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003 - Chapter 3 · Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

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Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
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Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by M. J. Sir Gowan
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Speaker 1: and The Green Knight by W. A. Nielsen Translator fit.
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Speaker 1: The Fourth now nighs the new year, and the night passes.
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Speaker 1: The day drives on to the dark as God bids,
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Speaker 1: But outside, wild storms wakened in the world. Clouds cast
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Speaker 1: the cold keenly to the earth, with discomfort enough to
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Speaker 1: the naked. The snow from the north flew sharply and
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Speaker 1: nipped the game. The blustering wind blew from the height
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Speaker 1: and drove each dale full of great drifts. The man
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Speaker 1: who lay in his bed heard it right well. Though
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Speaker 1: he locks his lids full, little he sleeps by each
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Speaker 1: cock the crew. He knew well the hour. Promptly he
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Speaker 1: leaped up ere the day sprang, for there was the
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Speaker 1: light of a lamp that gleamed in his chamber. He
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Speaker 1: called to his chamberlain, who quickly answered him and bade
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Speaker 1: him bring his burney and saddle his horse. The chamberlain
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Speaker 1: gets up and fetches him his weeds and arraise Sir
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Speaker 1: Gowain in proper fashion. First he dressed him in all
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Speaker 1: in his clothes to keep out the cold. And then
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Speaker 1: he put on the rest of his harness that had
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Speaker 1: been well kept, both mail and plate, and brightly polished.
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Speaker 1: The rings of his rich bernie had been rocked from
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Speaker 1: the rust and all fresh as at first, and Gowan
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Speaker 1: was fain to give thanks for it. The attendant had
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Speaker 1: wiped each piece well and often. Then the noblest man
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Speaker 1: betwixt here and grease, bade his steed be brought. Meanwhile,
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Speaker 1: he threw upon himself his finest weeds, his surcoat, with
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Speaker 1: its cognisance of excellent work, virtuous stones set upon velvet,
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Speaker 1: all wrought about and bound with embroidered seams, and fairly
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Speaker 1: furred within with rare skins. Yet left he not the
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Speaker 1: lace the lady's gift that forgot not Gowan for his
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Speaker 1: own good. When he had belted his brand upon his
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Speaker 1: broad haunches, he dressed his love token double about him,
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Speaker 1: the knight, swathed sweetly about his waist the girdle of
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Speaker 1: green silk, which became him well upon the royal red
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Speaker 1: cloth that was fair to see. But this hero wore
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Speaker 1: not the girdle for its wealth, for pride of the pendants,
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Speaker 1: though they were polished, and though the glittering gold gleamed
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Speaker 1: on the ends, but to save himself when it behooved
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Speaker 1: him to suffer to await his doom without resistance, with
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Speaker 1: no brand or knife to defend him. By this, the
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Speaker 1: good man is ready and goes out quickly full often
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Speaker 1: he thanks the distinguished company. Gringolay, the huge and strong
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Speaker 1: was ready, who had been kept skillfully in the best manner.
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Speaker 1: The proud horse, in his splendid condition, longed for spurring.
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Speaker 1: The hero approached him, noticed his coat, and said, soberly
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Speaker 1: and by his sooth swore here in this castle is
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Speaker 1: a company that are mindful of courtesy. The man who
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Speaker 1: maintains them joy. May he have the dear lady love
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Speaker 1: betide her in this life, since they for charity cherish
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Speaker 1: a guest and uphold honor in their hand. May the
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Speaker 1: Being reward them, who holds the heavens on high, and
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Speaker 1: also you all. And if I might live any longer
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Speaker 1: in the world, I should give you some reward if
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Speaker 1: I could. Then he stepped into stirrup and strode aloft.
