For-thy! I crave in this court a Crystemas gomen, I'or hit is Yol and Nwe Yer, and here are yep 3 mony; 284 If any so hardy in this hous holdez hym-selven, Be so bolde in his blod, brayn in hys hede, That dar stifly strike a strok for an other, I schal gif hym of my gyft thys giserne 5 ryche, – This ax, that is hevé innogh, to hondelea as hym lykes, 289 And I schal bide the fyrst bur,: as bare as I sitte. lf any freke' be so felle 10 to fonde 11 that 12 I telle, Lepe 13 lyghtly me to, and lach 14 this weppenI quit-clayme hit for ever, kepe hit as his auen And I schal stonde hym a strok, stif on this flet, 16 Ellez thou wyl dight me the dom 17 to dele hym an other; Barlay; Therefore I crave in this court a Christmas gambol, For it is Yule and New Year, and here are many young braggarts; If any in this house holds him so hardy, If he be so bold in his blood, hot-brained of temper That he dare stiffly strike one stroke for an other, I shall give him of my gift this gisarme splendid This axe, that is heavy enough - to handle as he pleases; And I shall bide the first blow, as bare as I sit here. If any man be so mad as to make such a trial Let him leap to me lightly and lay hold of this weapon 292 I quit-claim it for ever, keep it as his own — And I shall stand him a stroke, stiff on this floor, If thou wilt but grant me the grace to give him another, In fay; 15 18 300 XIV If he hem stowned 21 upon fyrst,22 stiller were thanne Alle the hered-men 23 in halle, the hygh and the lowe. The renk on his rounce 24 hym ruched 25 in his sadel And runischly 26 his rede yyen 27 he reled aboute; Bende his bresed 28 browez, blycande 29 grene: Wayved his berde for to wayte quo-so wolde ryse. When non wolde kepe hym with carp,32 he coghed ful hyghe 33 Ande rimed hym ful richley 34 and ryght hym 35 to speke: “What, is this Arthures hous,” quoth the hathel 36 thenne, “That al the rous rennes of 37 thurgh ryalmes so mony? 310 1 therefore game, amusement 3 bold, ready * mad -pole-axe 6 handle abide, endure 8 blow 9 man 10 fierce 11 try 12 what 13 let him leap 14 seize 15 own 16 floor 17 provided thou wilt give me the right 18 I claim this 19 hasten 20 quickly 21 amazed XIV If they were astounded at first, now were they stiller, All the henchmen in hall, the high and the lowly. The stranger on his steed then settled him in his saddle And ragingly his red eyes he rolled upon them; Bent his bushy brows, green and bristling; Waved his beard as he watched whether any would offer. When none would come at his challenge, he coughed full loudly And stretched himself starkly and stayed not in speaking: “What? is this Arthur's house," quoth then the horseman, “Whereof all the renown runs through realms unnumbered? 310 22 at first 23 retainers 24 horse 25 settled 26 furiously 27 eyes 28 bristly 29 glittering observe 31 who-so 32 when none would reply 33 coughed aloud 34 and made full preparation 36 got rearly 36 knight 37 of which all the fame goes 30 Where is now your sourquydrye 1 and your conquestes, Your gryndel-layk, and your greme, and your grete wordes? Table speche; schewed ! " Wyth this he laghes 8 so loude, that the lorde greved; And lere. 10 320 Where is now your arrogance and all your conquests, Your fierceness and your fellness and your fine boasting? Round Table threatens !” was grieved ; And face. 12 16 upon fote XV XV Ande sayde, “Hathel, by heven thyn askyng is And said, "Horseman, by heaven thy asking nys,13 is foolish, And as thou foly hacz frayst,14 fynde the be And as thou folly hast craved, it behooves that hoves.15 thou find it. I know no gome 16 that is gast 17 of thy grete I know no man that is aghast at thy great wordes. boasting. Gif me now thy geserne,18 upon Godez halve, 19 Give me now thy gisarme, in God's name be it, And I schal baythen thy bone,20 that thou And I will bestow the boon that thou hast boden 14 habbes." bidden." Lyghtly lepez he hym to, and laght 21 at his Lightly he leaps to him and lays hand on the honde; weapon; Then feersly that other freke Then fiercely the other man on foot alights lyghtis. there. Now hacz Arthure his axe, and the halme 22 Now has Arthur his axe, and by the handle grypez, holds it, And sturnely sturez 23 hit aboute, that stryke And sternly stirs it about, to strike with it wyth hit thoght. 