was established by statue an
• 1:05:23
  Speaker 1: agreement between us that I should meet that man at
• 1:05:26
  Speaker 1: that landmark, if I could but survive, and of that
• 1:05:31
  Speaker 1: new year there now lacks but little, And by God's son,
• 1:05:36
  Speaker 1: I would gladlier look on that person if God would
• 1:05:40
  Speaker 1: let me then wield any possession in the world. Therefore, indeed,
• 1:05:46
  Speaker 1: by your good will, it behooves me to wend. I
• 1:05:50
  Speaker 1: have now at my disposal barely three days, and I
• 1:05:55
  Speaker 1: were as fain fall dead as fail of mine Errand
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 1: then laughing quoth the Lord. Now it behooves thee to stay,
• 1:06:06
  Speaker 1: for I shall direct you to that spot by the
• 1:06:09
  Speaker 1: time's end, the green chapel upon the ground grieve you
• 1:06:14
  Speaker 1: no more, for ye shall be in your bed, sir,
• 1:06:17
  Speaker 1: at thine ease some days yet, and set out on
• 1:06:22
  Speaker 1: the first of the year, and come to that place
• 1:06:25
  Speaker 1: at midmorn to do what you like. Stay till New
• 1:06:30
  Speaker 1: Year's day and rise and go. Then one shall set
• 1:06:34
  Speaker 1: you on your way. It is not two miles, hence
• 1:06:40
  Speaker 1: twenty three. Then was gawin full glad and merrily he laughed.
• 1:06:48
  Speaker 1: Now I thank you especially for this above all other things.
• 1:06:52
  Speaker 1: Now that my quest is achieved, I shall dwell at
• 1:06:55
  Speaker 1: your will and do whatever else ye decide. Then the
• 1:07:00
  Speaker 1: sire seized him and set him beside him, and let
• 1:07:05
  Speaker 1: the ladies be fetched to please them the better fair
• 1:07:08
  Speaker 1: entertainment they had quietly among themselves. The Lord, in his jovial,
• 1:07:13
  Speaker 1: friendly demeanor, behaved as a man out of his wits
• 1:07:17
  Speaker 1: that knew not what he did. Then he spake to
• 1:07:20
  Speaker 1: the knight, crying loud, ye have agreed to do the
• 1:07:24
  Speaker 1: deed that I bid. Will ye hold this hest here
• 1:07:27
  Speaker 1: at once? Yea sir, forsooth, said the true Hero. While
• 1:07:32
  Speaker 1: I stay in your castle, I shall be obedient to
• 1:07:35
  Speaker 1: your hest Since ye have traveled from Afar, quoth the Warrior,
• 1:07:40
  Speaker 1: and then have sat late with me. Ye are not
• 1:07:43
  Speaker 1: well nourished, I know, either with sustenance or with sleep.
• 1:07:48
  Speaker 1: Ye shall linger in your loft and lie at your
• 1:07:51
  Speaker 1: ease tomorrow till mass time, and go to meet when
• 1:07:54
  Speaker 1: ye will, with my wife, who shall sit with you
• 1:07:57
  Speaker 1: and comfort you with her company, till I return home,
• 1:08:01
  Speaker 1: and I shall rise early and go hunting. Gowan grants
• 1:08:06
  Speaker 1: all this, bowing courteously. Yet further quoth the Hero. Let
• 1:08:13
  Speaker 1: us make an agreement. Whatsoever I win in the wood,
• 1:08:17
  Speaker 1: it shall be yours. And whatsoever fortune ye achieve exchange
• 1:08:22
  Speaker 1: with me. Therefore, sweet sir, swap we so swear truly
• 1:08:28
  Speaker 1: whichever one of us gets the worse or the better.
• 1:08:32
  Speaker 1: By God, quoth Gowan the Good. I consent there too.
• 1:08:36
  Speaker 1: And whatever game you like agreeable, it seems to me
• 1:08:41
  Speaker 1: on this beverage just brought. The bargain is made, said
• 1:08:44
  Speaker 1: the Lord of that people, and both laughed. Then they
• 1:08:48
  Speaker 1: drank and played and amused themselves, these lords and ladies,
• 1:08:53
  Speaker 1: so long as it pleased them. And then, with polite
• 1:08:57
  Speaker 1: demeanor and many fair gestures, they stood up and lingered awhile,
• 1:09:02
  Speaker 1: and talked quietly, kissed full calmly, and took their leave,
• 1:09:07
  Speaker 1: with many a gay servant in gleaming torches. Each hero
• 1:09:11
  Speaker 1: was brought to his bed full softly at the last.
• 1:09:15
  Speaker 1: Yet before they went to bed, they oft rehearsed the covenants.
• 1:09:19
  Speaker 1: The old lord of that people knew well how to
• 1:09:22
  Speaker 1: keep up a jest end of fit, the second fit
• 1:09:33
  Speaker 1: the third full. Early before the day, the folk arose
• 1:09:39
  Speaker 1: the guests that would go, called their grooms, and these
• 1:09:43
  Speaker 1: hastened to saddle the horses, arranged their gear, and trust
• 1:09:47
  Speaker 1: their mails. The great ones arrayed themselves to ride, leaped
• 1:09:53
  Speaker 1: up lightly and caught their bridles, each white on his
• 1:09:56
  Speaker 1: way where it plead well pleased him. The dear lord
• 1:10:00
  Speaker 1: of the land was not the last arrayed for the
• 1:10:04
  Speaker 1: riding with retainers full many he ate a sob hastily
• 1:10:09
  Speaker 1: after he heard mass, and took his way quickly with
• 1:10:12
  Speaker 1: his bugle to the field. By the time that any
• 1:10:17
  Speaker 1: daylight gleamed upon the earth, he with his heroes were
• 1:10:21
  Speaker 1: mounted on their high horses. Then these hunters that understood
• 1:10:25
  Speaker 1: it coupled their hounds, unclosed the kennel doors, and called
• 1:10:29
  Speaker 1: them thereout glew blithely on bugles three simple calls. At
• 1:10:36
  Speaker 1: this the bratchet sprayed and made a wild noise, and
• 1:10:40
  Speaker 1: the hunters chastised and turned back those that wandered off.
• 1:10:45
  Speaker 1: A hundred hunters of the best there were, as I
• 1:10:48
  Speaker 1: have heardell to their stations. The trackers went. Hunters cast
• 1:10:53
  Speaker 1: off the couples, and then arose for the good blasts
• 1:10:57
  Speaker 1: right uproar in that forest. At the first noise of
• 1:11:03
  Speaker 1: the quest, the game quaked. The deer moved down into
• 1:11:07
  Speaker 1: the dale, dazed for dread, hurried to the height, but
• 1:11:11
  Speaker 1: quickly they were hindered by the beaters, who cried stoutly.
• 1:11:16
  Speaker 1: They let the hearts with the high head go their way,
• 1:11:20
  Speaker 1: the wild bucks also with their broad palms, For the
• 1:11:24
  Speaker 1: generous Lord had forbidden that there should any man meddle
• 1:11:28
  Speaker 1: with the male deer in the close season. But the
• 1:11:32
  Speaker 1: hides were held back with hay and ho and the
• 1:11:36
  Speaker 1: doze driven with great din to the deep glades. There
• 1:11:40
  Speaker 1: might once see they ran the flight of arrows. At
• 1:11:44
  Speaker 1: each turn under the boughs, out flew a shaft that
• 1:11:48
  Speaker 1: savagely bit on the brown hide with full broad heads.
• 1:11:53
  Speaker 1: How they leaped and bled and died by the banks,
• 1:11:57
  Speaker 1: And ever the hounds, with a rush, eagerly followed them.
• 1:12:01
  Speaker 1: Hunters with shrill horn hastened after with such a resounding cry,
• 1:12:06
  Speaker 1: as if cliffs had cracked. What game escaped The men
• 1:12:10
  Speaker 1: who shot was all run down and torn at the stands.
• 1:12:15
  Speaker 1: The deer were pestered at the heights, and worried at
• 1:12:18
  Speaker 1: the waters. The people were so alert at the low stations,
• 1:12:23
  Speaker 1: and the greyhounds so great, that got them quickly and
• 1:12:26
  Speaker 1: pulled them down as fast as a man could see.
• 1:12:30
  Speaker 1: The Lord, shouting for joy, shot and alighted full oft,
• 1:12:34
  Speaker 1: and passed the day thus with joy. Till the dark night.
• 1:12:41
  Speaker 1: So this lord sports by the eaves of the linden
• 1:12:45
  Speaker 1: wood and gow, and the good lies in his gay
• 1:12:48
  Speaker 1: bed reposes till the daylight gleams on the walls under
• 1:12:53
  Speaker 1: the beautiful covernments curtained about. And as he fell into
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 1: a doze faintly he heard a little din at the door,
• 1:13:03
  Speaker 1: then distinctly, and he heaved up his head out of
• 1:13:07
  Speaker 1: the clothes, caught up a corner of his curtain a little,
• 1:13:11
  Speaker 1: and watched warily in that direction to see what it
• 1:13:14
  Speaker 1: might be. It was the lady, loveliest to behold, who
• 1:13:20
  Speaker 1: drew the door to after her right slyly and quietly,
• 1:13:24
  Speaker 1: and turned toward the bed. The hero grew bashful and
• 1:13:32
  Speaker 1: laid himself down cunningly, and pretended that he slept. And
• 1:13:36
  Speaker 1: she stepped quietly and stole to his bed, cast up
• 1:13:40
  Speaker 1: the curtain, and crept there in, and seated herself full
• 1:13:45
  Speaker 1: softly on the bedside, and stayed there surprisingly long to
• 1:13:49
  Speaker 1: see when he should awake. The man lay pretending a
• 1:13:54
  Speaker 1: full great while bothered in his conscience what this affair
• 1:13:59
  Speaker 1: might mean or out to marvelous it seemed to him.
• 1:14:04
  Speaker 1: But yet he said to himself more seemly would it
• 1:14:07
  Speaker 1: be to find out by asking what she would? Then
• 1:14:11
  Speaker 1: he waked and stretched and turned to her, unlocked his eyelids,
• 1:14:16
  Speaker 1: and made believe he was amazed, and crossed himself with
• 1:14:20
  Speaker 1: his hand to be the safer for his prayer. With
• 1:14:25
  Speaker 1: chin and cheek full sweet of mingled white and red.
• 1:14:29
  Speaker 1: Quite lovely, she looked with her small, laughing lips. Good morrow,
• 1:14:35
  Speaker 1: Sir Gowin said that, fair lady, ye are a careless
• 1:14:39
  Speaker 1: sleeper when one can enter. Thus, now ye are certainly taken.
• 1:14:44
  Speaker 1: Unless we make a truce. I shall bind you in
• 1:14:47
  Speaker 1: your bed. You may be sure of that. All laughing,
• 1:14:51
  Speaker 1: the lady shot these jests. Good morrow, fair one, quoth
• 1:14:55
  Speaker 1: Gowan the blithe I shall be at your disposal, and
• 1:14:59
  Speaker 1: that that pleases me well, for I yield me outright
• 1:15:03
  Speaker 1: and pray for grace. And that is the best course
• 1:15:06
  Speaker 1: I judge, for I am in straits. And thus he
• 1:15:11
  Speaker 1: returned the jests with many a blithe laugh. But would ye,
• 1:15:16
  Speaker 1: lovely lady, grant me leave for your prisoner and bid
• 1:15:19
  Speaker 1: him rise. I would leave this bed and dress myself better.
• 1:15:24
  Speaker 1: Then I could talk with you in more comfort. Nay,
• 1:15:27
  Speaker 1: forsoth fair sir said that, sweet one, ye shall not
• 1:15:32
  Speaker 1: rise from your bed. I shall manage you better. I
• 1:15:35
  Speaker 1: shall tie you up securely, and afterwards talk with my
• 1:15:39
  Speaker 1: knight that I have caught. For I ween well. Ye
• 1:15:42
  Speaker 1: are indeed, Sir Gowan, whom all the world worships. Whereso
• 1:15:48
  Speaker 1: ye ride your honor, your courtesy is heartily praised by lords,
• 1:15:53
  Speaker 1: by ladies, by all alive. And now ye are here forsoth,
• 1:15:59
  Speaker 1: and we are all alone. My lord and his people
• 1:16:03
  Speaker 1: are gone far away, the other men in their beds,
• 1:16:07
  Speaker 1: and my maidens also. The door shut and closed with
• 1:16:11
  Speaker 1: a strong hasp. And since I have in this house
• 1:16:15
  Speaker 1: him whom all like, I shall make good use of
• 1:16:18
  Speaker 1: my time while it lasts. Ye are welcome to my
• 1:16:22
  Speaker 1: person to do whatever you wish. I am perforce and
• 1:16:28
  Speaker 1: must remain your servant in good faith, quoth gawin a
• 1:16:35
  Speaker 1: great privilege. It seems to me, though I be not
• 1:16:38
  Speaker 1: now he that YE speak of, to reach such reverence
• 1:16:43
  Speaker 1: as ye rehearse here, I am a man unworthy, I
• 1:16:46
  Speaker 1: know well by God, I should be glad if it
• 1:16:49
  Speaker 1: seem'd good to you to do what I might in
• 1:16:53
  Speaker 1: speech or in service to enhance your worship it were
• 1:16:57
  Speaker 1: a pure joy in good faith. Sir Gawing, quoth the
• 1:17:01
  Speaker 1: gay lady. If I should speak ill of the fame
• 1:17:04
  Speaker 1: and the prowess that pleases all others, or esteem it light,
• 1:17:09
  Speaker 1: it would show but small discernment. But there are ladies
• 1:17:13
  Speaker 1: enough who would leave her to have this courteous one
• 1:17:16
  Speaker 1: in their power, as I have thee here to dally
• 1:17:20
  Speaker 1: dearly with your dainty words, to comfort themselves and dispel
• 1:17:25
  Speaker 1: their cares, than much of the treasure and gold that
• 1:17:28
  Speaker 1: they have. But I praise the Lord who rules disguise,
• 1:17:32
  Speaker 1: that through his grace, I have holly in my hand
• 1:17:35
  Speaker 1: that which all desire great cheer. She that was so
• 1:17:40
  Speaker 1: fair a face, made him the knight with discreet speeches,
• 1:17:44
  Speaker 1: answered her every proposal, Madam, quoth the merry man, Mary,
• 1:17:51
  Speaker 1: reward you, for in good faith I have found your generosity.