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Speaker 1: His servant offered him his shield. He put it on
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Speaker 1: his shoulder. He spurred Gringolai with his gilt heels, and
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Speaker 1: the steed jumped on the stone. No longer he stood still,
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Speaker 1: but pranced. Sir Gawain's servant, who bore his lance in helm,
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Speaker 1: was by then on the horse. This castle I entrust
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Speaker 1: to Christ. May he give it I good chance. The
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Speaker 1: bridge was let down, and the broad gates unbarred and
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Speaker 1: borne open on both sides. The hero crossed himself quickly
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Speaker 1: and passed the boards. Praised the porter who knelt down
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Speaker 1: before him, giving good day, and praying God that he
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Speaker 1: save Gowan. And so he went on his way with
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Speaker 1: his one man that should teach him how to find
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Speaker 1: that dismal place where he should receive the rueful blow.
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Speaker 1: They rode by banks where boughs are bare. They climbed
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Speaker 1: by cliffs where the cold clings. The sky was upheld,
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Speaker 1: but it was ugly beneath. Mist hung on the moor
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Speaker 1: and melted on the mount. Each hill had a hat,
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Speaker 1: a huge mist cloak brooks boiled and broke from their banks, about,
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Speaker 1: shattering sheer on their shores, where they showered down. Dreary
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Speaker 1: was the way where they should travel by the wood
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Speaker 1: till soon came the season when the sun rises. At
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Speaker 1: that time they were on a hill full high the
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Speaker 1: white snow about them, when the man that rode beside
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Speaker 1: them bade his master abide, I have brought you hither, sir,
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Speaker 1: at this time, and now ye are not far from
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Speaker 1: that famous spot that ye have asked and inquires so
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Speaker 1: specially after. But I shall say to you forsooth, since
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Speaker 1: I know you, and ye are a man that I
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Speaker 1: love well, if ye would work by my wit, ye
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Speaker 1: should be the better for it. The place that ye
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Speaker 1: press to is held full perilous. There dwells in that
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Speaker 1: waste alight, the worst upon earth. For he is stiff
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Speaker 1: and stern, and loves to strike. And greater he is
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Speaker 1: than any man in the world, and his body bigger
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Speaker 1: than the four best that are in Arthur's house, and
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Speaker 1: bigger than Hector or any other He maintains that adventure
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Speaker 1: at the Green Chapel. There passes by that place, none
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Speaker 1: so proud in arms, But he dens him to death
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Speaker 1: with dint of his hand, for he is a man
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Speaker 1: without measure and uses no mercy. For be it Churl
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Speaker 1: or Chaplain that rides by the chapel, monk or mass priest,
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Speaker 1: or any man else he likes as well to kill
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Speaker 1: him as to go alive himself. Therefore, I tell ye,
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Speaker 1: as truly as ye sit in the saddle, come ye there,
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Speaker 1: ye shall be killed. Trust me well, though ye had
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Speaker 1: twenty lives to spend, he has dwelt here full long
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Speaker 1: and caused much strife in the land. Against his sordints,
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Speaker 1: ye cannot defend yourself. Therefore, good sir Gawain, let the
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Speaker 1: fellow alone and go away some other road, for God's sake,
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Speaker 1: repair to some other country where Christ may speed you.
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Speaker 1: And I shall hie me home again and promise you further,
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Speaker 1: which I will swear by God and all his good saints.
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Speaker 1: So help me God and the Haladum and oaths enough
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Speaker 1: that I will loyally conceal you, and never tell tale
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Speaker 1: that ever ye fled for any man that I know of.
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Speaker 1: Gram Mercy, quoth Gawin, and sternly he added, well worth
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Speaker 1: thee man who wishes my good, and I well believe
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Speaker 1: thou would slowly conceal loyally conceal me. But if thou
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Speaker 1: kept promise, never so faithfully. And I gave up here
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Speaker 1: sought for fear to fly. As you advise I were
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Speaker 1: a knight coward, I could not be excused. But I
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Speaker 1: will go to the chapel, whatever chance may fall, and
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Speaker 1: talk with that same man the tale that I like,
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Speaker 1: be it good or evil, as it pleases fate to
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Speaker 1: have it. Though he be a stern champion to cope
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Speaker 1: with and armed with a club, full well can God
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Speaker 1: manage to save his servants? Marry quoth the other man?