331 331 The stif mon hym bifore The stalwart man before him stood at his full hyght 24 height Herre 25 then ani in the hous by the hede and Higher than any in the house by a head and more; more; Wyth sturne chere 26 ther he stod, he stroked With stern look there he stood, stroking his his berde, beard, And wyth a countenaunce dryye 27 he drow And with countenance calm he drew down his doun his cote, collar, 335 No more mate 28 ne dismayd for hys mayn No more moved nor dismayed for the king's dintez 29 mighty blows 1 haughtiness 2 fierceness 3 grimness -overturned 16 man 17 frightened 18 axe 19 in God's name 20 grant s one man's all are frightened stroke laughs thy boon 2 gråsped 22 shaft 23 fiercely moves 24 stood ' bright 10 cheek 11 as one bold by nature 12 nearer tall 25 taller 26 fierce look 27 dry, without emotion 13 foolish 14 asked 15 it behooves thee to find 28 dispirited 29 strong blows stod upon Of wyne. Then any burne 1 upon bench hade broght hym to drynk Gawan, that sate bi the quene, 340 Than if any baron on the bench had brought Of wine. 9 ryche; 18 XVI XVI "Wolde ye, worthilych 5 lorde," quoth Gawan “Would you, most gracious lord," quoth to the kyng, Gawain to the king, “Bid me bowe 6 fro this benche, and stonde by “But bid me leave this bench and bide by yow there, you there, That I wyth-oute vylanye myght voyde' this So that I without rudeness might rise from table, this table, And that my legge lady lyked not ille, And that to my liege lady there were lacking I wolde com to your counseyl, bifore your cort no cou esy, I would come to your counsel, before your For me think hit not semly, 10 as hit is soth court splendid; knawen, 11 For methinks it is unseemly, as sage men Ther 12 such an askyng is hevened 13 so hyghe weigh things, in your sale, 14 When such an asking is honoured so high in Thagh ye your-self be talenttyf 15 to take hit your hall to your-selven, 350 Though you yourself be eager for all underWhil mony so bolde yow aboute upon bench takings 350 sytten, While about you on bench sit so many bold ones, That under heven, I hope,16 non hagher 17 er Than whom under heaven, I think none hardof wylle, ier are of temper, Ne better bodyes on bent,19 ther 12 baret 20 is Nor better bodies in battle when banners are rered. lifted. I am the wakkest,21 I wot, and of wyt feblest, I am the weakest, I wot, and of wit feeblest, And lest lur 22 of my lyf, quo laytes the sothe ; 23 And least the loss of my life, if no lie shall be Bot for as much as ye ar myn em,24 I am spoken; only to prayse - But forasmuch as you are my uncle I am only No bounté 25 bot your blod I in my bodé of merit knowe No desert but your blood I in my body And sythen this note 26 is so nys 27 that noght reckon hit yow falles, 28 And since this affair is so foolish that you it And I have frayned 29 hit at yow fyrst, foldez 30 befits not, hit to me! And I have sued for it first, let my suit be And if I carp 31 not comlyly, let .alle this cort granted! And if my conduct is not comely, let all this Bout 33 blame." court judge me Ryche 34 to-geder con roun,35 To blame." 361 And sythen thay redden alle same,36 Nobles 'gan whispering; Their verdict was the same, To exempt the crownëd king And give Gawain the game. 1 than if any man ? did 3 courteous words * this encounter may 5 worthy move 7 leave 25 goodness 26 affair 27 foolish 28 becomes 29 re$ liegerich (splendid) court 10 fitting 'l is known quested 30 grant 31 if I speak 32 judge 33 without for truth 12 where 13 raised 14 hall 15 desirous 16 think 34 the great ones 35 did whisper 36 and afterwards 17 apter, fitter 18 are 19 in field 20 strife 21 weakest they decided unanimously 37 to set aside the 22 least loss 2 if any one seeks the truth 24 uncle crowned king rych 32 361 XVII ryse; fayre, Kneled doun bifore the kyng, and cachez 3 that weppen; And he luflyly hit hym laft," and lyfte up his honde, And gef hym Goddez blessyng, and gladly hym biddes 370 That his hert and his honde schulde hardi be bothe. “Kepe the, cosyn," quoth the kyng, "that thou on kyrf sette, And if thou redez 6 hym ryght, redly I trowe That thou schal byden the bur' that he schal bede 8 after." Gawan gocz' to the gome,lo with giserne 11 in honde, And he baldly hym bydez,12 he bayst never the helder.13 Then carppez to Syr Gawan the knyght in the grene: "Refourme we oure forwardes,14 er we fyrre 15 passe. Fyrst I ethe 16 the, hathel, how that thou hattes,17 That thou me telle truly, as I tryst 18 may." “In god fayth,” quoth the goode knyght, "Gawan I hatte, That bede 8 the this buffet, quat-so bi-fallez after, And at this tyme twelmonyth take at the 20 another, On lyve.” 22 XVII rise; duly, Kneels down before the king and catches the weapon; And he releases it lovingly and lifts up his hand And gives him God's blessing and gladly bids him 370 That his heart and his hand should both be hardy. “Take care, cousin,” said the king, “that thou carve him once, deal thee." with gisarme 5 never. 