• 1:17:55
  Speaker 1: Noble people judge a person's deeds largely from the accounts
• 1:17:59
  Speaker 1: of others. But the praise that they accord my deserts
• 1:18:03
  Speaker 1: is but idle. It is simply your own nobility, who
• 1:18:09
  Speaker 1: know nothing but good. By Mary, quoth the gracious one.
• 1:18:19
  Speaker 1: Methinks it is otherwise, for were I worth all the
• 1:18:22
  Speaker 1: store of women alive, and all the wealth of the
• 1:18:25
  Speaker 1: world were in my hands, I should bargain and choose
• 1:18:28
  Speaker 1: to get me a lord. Then, for the good traits
• 1:18:32
  Speaker 1: that I have found in the night here, of beauty,
• 1:18:36
  Speaker 1: and graciousness and gay seeming, and from what I have
• 1:18:39
  Speaker 1: heard before, and hold in this case to be true.
• 1:18:43
  Speaker 1: There should be no hero in the world. He chosen
• 1:18:46
  Speaker 1: before you, indeed worthy one, quoth the hero, YE might
• 1:18:51
  Speaker 1: have chosen much better. But I am proud of the
• 1:18:54
  Speaker 1: estimation that YE put upon me. And as your devoted servant,
• 1:18:59
  Speaker 1: I hold you my sovereign, and your knight I become,
• 1:19:03
  Speaker 1: and CHRIST pay you for it. Thus they spoke of
• 1:19:07
  Speaker 1: various things till past the mind morn and ever. The
• 1:19:11
  Speaker 1: lady behaved as if she loved him much, But the
• 1:19:15
  Speaker 1: hero fared with caution and made courteous pretenses. Though why
• 1:19:20
  Speaker 1: were the fairest of women, mused the lady little love
• 1:19:23
  Speaker 1: would he show? Because of the danger that he seeks
• 1:19:26
  Speaker 1: without reproach, the blow that may slay him, but must
• 1:19:31
  Speaker 1: needs be undergone. The lady then asked lee, and he
• 1:19:36
  Speaker 1: granted her full Soon then she gave him good day,
• 1:19:41
  Speaker 1: and of a sudden laugh, and as she stood there,
• 1:19:44
  Speaker 1: she astonished him with right smart words. Now may he
• 1:19:49
  Speaker 1: that speeds each speech pay you for this entertainment, But
• 1:19:54
  Speaker 1: that ye are gwan, it goes not in my mind?
• 1:19:59
  Speaker 1: Where for quoth the hero, And eagerly he asks, afraid
• 1:20:03
  Speaker 1: lest he had failed in the performance of his design.
• 1:20:06
  Speaker 1: But the lady blessed him and spake in this wise,
• 1:20:10
  Speaker 1: a man as good as gowain is properly held, and
• 1:20:14
  Speaker 1: courtesy is closed so entirely in him, could not easily
• 1:20:18
  Speaker 1: have lingered so long with a lady. But he had,
• 1:20:21
  Speaker 1: on some trifling excuse or other, courteously craved a kiss.
• 1:20:29
  Speaker 1: Then said Gawin. Indeed, be it as you like. I
• 1:20:32
  Speaker 1: shall kiss at your commandment, as becomes a knight. And
• 1:20:37
  Speaker 1: fear lest he displease you, so urge that plea no more.
• 1:20:43
  Speaker 1: She comes nearer at that and takes him in her arms,
• 1:20:47
  Speaker 1: stoops graciously down, and kisses the man. They courteously entrust
• 1:20:53
  Speaker 1: each other to Christ. She goes forth at the door
• 1:20:57
  Speaker 1: without more ado, and he prepares to rise and hurries.
• 1:21:01
  Speaker 1: A man calls to his chamberlain, chooses his weeds, steps
• 1:21:06
  Speaker 1: forth blithely to mass when he is ready, and then
• 1:21:10
  Speaker 1: he goes to his meet, behaving always courteously, and makes
• 1:21:14
  Speaker 1: merry all day till the bright moon rises. Never was
• 1:21:18
  Speaker 1: a hero fairer entertained like two such worthy dames, the
• 1:21:24
  Speaker 1: other and the younger. Much disport they make together. And
• 1:21:30
  Speaker 1: ever the lord of the land is bound in his
• 1:21:33
  Speaker 1: sport to hunt in holts and heath at barren hinds.
• 1:21:38
  Speaker 1: Such a sum of does and of other deer he
• 1:21:40
  Speaker 1: slew there by the time the sun was low, that
• 1:21:44
  Speaker 1: it were a marvel to estimate. Then eagerly they all
• 1:21:49
  Speaker 1: flock together at the last, and quickly of the slain
• 1:21:52
  Speaker 1: deer they made a quarry. The leaders hastened there too,
• 1:21:56
  Speaker 1: with men enough, gathered the greatest of Greece, and proceeded
• 1:22:01
  Speaker 1: properly to undo them, as the occasion demands. Some that
• 1:22:06
  Speaker 1: were there tried them at the essay, and found two
• 1:22:09
  Speaker 1: fingers of fat on the leanest of all. Afterwards, they
• 1:22:14
  Speaker 1: slit the slot, seized the arbor, cut it free with
• 1:22:18
  Speaker 1: a sharp knife, and tied it up. Next, they cut
• 1:22:22
  Speaker 1: down along the fore limbs and rent off the hide.
• 1:22:26
  Speaker 1: Then they opened the belly, took out the paunch, cutting eagerly,
• 1:22:31
  Speaker 1: and laid aside the knot. They began at the throat
• 1:22:34
  Speaker 1: again and skillfully divided the weazened from the windpipe and
• 1:22:38
  Speaker 1: threw out the guts. Then they cut out the shoulders
• 1:22:42
  Speaker 1: with their sharp knives, and pulled them through by a
• 1:22:46
  Speaker 1: little hole, so as to have whole sides. Next they
• 1:22:50
  Speaker 1: divided the breast and cut it in two. And once
• 1:22:54
  Speaker 1: more they began at the throat, split the beasts quickly
• 1:22:58
  Speaker 1: right up to the crotch, took out the advancers, and
• 1:23:01
  Speaker 1: immediately severed all the filets by the ribs, and took
• 1:23:06
  Speaker 1: them off properly along the backbone, even to the haunch,
• 1:23:10
  Speaker 1: all of which hung together. Then they heaved it up
• 1:23:14
  Speaker 1: whole and cut it off there, and that they took
• 1:23:17
  Speaker 1: for the numbles, as it is rightly called. At the
• 1:23:22
  Speaker 1: fork of the thighs, they caught the flaps behind Hastily,
• 1:23:26
  Speaker 1: they hewed the carcass two and severed it along the backbone.
• 1:23:34
  Speaker 1: Both the head and the neck they hewed off them,
• 1:23:38
  Speaker 1: and afterwards they sundered the sides swiftly from the shine
• 1:23:42
  Speaker 1: and Corby's fee they cast in a green tree. Then
• 1:23:48
  Speaker 1: they pierced either thick side through by the rib and
• 1:23:52
  Speaker 1: hung them each by the hawks of the haunches, each
• 1:23:56
  Speaker 1: man for his fee, as it befell him to have
• 1:23:59
  Speaker 1: it upon a skin of a fair beast. They fed
• 1:24:04
  Speaker 1: their hounds with the liver, and the lights, the leather
• 1:24:07
  Speaker 1: of the ponches, and bread bathed in blood. Mingled there
• 1:24:12
  Speaker 1: among loudly, they blew the prize and bathe their hounds.
• 1:24:18
  Speaker 1: Then they started to carry home their meat, blowing full
• 1:24:22
  Speaker 1: stoutly many loud notes. By the time daylight was done,
• 1:24:28
  Speaker 1: the band had all arrived at the Comely Castle, where
• 1:24:32
  Speaker 1: the Knight is quietly waiting in comfort beside a bright fire.
• 1:24:38
  Speaker 1: When the Lord arrived and Gowan met him, there was
• 1:24:41
  Speaker 1: joy enough. Then the Lord commanded to gather in the
• 1:24:47
  Speaker 1: hall all the household, and both the ladies to come
• 1:24:52
  Speaker 1: down with their maids. Before all the folk on the floor,
• 1:24:57
  Speaker 1: he bade men fetch his venison before him, and all
• 1:25:01
  Speaker 1: in merry sport. He called Gowan, told him the number
• 1:25:05
  Speaker 1: of the choice beasts, and showed him the fat meat
• 1:25:08
  Speaker 1: cut from the ribs. How like you this play? Have
• 1:25:12
  Speaker 1: I won the prize? Have I properly earned thanks by
• 1:25:16
  Speaker 1: my woodcraft? Yes, indeed, quoth the other hero. Here is
• 1:25:21
  Speaker 1: the fairest store that I saw this seven years in
• 1:25:25
  Speaker 1: the season of winter, and all I give you gawin,
• 1:25:29
  Speaker 1: quoth the host. Then, for by our plighted covenant, you
• 1:25:33
  Speaker 1: can claim it as your own. That is true, replied
• 1:25:37
  Speaker 1: the hero. And I say to you the same, I
• 1:25:40
  Speaker 1: too have won this worthy thing within doors, and I
• 1:25:44
  Speaker 1: am sure that with quite as good will, it belongs
• 1:25:48
  Speaker 1: to you. He throws his arms about his fair neck
• 1:25:53
  Speaker 1: and kisses him as courteously as he know. How, take
• 1:25:58
  Speaker 1: you there, my merchandise. I have one no more, though
• 1:26:01
  Speaker 1: I should give it up willingly, even if it were greater,
• 1:26:05
  Speaker 1: It is good, quoth the good man gra Mercy. Therefore
• 1:26:09
  Speaker 1: her chance, it might be better if you would tell me
• 1:26:12
  Speaker 1: where you won the same favor by your own wit.
• 1:26:16
  Speaker 1: That was not the agreement, said he ask me no more,
• 1:26:20
  Speaker 1: For ye have God all that belongs to you. Be
• 1:26:24
  Speaker 1: sure of that. They laughed and made merry in low tones.
• 1:26:28
  Speaker 1: Then they went quickly to supper with new dainties. Enough,
• 1:26:35
  Speaker 1: and afterwards, as they sat by a fireplace in a chamber,
• 1:26:39
  Speaker 1: servants poured to them oft the choice wine. And again,
• 1:26:44
  Speaker 1: in their jesting, they agreed to make the same bargain
• 1:26:46
  Speaker 1: on the morning that they made before whatsoever chance be
• 1:26:52
  Speaker 1: tied to exchange their winnings at night when they met
• 1:26:56
  Speaker 1: whatsoever knew they win. They made this agreement before all
• 1:27:00
  Speaker 1: the court, and the beverage was brought forth merrily at
• 1:27:04
  Speaker 1: that time. Then at length they politely took leave, and
• 1:27:08
  Speaker 1: everybody hurried to bed. When the cock had crowed and cackled,
• 1:27:13
  Speaker 1: but thrice the lord had leaped from his bed. Likewise
• 1:27:18
  Speaker 1: his followers, each one, so that the meat and the
• 1:27:21
  Speaker 1: mass were properly dispatched, and the troop ready for the
• 1:27:25
  Speaker 1: chase in the wood ere any day sprang with hunters
• 1:27:30
  Speaker 1: and horns. They passed through the plains and uncoupled the
• 1:27:34
  Speaker 1: racing hounds among the thorns. Soon they heard the cry
• 1:27:40
  Speaker 1: of the dogs by a marsh side. The huntsmen encouraged
• 1:27:45
  Speaker 1: the hounds that first caught the scent, hurled sharp words
• 1:27:49
  Speaker 1: at them with a great noise. The hounds that heard
• 1:27:53
  Speaker 1: it hastened thither quickly, and fell immediately to the scent
• 1:27:57
  Speaker 1: forty at once. Then, when there rose such a resounding
• 1:28:01
  Speaker 1: cry of gathered hounds that the rocks about rang, the
• 1:28:06
  Speaker 1: hunters cheered them with horn and with mouth. Then altogether
• 1:28:11
  Speaker 1: they swung in a troop between a pool in that wood,
• 1:28:15
  Speaker 1: and a wild crag on a hill beside a cliff
• 1:28:20
  Speaker 1: at the side of the bog, where the rough rock
• 1:28:23
  Speaker 1: was rudely fallen. They fared to the finding, and the
• 1:28:28
  Speaker 1: hunters after them. The men surrounded both the rock and
• 1:28:32
  Speaker 1: the hill, because they knew well that he was within them,
• 1:28:36
  Speaker 1: the beast that the bloodhounds were proclaiming there. Then they
• 1:28:40
  Speaker 1: beat on the bushes and bade him rise up, And
• 1:28:44
  Speaker 1: he savagely rushed out athwart the men, the most formidable
• 1:28:49
  Speaker 1: of swine, long since had he left the herd on
• 1:28:53
  Speaker 1: account of his age. For he was a huge beast,
• 1:28:57
  Speaker 1: the greatest of boars. Hiss when he grunted, griev'd many.