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Speaker 1: Now thou sayest as much as that thou wilt take
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Speaker 1: upon thyself thine own destruction, if it pleases THEE to
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Speaker 1: lose thy life, I shall not let nor hinder THEE.
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Speaker 1: Have here thy helm on thy head, thy spear in
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Speaker 1: thy hand, and ride down this same lane by yon
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Speaker 1: rock side till thou be brought to the bottom of
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Speaker 1: the ragged valley. Then look a little up the grassy
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Speaker 1: slope on thy left hand, and thou shalt see in
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Speaker 1: that ravine the chapel itself, and the burly man on
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Speaker 1: the field who keeps it. Now farewell in God's name,
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Speaker 1: gowin the noble for all the gold in the world.
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Speaker 1: I would not go with thee, nor bear thee fellowship
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Speaker 1: through this wood afoot further. At that the man turned
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Speaker 1: his bridle in the wood and hit the horse with
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Speaker 1: his heels as hard as he could, leaped over the land,
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Speaker 1: and left the knight there all alone. By God's self
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Speaker 1: quaf gawan, I will neither grieve nor groan. By God's will,
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Speaker 1: I am full obedient, and to him I have entrusted myself.
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Speaker 1: Then he spurs grigolet and follows the path, pushes in
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Speaker 1: by a hollow beside a thicket, rides through the rough
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Speaker 1: slope right to the dale. And then he looked about him,
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Speaker 1: and wild it seemed to him he saw no sign
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Speaker 1: of dwelling anywhere around, but on both sides high steep
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Speaker 1: banks and rough, hunched crags with projecting stones. The shadows
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Speaker 1: of the cliffs seemed to him terrible. Then he paused
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Speaker 1: and held back his horse, and off changed his cheer.
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Speaker 1: While seeking the chapel, he saw none such on any side,
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Speaker 1: and strange, it seemed to him. But soon a little
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Speaker 1: distance off, on a grassy spot, he descried a mound
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Speaker 1: as it were, a smooth hill by the bank of
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Speaker 1: the stream, near a ford of the flood that ran there,
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Speaker 1: the burned as if it were boiling. The Knight urges
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Speaker 1: his steed and comes to the hill, lights nimbly down,
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Speaker 1: and ties the rain and his rich bridle to a
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Speaker 1: tree by a rough branch. Then he turns to the
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Speaker 1: hill and walks about it, debating with himself what it
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Speaker 1: might be. It had a hole at the end and
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Speaker 1: on either side, and was overgrown with grass and clumps everywhere,
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Speaker 1: and was all hollow within nothing but an old cave
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Speaker 1: or a crevice of an old crag. He could not
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Speaker 1: understand it at all. Alas Lord, quoth the gentle Knight,
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Speaker 1: Can this be the green chapel here about midnight? The
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Speaker 1: devil might tell his mattens, Now quoth Gawin. It certainly
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Speaker 1: is mysterious here this oratory is ugly overgrown with earth,
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Speaker 1: while it beseems the white clad in green here to
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Speaker 1: do his devotions in the devil's wives. Now I feel
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Speaker 1: in my five wits it is the fiend that has
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Speaker 1: made this bargain with me to destroy me here this
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Speaker 1: is a chapel of mischance. May ill fortune betide it.
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Speaker 1: It is the cursedess Kirk that ever I came in
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Speaker 1: with high helm on his head, his lance in his hand.
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Speaker 1: He strides up to the rock of the rude dwelling.
