Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, page 9
74‘Do you refuse now this silk,’ said the fair lady,
‘because in itself it is poor? And so it appears.
See how small ’tis in size, and smaller in value!
But one who knew of the nature that is knit therewithin
would appraise it probably at a price far higher.
For whoever goes girdled with this green riband,
while he keeps it well clasped closely about him,
there is none so hardy under heaven that to hew him were able;
for he could not be killed by any cunning of hand.’
The knight then took note, and thought now in his heart,
’twould be a prize in that peril that was appointed to him.
When he gained the Green Chapel to get there his sentence,
if by some sleight he were not slain, ’twould be a sovereign device.
Then he bore with her rebuke, and debated not her words;
and she pressed on him the belt, and proffered it in earnest;
and he agreed, and she gave it very gladly indeed,
and prayed him for her sake to part with it never,
but on his honour hide it from her husband; and he then agreed
that no one ever should know, nay, none in the world
but they.
With earnest heart and mood
great thanks he oft did say.
She then the knight so good
a third time kissed that day.
75Then she left him alone, her leave taking,
for amusement from the man no more could she get.
When she was gone Sir Gawain got him soon ready,
arose and robed himself in raiment noble.
He laid up the love-lace that the lady had given,
hiding it heedfully where he after might find it.
Then first of all he chose to fare to the chapel,
privately approached a priest, and prayed that he there
would uplift his life, that he might learn better
how his soul should be saved, when he was sent from the world.
There he cleanly confessed him and declared his misdeeds,
both the more and the less, and for mercy he begged,
to absolve him of them all he besought the good man;
and he assoiled him and made him as safe and as clean
as for Doom’s Day indeed, were it due on the morrow.
Thereafter more merry he made among the fair ladies,
with carol-dances gentle and all kinds of rejoicing,
than ever he did ere that day, till the darkness of night,
in bliss.
Each man there said: ‘I vow
a delight to all he is!
Since hither he came till now,
he was ne’er so gay as this.’
76Now indoors let him dwell and have dearest delight,
while the free lord yet fares afield in his sports!
At last the fox he has felled that he followed so long;
for, as he spurred through a spinney to espy there the villain,
where the hounds he had heard that hard on him pressed,
Reynard on his road came through a rough thicket,
and all the rabble in a rush were right on his heels.
The man is aware of the wild thing, and watchful awaits him,
brings out his bright brand and at the beast hurls it;
and he blenched at the blade, and would have backed if he could.
A hound hastened up, and had him ere he could;
and right before the horse’s feet they fell on him all,
and worried there the wily one with a wild clamour.
The lord quickly alights and lifts him at once,
snatching him swiftly from their slavering mouths,
holds him high o’er his head, hallooing loudly;
and there bay at him fiercely many furious hounds.
Huntsmen hurried thither, with horns full many
ever sounding the assembly, till they saw the master.
When together had come his company noble,
all that ever bore bugle were blowing at once,
and all the others hallooed that had not a horn:
it was the merriest music that ever men harkened,
the resounding song there raised that for Reynard’s soul
awoke.
To hounds they pay their fees,
their heads they fondly stroke,
and Reynard then they seize,
and off they skin his cloak.
77And then homeward they hastened, for at hand was now night,
making strong music on their mighty horns.
The lord alighted at last at his beloved abode,
found a fire in the hall, and fair by the hearth
Sir Gawain the good, and gay was he too,
among the ladies in delight his lot was most joyful.
He was clad in a blue cloak that came to the ground;
his surcoat well beseemed him with its soft lining,
and its hood of like hue that hung on his shoulder:
all fringed with white fur very finely were both.
He met indeed the master in the midst of the floor,
and in gaiety greeted him, and graciously said:
‘In this case I will first our covenant fulfil
that to our good we agreed, when ungrudged went the drink.’
He clasps then the knight and kisses him thrice,
as long and deliciously as he could lay them upon him.
‘By Christ!’ the other quoth, ‘you’ve come by a fortune
in winning such wares, were they worth what you paid.’
‘Indeed, the price was not important,’ promptly he answered,
‘whereas plainly is paid now the profit I gained.’
‘Marry!’ said the other man, ‘mine is not up to’t;
for I have hunted all this day, and naught else have I got
but this foul fox-fell – the Fiend have the goods! –
and that is price very poor to pay for such treasures
as these you have thrust upon me, three such kisses
so good.’
‘’Tis enough,’ then said Gawain.
‘I thank you, by the Rood,’
and how the fox was slain
he told him as they stood.