• 1:29:03
  Speaker 1: For when his first burst he thrust three to the earth,
• 1:29:08
  Speaker 1: and sped hastily forth at great speed, without respite. And
• 1:29:13
  Speaker 1: they hallooed high full loudly, and cried hey, hey, with
• 1:29:17
  Speaker 1: horns to mouth. Lustily they blew the recheat. Many were
• 1:29:23
  Speaker 1: the merry cries of men and of hounds that hastened
• 1:29:26
  Speaker 1: after this boar, with hue and cry to kill him
• 1:29:30
  Speaker 1: full oft. He bides at bay and maims the pack
• 1:29:34
  Speaker 1: in the malay. He hurts many of the hounds, and
• 1:29:37
  Speaker 1: grievously they howl and yell. The hunters pushed forward then
• 1:29:43
  Speaker 1: to shoot at him, aimed at him with their arrows,
• 1:29:46
  Speaker 1: and hit him often. But the shafts that struck on
• 1:29:49
  Speaker 1: his shields give way at the pith, and the barbs
• 1:29:53
  Speaker 1: would not bite on his brawn. Though the shaven shafts
• 1:29:57
  Speaker 1: shivered in pieces. The head hopped out again wheresoever it hit.
• 1:30:04
  Speaker 1: But when the dints of their keen stroke scared him,
• 1:30:09
  Speaker 1: and then mad for destruction, he rush'd on. The men,
• 1:30:13
  Speaker 1: did them sore hurt where he hurled forth, And many
• 1:30:17
  Speaker 1: a one grew weary thereat and gave back a little.
• 1:30:21
  Speaker 1: But the lord, on a light horse hurries after him,
• 1:30:25
  Speaker 1: blowing his bugle like a bold hero. He whinds the
• 1:30:29
  Speaker 1: retreat as he rides through the thick groves, following this
• 1:30:33
  Speaker 1: wild swine till the sun declin'd. Thus they drive on
• 1:30:38
  Speaker 1: the day with such doings. While our lovely hero lies
• 1:30:44
  Speaker 1: comfortably in his bed at home, in close full rich
• 1:30:48
  Speaker 1: of hue, the lady did not forget. She came to
• 1:30:52
  Speaker 1: greet him full early. She was by him to change
• 1:30:58
  Speaker 1: his mind. She comes to the curtain and peeps at
• 1:31:03
  Speaker 1: the knight Sir Gowin at once welcomes her worthily, and
• 1:31:08
  Speaker 1: she returns his greeting right properly, seats herself softly by
• 1:31:13
  Speaker 1: his side, laughs, opens, and with a lovely look, addresses
• 1:31:20
  Speaker 1: these words to him, Sir, if ye be gowan, it
• 1:31:26
  Speaker 1: seems to me a very strange thing that a man
• 1:31:29
  Speaker 1: of such quality should not follow the conventions of good society,
• 1:31:34
  Speaker 1: and should, after making acquaintance with a person, cast him
• 1:31:38
  Speaker 1: utterly from his mind. Thou hast already forgotten what I
• 1:31:42
  Speaker 1: taught you yesterday in the best language that I knew.
• 1:31:47
  Speaker 1: What was that? Quoth the hero. Forsooth I know not?
• 1:31:51
  Speaker 1: If what YE say be true, I am to blame.
• 1:31:55
  Speaker 1: Yet I taught you about kissing, replied the fair lady.
• 1:32:00
  Speaker 1: Wherever a countenance is known quickly to claim a kiss,
• 1:32:04
  Speaker 1: that becomes every knight who practices courtesy seech such speech,
• 1:32:11
  Speaker 1: My dear lady, said the ready man. I durst not
• 1:32:14
  Speaker 1: claim it, lest I should be denied. If I proposed
• 1:32:17
  Speaker 1: and were refused, I should certainly be wrong in proffering
• 1:32:22
  Speaker 1: by my faith, quoth the lovely Dame. Ye cannot be refused.
• 1:32:28
  Speaker 1: Ye are strong enough to compel it by strength if
• 1:32:32
  Speaker 1: ye pleased, supposing anywhere so ill bred as to deny you.
• 1:32:38
  Speaker 1: Yea by God, said gawin your speech is good, but
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 1: violence is considered discourteous among my people, as is any
• 1:32:46
  Speaker 1: gift that is not given with a good will. I
• 1:32:50
  Speaker 1: am at your command to kiss when ye like. Ye
• 1:32:53
  Speaker 1: may begin when ye please, and leave off whenever it
• 1:32:58
  Speaker 1: likes you. Lady stoops down and gracefully kisses his face.
• 1:33:04
  Speaker 1: They converse long of the fears and joys of love.
• 1:33:11
  Speaker 1: I should like to know from you, sir, said the
• 1:33:13
  Speaker 1: peerless lady, if it vexes you not, what might be
• 1:33:17
  Speaker 1: the reason that so young and so gallant person as
• 1:33:22
  Speaker 1: ye now are one, so courteous and so knightly as
• 1:33:25
  Speaker 1: ye are known everywhere to be, have never spoken of love,
• 1:33:31
  Speaker 1: For in relating the pains of true knights, the chief
• 1:33:35
  Speaker 1: thing praised in all of chivalry as the royal sport
• 1:33:38
  Speaker 1: of love and the science of arms. It is the title, token,
• 1:33:45
  Speaker 1: and text of their works. How heroes, for their true
• 1:33:49
  Speaker 1: love adventured their lives, endured for their sweethearts doleful hours,
• 1:33:55
  Speaker 1: and afterwards avenged themselves by their valor, dispersed their care,
• 1:34:01
  Speaker 1: and brought bliss to bower with plenteous rewards for themselves.
• 1:34:07
  Speaker 1: And ye are the most renowned knight of your time.
• 1:34:11
  Speaker 1: Your fame and your worship walks everywhere. And now I
• 1:34:15
  Speaker 1: have sat by you here two separate times. Yet have
• 1:34:20
  Speaker 1: I never heard from your head a single word that
• 1:34:24
  Speaker 1: betained at all to love less or more? And ye,
• 1:34:30
  Speaker 1: that are so courteous and so distinguished in your vows,
• 1:34:34
  Speaker 1: ought willingly to show and teach to a young thing
• 1:34:37
  Speaker 1: some tokens of the art true love. Why are ye
• 1:34:42
  Speaker 1: so rude? Who are so praised? Is it that ye
• 1:34:46
  Speaker 1: deem me too dull to hearken to your dallions? For
• 1:34:50
  Speaker 1: shame I came hither all alone to sit and learn
• 1:34:54
  Speaker 1: from you some accomplishment. Do teach me part of your
• 1:34:58
  Speaker 1: skill while my lord is from home. In good faith,
• 1:35:03
  Speaker 1: quoth Gallan, God, reward you. Great is the entertainment, and
• 1:35:08
  Speaker 1: huge the pleasure to me that so worthy a one
• 1:35:12
  Speaker 1: as ye should come hither and take pains with so
• 1:35:16
  Speaker 1: poor a man, and play with your knight. In anywise
• 1:35:20
  Speaker 1: it delights me but to take upon myself the task
• 1:35:24
  Speaker 1: of expounding true love, of touching upon the themes of
• 1:35:28
  Speaker 1: that text and the tales of arms before you, who
• 1:35:33
  Speaker 1: I WoT well have more knowledge of that sort by
• 1:35:37
  Speaker 1: the half than I or a hundred such have, or
• 1:35:42
  Speaker 1: ever shall have so long as I live. That were
• 1:35:46
  Speaker 1: a manifold folly by my troth, dear one, But I
• 1:35:51
  Speaker 1: would work your will with all my might, highly beholden
• 1:35:55
  Speaker 1: to you as I am, and I wish evermore to
• 1:35:59
  Speaker 1: be your servant, So God save me. Thus the fair
• 1:36:05
  Speaker 1: lady besought him and tried him oft, for to have
• 1:36:09
  Speaker 1: won him too wrong whatever it was she purposed. But
• 1:36:14
  Speaker 1: he defended himself fairly, so that no fault appeared, nor
• 1:36:19
  Speaker 1: any evil on either side. They knew not but joy.
• 1:36:24
  Speaker 1: They laughed and played a long time, till at last
• 1:36:28
  Speaker 1: she kissed him and took her leave fairly, and went
• 1:36:31
  Speaker 1: her way. Then the hero bestirred himself and rose to
• 1:36:36
  Speaker 1: the mass, And afterwards their dinner was dight and splendidly served.
• 1:36:42
  Speaker 1: The hero sported with the ladies all day. But the
• 1:36:46
  Speaker 1: lord raced over the land full oft, following his uncouth
• 1:36:50
  Speaker 1: swine that rushed along the banks and bit in sunder
• 1:36:54
  Speaker 1: the backs of his best bratches. There he abode at
• 1:37:00
  Speaker 1: his bay till bowmen broke it and maugre his head
• 1:37:05
  Speaker 1: made him move forth. Many fell arrows there flew when
• 1:37:11
  Speaker 1: the folk gathered about. But yet at times he made
• 1:37:15
  Speaker 1: the stoutest to start, till at last he was so
• 1:37:19
  Speaker 1: weary he could no more run. But with the haste
• 1:37:23
  Speaker 1: that he might, he won to a hole in a
• 1:37:27
  Speaker 1: clop by a rock where the burn runs. He got
• 1:37:32
  Speaker 1: the bank at his back and began to scrape. The
• 1:37:36
  Speaker 1: ugly froth foamed from the corners of his mouth, and
• 1:37:40
  Speaker 1: he wet his white tusks. It was not pleasant for
• 1:37:45
  Speaker 1: all the bold hunters that stood about him to approach him,
• 1:37:48
  Speaker 1: even remotely, and to go nigh him, durst none for
• 1:37:52
  Speaker 1: fear of harm. He had hurt so many before that
• 1:37:57
  Speaker 1: all seemed then full loath to be more torn with
• 1:38:01
  Speaker 1: the tusks of that savage and crazed beast. When the
• 1:38:07
  Speaker 1: knight came himself reining his deed, and saw him bide
• 1:38:12
  Speaker 1: at the bay near his men, he lighted nimbly down
• 1:38:16
  Speaker 1: left his cursor, pulled out a bright brand, and boldly
• 1:38:21
  Speaker 1: strode forth and hurried fast through the stream where the
• 1:38:25
  Speaker 1: fell one abode. The wild creature was ware of the white,
• 1:38:30
  Speaker 1: with weapon in hand, and heaved on high his hairs
• 1:38:36
  Speaker 1: so fiercely he snorted that many feared for their lord
• 1:38:40
  Speaker 1: lest to him befell the worst. The swine rushed directly
• 1:38:45
  Speaker 1: upon the hero, so that man and boar were both
• 1:38:49
  Speaker 1: in a heap in the wildest of the water. But
• 1:38:53
  Speaker 1: the boar had the worse, for the man marked him
• 1:38:56
  Speaker 1: well as they first met, and skillfully set his poor
• 1:39:00
  Speaker 1: point exactly in the slot, pierced him up to the hilt,
• 1:39:04
  Speaker 1: so that his heart split, and he gave way, squealing,
• 1:39:09
  Speaker 1: and went quickly down the water. A hundred hounds seized
• 1:39:14
  Speaker 1: him and fiercely bit on him. Men brought him to land,
• 1:39:18
  Speaker 1: and the dogs finished him. There was blowing of the
• 1:39:24
  Speaker 1: prize on many a loud horn, high hallooing, aloft by
• 1:39:29
  Speaker 1: mighty hunters. Branchets bade the beast, as the masters bade,
• 1:39:35
  Speaker 1: who were the chief huntsmen of that swift chase. Then
• 1:39:40
  Speaker 1: a wight that was wise and woodcraft begins skillfully to
• 1:39:44
  Speaker 1: unlace this bore. First he hews off his head and
• 1:39:48
  Speaker 1: sets it on high, and afterwards splits him all down
• 1:39:53
  Speaker 1: his rough back, and takes out the bowels and singes
• 1:39:57
  Speaker 1: them on the coals. Then with bread mingled with these
• 1:40:01
  Speaker 1: he rewards his hounds. Afterwards he cuts the brawn in
• 1:40:05
  Speaker 1: fine broad shields, and has out the hasslets in the
• 1:40:10
  Speaker 1: proper manner. And now they bind the halves all whole together,
• 1:40:16
  Speaker 1: and afterwards stoutly hang them on a stiff staff. Now
• 1:40:21
  Speaker 1: with this same swine they take their way home. The
• 1:40:25
  Speaker 1: boar's head was borne before the warrior who slew him
• 1:40:29
  Speaker 1: at this dream through the force of his own strong hand.