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Speaker 1: Then he heard from that high hill, in a rough cave,
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Speaker 1: on a bank beyond the brook, a marvelously savage noise
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Speaker 1: lo The cliff chattered as though it would split, as
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Speaker 1: if one were grinding a scythe on a grindstone. It
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Speaker 1: whirred and screeched like water at a mill. It rushed
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Speaker 1: and rang. That it was ruth to hear. By God,
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Speaker 1: quoth Gawan. Then that gear I fancy is being prepared
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Speaker 1: to give me a good reception. Yet though I must
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Speaker 1: lose my life, fear shall never make me change color.
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Speaker 1: Then the knight called full High, who dwells in this place,
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Speaker 1: to keep covenant with me. For now. The good Gowan
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Speaker 1: is passing right here. If any white wishes aunt, let
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Speaker 1: him come hither fast now or never, to fulfill his need. Abide,
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Speaker 1: quoth one on the bank over his head, thou shalt
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Speaker 1: have in all haste that which I promised thee once.
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Speaker 1: Yet he kept on with that noise sharply for a while,
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Speaker 1: turning and wetting. Ere he would come down. And then
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Speaker 1: he crossed by a crag and came from a hole,
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Speaker 1: whirling out of a dark place with a fell weapon,
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Speaker 1: a Danish axe, new dight to give the blow with it,
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Speaker 1: had fast to the helm. A great head sharpened on
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Speaker 1: the stone four feet long, was the weapon no less
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Speaker 1: by that lace that gleamed full bright. And the man
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Speaker 1: in the green was arrayed as before, both his skin
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Speaker 1: and limbs, locks and beard, save that on foot he
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Speaker 1: strides fairly on the earth. He set the steel shaft
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Speaker 1: to the stone and stalked beside it. When he came
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Speaker 1: to the water, where he did not wish to wade,
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Speaker 1: he hopped over on his axe and fiercely advanced with
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Speaker 1: savage ferocity, hasting the broad snow covered glade. Sir Gowain
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Speaker 1: met the Knight and bowed to him, not at all low.
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Speaker 1: The other said, Now, sweet Sir, in a covenant a
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Speaker 1: man can trust thee. Gowan quoth the Green Warrior. May
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Speaker 1: God preserve thee. Indeed, thou art welcome hero to my place,
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Speaker 1: And thou hast timed thy travel as a true man should,
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Speaker 1: And thou knowest the covenants may between us. At this
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Speaker 1: time twelvemonth, thou tookest what fell to THEE and I
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Speaker 1: at this new year was to repay you handsomely. And
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Speaker 1: now we are in this valley entirely alone. Here are
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Speaker 1: no men to part us. However we may behave have
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Speaker 1: thy helm off thy head, and have here thy pay.
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Speaker 1: Make no more debate than I offered THEE. Then, when
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Speaker 1: thou whip't off my head at one blow, nay, quoth Gawan,
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Speaker 1: by God that lend me life, I shall grudge THEE
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Speaker 1: not a whit whatever misfortune falls, But arrange THEE for
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Speaker 1: thy one stroke, and I shall stand still and hinder
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Speaker 1: THEE not the least from doing the work as you like.
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Speaker 1: He bend the neck and bow down, showing the flesh
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Speaker 1: all bare, and behaved as it he cared. Not for
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Speaker 1: no dread would he flinch. Then the man in green
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Speaker 1: got ready quickly gathered up his grim tool to smite
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Speaker 1: Gowan with all the might in his body. He bare
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Speaker 1: it aloft and aimed a savage blow as though he
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Speaker 1: wished to kill him. Had it driven down as earnestly
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Speaker 1: as he fainted, the ever doughty one would have been
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Speaker 1: dead of his dint. But Gowan glanced to one side
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Speaker 1: on the jisarm as it came gliding down to slay
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Speaker 1: him there in the glade, and shrank a little with
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Speaker 1: the shoulders from the sharp iron. The other warrior, with
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Speaker 1: a quick motion, withheld the bright weapon, and then he
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Speaker 1: reproved the Prince with many proud words. Thou art not, gowan,
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Speaker 1: said the man who is held so good, who never
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Speaker 1: flinched for any army by hill or by veil, And
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Speaker 1: now thou fleeest for fear before thou feelest any harm.
