The Story of King Arthur and his Knights
And so he set the lady free at that time, and thereafter there was amity
between them as Sir Gawaine had ordained.
And the next day Sir Gawaine and his brother, Gaheris, returned unto
this Court of the King and he told King Arthur and his Court all that
had befallen, hiding nothing from them.
[Sidenote: _Queen Guinevere is displeased with Sir Gawaine._]
Now, Queen Guinevere was very much displeased when she heard how Sir
Gawaine would show no mercy to that knight and how he had struck the
lady with his sword. Wherefore she said aside to one of those who stood
nigh to her, “It seems to me to be a very strange thing for a belted
knight to do, to refuse to give mercy unto a fallen enemy and to strike
a lady with his sword; for I should think that any sword that had drawn
blood from a lady in such wise would be dishonored for aye; and I cannot
think that anyone who would strike a lady in that wise would hold
himself guiltless unto his vow of knighthood.”
[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine breaketh his sword._]
This Sir Gawaine overheard and he was exceedingly wroth thereat. But he
concealed his anger at that time. Only after he had gone away he said to
Gaheris, his brother, “I believe that lady hateth me with all her heart;
but some time I will show to her that I have in me more courtesy and am
more gentle than she believes me to be. As for my sword, since she
deemeth it to be dishonored by that blow, I will not use it any more.”
So he took the sword out of its sheath and brake it across his knee and
flung it away.
Now all this hath been told to set forth that which follows; for there
ye shall learn what great things of nobility Sir Gawaine could do when
it behooved him to do them. For, haply, ye who have read this story may
feel as Queen Guinevere did, that Sir Gawaine was not rightwise
courteous as a belted knight should have been in that adventure
aforetold.
[Illustration] Chapter Second.
_How King Arthur Became Lost in the Forest, and How He Fell Into a Very
Singular Adventure in a Castle Unto Which He Came._
Now, it befell upon a time some while after this, that King Arthur was
at Tintagalon upon certain affairs of state. And Queen Guinevere and her
Court and the King’s Court made progression from Camelot unto Carleon,
and there they abided until the King should be through his business at
Tintagalon and should join them at Carleon.
Now that time was the spring of the year, and all things were very jolly
and gay, wherefore King Arthur became possessed with a great desire for
adventure. So he called unto him a certain favorite esquire, hight
Boisenard, and he said to him, “Boisenard, this day is so pleasant that
I hardly know how I may contain myself because of the joy I take in it,
for it seems to be that my heart is nigh ready to burst with a great
pleasure of desiring. So I am of a mind to go a-gadding with only thee
for companion.”
To this Boisenard said, “Lord, I know of nothing that would give to me a
greater pleasure than that.”
So King Arthur said, “Very well, let us then go away from this place in
such a manner that no one will be aware of our departure. And so we will
go to Carleon and surprise the Queen by coming unexpectedly to that
place.”
So Boisenard brought armor, without device, and he clad the King in that
armor; and then they two rode forth together, and no one wist that they
had left the castle.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur sets forth with his esquire._]
And when they came forth into the fields, King Arthur whistled and sang
and jested and laughed and made himself merry; for he was as a war-horse
turned forth upon the grass that taketh glory in the sunshine and the
warm air and becometh like unto a colt again.
So by and by they came into the forest and rode that way with great
content of spirit; and they took this path and they took that path for
no reason but because the day was so gay and jolly. So, by and by, they
lost their way in the mazes of the woodland and knew not where they
were.
[Sidenote: _They are lost in the forest._]
Now when they found themselves to be lost in that wise they journeyed
with more circumspection, going first by this way and then by that, but
in no manner could they find their way out from their entanglement. And
so fell night-time and they knew not where they were; but all became
very dark and obscure, with the woodland full of strange and unusual
sounds around about them.
Then King Arthur said, “Boisenard, this is a very perplexing pass and I
do not know how we shall find lodging for this night.”
To this Boisenard said, “Lord, if I have thy permission to do so, I will
climb one of these trees and see if I can discover any sign of
habitation in this wilderness.” And King Arthur said, “Do so, I pray
thee.”
[Sidenote: _Boisenard beholdeth a light._]
So Boisenard climbed a very tall tree and from the top of the tree he
beheld a light a great distance away, and he said, “Lord, I see a light
in that direction.” And therewith he came down from the tree again.
So King Arthur and Boisenard went in the direction that Boisenard had
beheld the light, and by and by they came out of the forest and into an
open place where they beheld a very great castle with several tall
towers, very grim and forbidding of appearance. And it was from this
castle that the light had appeared that Boisenard had seen. So they two
rode up to the castle and Boisenard called aloud and smote upon the gate
of the castle. Then immediately there came a porter and demanded of them
what they would have. Unto him Boisenard said, “Sirrah, we would come in
to lodge for to-night, for we are a-weary.” So the porter said, “Who are
you?”--speaking very roughly and rudely to them, for he could not see of
what condition they were because of the darkness. Then Boisenard said,
“This is a knight of very good quality and I am his esquire, and we have
lost our way in the forest and now we come hither seeking shelter.”