• 1:40:34
  Speaker 1: It seemed long to him until he saw Sir Gowan
• 1:40:37
  Speaker 1: in the hall. Then he called, and Gowan came promptly
• 1:40:41
  Speaker 1: to take his fees there. The lord jested full loudly
• 1:40:47
  Speaker 1: and merrily. He laughed when he saw Sir Gowan. With
• 1:40:50
  Speaker 1: pleasure he spoke. The good ladies were called, and the
• 1:40:54
  Speaker 1: household gathered. He showed them the shields and told them
• 1:40:58
  Speaker 1: the tale of the girth and the length of the
• 1:41:00
  Speaker 1: wild swine, and also of his viciousness in the wood
• 1:41:05
  Speaker 1: where he fled. That other knight ful calmly commended his
• 1:41:09
  Speaker 1: deeds and praised it as a great bag that he
• 1:41:12
  Speaker 1: had made for such brawn of a beast. The bold
• 1:41:17
  Speaker 1: man said, nor such sides of a swine saw he
• 1:41:21
  Speaker 1: never before. Then they handled the huge head. The courteous
• 1:41:26
  Speaker 1: man praised it and made much of it to honor
• 1:41:30
  Speaker 1: the Lord. Now gwan, quoth the good man, this game
• 1:41:34
  Speaker 1: is your own, by fine and fast forward. Truly ye
• 1:41:38
  Speaker 1: know it is, sooth quoth the hero, and is truly
• 1:41:43
  Speaker 1: all my getting. I shall give you in turn by
• 1:41:46
  Speaker 1: my trough. He took the warrior about the neck and
• 1:41:49
  Speaker 1: courteously kissed him, and another time he served him the same.
• 1:41:54
  Speaker 1: Now we are even, quoth the warrior to night, of
• 1:41:58
  Speaker 1: all the covenants that we knit by law since I
• 1:42:02
  Speaker 1: came hither, said the Lord, by Saint Giles, ye are
• 1:42:06
  Speaker 1: the best that I know. Ye will be rich in
• 1:42:09
  Speaker 1: a short time if ye drive such chafer. Then they
• 1:42:14
  Speaker 1: raised tables aloft on trestles, and cast cloths upon them.
• 1:42:20
  Speaker 1: The clear light then appeared along the walls, as men
• 1:42:23
  Speaker 1: set and distributed waxen torches all about the hall. Much
• 1:42:29
  Speaker 1: mirth and glee rose up therein about the fire and
• 1:42:32
  Speaker 1: the hearth, and in various wise at supper and after
• 1:42:37
  Speaker 1: many noble songs, they sang as Christmas carols and new
• 1:42:41
  Speaker 1: dance tunes, with all the mannerly mirth that a man
• 1:42:45
  Speaker 1: can tell of. And ever our lovely knight sat beside
• 1:42:49
  Speaker 1: the lady. Such seemly cheers she made to the hero,
• 1:42:54
  Speaker 1: sought with such sly stolen glances to please the stalwart miner.
• 1:42:59
  Speaker 1: That the white was all amazed and wroth with himself.
• 1:43:03
  Speaker 1: But he would not, on account of his breeding, reprove her,
• 1:43:07
  Speaker 1: but responded in all courteousy, how howsoever outrageous she might be.
• 1:43:15
  Speaker 1: When they had played in the hall as long as
• 1:43:17
  Speaker 1: their will lasted, the Lord called to bedwoods and to
• 1:43:22
  Speaker 1: the room with the fireplace they passed, and there they
• 1:43:27
  Speaker 1: drank and talk, and the Lord proposed again to make
• 1:43:30
  Speaker 1: the same arrangement for New Year's Eve. But the knight
• 1:43:34
  Speaker 1: craved leave to depart, for it was nigh at the
• 1:43:38
  Speaker 1: term that he must keep. The Lord hindered him from that,
• 1:43:41
  Speaker 1: persuaded him to linger, and said, as I am a
• 1:43:45
  Speaker 1: true man, I pledge my troth thou shalt reach the
• 1:43:48
  Speaker 1: green Chapel to do thy tasks, sir, by new Year's
• 1:43:53
  Speaker 1: light long before prime. Therefore, lie in thy loft and
• 1:43:58
  Speaker 1: take thine ease, and I shall. I'll hunt in this
• 1:44:00
  Speaker 1: holt and keep the covenant, change merchandise with thee when
• 1:44:05
  Speaker 1: I return hither, For I have tried thee twice, and
• 1:44:09
  Speaker 1: faithful I find thee now third time. Best time. Think
• 1:44:16
  Speaker 1: on the morrow. Make we marry while we may, and
• 1:44:19
  Speaker 1: be joyful. For a man can catch trouble whensoever he likes.
• 1:44:27
  Speaker 1: This was readily granted, and Gowan stayed. Drink was quickly
• 1:44:31
  Speaker 1: brought to them, and to bed they went with lights.
• 1:44:34
  Speaker 1: Sir Gowain lay and slept full still and soft all night.
• 1:44:39
  Speaker 1: The Lord, mindful of his hunting, was dightful. Early after Mass,
• 1:44:45
  Speaker 1: he and his men took a morsel. Mary was the
• 1:44:48
  Speaker 1: morning he asks for his mount, and all the sportsmen
• 1:44:52
  Speaker 1: who should accompany him on horse were ready mounted on
• 1:44:56
  Speaker 1: their steeds before the hall gates. Dress fair was the field,
• 1:45:01
  Speaker 1: for the frost still lingered. The sun rose in a
• 1:45:05
  Speaker 1: rack of ruddy red and drove all the clouds from
• 1:45:08
  Speaker 1: the welkin. The hunters uncoupled by a holt side, and
• 1:45:13
  Speaker 1: the rocks in the forest rang for the noise of
• 1:45:16
  Speaker 1: their horns. Some dogs fell in ascent where the fox
• 1:45:19
  Speaker 1: had loitered, followed it obliquely through the cunning of their wilds.
• 1:45:25
  Speaker 1: A kennet cried upon it. The huntsmen encouraged him and
• 1:45:29
  Speaker 1: his fellows hastened. After panting thickly, they ran forth in
• 1:45:35
  Speaker 1: a rabble on Renaud's very track, and he hurried before them.
• 1:45:40
  Speaker 1: Soon they found him, and when they actually saw him,
• 1:45:43
  Speaker 1: they chased him fast, baying him full fiercely with a
• 1:45:47
  Speaker 1: huge noise. And he tramps and runs through many a
• 1:45:53
  Speaker 1: rough grove, doubles, and hearkens by hedges full oft. At
• 1:45:58
  Speaker 1: the last by a little ditch, he leaps over a
• 1:46:01
  Speaker 1: spinney and steals out full stilly by a roughed rand.
• 1:46:07
  Speaker 1: Half escaped from the wood, he turns with wiles from
• 1:46:10
  Speaker 1: the hounds. But then he arrived ere he knew it
• 1:46:14
  Speaker 1: at a chosen stand, where in an instant three stout
• 1:46:19
  Speaker 1: hunters in gray threatened him at once. He blenched again
• 1:46:24
  Speaker 1: quickly and bravely started off. With all the woe in
• 1:46:29
  Speaker 1: the word, he turned away to the wood. Then was
• 1:46:34
  Speaker 1: it a pure joy to listen to the hounds. When
• 1:46:38
  Speaker 1: all the gathered mute got view of him, The cry
• 1:46:42
  Speaker 1: they sat on his head at the sight was as
• 1:46:45
  Speaker 1: if all the resounding cliffs had clattered down in a
• 1:46:49
  Speaker 1: heap here. He was hallooed loudly when the hunters met him,
• 1:46:54
  Speaker 1: loudly cried upon with noisy calls. There he was threatened
• 1:46:58
  Speaker 1: and often called thief. And ever the ticklers were at
• 1:47:02
  Speaker 1: his tail, so that he could not tarry. Oft was
• 1:47:07
  Speaker 1: he run at when he raked out, and oft he
• 1:47:10
  Speaker 1: reeled in again. So wily was Renard, And ever he
• 1:47:15
  Speaker 1: led the bespattered lord and his troop in this manner
• 1:47:19
  Speaker 1: among the hills, now in them, now over, now under.
• 1:47:24
  Speaker 1: While the courteous knight at home slept wholesomely within the
• 1:47:29
  Speaker 1: comely curtains on the cold morn. But the lady for
• 1:47:35
  Speaker 1: love cared not to sleep, nor to give up the
• 1:47:38
  Speaker 1: purpose that bode in her heart. But up she rose
• 1:47:42
  Speaker 1: quickly and took her way thither in a gay mantle,
• 1:47:46
  Speaker 1: neatly reaching to the earth, and furred full fine, with
• 1:47:51
  Speaker 1: skins of the best, no ornaments of gold on her head,
• 1:47:56
  Speaker 1: but only the bright stone set above her trest in
• 1:48:01
  Speaker 1: clusters of twenty, with her fair face and her lovely throat,
• 1:48:06
  Speaker 1: all naked, her breast bare before and behind too, she
• 1:48:11
  Speaker 1: comes within the chamber door and closes it. After her
• 1:48:16
  Speaker 1: throws up a window and calls out the white and
• 1:48:20
  Speaker 1: smartly thus stirred him with her fair, cheery words, Ah man,
• 1:48:26
  Speaker 1: how can you sleep this morning? Is so clear? Though
• 1:48:32
  Speaker 1: he was drowsing deep, yet could he hear her? In
• 1:48:37
  Speaker 1: the dreary depths of a dream. The noble was sunk,
• 1:48:40
  Speaker 1: like a man suffering from many sad thoughts. How destiny
• 1:48:45
  Speaker 1: should dight him? Is weird at the Green Chapel that
• 1:48:48
  Speaker 1: day when he met the man and had to abide
• 1:48:52
  Speaker 1: his buffet without more debate. But when he had fully
• 1:48:56
  Speaker 1: recovered his wits, he emerged from his dreams and answered
• 1:49:00
  Speaker 1: with haste. The lovely lady came, laughing, sweetly, stooped over
• 1:49:05
  Speaker 1: his fair face, and courteously kissed him. He welcomed her
• 1:49:10
  Speaker 1: worthily with choice cheer. To see her, so glorious and
• 1:49:14
  Speaker 1: so gaily attired, so faultless a feature, and so lovely
• 1:49:19
  Speaker 1: of color, warmed his heart with a welling joy. With
• 1:49:24
  Speaker 1: smooth and gracious smiling, they straight way waxed mirthful. All
• 1:49:29
  Speaker 1: was bliss and good cheer that passed between them. They
• 1:49:33
  Speaker 1: exchanged goodly words, much happiness they felt, and great was
• 1:49:38
  Speaker 1: the peril between them unless Mary thought of her knight,
• 1:49:44
  Speaker 1: For that beauteous princess constrained him so sorely, and the
• 1:49:49
  Speaker 1: danger pressed him so nigh that of necessity it behooved
• 1:49:53
  Speaker 1: him either to accept her love or rudely refuse it.
• 1:49:58
  Speaker 1: He thought much of his curtage see lest he should
• 1:50:01
  Speaker 1: prove a clown, and more on his villainy, lest he
• 1:50:05
  Speaker 1: should do sin and betraitor to the hero who owned
• 1:50:08
  Speaker 1: the castle god shield, quoth the warrior, that shall not
• 1:50:13
  Speaker 1: befall with a little loved aliance. He laid aside all
• 1:50:19
  Speaker 1: the point of speeches that sprang from her mouth, quoth
• 1:50:23
  Speaker 1: the lady to the hero, Ye deserve blame if ye
• 1:50:27
  Speaker 1: not love her, who is so near you, of all
• 1:50:31
  Speaker 1: creatures in the world, most wounded in heart, unless indeed
• 1:50:35
  Speaker 1: ye have a sweetheart, a dearer being that pleases you better.
• 1:50:40
  Speaker 1: And ye have plighted faith so firmly to that gentle one,
• 1:50:44
  Speaker 1: that ye care not loosen it verily. Now that is
• 1:50:49
  Speaker 1: what I believe, and I pray you that you tell
• 1:50:52
  Speaker 1: me truly, for all the loves in the world, deny
• 1:50:55
  Speaker 1: not the truth with guile, by saint, said the knight,
• 1:51:01
  Speaker 1: And courteously he smiled, I have none, and none will
• 1:51:05
  Speaker 1: I have. That is the worst of all, quoth the lady.
• 1:51:11
  Speaker 1: I am answered, indeed to my sorrow kiss me now calmly,
• 1:51:15
  Speaker 1: and I shall go. Hence I can only mourn in
• 1:51:18
  Speaker 1: the world as a maid that has loved much. Sighing,
• 1:51:23
  Speaker 1: she stooped down and kissed him seemly, and then she
• 1:51:28
  Speaker 1: severed from him, and said, as she stood now, dear
• 1:51:33
  Speaker 1: at this departing, do me this comfort, Give me somewhat
• 1:51:37
  Speaker 1: of thy gift, thy glove, if it might be that
• 1:51:41
  Speaker 1: I might think on thee sir, to lessen my mourning.