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Speaker 1: Such cowardice I never heard of that night. I neither
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Speaker 1: WinCE nor fled, Sir, when thou didst strike, nor tried
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Speaker 1: any tricks in King Arthur's house. My head flew to
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Speaker 1: my foot, and yet I never budg'd, and thou ere
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Speaker 1: any harm taken, art fearful in heart. Wherefore the better
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Speaker 1: man I ought to be call'd for it. I flinch'd once,
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Speaker 1: quoth Gallan, and will do so no more. Yet, if
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Speaker 1: my head should fall on the stones, I cannot restore it.
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Speaker 1: But make ready, sir, by my faith, and bring me
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Speaker 1: to the point. Deal to me my destiny, and do
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Speaker 1: it promptly, for I shall stand thee a stroke and
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Speaker 1: not start again till thine axe has hit me. Have
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Speaker 1: here my troth have it thee, then, quoth the other,
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Speaker 1: and heaves it aloft and aims a sad as if
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Speaker 1: he were mad. He strikes on him mightily, but touches
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Speaker 1: the man not, for he withheld his hand cleverly ere
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Speaker 1: it could hurt. Gowan awaits it properly and flinches with
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Speaker 1: no member, but stands as a stone or a stump
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Speaker 1: that is twisted into the rocky ground with a hundred roots.
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Speaker 1: Then merrily spoke the man in green. So now thou
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Speaker 1: hast thy heart whole? It behooves me to hint. Now
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Speaker 1: keep back the fine hood that Arthur gave thee, and
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Speaker 1: see if thou canst keep thy neck whole from this stroke,
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Speaker 1: said Gowan, in great anger. Why thrash on thou, wild man,
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Speaker 1: Thou threaten'dst too long? I guess that thine own heart
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Speaker 1: is timid, forsooth quoth the other warrior. Thou speakest so
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Speaker 1: fiercely that I will not delay thine air and a
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Speaker 1: bit longer. Then he takes his stride to strike, and
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Speaker 1: knits both brow and lip. No wonder, Gallan mislikes it,
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Speaker 1: and gives up all thought of escape. Lightly, he lifts
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Speaker 1: his axe and lets the edge come down fairly on
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Speaker 1: the bare neck. Yet, though he smote rudely. It hurt
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Speaker 1: him but little. It only cut him on one side,
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Speaker 1: so that it severed the skin. The sharp bit reached
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Speaker 1: the flesh through the fat, fair fat, so that the
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Speaker 1: bright blood shot over his shoulders to the earth. And
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Speaker 1: when the hero saw the blood glint on the snow,
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Speaker 1: he leaped forth more than a spear's length, eagerly seized
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Speaker 1: his helm, cast it on his head, threw his shoulders
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Speaker 1: under his fair shield, pulled out a bright's sword, and
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Speaker 1: fiercely spoke. Never in this world since he was born
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Speaker 1: of his mother was he half so blithe. See, Sir,
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Speaker 1: of thy blow, offer me no more. I have, without strife,
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Speaker 1: taken a stroke in this place, and if thou givest
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Speaker 1: me more, I shall promptly repay and yield quickly again,
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Speaker 1: trust thou that only one stroke falls to me here.
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Speaker 1: The covenant which we made in Arthur's halls provided just that.
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Speaker 1: And therefore, courteus, sir, now hold the warrior turned from
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Speaker 1: him and rested on his axe. He set the shaft
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Speaker 1: on the ground, leaned on the head, and beheld how
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Speaker 1: the doughty hero stood his ground, grimly, fully armed and
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Speaker 1: devoid of fear. In his heart. It pleased him. Then,
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Speaker 1: with a great voice and a huge laugh, he spoke
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Speaker 1: merrily to the hero bold, Sir, in this place, be
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Speaker 1: not so savage. Nobody has here unmannerly mishandled THEE, nor done.
