The Story of King Arthur and his Knights
“Ha, Messires, if ye are in search of adventures, ye may find one not
very far from this place.”
[Sidenote: _The abbot telleth the knights of a good adventure._]
So Sir Gawaine said, “What adventure is that?” And the abbot replied, “I
will tell ye; if ye will travel to the eastward from this place, ye will
come, after a while, to a spot where ye shall find a very fair castle of
gray stone. In front of that castle ye will find a good level meadow,
and in the midst of the meadow a sycamore-tree, and upon the
sycamore-tree a shield to which certain ladies offer affront in a very
singular manner. If ye forbid those ladies to affront that shield you
will discover a very good adventure.”
Then Sir Gawaine said, “That is a very strange matter. Now, to-morrow
morning we will go to that place and will endeavor to discover of what
sort that adventure may be.” And the abbot said, “Do so,” and laughed in
great measure.
So when the next morning had come, Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine gave adieu
unto the abbot, and took their leave of that place, riding away unto the
eastward, as the abbot had advised. And after they had ridden in that
direction for two or three hours or more they beheld before them the
borders of a forest all green and shady with foliage, and very cheerful
in the warmth of the early summer day. And, lo! immediately at the edge
of the woodland there stood a fair, strong castle of gray stone, with
windows of glass shining very bright against the sky.
[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine behold the damsels assailing the
shield._]
Then Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine beheld that everything was as the abbot
had said; for in front of the castle was a smooth, level meadow with a
sycamore-tree in the midst thereof. And as they drew near they perceived
that a sable shield hung in the branches of the tree, and in a little
they could see that it bore the device of three white goshawks
displayed. But that which was very extraordinary was that in front of
that shield there stood seven young damsels, exceedingly fair of face,
and that these seven damsels continually offered a great deal of insult
to that shield. For some of those damsels smote it ever and anon with
peeled rods of osier, and others flung lumps of clay upon it, so that
the shield was greatly defaced therewith. Now nigh to the shield was a
very noble-appearing knight clad all in black armor, and seated upon a
black war-horse, and it was very plain to be seen that the shield
belonged unto that knight, for otherwise he had no shield. Yet, though
that was very likely his shield, yet the knight offered no protest
either by word or by act to stay those damoiselles from offering affront
thereunto.
Then Sir Ewaine said unto Sir Gawaine, “Yonder is a very strange thing
that I behold; belike one of us is to encounter yonder knight.” And Sir
Gawaine said, “Maybe so.” Then Sir Ewaine said, “If it be so then I will
undertake the adventure.” “Not so,” said Sir Gawaine, “for I will
undertake it myself, I being the elder of us twain, and the better
seasoned in knighthood.” So Sir Ewaine said, “Very well. Let it be that
way, for thou art a very much more powerful knight than I, and it would
be a pity for one of us to fail in this undertaking.” Thereupon Sir
Gawaine said, “Let be, then, and I will undertake it.”
So he set spurs to his horse and he rode rapidly to where those damsels
offered affront in that way to the sable shield. And he set his spear in
rest and shouted in a loud voice, “Get ye away! Get ye away!” So when
those damsels beheld the armed knight riding at them in that wise they
fled away shrieking from before him.
Then the Sable Knight, who sat not a great distance away, rode forward
in a very stately manner unto Sir Gawaine, and he said, “Sir Knight, why
dost thou interfere with those ladies?” Whereunto Sir Gawaine replied,
“Because they offered insult unto what appeared to me to be a noble and
knightly shield.” At this the Sable Knight spake very haughtily, saying,
“Sir Knight, that shield belongeth unto me and I do assure thee that I
am very well able for to take care of it without the interference of
any other defender.” To which Sir Gawaine said, “It would appear not,
Sir Knight.”
Then the Sable Knight said, “Messire, an thou thinkest that thou art
better able to take care of that shield than I, I think that thou
wouldst do very well to make thy words good with thy body.” To this Sir
Gawaine said, “I will do my endeavor to show thee that I am better able
to guard that shield than thou art who ownest it.”
[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine and the Black Knight engage in battle._]
Upon this the Sable Knight, without further ado, rode unto the
sycamore-tree, and took down from thence the shield that hung there. And
he dressed the shield upon his arm and took his spear in hand and made
him ready for defence. And Sir Gawaine likewise made him ready for
defence, and then each knight took such station upon the field as
appeared unto him to be fitting.
Now, when the people of that castle perceived that a combat of arms was
toward, they crowded in great numbers to the walls, so that there were
as many as twoscore ladies and esquires and folk of different degrees
looking down upon that field of battle from the walls.
So when those knights were altogether prepared, Sir Ewaine gave the
signal for encounter and each knight shouted aloud and drave spurs into
his charger and rushed forward to the assault with a noise like thunder
for loudness.
[Sidenote: _The Black Knight overthroweth Sir Gawaine._]
Now, Sir Gawaine thought that he should easily overcome his adversary in
this assault and that he would be able to cast him down from out of his
saddle without much pains, for there was hardly any knight in that realm
equal to Sir Gawaine for prowess. And, indeed, he had never yet been
unhorsed in combat excepting by King Arthur. So when those two rode to
the assault, the one against the other, Sir Gawaine thought of a surety
that his adversary would fall before him. But it was not so, for in that
attack Sir Gawaine’s spear was broken into many pieces, but the spear of
the Sable Knight held, so that Sir Gawaine was cast with great violence
out of the saddle, smiting the dust with a terrible noise of falling.