• 1:51:45
  Speaker 1: Now in truth, quoth that man, I would I had
• 1:51:49
  Speaker 1: here for thy love, the dearest thing that I wield,
• 1:51:53
  Speaker 1: For truly ye have right oft in reason deserved a
• 1:51:57
  Speaker 1: greater reward than I could reckon. But to exchange with
• 1:52:01
  Speaker 1: you love tokens that would profit but little. It is
• 1:52:06
  Speaker 1: not for your honor to have at this time a
• 1:52:09
  Speaker 1: glove of Gowan's gift for a keepsake. And I am
• 1:52:14
  Speaker 1: here on an errand in Land's uncouth, and have no
• 1:52:19
  Speaker 1: men with mails full of precious things for remembrance at
• 1:52:22
  Speaker 1: this moment. And that mislikes me, lady. But every man
• 1:52:28
  Speaker 1: must act according to his circumstances, and none should take
• 1:52:32
  Speaker 1: it ill or repine. Now courteous, an honorable one quoth
• 1:52:37
  Speaker 1: that lovesome lady. Though I shall have nothing of yours,
• 1:52:41
  Speaker 1: yet shall ye have of mine? She reached him a
• 1:52:46
  Speaker 1: rich ring of red gold work, with a gleaming stone
• 1:52:50
  Speaker 1: standing aloft that shed blushing beams like the bright sun.
• 1:52:57
  Speaker 1: Know ye well it was worth for wealth full huge.
• 1:53:04
  Speaker 1: But the man refused it, and readily he said, I
• 1:53:07
  Speaker 1: desire no great gifts, my gay one, at this time.
• 1:53:10
  Speaker 1: I have naught to give you, and naught will I take.
• 1:53:14
  Speaker 1: She offered it him full pressingly, and he refused her offer,
• 1:53:19
  Speaker 1: and swore swiftly on his sooth that he would not
• 1:53:23
  Speaker 1: take it. And she sorrowed that he refused, and said, thereafter,
• 1:53:27
  Speaker 1: if ye refuse my ring, since it seems too rich,
• 1:53:31
  Speaker 1: and ye would not be so highly beholden to me,
• 1:53:35
  Speaker 1: I shall give you my girdle that will enrich you less.
• 1:53:40
  Speaker 1: She lightly caught a lace that went about her sides,
• 1:53:43
  Speaker 1: knit upon her kirtle under the bright mantle. It was
• 1:53:47
  Speaker 1: adorned with green silk and ornamented with gold broidered all around,
• 1:53:53
  Speaker 1: decked with fringes, and that she offered to the hero,
• 1:53:57
  Speaker 1: and gaily besought that though it were unworthy, he would
• 1:54:01
  Speaker 1: take it, And he denied that he would in any wise,
• 1:54:05
  Speaker 1: take either gold or present ere. God sent him grace
• 1:54:09
  Speaker 1: to achieve the chance that he had chosen there. And
• 1:54:13
  Speaker 1: therefore I pray you be not displeased, and give over
• 1:54:17
  Speaker 1: your attempt, for I intend never to consent. I am
• 1:54:21
  Speaker 1: dearly beholden to you because of your entertainment, and ever
• 1:54:26
  Speaker 1: in hot and in cold, I will be your true servant.
• 1:54:31
  Speaker 1: Now refuse you this silk, said the lady there, because
• 1:54:35
  Speaker 1: it is simple in itself, as it certainly seems to be.
• 1:54:40
  Speaker 1: Lo little it is unless it is worth But whoso
• 1:54:45
  Speaker 1: knew the virtues that are knit therein, he would esteem
• 1:54:49
  Speaker 1: it at a greater price peradventure. For whatsoever man is
• 1:54:55
  Speaker 1: girt with this green lace, while he has it fittingly
• 1:54:59
  Speaker 1: wrapped about him, there is no warrior under heaven that
• 1:55:03
  Speaker 1: can wound him, For he would not be slain by
• 1:55:07
  Speaker 1: any device in the world. Then the night paused, and
• 1:55:14
  Speaker 1: it came to his heart that it would be a
• 1:55:18
  Speaker 1: jewel for the peril that awaited him when he arrived
• 1:55:21
  Speaker 1: at the chapel to undergo his ordeal. Could he manage
• 1:55:25
  Speaker 1: to be unslain that were a noble device. Then he
• 1:55:31
  Speaker 1: indulged her entreaties and suffered her to speak, and she
• 1:55:35
  Speaker 1: pressed the belt on him and offered it to him eagerly,
• 1:55:40
  Speaker 1: and he accepted it. And she gave it him with
• 1:55:44
  Speaker 1: a good will, and besought him for her sake, never
• 1:55:47
  Speaker 1: to discover it, but to conceal it loyally from her lord.
• 1:55:52
  Speaker 1: The man agreed that never person should know it, indeed,
• 1:55:56
  Speaker 1: but they twain full oft. He thanked her right glad
• 1:56:00
  Speaker 1: in heart, and thought by that she had kissed the
• 1:56:04
  Speaker 1: stout knight three times. Then she takes her leave and
• 1:56:10
  Speaker 1: leaves him there for more entertainment she could not get
• 1:56:14
  Speaker 1: from that man when she was gone. Sir Gawain bestirs himself,
• 1:56:19
  Speaker 1: rises and dresses in noble array. He lays up the
• 1:56:23
  Speaker 1: lovelace the lady had given him, hides it full cleverly
• 1:56:27
  Speaker 1: where he can find it again. Then promptly he takes
• 1:56:31
  Speaker 1: his way to the chapel, quietly approaches to the priest
• 1:56:34
  Speaker 1: and prays him there that he would elevate his life
• 1:56:38
  Speaker 1: and teach him better how his soul should be saved
• 1:56:42
  Speaker 1: when he should go. Hence, then he shrives him cleanly
• 1:56:47
  Speaker 1: and shows his misdeeds both the more and the less,
• 1:56:51
  Speaker 1: beseeches mercy and begs for absolution, and the priest assoils
• 1:56:57
  Speaker 1: him thoroughly and sets him as cleanly as if Doomsday
• 1:57:01
  Speaker 1: had been due on the morrow. And afterwards Gowan makes
• 1:57:05
  Speaker 1: more mirth among the fair ladies that day, with comely
• 1:57:09
  Speaker 1: carols and all kinds of joy, than ever he did
• 1:57:12
  Speaker 1: before till the dark night. Everyone had pleasure of him there,
• 1:57:17
  Speaker 1: and said indeed that he had never been so merry
• 1:57:21
  Speaker 1: since he came hither. Now let him linger in that
• 1:57:27
  Speaker 1: place where love be tied him. The Lord is still
• 1:57:32
  Speaker 1: in the field leading his men. He has overtaken the
• 1:57:36
  Speaker 1: fox that he has followed so long as he sprinted
• 1:57:39
  Speaker 1: over a spinney to spy the rascal. Where he heard
• 1:57:43
  Speaker 1: the hounds that hastened fast after him. Renard came running
• 1:57:47
  Speaker 1: through a rough grove, and all the rabble in a
• 1:57:51
  Speaker 1: rout right at his heels. The man was ware of
• 1:57:55
  Speaker 1: the game, and warily abode, hold out his bright brand
• 1:58:00
  Speaker 1: and struck at the beast. And he dodged from the
• 1:58:04
  Speaker 1: sharp weapon, and would have turned, but a dog seized
• 1:58:08
  Speaker 1: him ere he could and write before the horse's feet.
• 1:58:12
  Speaker 1: They all fell on him and worried the wily one.
• 1:58:15
  Speaker 1: With a great noise. The Lord lighted quickly and caught
• 1:58:19
  Speaker 1: him forthwith, pulled him full hastily out of the dog's mouths,
• 1:58:24
  Speaker 1: and holding him high over his head, hallooed fast. And
• 1:58:28
  Speaker 1: there many fierce hounds bade him hunters hide them thither
• 1:58:33
  Speaker 1: with horns full merry, ever blowing the rig sheet until
• 1:58:38
  Speaker 1: they saw the hero. As soon as his noble company
• 1:58:42
  Speaker 1: was come, all that bare bugle blew at once, and
• 1:58:47
  Speaker 1: all the others that had no horns hallooed. It was
• 1:58:51
  Speaker 1: the merriest mute that ever man heard, the rich riot
• 1:58:56
  Speaker 1: that there was raised for Renard's soul. They reward the
• 1:59:00
  Speaker 1: hounds there, stroked them and rubbed their heads. And afterwards
• 1:59:04
  Speaker 1: they took Renaud and turned off his coat. And then
• 1:59:11
  Speaker 1: they hastened home, for it was nigh night, blowing full
• 1:59:15
  Speaker 1: stoutly in their great horns. The lord alighted at last
• 1:59:19
  Speaker 1: at his dear home, found fire on the floor, and
• 1:59:22
  Speaker 1: the hero beside it. Sir Gowain, the good that glad
• 1:59:27
  Speaker 1: was withal among the ladies in their love, he had
• 1:59:31
  Speaker 1: much joy. He wore a mantle of blue that reached
• 1:59:34
  Speaker 1: to the earth. His surcoat, that was softly furred, became
• 1:59:38
  Speaker 1: him well, and his hood of the same hung on
• 1:59:42
  Speaker 1: his shoulder, trimmed all about with fine fur were both.
• 1:59:48
  Speaker 1: He met this good man in the middle of the floor,
• 1:59:50
  Speaker 1: and all joyfully he greeted him, and goodly he said,
• 1:59:54
  Speaker 1: Now I shall fulfill our covenant that we have just made.
• 1:59:58
  Speaker 1: Where no drink was fentd. Then he embraces the Knight
• 2:00:02
  Speaker 1: and kisses him thrice with as much gusto and as
• 2:00:05
  Speaker 1: soberly as he could give them. By Christ, quoth the
• 2:00:09
  Speaker 1: other knight, YE get much bliss in the profits of
• 2:00:13
  Speaker 1: this business if ye drive good bargains of the bargain,
• 2:00:17
  Speaker 1: no matter, quoth Curtly that other, so long as the
• 2:00:20
  Speaker 1: debts that I owed are properly paid, Mary, quoth the
• 2:00:24
  Speaker 1: other man. My offering is the worse, for I have
• 2:00:27
  Speaker 1: hunted all this day, and not have I got but
• 2:00:30
  Speaker 1: this foul fox fell the fiend have the good ones,
• 2:00:38
  Speaker 1: and that is full poor to pay for such fine
• 2:00:43
  Speaker 1: things as ye have given me here, three such rare kisses.
• 2:00:49
  Speaker 1: It is enough, quoth Sir Gawain. I thank you by
• 2:00:52
  Speaker 1: the rude. And as they stood there, the Lord told
• 2:00:56
  Speaker 1: him how the fox was slain with mirth and min's
• 2:01:01
  Speaker 1: with meats. At their will, they made as merry as
• 2:01:05
  Speaker 1: any men could, with laughing of ladies, with merry jests.
• 2:01:11
  Speaker 1: Gowin and the good men were both as glad as
• 2:01:14
  Speaker 1: if the court were mad or else drunk. Both the
• 2:01:18
  Speaker 1: man and his retinue made many jokes till the season arrived,
• 2:01:23
  Speaker 1: when they must sever the men had to go to
• 2:01:26
  Speaker 1: their beds at last. Then, humbly, this gentleman takes his
• 2:01:30
  Speaker 1: leave of the Lord first and fairly he thanks him
• 2:01:34
  Speaker 1: for such a joyous sojourn as I have had here,
• 2:01:38
  Speaker 1: For the honor you have shown me at this high feast,
• 2:01:41
  Speaker 1: the High King reward you. I can only give you
• 2:01:45
  Speaker 1: myself to be one of your men, if that pleases you,
• 2:01:48
  Speaker 1: For I must needs, as ye know, proceed tomorrow. If
• 2:01:53
  Speaker 1: ye grant me some man to show, as you promised,
• 2:01:57
  Speaker 1: the way to the Green Chapel, as God will suffer
• 2:02:00
  Speaker 1: me to take on New Year's Day the doom of
• 2:02:04
  Speaker 1: my fate in good faith, quoth the good Man, with
• 2:02:10
  Speaker 1: a good will, all that ever I promised you, I
• 2:02:13
  Speaker 1: will perform therewith. He assigns a servant to set him
• 2:02:18
  Speaker 1: in the way and conduct him by the downs, that
• 2:02:22
  Speaker 1: he should, without hesitation, travel through the forest and fare
• 2:02:26
  Speaker 1: at the best in the woods. The Lord thanked Gowin
• 2:02:30
  Speaker 1: for the worship he had been willing to show him.
• 2:02:33
  Speaker 1: Then the Knight took his leave of the beautiful ladies.
• 2:02:38
  Speaker 1: With care and with kissing, he speaks to them, and
• 2:02:41
  Speaker 1: many earnest thanks he presses upon them, and they returned
• 2:02:46
  Speaker 1: the same again. Promptly they entrusted him to Christ with
• 2:02:51
  Speaker 1: sighings full sad. Afterwards he graciously departs from the household.