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Speaker 1: But according to the covenant made at the King's court,
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Speaker 1: I promised THEE a stroke, and thou hast it hold
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Speaker 1: thee well paid. I release THEE of the remnant of
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Speaker 1: all other rights. Had I been successful peradventure, I could
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Speaker 1: have given you a worse buffet. First, I menaced you
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Speaker 1: merrily with a pure fate, and gave THEE no blow,
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Speaker 1: which was but justice, considering the covenant we made on
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Speaker 1: the first night, and which thou help with me trustily.
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Speaker 1: For truly all again thou gave me, as a good
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Speaker 1: man should the second faith. This morning, sir, I proffered thee,
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Speaker 1: because thou didst kiss'd my fair wife, and didst hand
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Speaker 1: the kisses over to me. For these two occasions, I
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Speaker 1: gave THEE here but two bare fates without harm. A
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Speaker 1: true man truly restores such an one need dread no harm.
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Speaker 1: At the third time, thou didst fail, And so take
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Speaker 1: THEE that tap, for it is my weed that thou
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Speaker 1: wearest that same woven girdle. Mine own wife gave it
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Speaker 1: thee I know well forsooth now know I well thy
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Speaker 1: kisses and thy virtues also, And as for the wooing
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Speaker 1: of my wife, I managed it myself. I sent her
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Speaker 1: to try thee. And truly it seems to me thou
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Speaker 1: art the most faultless hero that ever went on foot.
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Speaker 1: As a pearl is of greater price than white peas
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Speaker 1: so is Gowan in good faith compared with other gay knights.
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Speaker 1: But in this case, sir, you lacked a little, and
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Speaker 1: loyalty failed you. But that was for no amorous work
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Speaker 1: nor wooing either, But because ye loved your life, the
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Speaker 1: less I blame that other brave man stood awhile in
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Speaker 1: a study. So stricken was he for grief that he
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Speaker 1: groaned within all the blood of his breast rushed to
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Speaker 1: his face, and he shrank for shame. When the warrior talked,
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Speaker 1: This was the first word that the man spoke. Cursed
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Speaker 1: be cowardice and covetousness. Both in you is villainy and
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Speaker 1: vice that destroy virtue. Then he caught at the knot
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Speaker 1: and loosed the fastening fiercely, reached the belt to the
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Speaker 1: warrior himself. Lo, there is the deception foul may it
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Speaker 1: fall for fear of thy knock. Cowardice taught me to
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Speaker 1: make a truce with covetousness, to forsake my nature, which
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Speaker 1: is generosity and loyalty that belongs to knight's. Now am
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Speaker 1: I faulty and false and a coward? Have ever been?
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Speaker 1: From treachery and untruth? Ever? Come sorrow and care? Here?
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Speaker 1: I confess to you, Knight, that my conduct is all faulty.
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Speaker 1: Let me but please you now and after I shall beware.
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Speaker 1: Then the other laughed and said, courteously, I hold it
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Speaker 1: quite remedied the harm that I had. Thou hast made
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Speaker 1: a clean confession, acknowledging all thy misdeeds, and hast received
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Speaker 1: the penance openly. From the point of my edge, I
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Speaker 1: hold thee quit of that plight and purified as clean
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Speaker 1: as if thou hast never forfeited, since thou wast first born.
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Speaker 1: And I give thee, sir, the girdle that is gold hemmed,
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Speaker 1: since it is green as is my gown. Sir, gawain,
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Speaker 1: ye may think upon this same adventure where thou goest
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Speaker 1: forth among great princes, and this shall be a genuine
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Speaker 1: token among chivalrous knights of the adventure of the Green Chapel.