“Sir,” said the porter, “if ye know what is good for you, ye will sleep
in the forest rather than come into this place, for this is no very good
retreat for errant knights to shelter themselves.”
Upon this King Arthur bespake the porter, for that which the porter said
aroused great curiosity within him. So he said, “Nay, we will not go
away from here and we demand to lodge here for this night.”
Then the porter said, “Very well; ye may come in.” And thereupon he
opened the gate and they rode into the court-yard of that castle.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur and his esquire enter the castle._]
Now at the noise of their coming, there appeared a great many lights
within the castle, and there came running forth divers attendants. Some
of these aided King Arthur and Boisenard to dismount, and others took
the horses, and others again brought basins of water for them to wash
withal. And after they had washed their faces and hands, other
attendants brought them into the castle.
Now as they came into the castle, they were aware of a great noise of
very many people talking and laughing together, with the sound of
singing and of harping. And so they came into the hall of the castle and
beheld that it was lighted with a great number of candles and tapers and
torches. Here they found a multitude of people gathered at a table
spread for a feast, and at the head of the table there sat a knight,
well advanced in years and with hair and beard white as milk. Yet he was
exceedingly strong and sturdy of frame, having shoulders of wonderful
broadness and a great girth of chest. This knight was of a very stern
and forbidding appearance, and was clad altogether in black, and he wore
around his neck a chain of gold, with a locket of gold hanging pendant
from it.
Now when this knight beheld King Arthur and Boisenard come into the
hall, he called aloud to them in a very great voice bidding them to come
and sit with him at the head of the table; and they did so, and those at
the head of the table made place for them, and thus they sat there
beside the knight.
Now King Arthur and Boisenard were exceedingly hungry, wherefore they
ate with great appetite and made joy of the entertainment which they
received, and meantime the knight held them in very pleasant discourse,
talking to them of such things as would give them the most
entertainment. So after a while the feast was ended and they ceased from
eating.
[Sidenote: _The knight of the castle challenges King Arthur to an
adventure._]
Then, of a sudden, the knight said to King Arthur, “Messire, thou art
young and lusty of spirit and I doubt not but thou hath a great heart
within thee. What say you now to a little sport betwixt us two?” Upon
this King Arthur regarded that knight very steadily and he believed that
his face was not so old as it looked; for his eyes were exceedingly
bright and shone like sparks of light; wherefore he was a-doubt and he
said, “Sir, what sport would you have?” Upon this the knight fell
a-laughing in great measure and he said, “This is a very strange sport
that I have in mind, for it is this: That thou and I shall prove the one
unto the other what courage each of us may have.” And King Arthur said,
“How shall we prove that?” Whereunto the knight made reply, “This is
what we shall do: Thou and I shall stand forth in the middle of this
hall, and thou shalt have leave to try to strike off my head; and if I
can receive that blow without dying therefrom, then I shall have leave
to strike thy head off in a like manner.”
Upon this speech King Arthur was greatly a-dread and he said, “That is
very strange sport for two men to engage upon.”
Now when King Arthur said this, all those who were in the hall burst out
laughing beyond all measure and as though they would never stint from
their mirth. Then, when they had become in a measure quiet again, the
knight of that castle said, “Sir, art thou afraid of that sport?” Upon
which King Arthur fell very angry and he said, “Nay, I am not afeared,
for no man hath ever yet had reason to say that I showed myself afeared
of anyone.” “Very well,” said the knight of the castle; “then let us try
that sport of which I spake.” And King Arthur said, “I am willing.”
Then Boisenard came to King Arthur where he was, and he said, “Lord, do
not thou enter into this thing, but rather let me undertake this venture
in thy stead, for I am assured that some great treachery is meditated
against thee.” But King Arthur said, “Nay; no man shall take my danger
upon himself, but I will assume mine own danger without calling upon any
man to take it.” So he said to the knight of the castle, “Sir, I am
ready for that sport of which thou didst speak, but who is to strike
that first blow and how shall we draw lots therefor?” “Messire,” said
the knight of the castle, “there shall be no lots drawn. For, as thou
art the guest of this place, so shall thou have first assay at that
sport.”
Therewith that knight arose and laid aside his black robe, and he was
clad beneath in a shirt of fine linen very cunningly worked. And he wore
hosen of crimson. Then he opened that linen undergarment at the throat
and he turned down the collar thereof so as to lay his neck bare to the
blow. Thereupon he said, “Now, Sir Knight, thou shalt have to strike
well if thou wouldst win at this sport.”
[Sidenote: _King Arthur cuts off the head of the knight of the castle._]
But King Arthur showed no dread of that undertaking, for he arose and
drew Excalibur so that the blade of the sword flashed with exceeding
brightness. Then he measured his distance, and lifted the sword, and he
smote the knight of the castle with all his might upon the neck. And,
lo! the blade cut through the neck of the knight of the castle with