78With mirth and minstrelsy and meats at their pleasure
as merry they made as any men could be;
amid the laughter of ladies and light words of jest
both Gawain and the good man could no gayer have proved,
unless they had doted indeed or else drunken had been.
Both the host and his household went on with their games,
till the hour had approached when part must they all;
to bed were now bound the brave folk at last.
Bowing low his leave of the lord there first
the good knight then took, and graciously thanked him:
‘For such a wondrous welcome as within these walls I have had,
for your honour at this high feast the High King reward you!
In your service I set myself, your servant, if you will.
For I must needs make a move tomorrow, as you know,
if you give me some good man to go, as you promised,
and guide me to the Green Chapel, as God may permit me
to face on New Year’s day such doom as befalls me.’
‘On my word,’ said his host, ‘with hearty good will
to all that ever I promised I promptly shall hold.’
Then a servant he assigns him to set him on the road,
and by the downs to conduct him, that without doubt or delay
he might through wild and through wood ways most
straight pursue.
Said Gawain, ‘My thanks receive,
such a favour you will do!’
The knight then took his leave
of those noble ladies two.
79Sadly he kissed them and said his farewells,
and pressed oft upon them in plenty his thanks,
and they promptly the same again repaid him;
to God’s keeping they gave him, grievously sighing.
Then from the people of the castle he with courtesy parted;
all the men that he met he remembered with thanks
for their care for his comfort and their kind service,
and the trouble each had taken in attendance upon him;
and every one was as woeful to wish him adieu
as had they lived all their lives with his lordship in honour.
Then with link-men and lights he was led to his chamber
and brought sweetly to bed, there to be at his rest.
That soundly he slept then assert will I not,
for he had many matters in the morning to mind, if he
would, in thought.
There let him lie in peace,
near now is the tryst he sought.
If a while you will hold your peace,
I will tell the deeds they wrought!
IV
NOW New Year draws near and the night passes, day comes driving the dark, as ordained by God; but wild weathers of the world awake in the land, clouds cast keenly the cold upon earth with bitter breath from the North biting the naked. Snow comes shivering sharp to shrivel the wild things, the whistling wind whirls from the heights and drives every dale full of drifts very deep. Long the knight listens as he lies in his bed; though he lays down his eyelids, very little he sleeps: at the crow of every cock he recalls well his tryst. Briskly he rose from his bed ere the break of day, for there was light from a lamp that illumined his chamber. He called to his chamberlain, who quickly him answered, and he bade him bring his byrnie and his beast saddle. The man got him up and his gear fetched him, and garbed then Sir Gawain in great array; first he clad him in his clothes to keep out the cold, and after that in his harness that with heed had been tended, both his pauncer and his plates polished all brightly, the rings rid of the rust on his rich byrnie: all was neat as if new, and the knight him
thanked with delight.
He put on every piece
all burnished well and bright;
most gallant from here to Greece
for his courser called the knight.
81While the proudest of his apparel he put on himself:
his coat-armour, with the cognisance of the clear symbol
upon velvet environed with virtuous gems
all bound and braided about it, with broidered seams
and with fine furs lined wondrous fairly within,
yet he overlooked not the lace that the lady had given him;
that Gawain forgot not, of his own good thinking;
when he had belted his brand upon his buxom haunches,
he twined the love-token twice then about him,
and swiftly he swathed it sweetly about his waist,
that girdle of green silk, and gallant it looked
upon the royal red cloth that was rich to behold.
But he wore not for worth nor for wealth this girdle,
not for pride in the pendants, though polished they were,
not though the glittering gold there gleamed at the ends,
but so that himself he might save when suffer he must,
must abide bane without debating it with blade or with
brand of war.
When arrayed the knight so bold
came out before the door,
to all that high household
great thanks he gave once more.
82Now Gringolet was groomed, the great horse and high,
who had been lodged to his liking and loyally tended:
fain to gallop was that gallant horse for his good fettle.
His master to him came and marked well his coat,
and said: ‘Now solemnly myself I swear on my troth
there is a company in this castle that is careful of honour!
Their lord that them leads, may his lot be joyful!
Their beloved lady in life may delight befall her!
If they out of charity thus cherish a guest,
upholding their house in honour, may He them reward
that upholds heaven on high, and all of you too!
And if life a little longer I might lead upon earth,
I would give you some guerdon gladly, were I able.’