• 2:02:58
  Speaker 1: Each man that he met he thanked him for his
• 2:03:01
  Speaker 1: service and his solace, and the various pains with which
• 2:03:05
  Speaker 1: they had been busy to serve him. And each man
• 2:03:10
  Speaker 1: was as sad to sever from him there as they
• 2:03:14
  Speaker 1: had ever dwelt worthily with that hero. Then, with people
• 2:03:18
  Speaker 1: and with light, he was led to his chamber, and
• 2:03:21
  Speaker 1: blithely brought to bed to be at his rest. Whether
• 2:03:26
  Speaker 1: he slept soundly I dared not say, for he had
• 2:03:30
  Speaker 1: much to think of on the morrow. If he would
• 2:03:34
  Speaker 1: let him lie there, he was near what he sought.
• 2:03:38
  Speaker 1: If ye will be still awhile I shall tell you
• 2:03:42
  Speaker 1: how they fared end a fit. The third fit. The
• 2:03:53
  Speaker 1: fourth now nighs the new year, and the night passes,
• 2:04:01
  Speaker 1: the day drives on to the dark as God bids,
• 2:04:05
  Speaker 1: But outside wild storms waken'd in the world. Clouds cast
• 2:04:11
  Speaker 1: the cold keenly to the earth, with discomfort enough to
• 2:04:16
  Speaker 1: the naked. The snow from the north flew sharply and
• 2:04:20
  Speaker 1: nipped the game. The blustering wind blew from the heights
• 2:04:25
  Speaker 1: and drove each dale full of great drifts. The man
• 2:04:30
  Speaker 1: who lay in his bed heard it right well. Though
• 2:04:33
  Speaker 1: he locks his lids full, little he sleeps by each
• 2:04:38
  Speaker 1: calk thick crew, he knew well the hour. Promptly he
• 2:04:43
  Speaker 1: leap'd up ere the day sprang, for there was the
• 2:04:47
  Speaker 1: light of a lamp that gleamed in his chamber. He
• 2:04:51
  Speaker 1: called to his chamberlain, who quickly answered him and bade
• 2:04:55
  Speaker 1: him bring his burney and saddle his horse. The chamberlain
• 2:05:01
  Speaker 1: gets up and fetches him his weeds, and arrays, Sir
• 2:05:04
  Speaker 1: Gowain in proper fashion. First he dressed him in all
• 2:05:08
  Speaker 1: in his clothes to keep out the cold, and then
• 2:05:11
  Speaker 1: he put on the rest of his harness that had
• 2:05:14
  Speaker 1: been well kept, both mail and plate, and brightly polished.
• 2:05:19
  Speaker 1: The rings of his rich burney had been rocked from
• 2:05:23
  Speaker 1: the rust, and all was fresh as at first. And
• 2:05:27
  Speaker 1: Gowin was fain to give thanks for it. The attendant
• 2:05:31
  Speaker 1: had wiped each piece well and often. Then the noblest
• 2:05:35
  Speaker 1: man betwixt here and grease bade his steed be brought. Meanwhile,
• 2:05:42
  Speaker 1: he threw upon himself his finest weeds, his surcoat, with
• 2:05:46
  Speaker 1: its cognizance of excellent work, virtuous stones set upon velvet,
• 2:05:52
  Speaker 1: all wrought about and bound with embroidered seams, and fairly
• 2:05:56
  Speaker 1: furred within with rare skins. Yet left he not the lace,
• 2:06:02
  Speaker 1: the lady's gift that forgot not gowin for his own good.
• 2:06:07
  Speaker 1: When he had belted his brand upon his broad haunches,
• 2:06:11
  Speaker 1: he dressed his love token double about him, the knight
• 2:06:16
  Speaker 1: swathed sweetly about his waist the girdle of green silk,
• 2:06:19
  Speaker 1: which became him well upon the royal red cloth that
• 2:06:24
  Speaker 1: was fair to see. But this hero wore not the
• 2:06:27
  Speaker 1: girdle for its wealth, for pride of the pendants, though
• 2:06:31
  Speaker 1: they were polished, and though the glittering gold gleamed on
• 2:06:34
  Speaker 1: the ends, but to save himself when it behooved him,
• 2:06:39
  Speaker 1: to suffer to await his doom without resistance, with no
• 2:06:43
  Speaker 1: brand or knife to defend him. By this, the good
• 2:06:47
  Speaker 1: man is ready and goes out quickly full often. He
• 2:06:51
  Speaker 1: thanks the distinguished company. Gringo Lay, the huge and strong
• 2:06:57
  Speaker 1: was ready, who had been kept skillfully in the best manner.
• 2:07:02
  Speaker 1: The proud horse, in his splendid condition, longed for spurring.
• 2:07:07
  Speaker 1: The hero approached him, noticed his coat and said, soberly
• 2:07:10
  Speaker 1: and by his sooth swore here in this castle is
• 2:07:14
  Speaker 1: a company that are mindful of courtesy. The man who
• 2:07:18
  Speaker 1: maintains them joy. May he have the dear lady love
• 2:07:22
  Speaker 1: betide her in this life, since they for charity cherish
• 2:07:27
  Speaker 1: a guest and uphold honor in their hand. May the
• 2:07:31
  Speaker 1: Being reward them, who holds the heavens on high, and
• 2:07:35
  Speaker 1: also you all. And if I might live any longer
• 2:07:39
  Speaker 1: in the world, I should give you some reward if
• 2:07:42
  Speaker 1: I could. Then he stepped into stirrup and strode aloft.
• 2:07:47
  Speaker 1: His servant offered him his shield. He put it on
• 2:07:50
  Speaker 1: his shoulder. He spurred Gringolae with his gilt heels, and
• 2:07:54
  Speaker 1: the steed jumped on the stone. No longer he stood still,
• 2:07:58
  Speaker 1: but pranced. Sir Gowan's servant, who bore his lance in helm,
• 2:08:03
  Speaker 1: was by then on the horse. This castle I entrust
• 2:08:07
  Speaker 1: to Christ. May he give it I good chance. The
• 2:08:12
  Speaker 1: bridge was let down, and the broad gates unbarred and
• 2:08:15
  Speaker 1: borne open on both sides. The hero crossed himself quickly
• 2:08:20
  Speaker 1: and passed the boards, praised the porter who knelt down
• 2:08:23
  Speaker 1: before him, giving good day, and praying God that he
• 2:08:27
  Speaker 1: save Gowan. And so he went on his way with
• 2:08:32
  Speaker 1: his one man that should teach him how to find
• 2:08:34
  Speaker 1: that dismal place where he should receive the rueful blow.
• 2:08:38
  Speaker 1: They rode by banks where boughs are bare. They climbed
• 2:08:42
  Speaker 1: by cliffs where the cold clings. The sky was upheld,
• 2:08:46
  Speaker 1: but it was ugly beneath. Mist hung on the moor
• 2:08:49
  Speaker 1: and melted on the mount. Each hill had a hat,
• 2:08:52
  Speaker 1: a huge mist cloak. Brooks boiled and broke from their banks,
• 2:08:58
  Speaker 1: about shattering s on their shores, where they showered down.
• 2:09:03
  Speaker 1: Dreary was the way where they should travel by the
• 2:09:06
  Speaker 1: wood till soon came the season when the sun rises.
• 2:09:11
  Speaker 1: At that time they were on a hill full high
• 2:09:14
  Speaker 1: the white snow about them, when the man that rode
• 2:09:17
  Speaker 1: beside them bade his master abide, I have brought you hither, sir,
• 2:09:23
  Speaker 1: at this time, and now ye are not far from
• 2:09:27
  Speaker 1: that famous spot that ye have asked and inquires so
• 2:09:30
  Speaker 1: specially after. But I shall say to you forsooth, since
• 2:09:34
  Speaker 1: I know you, and ye are a man that I love. Well,
• 2:09:38
  Speaker 1: if ye would work by my wit, ye should be
• 2:09:42
  Speaker 1: the better for it. The place that ye press to
• 2:09:45
  Speaker 1: is held full perilous. There dwells in that waste alight,
• 2:09:51
  Speaker 1: the worst upon earth. For he is stiff and stern,
• 2:09:54
  Speaker 1: and loves to strike. And greater he is than any
• 2:09:58
  Speaker 1: man in the world, and his body be bigger than
• 2:10:00
  Speaker 1: the four best that are in Arthur's house, and bigger
• 2:10:04
  Speaker 1: than Hector or any other. He maintains that adventure at
• 2:10:08
  Speaker 1: the Green Chapel. There passes by that place, none so
• 2:10:12
  Speaker 1: proud in arms, But he dens him to death with
• 2:10:15
  Speaker 1: dint of his hand, For he is a man without measure,
• 2:10:19
  Speaker 1: and uses no mercy. For be it Churl or Chaplain
• 2:10:23
  Speaker 1: that rides by the chapel, monk, or mass priest, or
• 2:10:28
  Speaker 1: any man else, he likes as well to kill him
• 2:10:31
  Speaker 1: as to go alive himself. Therefore, I tell ye, as
• 2:10:36
  Speaker 1: truly as ye sit in the saddle, come ye there
• 2:10:40
  Speaker 1: ye shall be killed. Trust me well, though ye had
• 2:10:44
  Speaker 1: twenty lives to spend, he has dwelt here full long
• 2:10:48
  Speaker 1: and caused much strife in the land against his swordints
• 2:10:52
  Speaker 1: ye cannot defend yourself. Therefore, good Sir Gawain, let the
• 2:10:59
  Speaker 1: fellow and go away some other road for God's sake,
• 2:11:03
  Speaker 1: repair to some other country where Christ may speed you.
• 2:11:07
  Speaker 1: And I shall hie me home again and promise you further,
• 2:11:11
  Speaker 1: which I will swear by God and all his good saints.
• 2:11:15
  Speaker 1: So help me God and the Haladom and oaths enough
• 2:11:19
  Speaker 1: that I will loyally conceal you, and never tell tale
• 2:11:22
  Speaker 1: that ever ye fled for any man that I know of.
• 2:11:26
  Speaker 1: Gram Mercy, quoth Gawin, And sternly he added, well worth
• 2:11:32
  Speaker 1: thee man who wishes my good, and I well believe
• 2:11:36
  Speaker 1: thou would slowly conceal, loyally conceal me. But if thou
• 2:11:40
  Speaker 1: kept promise, never so faithfully. And I gave up here
• 2:11:44
  Speaker 1: sought for fear to fly. As you advise, I were
• 2:11:48
  Speaker 1: a knight coward, I could not be excused. But I
• 2:11:54
  Speaker 1: will go to the chapel, whatever chance may fall, and
• 2:11:58
  Speaker 1: talk with that same man, and the tale that I like,
• 2:12:02
  Speaker 1: be good or evil as it pleases fate to have it.
• 2:12:06
  Speaker 1: Though he be a stern champion to cope with, and
• 2:12:09
  Speaker 1: armed with a club full well can God manage to
• 2:12:13
  Speaker 1: save his servants marry quoth the other man. Now, thou
• 2:12:19
  Speaker 1: sayest as much as that thou wilt take upon thyself
• 2:12:23
  Speaker 1: thine own destruction, if it pleases THEE to lose thy life,
• 2:12:27
  Speaker 1: I shall not let nor hinder THEE. Have here thy
• 2:12:35
  Speaker 1: helm on thy head, thy spear in thy hand, and
• 2:12:39
  Speaker 1: ride down this same lane by yon rockside till thou
• 2:12:43
  Speaker 1: be brought to the bottom of the ragged valley. Then
• 2:12:46
  Speaker 1: look a little up the grassy slope on thy left hand,
• 2:12:50
  Speaker 1: and thou shalt see in that ravine the chapel itself,
• 2:12:54
  Speaker 1: and the burly man on the field who keeps it.
• 2:12:57
  Speaker 1: Now farewell in God's name, Gow and the noble, for
• 2:13:01
  Speaker 1: all the gold in the world. I would not go
• 2:13:04
  Speaker 1: with thee, nor bear thee fellowship through this wood afoot further.