And so astonished was he at that fall that it appeared unto him not as
though he fell from his saddle, but as though the earth rose up and
smote him. Wherefore he lay for a while all stunned with the blow and
with the astonishment thereof.
But when he heard the shouts of the people upon the castle wall, he
immediately aroused himself from where he lay in the dust, and he was so
filled with rage and shame that he was like one altogether intoxicated.
Wherefore he drew his sword and rushed with great fury upon his enemy
with intent to hew him down by main strength. Then that other knight,
seeing him come thus at him, immediately voided his own saddle and drew
his sword and put himself in posture either for assault or for defence.
So they lashed together, tracing this way and that, and smiting with
such fury that the blows they gave were most terrible for to behold. But
when Sir Ewaine beheld how fierce was that assault, he set spurs unto
his horse and pushed him between the knights-contestant, crying out
aloud, “Sir Knights! Sir Knights! what is this? Here is no cause for
such desperate battle.” But Sir Gawaine cried out very furiously, “Let
be! let be! and stand aside! for this quarrel concerns thee not.” And
the Sable Knight said, “A-horse or afoot, I am ready to meet that knight
at any time.”
But Sir Ewaine said, “Not so; ye shall fight no more in this quarrel.
For shame, Gawaine! For shame to seek such desperate quarrel with a
knight that did but meet thee in a friendly fashion in a fair contest!”
Then Sir Gawaine was aware that Sir Ewaine was both just and right;
wherefore he put up his sword in silence, albeit he was like to weep for
vexation at the shame of his overthrow. And the Sable Knight put up his
sword also, and so peace was made betwixt those two.
Then the Sable Knight said, “I am glad that this quarrel is ended, for I
perceive, Messires, that ye are assuredly knights of great nobility and
gentleness of breeding; wherefore I would that we might henceforth be
friends and companions instead of enemies. Wherefore I do beseech ye for
to come with me a little ways from here where I have taken up my inn, so
that we may rest and refresh ourselves in my pavilion.”
Unto this Sir Ewaine said, “I give thee gramercy for thy courtesy, Sir
Knight; and we will go with thee with all the pleasure that it is
possible to feel.” And Sir Gawaine said, “I am content.” So these three
knights straightway left the field of battle.
[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine come to the pavilion of the Black
Knight._]
And when they had come to the edge of the forest Sir Gawaine and Sir
Ewaine perceived a very fine pavilion of green silk set up beneath the
tree. And about that pavilion were many attendants of divers sorts all
clad in colors of green and white. So Sir Gawaine perceived that the
knight who had overthrown him was certainly someone of very high estate,
wherefore he was very greatly comforted. Then the esquires of those
three knights came and removed the helmet, each esquire from his knight,
so that the knight might be made comfortable thereby. And when this was
done Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine perceived that the Sable Knight was very
comely of countenance, being ruddy of face and with hair like to copper
for redness. Then Sir Ewaine said unto the knight, “Sir Unknown Knight,
this knight, my companion, is Sir Gawaine, son of King Urien of Gore,
and I am Ewaine, the son of King Lot of Orkney. Now, I crave of thee
that wilt make thyself known unto us in like manner.”
“Ha,” said the other; “I am glad that ye are such very famous and royal
knights, for I am also of royal blood, being Sir Marhaus, the son of the
King of Ireland.”
Then Sir Gawaine was very glad to discover how exalted was the quality
of that knight who overthrew him and he said unto Sir Marhaus, “Messire,
I make my vow, that thou art one of the most terrible knights in the
world. For thou hast done unto me this day what only one knight in all
the world hath ever done, and that is King Arthur, who is my uncle and
my lord. Now thou must certainly come unto the Court of King Arthur, for
he will be wonderfully glad for to see thee, and maybe he will make thee
a Knight of his Round Table--and there is no honor in all of the world
that can be so great as that.” Thus he spoke unthinkingly; and then he
remembered. Wherefore he smote his fist against his forehead, crying
out, “Aha! aha! who am I for to bid thee to come unto the Court of King
Arthur, who only yesterday was disgraced and banished therefrom?”
Then Sir Marhaus was very sorry for Sir Gawaine, and he inquired
concerning the trouble that lay upon him, and Sir Ewaine told Sir
Marhaus all about that quarrel; at that Sir Marhaus was still more sorry
for Sir Gawaine, wherefore he said, “Messires, I like ye both
wonderfully well, and I would fain become your companion in the
adventures ye are to undertake. For now I need remain here no longer. Ye
must know that I was obliged to defend those ladies who assailed my
shield until I had overthrown seven knights in their behalf. And I must
tell ye that Sir Gawaine was the seventh knight I have overthrown.
Wherefore, since I have now overthrown him, I am now released from my
obligation and may go with ye.”
[Sidenote: _Sir Marhaus telleth his story._]
Then Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine were very much astonished that any
knight should lie beneath so strange an obligation as that--to defend
those who assailed his shield--and they besought Sir Marhaus to tell