Then he steps in the stirrup and strides on his horse;
his shield his man showed him, and on shoulder he slung it,
Gringolet he goaded with his gilded heels,
and he plunged forth on the pavement, and prancing no
more stood there.
Ready now was his squire to ride
that his helm and lance would bear.
‘Christ keep this castle!’ he cried
and wished it fortune fair.
83The bridge was brought down and the broad gates then
unbarred and swung back upon both hinges.
The brave man blessed himself, and the boards crossing,
bade the porter up rise, who before the prince kneeling
gave him ‘Good day, Sir Gawain!’, and ‘God save you!’
Then he went on his way with the one man only
to guide him as he goes to that grievous place
where he is due to endure the dolorous blow.
They go by banks and by braes where branches are bare,
they climb along cliffs where clingeth the cold;
the heavens are lifted high, but under them evilly
mist hangs moist on the moor, melts on the mountains;
every hill has a hat, a mist-mantle huge.
Brooks break and boil on braes all about,
bright bubbling on their banks where they bustle downwards.
Very wild through the wood is the way they must take,
until soon comes the season when the sun rises
that day.
On a high hill they abode,
white snow beside them lay;
the man that by him rode
there bade his master stay.
84‘For so far I have taken you, sir, at this time,
and now you are near to that noted place
that you have enquired and questioned so curiously after.
But I will announce now the truth, since you are known to me,
and you are a lord in this life that I love greatly,
if you would follow my advice you would fare better.
The place that you pass to, men perilous hold it,
the worst wight in the world in that waste dwelleth;
for he is stout and stern, and to strike he delights,
and he mightier than any man upon middle-earth is,
and his body is bigger than the four best men
that are in Arthur’s house, either Hestor or others.
All goes as he chooses at the Green Chapel;
no one passes by that place so proud in his arms
that he hews not to death by dint of his hand.
For he is a man monstrous, and mercy he knows not;
for be it a churl or a chaplain that by the Chapel rideth,
a monk or a mass-priest or any man besides,
he would as soon have him slain as himself go alive.
And so I say to you, as sure as you sit in your saddle,
if you come there, you’ll be killed, if the carl has his way.
Trust me, that is true, though you had twenty lives
to yield.
He here has dwelt now long
and stirred much strife on field;
against his strokes so strong
yourself you cannot shield.
85And so, good Sir Gawain, now go another way,
and let the man alone, for the love of God, sir!
Come to some other country, and there may Christ keep you!
And I shall haste me home again, and on my honour I promise
that I swear will by God and all His gracious saints,
so help me God and the Halidom, and other oaths a
plenty,
that I will safe keep your secret, and say not a word
that ever you fain were to flee for any foe that I knew of.’
‘Gramercy!’ quoth Gawain, and regretfully answered:
‘Well, man, I wish thee, who wishest my good,
and keep safe my secret, I am certain thou wouldst.
But however heedfully thou hid it, if I here departed
fain in fear now to flee, in the fashion thou speakest,
I should a knight coward be, I could not be excused.
Nay, I’ll fare to the Chapel, whatever chance may befall,
and have such words with that wild man as my wish is
to say, come fair or come foul, as fate will allot
me there.
He may be a fearsome knave
to tame, and club may bear;
but His servants true to save
the Lord can well prepare.’
86‘Marry!’ quoth the other man, ‘now thou makest it so clear
that thou wishest thine own bane to bring on thyself,
and to lose thy life hast a liking, to delay thee I care not!
Have here thy helm on thy head, thy spear in thy hand,
and ride down by yon rock-side where runs this same track,
till thou art brought to the bottom of the baleful valley.
A little to thy left hand then look o’er the green,
and thou wilt see on the slope the selfsame chapel,
and the great man and grim on ground that it keeps.
Now farewell in God’s name, Gawain the noble!
For all the gold in the world I would not go with thee,
nor bear thee fellowship through this forest one foot further!’
With that his bridle towards the wood back the man turneth,
hits his horse with his heels as hard as he can,
gallops on the greenway, and the good knight there leaves
alone,
Quoth Gawain: ‘By God on high
I will neither grieve nor groan.
With God’s will I comply,
Whose protection I do own.’
87Then he put spurs to Gringolet, and espying the track,
thrust in along a bank by a thicket’s border,
rode down the rough brae right to the valley;
and then he gazed all about: a grim place he thought it,
and saw no sign of shelter on any side at all,
only high hillsides sheer upon either hand,
and notched knuckled crags with gnarled boulders;
the very skies by the peaks were scraped, it appeared.
Then he halted and held in his horse for the time,