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Speaker 1: And ye shall come again this new year to my dwelling,
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Speaker 1: and we shall revel the remnant of this rich feast
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Speaker 1: full well. The Lord pressed the invitation and said, with
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Speaker 1: my wife, who was your great enemy, I think we
25:01
Speaker 1: shall reconcile you. Nay, forsooth quoth the hero, And seizing
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Speaker 1: his helm, he took it off quickly and thanked the warrior.
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Speaker 1: I have had a good visit. Bliss betide you, and
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Speaker 1: may he pay you well. Who directs all mercy, commend
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Speaker 1: me to that courteous one, your comely mate, both the
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Speaker 1: one and the other, my honored ladies, who have thus
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Speaker 1: with their craft quaintly beguiled their knight. But it is
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Speaker 1: no wonder that a fool should rave and through wiles
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Speaker 1: of women, be one to sorrow. For so was Adam
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Speaker 1: beguiled by one, and Solomon by many, indeed, and Sampson
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Speaker 1: also Delilah dealt him his weird and David thereafter was
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Speaker 1: deceived by Bathsheba, who suffered much sorrow. Since these men
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Speaker 1: were plagued by their wiles, it were a huge gain
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Speaker 1: to love them well and believe them, not if a
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Speaker 1: person but could. For these men were of old, the
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Speaker 1: best and the most fortunate, excellent above all others under
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Speaker 1: the heavens, and all they were beguiled by women whom
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Speaker 1: they had to do with. If I be now deceived
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Speaker 1: me seems I might be excused. But your girdle quoth Gawan, God,
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Speaker 1: reward you for it. That will I keep with good will,
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Speaker 1: Not for the precious gold, not for the psamite, nor
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Speaker 1: the silk, nor the white pendants, for its wealth, nor
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Speaker 1: for its beauty, nor for its fine work. But in
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Speaker 1: sign of my fault I shall behold it oft. When
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Speaker 1: I ride in renown, I shall lament to myself the
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Speaker 1: fault and the deceit of the crabbed flesh. How tender
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Speaker 1: it is to catch stains of filth. And thus, when
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Speaker 1: pride shall prick me for house of arms, a look
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Speaker 1: on this lovelace shall moderate my heart. But one thing
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Speaker 1: I would pray you. May it displease you not, Since
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Speaker 1: ye are lord of the land yonder where I have
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Speaker 1: stayed worshipfully with you, May the being who upholds the
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Speaker 1: heaven and sits on high repay you for it, how
27:20
Speaker 1: name ye your right name, and then no more that
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Speaker 1: shall I tell thee truly quoth the other, then burn
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Speaker 1: lack dahote dessert. I am called in this land through
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Speaker 1: the might of Morgan le Fay, who dwells in my house.
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Speaker 1: She has acquired deep learning hard one's skill, many of
27:44
Speaker 1: the masteries of Merlin. For she has at times dealt
27:47
Speaker 1: in rare magic with that renowned clerk who knows all
27:51
Speaker 1: your knights at home. Morgan the goddess is therefore her
27:55
Speaker 1: name nor person is so haughty, but she contain him.
27:59
Speaker 1: She sent me in this wise to your rich hall
28:02
Speaker 1: to essay its pride and try if it were true
28:05
Speaker 1: that circulates about the great renown of the round table.
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Speaker 1: She prepared for me this wonder to take away your
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Speaker 1: wits to have grieved Genevere and caused her to die
28:15
Speaker 1: through fright of that same man, that ghostly speaker with
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Speaker 1: his head in his hand before the high table. That
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Speaker 1: is she the ancient lady at home. She is even
28:26
Speaker 1: thine aunt, Arthur's half sister, the daughter of that Duchess
28:31
Speaker 1: of Tindiville, upon whom dear Uther afterwards be got Arthur
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Speaker 1: that is now King Therefore I beg you, Sir, to
28:42
Speaker 1: come to thine aunt, make marry in my house. My
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Speaker 1: people love THEE, and I THEE as well, Sir, by
28:49
Speaker 1: my faith, as I do any man under God, for
28:53
Speaker 1: thy great truth. But he answered him, nay, he would do.