• 2:13:11
  Speaker 1: At that, the man turned his bridle in the wood
• 2:13:14
  Speaker 1: and hit the horse with his heels as hard as
• 2:13:17
  Speaker 1: he could, leaped over the land, and left the knight
• 2:13:20
  Speaker 1: there all alone. By God's self. Quoaf gwan, I will
• 2:13:25
  Speaker 1: neither grieve nor groan. By God's will, I am full obedient,
• 2:13:30
  Speaker 1: and to him I have entrusted myself Then he spurs
• 2:13:34
  Speaker 1: grigolet and follows the path, pushes in by a hollow
• 2:13:38
  Speaker 1: beside a thicket, rides through the rough slope right to
• 2:13:42
  Speaker 1: the dale. And then he looked about him and wild
• 2:13:45
  Speaker 1: it seemed to him he saw no sign of dwelling
• 2:13:48
  Speaker 1: anywhere around, but on both sides high steep banks and
• 2:13:53
  Speaker 1: rough hunched crags with projecting stones. The shadows of the
• 2:13:57
  Speaker 1: cliffs seemed to him terrible. Then he paused and held
• 2:14:02
  Speaker 1: back his horse, and off changed his cheer. While seeking
• 2:14:06
  Speaker 1: the chapel, he saw none such on any side, and strange,
• 2:14:10
  Speaker 1: it seemed to him. But soon a little distance off,
• 2:14:14
  Speaker 1: on a grassy spot, he descried a mound as it were,
• 2:14:18
  Speaker 1: a smooth hill by the bank of the stream, near
• 2:14:20
  Speaker 1: a ford of the flood that ran there. The burn
• 2:14:24
  Speaker 1: babbled there as if it were boiling. The Knight urges
• 2:14:28
  Speaker 1: his steed and comes to the hill, lights nimbly down,
• 2:14:33
  Speaker 1: and ties the rein and his rich bridle to a
• 2:14:36
  Speaker 1: tree by a rough branch. Then he turns to the
• 2:14:40
  Speaker 1: hill and walks about it, debating with himself what it
• 2:14:44
  Speaker 1: might be. It had a hole at the end and
• 2:14:48
  Speaker 1: on either side, and was overgrown with grass, and clumps everywhere,
• 2:14:55
  Speaker 1: and was all hollow within nothing but an old cave
• 2:15:00
  Speaker 1: or crevice of an old crag. He could not understand
• 2:15:05
  Speaker 1: it at all. Alas Lord, quoth the gentle Knight. Can
• 2:15:10
  Speaker 1: this be the green chapel here about midnight the devil
• 2:15:14
  Speaker 1: might tell his matins? Now, quoth Gawan, It certainly is
• 2:15:20
  Speaker 1: mysterious here this oratory is ugly overgrown with herbs, while
• 2:15:25
  Speaker 1: it beseems the white clad in green here to do
• 2:15:29
  Speaker 1: his devotions in the devil's wives. Now I feel in
• 2:15:33
  Speaker 1: my five wits it is the fiend that has made
• 2:15:36
  Speaker 1: this bargain with me to destroy me. Here this is
• 2:15:39
  Speaker 1: a chapel of mischance. May ill fortune be tied it.
• 2:15:43
  Speaker 1: It is the cursedess Kirk that ever I came in.
• 2:15:48
  Speaker 1: With high helm on his head, his lance in his hand,
• 2:15:52
  Speaker 1: he strides up to the rock of the rude dwelling.
• 2:15:55
  Speaker 1: Then he heard from that high hill, in a rough
• 2:15:58
  Speaker 1: cave on a bank beyond the brook, a marvelously savage noise.
• 2:16:04
  Speaker 1: Lo The cliff chattered as though it would split, as
• 2:16:08
  Speaker 1: if one were grinding a scythe on a grindstone. It
• 2:16:12
  Speaker 1: whirred and screeched like water at a mill. It rushed
• 2:16:16
  Speaker 1: and rang that it was ruth to hear. By God,
• 2:16:21
  Speaker 1: quoth Gawan. Then that gear I fancy is being prepared
• 2:16:25
  Speaker 1: to give me a good reception. Yet though I must
• 2:16:28
  Speaker 1: lose my life, fear shall never make me change color.
• 2:16:33
  Speaker 1: Then the knight called full High, who dwells in this place,
• 2:16:37
  Speaker 1: to keep covenant with me. For now, the good Gowan
• 2:16:40
  Speaker 1: is passing right here. If any white wishes aught, let
• 2:16:45
  Speaker 1: him come hither fast now or never, to fulfill his need. Abide,
• 2:16:51
  Speaker 1: quoth one on the bank over his head, thou shalt
• 2:16:55
  Speaker 1: have in all haste that which I promised thee once.
• 2:17:01
  Speaker 1: Yet he kept on with that noise sharply for a while,
• 2:17:05
  Speaker 1: turning and wetting. Ere he would come down. And then
• 2:17:09
  Speaker 1: he crossed by a crag and came from a hole,
• 2:17:12
  Speaker 1: whirling out of a dark place with a fell weapon,
• 2:17:16
  Speaker 1: a Danish axe, new dight to give the blow with it,
• 2:17:21
  Speaker 1: had fast to the helm. A great head sharpened on
• 2:17:24
  Speaker 1: the stone, four feet long was the weapon. No less
• 2:17:28
  Speaker 1: by that lace that gleamed full bright. And the man
• 2:17:32
  Speaker 1: in the green was arrayed as before, both his skin
• 2:17:36
  Speaker 1: and limbs, locks and beard, save that on foot he
• 2:17:42
  Speaker 1: strides fairly on the earth. He set the steel shaft
• 2:17:47
  Speaker 1: to the stone and stalked beside it. When he came
• 2:17:51
  Speaker 1: to the water, where he did not wish to wade,
• 2:17:54
  Speaker 1: he hopped over on his axe and fiercely advanced with
• 2:17:58
  Speaker 1: savage ferocity, hasting the broad snow cover'd glade. Sir Gawain
• 2:18:05
  Speaker 1: met the Knight and bowed to him, not at all low.
• 2:18:08
  Speaker 1: The other said, Now, sweet sir, in a covenant, a
• 2:18:12
  Speaker 1: man can trust thee, gawan, quoth the Green Warrior. May
• 2:18:18
  Speaker 1: God preserve thee. Indeed, thou art welcome hero to my place,
• 2:18:23
  Speaker 1: and thou hast time to thy travel as a true
• 2:18:25
  Speaker 1: man should, and thou knowest the covenants may between us.
• 2:18:30
  Speaker 1: At this time twelvemonth, thou tookest what fell to THEE,
• 2:18:34
  Speaker 1: and I at this new year, was to repay you handsomely.
• 2:18:37
  Speaker 1: And now we are in this valley entirely alone. Here
• 2:18:41
  Speaker 1: are no men to part us, however we may behave
• 2:18:46
  Speaker 1: have thy helm off thy head, and have here thy pay.
• 2:18:52
  Speaker 1: Make no more debate than I offered THEE. Then, when
• 2:18:57
  Speaker 1: thou whipped off my head at one blow, nay, quoth Gawen,
• 2:19:02
  Speaker 1: By God that lend me life, I shall grudge thee
• 2:19:05
  Speaker 1: not a whit whatever misfortune falls, but arrange thee for
• 2:19:09
  Speaker 1: thy one stroke, and I shall stand still and hinder
• 2:19:14
  Speaker 1: THEE not the least from doing the work as you like.
• 2:19:18
  Speaker 1: He ben the neck and bowed down, showing the flesh
• 2:19:22
  Speaker 1: all bare, and behaved as if he cared. Not for
• 2:19:28
  Speaker 1: no dread would he flinch. Then the man in green
• 2:19:32
  Speaker 1: got ready quickly gathered up his grim tool to smite
• 2:19:36
  Speaker 1: Gowan with all the might in his body. He bare
• 2:19:40
  Speaker 1: it aloft, and aim'd a savage blow, as though he
• 2:19:43
  Speaker 1: wished to kill him. Had it driven down as earnestly
• 2:19:47
  Speaker 1: as he fainted, the ever doughty one would have been
• 2:19:50
  Speaker 1: dead of his dint. But Gowan glanced to one side
• 2:19:54
  Speaker 1: on the chisarm as it came gliding down to slay
• 2:19:58
  Speaker 1: him there in the glade, and shrank a little with
• 2:20:02
  Speaker 1: the shoulders from the sharp iron. The other warrior, with
• 2:20:06
  Speaker 1: a quick motion, withheld the bright weapon, and then he
• 2:20:09
  Speaker 1: reprov'd the prince with many proud words, Thou art not Gowans,
• 2:20:15
  Speaker 1: that the man who is held so good, who never
• 2:20:18
  Speaker 1: flinched for any army by hill or by veil, And
• 2:20:21
  Speaker 1: now thou fleeest for fear before thou feelest any harm
• 2:20:26
  Speaker 1: such cowardice I never heard of that knight. I neither
• 2:20:31
  Speaker 1: WinCE nor fled, Sir, When thou didst strike, nor tried
• 2:20:36
  Speaker 1: any tricks in King Arthur's house, my head flew to
• 2:20:40
  Speaker 1: my foot, and yet I never budged, And thou ere
• 2:20:44
  Speaker 1: any harm taken. Art fearful in heart. Wherefore the better
• 2:20:49
  Speaker 1: man I ought to be called for it. I flinch'd once,
• 2:20:53
  Speaker 1: quoth Gawan, and will do so no more. Yet, if
• 2:20:58
  Speaker 1: my head should fall on the stones, I cannot restore it.
• 2:21:03
  Speaker 1: But make ready, sir, by my faith, and bring me
• 2:21:06
  Speaker 1: to the point. Deal to me my destiny, and do
• 2:21:10
  Speaker 1: it promptly, for I shall stand thee a stroke, and
• 2:21:14
  Speaker 1: not start again till thine axe has hit me. Have
• 2:21:18
  Speaker 1: here my troth have it thee, then, quoth the other,
• 2:21:22
  Speaker 1: and heaves it aloft and aims as savagely as if
• 2:21:25
  Speaker 1: he were mad. He strikes on him mightily, but touches
• 2:21:29
  Speaker 1: the man not, for he withheld his hand cleverly ere
• 2:21:36
  Speaker 1: it could hurt. Gowano waits it properly and flinches with
• 2:21:42
  Speaker 1: no member, but stands as a stone or a stump
• 2:21:46
  Speaker 1: that is twisted into the rocky ground with a hundred roots.
• 2:21:50
  Speaker 1: Then merrily spoke the man in green. So now thou
• 2:21:54
  Speaker 1: hast thy heart whole, it behooves me to hit. Now
• 2:21:58
  Speaker 1: keep back the fine that Arthur gave thee, and see
• 2:22:02
  Speaker 1: if thou canst keep thy neck whole from this stroke,
• 2:22:07
  Speaker 1: said Gowan, in great anger. Why thrash on thou wild man,
• 2:22:12
  Speaker 1: Thou threaten'dst too long? I guess that thine own heart
• 2:22:16
  Speaker 1: is timid. Forsooth quoth the other warrior. Thou speakest so
• 2:22:22
  Speaker 1: fiercely that I will not delay Thine erran a bit longer.
• 2:22:26
  Speaker 1: Then he takes his stride to strike, and knits both
• 2:22:29
  Speaker 1: brow and lip. No wonder Gowan mislikes it, and gives
• 2:22:33
  Speaker 1: up all thought of escape. Lightly, he lifts his axe
• 2:22:37
  Speaker 1: and lets the edge come down fairly on the bare neck. Yet,
• 2:22:42
  Speaker 1: though he smote rudely, it hurt him but little. It
• 2:22:46
  Speaker 1: only cut him on one side, so that it severed
• 2:22:49
  Speaker 1: the skin. The sharp bit reached the flesh through the fat,
• 2:22:53
  Speaker 1: fair fat, so that the bright blood shot over his
• 2:22:57
  Speaker 1: shoulders to the earth. And when the hero saw the
• 2:23:01
  Speaker 1: blood glint on the snow, he leaped forth more than
• 2:23:05
  Speaker 1: a spear's length, eagerly seized his helm, cast it on
• 2:23:09
  Speaker 1: his head, threw his shoulders under his fierce shield, pulled
• 2:23:13
  Speaker 1: out a bright's sword, and fiercely spoke. Never in this
• 2:23:17
  Speaker 1: world since he was born of his mother was he
• 2:23:20
  Speaker 1: half so blithe. Sease, Sir, of thy blow, offer me
• 2:23:25
  Speaker 1: no more. I have, without strife, taken a stroke in
• 2:23:29
  Speaker 1: this place, And if thou givest me more, I shall
• 2:23:31
  Speaker 1: promptly repay and yield quickly. Again. Trust thou that only
• 2:23:38
  Speaker 1: one stroke falls to me here. The covenant which we
• 2:23:40
  Speaker 1: made in Arthur's halls provided just that. And therefore, courteous Sir,
• 2:23:45
  Speaker 1: now hold the warrior turned from him and rested on
• 2:23:51
  Speaker 1: his axe. He set the shaft on the ground, leaned
• 2:23:55
  Speaker 1: on the head, and beheld how the doughty hero stood
• 2:23:58
  Speaker 1: his ground, grimly armed and devoid of fear in his heart.
• 2:24:03
  Speaker 1: It pleased him. Then, with a great voice and a
• 2:24:06
  Speaker 1: huge laugh, he spoke merrily to the hero, bold, Sir,
• 2:24:11
  Speaker 1: in this place, be not so savage. Nobody has here
• 2:24:15
  Speaker 1: unmannerly mishandled thee, nor done. But according to the covenant
• 2:24:19
  Speaker 1: made at the King's court, I promised thee a stroke,
• 2:24:22
  Speaker 1: and thou hast it hold THEE well paid, I release
• 2:24:26
  Speaker 1: THEE of the remnant of all other rights. Had I
• 2:24:31
  Speaker 1: been successful peradventure, I could have given you a worse buffet. First,
• 2:24:35
  Speaker 1: I menaced you merrily with a pure fate, and gave
• 2:24:39
  Speaker 1: THEE no blow, which was but justice, considering the covenant
• 2:24:43
  Speaker 1: we made on the first night, and which thou helped
• 2:24:46
  Speaker 1: with me trustily. For truly, all again, thou gave me,
• 2:24:50
  Speaker 1: as a good man should the second faith this morning, sir,
• 2:24:55
  Speaker 1: I proffered THEE, because thou didst kissed my fair wife,
• 2:24:59
  Speaker 1: and did hand the kisses over to me. For these
• 2:25:03
  Speaker 1: two occasions, I gave THEE here but two bare faiths
• 2:25:07
  Speaker 1: without harm. A true man truly restores such an one
• 2:25:13
  Speaker 1: need dread no harm. At the third time, thou didst fail.