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Speaker 1: In no wise, they embraced and kissed, each entrusted other
29:01
Speaker 1: to the Prince of Paradise, and they parted right there
29:04
Speaker 1: in the cold. Gowan, on horseful fare, writes boldly to
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Speaker 1: the King's court and the knight, all in green, whithersoever
29:13
Speaker 1: he would wild ways in the world. Gowan now rides
29:17
Speaker 1: on Gringlae, He who had got the boon of his
29:21
Speaker 1: life oft he harbored in houses and oft without, and
29:25
Speaker 1: many an adventure and veil he had, and one oft
29:29
Speaker 1: but that I care not at this time to mention
29:31
Speaker 1: in my tail. The hurt was whole that he had
29:34
Speaker 1: got in his neck, and he bare the glistening belt
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Speaker 1: about him, crossed obliquely like a baldric, the lace fastened
29:42
Speaker 1: under his left arm with a knot, and in token
29:46
Speaker 1: that he was taken in a fault. And thus he
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Speaker 1: comes to the court the night, all sound there wakened
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Speaker 1: joy in that dwelling. When the great ones knew that
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Speaker 1: good Gowan had come joyous, it seemed to them the
30:00
Speaker 1: King kisses the knight, and the queen also, and afterwards
30:04
Speaker 1: many a sure knight who sought to embrace him, and
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Speaker 1: asked him of his journey, And wondrously he tells it,
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Speaker 1: confessing all the trials that he had, the adventure of
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Speaker 1: the chapel, the behavior of the knight, the love of
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Speaker 1: the lady, and at the last the lace he showed them,
30:23
Speaker 1: the knick in his neck that he caught at the
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Speaker 1: Lord's hands for his unloyalty. He grieved when he had
30:29
Speaker 1: to tell it. He groaned for sorrow, and the blood
30:32
Speaker 1: rushed to his face for shame. When he declared it,
30:35
Speaker 1: lo Lord, quoth the hero, as he handled the lace.
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Speaker 1: This that I bear in my neck is the badge
30:41
Speaker 1: of this blame. This is the evil and the loss
30:44
Speaker 1: that I have got from the cowardice in covetousness that
30:48
Speaker 1: I showed there. This is the token of untruth that
30:51
Speaker 1: I am taken in, and I must needs wear it
30:54
Speaker 1: while I may last, For none may hide his shame
30:58
Speaker 1: without mishap, For where it once is incurred, depart it
31:04
Speaker 1: will never the king and all the court comfort the Knight.
31:08
Speaker 1: They laughed loud at his tale, and lovingly agree that
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Speaker 1: the lords and the ladies that belonged to the table,
31:15
Speaker 1: each knight of the brotherhood should have a baldric an
31:18
Speaker 1: oblique band about him of a bright green, and where
31:22
Speaker 1: that for the sake of the hero, and that emblem
31:25
Speaker 1: was accorded the renowned of the round table, and he
31:29
Speaker 1: was ever after honored that had it, As it is
31:33
Speaker 1: told in the best book of Romance. Thus, in Arthur's
31:36
Speaker 1: day this adventure be tid, which the Brutus books bear
31:41
Speaker 1: a witness of. After Brutus, the Bold Hero first came hither,
31:46
Speaker 1: when the siege and the assault had seized Detroit, many
31:49
Speaker 1: adventures of this sort happened. Now, may he that bore
31:53
Speaker 1: the crown of Thorns bring us to his bliss amenchimalposs.
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Speaker 1: This has been a LibriVox recording. For more information or
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Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by M. J.
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Speaker 1: Sir Gowan and The Green Knight, translated by W. A.
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Speaker 1: Nielsen