• 2:25:19
  Speaker 1: And so take THEE that tap, for it is my
• 2:25:25
  Speaker 1: weed that thou wearest, that same woven girdle. Mine own
• 2:25:30
  Speaker 1: wife gave it THEE I know well, forsooth now know
• 2:25:35
  Speaker 1: I well thy kisses and thy virtues. Also, And as
• 2:25:39
  Speaker 1: for the wooing of my wife, I managed it myself.
• 2:25:43
  Speaker 1: I sent her to try THEE, And truly it seems
• 2:25:46
  Speaker 1: to me thou art the most faultless hero that ever
• 2:25:49
  Speaker 1: went on foot as a pearl is of greater price
• 2:25:54
  Speaker 1: than white peace. So is Gowan in good faith compared
• 2:25:58
  Speaker 1: with other gay knights. But in this case, sir, you
• 2:26:03
  Speaker 1: lacked a little, and loyalty failed you. But that was
• 2:26:09
  Speaker 1: form no amorous work, nor wooing either. But because ye
• 2:26:14
  Speaker 1: loved your life the less I believe that other brave
• 2:26:20
  Speaker 1: man stood awhile in his study. So stricken was he
• 2:26:23
  Speaker 1: for grief that he groaned within all the blood of
• 2:26:26
  Speaker 1: his breast rushed to his face, and he shrank for shame.
• 2:26:30
  Speaker 1: When the warrior talked, this was the first word that
• 2:26:33
  Speaker 1: the man spoke. Curse would be cowardice and covetousness, both
• 2:26:38
  Speaker 1: in you his villainy, and vice that destroy virtue. Then
• 2:26:43
  Speaker 1: he caught at the knot and loosed the fastening, fiercely
• 2:26:48
  Speaker 1: reached the belt to the warrior himself. Lo there is
• 2:26:52
  Speaker 1: the deception, foul may it fall for fear of thy knock.
• 2:26:56
  Speaker 1: Cowardice taught me to make a truce with covetousness, to
• 2:27:00
  Speaker 1: forsake my nature, which is generosity and loyalty that belongs
• 2:27:04
  Speaker 1: to knights. Now am I faulty and false? And a
• 2:27:08
  Speaker 1: coward have ever been from treachery and untruth ever come
• 2:27:13
  Speaker 1: sorrow and care. Here I confess to you, Knight, that
• 2:27:17
  Speaker 1: my conduct is all faulty. Let me but please you now,
• 2:27:20
  Speaker 1: and after I shall beware. Then the other laughed and said, courteously,
• 2:27:26
  Speaker 1: I hold it quite remedied the harm that I had.
• 2:27:29
  Speaker 1: Thou hast made a clean confession, acknowledging all thy misdeeds,
• 2:27:34
  Speaker 1: and hast received the penance openly. From the point of
• 2:27:37
  Speaker 1: my edge, I hold thee quit of that plight and
• 2:27:42
  Speaker 1: purified as clean as if thou hast never forfeited, since
• 2:27:48
  Speaker 1: thou wast first born. And I give thee, sir, the
• 2:27:52
  Speaker 1: girdle that is gold hemmed, since it is green, as
• 2:27:56
  Speaker 1: is my gown. Sir Gawin, ye may think upon this
• 2:28:00
  Speaker 1: same adventure where thou goest forth among great princes, and
• 2:28:04
  Speaker 1: this shall be a genuine token among chivalrous knights, of
• 2:28:08
  Speaker 1: the adventure of the Green Chapel. And ye shall come
• 2:28:12
  Speaker 1: again this new year to my dwelling, and we shall
• 2:28:16
  Speaker 1: revel the remnant of this rich feast full well. The
• 2:28:20
  Speaker 1: Lord pressed the invitation and said, with my wife, who
• 2:28:23
  Speaker 1: was your great enemy, I think we shall reconcile you, nay,
• 2:28:29
  Speaker 1: forsooth quoth the hero, and seizing his helm, he took
• 2:28:32
  Speaker 1: it off quickly and thanked the warrior. But I have
• 2:28:36
  Speaker 1: had a good visit. Bliss betide you, and may he
• 2:28:40
  Speaker 1: pay you well. Who directs all mercy, commend me to
• 2:28:44
  Speaker 1: that courteous one, your comely mate. Both the one and
• 2:28:47
  Speaker 1: the other, my honored ladies, who have thus with their
• 2:28:51
  Speaker 1: craft quaintly beguiled their knight. But it is no wonder
• 2:28:54
  Speaker 1: that a fool should rave and through wiles of women
• 2:28:58
  Speaker 1: be won to sorrow. For so was Adam beguiled by one,
• 2:29:03
  Speaker 1: and Solomon by many. Indeed, and Sampson also Delilah dealt
• 2:29:09
  Speaker 1: him his weird and David thereafter was deceiv'd by Bathsheba,
• 2:29:14
  Speaker 1: who suffer'd much sorrow. Since these men were plagued by
• 2:29:18
  Speaker 1: their wiles, it were a huge gain to love them
• 2:29:22
  Speaker 1: well and believe them not if a person but good.
• 2:29:27
  Speaker 1: For these men were of old, the best and the
• 2:29:31
  Speaker 1: most fortunate, excellent above all others under the heavens, and
• 2:29:35
  Speaker 1: all they were beguiled by women whom they had to
• 2:29:39
  Speaker 1: do with. If I be now deceived me, seems I
• 2:29:43
  Speaker 1: might be excused, But your girdle, quoth Gawan, God, reward
• 2:29:48
  Speaker 1: you for it. That will I keep with good will,
• 2:29:53
  Speaker 1: not for the precious gold, not for the psamite, nor
• 2:29:57
  Speaker 1: the silk, nor the white pendants, for its wealth, nor
• 2:30:02
  Speaker 1: for its beauty, nor for its fine work. But in
• 2:30:06
  Speaker 1: sign of my fault I shall behold it oft. When
• 2:30:10
  Speaker 1: I ride in renown, I shall lament to myself the
• 2:30:14
  Speaker 1: fault and the deceit of the crabbed flesh. How tender
• 2:30:18
  Speaker 1: it is to catch stains of filth. And thus, when
• 2:30:22
  Speaker 1: pride shall prick me for prowess of arms, a look
• 2:30:26
  Speaker 1: on this lovelace shall moderate my heart. But one thing
• 2:30:30
  Speaker 1: I would pray you. May it displease you not, Since
• 2:30:34
  Speaker 1: ye are lord of the land yonder where I have
• 2:30:36
  Speaker 1: stayed worshipfully with you. May the being who upholds the
• 2:30:41
  Speaker 1: heaven and sits on high repay you for it? How
• 2:30:45
  Speaker 1: name ye your right name? And then no more that
• 2:30:49
  Speaker 1: shall I tell thee truly quoth the other, then burn
• 2:30:53
  Speaker 1: lac d'Hote dessert. I am called in this land through
• 2:30:58
  Speaker 1: the might of Morgan Lee, who dwells in my house.
• 2:31:02
  Speaker 1: She has acquired deep learning hard one's skill. Many of
• 2:31:08
  Speaker 1: the masteries of Merlin. For she has at times dealt
• 2:31:12
  Speaker 1: in rare magic with that renowned clerk who knows all
• 2:31:16
  Speaker 1: your knights at home. Morgan, the goddess is therefore her name,
• 2:31:20
  Speaker 1: nor person is so haughty, but she contain him. She
• 2:31:24
  Speaker 1: sent me in this wise to your rich hall to
• 2:31:27
  Speaker 1: assay its pride, and try if it were true that
• 2:31:30
  Speaker 1: circulates about the great renown of the round table. She
• 2:31:34
  Speaker 1: prepared for me this wonder to take away your wits,
• 2:31:37
  Speaker 1: to have grieved Guenevere and caused her to die through
• 2:31:40
  Speaker 1: fright of that same man, that ghostly speaker with his
• 2:31:44
  Speaker 1: head in his hand before the high table. That is
• 2:31:47
  Speaker 1: she the ancient lady at home. She is even thine aunt,
• 2:31:53
  Speaker 1: Arthur's half sister, the daughter of that Duchess of Tindeville,
• 2:31:58
  Speaker 1: upon whom dear Uther afterwards begot Arthur, that is now king.
• 2:32:04
  Speaker 1: Therefore I beg you, sir, to come to thine aunt,
• 2:32:08
  Speaker 1: make merry in my house. My people love THEE, and
• 2:32:11
  Speaker 1: I THEE as well, Sir, by my faith, as I
• 2:32:15
  Speaker 1: do any man under God, for thy great truth. But
• 2:32:20
  Speaker 1: he answered him, nay, he would do. In no wise.
• 2:32:22
  Speaker 1: They embraced and kissed each entrusted other to the Prince
• 2:32:26
  Speaker 1: of Paradise, and they parted right there in the cold. Gowan,
• 2:32:31
  Speaker 1: on horseful fare, writes boldly to the King's court and
• 2:32:35
  Speaker 1: the Knight, all in green, whithersoever he would wild ways
• 2:32:40
  Speaker 1: in the world. Gowan now rides on Gringelae, He who
• 2:32:44
  Speaker 1: had got the boon of his life oft he harbored
• 2:32:47
  Speaker 1: in houses and oft without, and many an adventure and
• 2:32:51
  Speaker 1: veil he had, and one oft but that I care
• 2:32:54
  Speaker 1: not at this time to mention in my tale. The
• 2:32:57
  Speaker 1: hurt was whole that he had got in his neck,
• 2:33:00
  Speaker 1: and he bare the glistening belt about him, crossed obliquely
• 2:33:04
  Speaker 1: like a baldric, the lace fastened under his left arm
• 2:33:08
  Speaker 1: with a knot, and in token that he was taken
• 2:33:11
  Speaker 1: in a fault. And thus he comes to the court
• 2:33:15
  Speaker 1: the night, all sound, the awakened joy in that dwelling.
• 2:33:19
  Speaker 1: When the great ones knew that good Gowan had come joyous,
• 2:33:23
  Speaker 1: it seemed to them the king kisses the Knight, and
• 2:33:27
  Speaker 1: the queen also, and afterwards many a sure knight who
• 2:33:31
  Speaker 1: sought to embrace him, and asked him of his journey,
• 2:33:35
  Speaker 1: And wondrously he tells it, confessing all the trials that
• 2:33:39
  Speaker 1: he had, the adventure of the chapel, the behavior of
• 2:33:42
  Speaker 1: the Knight, the love of the lady, and at the
• 2:33:45
  Speaker 1: last the lace he showed them, the knick in his
• 2:33:49
  Speaker 1: neck that he caught the Lord's hands for his unloyalty.
• 2:33:53
  Speaker 1: He grieved when he had to tell it. He groaned
• 2:33:55
  Speaker 1: for sorrow, and the blood rushed to his face for shame.
• 2:33:58
  Speaker 1: When he declared it, lo, Lord, quoth the Hero, as
• 2:34:02
  Speaker 1: he handled the lace. This that I bear in my
• 2:34:05
  Speaker 1: neck is the badge of this blame. This is the
• 2:34:08
  Speaker 1: evil and the loss that I have got from the
• 2:34:10
  Speaker 1: cowardice in covetousness that I showed there. This is the
• 2:34:14
  Speaker 1: token of untruth that I am taken in, and I
• 2:34:17
  Speaker 1: must needs wear it while I may last, For none
• 2:34:21
  Speaker 1: may hide his shame without mishap, For where it once
• 2:34:26
  Speaker 1: is incurred depart it will never The King and all
• 2:34:31
  Speaker 1: the court comfort the Knight. They laugh loud his tale
• 2:34:35
  Speaker 1: and lovingly agree that the lords and the ladies that
• 2:34:38
  Speaker 1: belong to the table. Each Knight of the brotherhood should
• 2:34:41
  Speaker 1: have a baldric an oblique band about him of a
• 2:34:45
  Speaker 1: bright green, and where that for the sake of the hero,
• 2:34:49
  Speaker 1: and that emblem was accorded the renowned of the round table,
• 2:34:53
  Speaker 1: and he was ever after honored that had it. As
• 2:34:58
  Speaker 1: it is told in the Best Book of Romance. Thus
• 2:35:00
  Speaker 1: in Arthur's day this adventure be tid, which the Brutus
• 2:35:05
  Speaker 1: books bear a witness of. After Brutus the Bold Hero
• 2:35:09
  Speaker 1: first came hither, when the siege and the assault had
• 2:35:12
  Speaker 1: seized Detroit, many adventures of this sort happened. Now, may
• 2:35:17
  Speaker 1: he that bore the crown of Thorns bring us to
• 2:35:21
  Speaker 1: his bliss Amen