19 381 Then calls to Sir Gawain the champion in green: “Let us canvass our compact ere we carry this further. First, knight, I must know what thy name is; That tell thou me truly that I may trust to it.' "In good faith," quoth the good knight, "Gawain men call me, 381 Who shall bid thee this buffet, whate'er be falls after, And at this time twelve month take from thee another, Alive." 21 23 XVIII XVIII “Bi Gog," quoth the grene knyght, “Syr "By God,” quoth the Green Knight, “Sir Gawan, me lykes, 27 390 Gawain, I like it 390 That I schal fange at thy fust 28 that 29 I haf That I shall have from thy hand what I here frayst 30 here; sought for; 1 quickly 2 stooped courteously 3 seizes left, lieve 19 Gawain is my name 20 from thee 21 no man gave 5 take care, cousin, that thou give one stroke else 22 alive 23 answers 24 may wonderfully glad 8 treatest 7 blow 8 offer goes 19 man 26 that thou shalt deliver this blow 27 it pleases 12 awaits 13 he quailed never the more agree me 28 take from thy fist 29 what 30 asked for ments 15 further 16 ask 17 what is thy name 18 be 25 11 axe 14 And thou hacz redily rehersed, bi resoun ful And thou hast rightly rehearsed, as reason trwe, was truly, Clanly' al the covenaunt that I the kynge Clearly all the covenant that of the king I asked, asked, Saf that thou schal siker? me, segge, by thi Save that thou must assure me, sir, by thy trawthe, honour, That thou schal seche 4 me thi-self, where-so That thou wilt seek me thyself in what spot thou hopes soever I may be funde upon folde, and foch? the Thou thinkst to find me, in faith, and fetch such wages thee such wages As thou deles me to day, bifore this douthe 8 As thou dealest me to-day before these ryche." doughty nobles." "Where schulde I wale 4 the?" quoth Gauan, "In what climes shall I seek thee? In what “Where is thy place? country is thy dwelling? I wot never where thou wonyes,' bi Hym that Of thy habitation have I ne'er heard, by Him me wroght, that wrought me; Ne I know not the, kynght, thy cort, ne thi Nor know I thee, knight, thy court, nor thy name. name; 400 Bot teche me truly ther-to, and telle me howe But direct me to thy dwelling and disclose thou hattes, 10 401 how men call thee, And I schal ware 11 alle my wyt to wynne me And I shall strive with my strength to steer theder, 12 my steps thither; And that I swere the for sothe, and by my And that I swear thee surely and by my sacred seker 13 traweth.” honour." “That is innogh in Nwe Yer, hit nedes no “That is enough at New Year; no more is more,” needful,” Quoth the gome in the grene to Gawan the Quoth the grim man in green to Gawain the hende, 14 courteous; "Gif 15 I the telle trwly, quen I the tape16 have, “If I tell thee truly, when I the tap have taken And thou me smothely hacz" smyten, smartly And thou hast smoothly smitten me, if I the teche smartly I teach thee Of my hous, and my home, and myn owen Of my house and my home and how mer, call nome, 18 nie, Then may thou frayst my fare,19 and for Then mayst thou enquire my country and wardez 29 holde. hold our covenant. And if I spende no speche, thenne spedez And if I spend then no speech, thou shalt speed thou the better, 410 the better, 410 For thou may leng 21 in thy londe, and layt no For thou mayst stop in this stead and step no fyrre,22 further, But stay. Take now thy grim tool duly; Let's see thee hack away!” "Yea, sir," quoth Gawain, “truly;" Quoth Gawan; his ax he strokes. His axe he strokes in play. XIX The grene knyght upon grounde graythely The Green Knight on the ground goodly prehym dresses, 27 pares him; A littel lut 28 with the hede, the lere 29 he Lightly lowers his head and loosens his collar, diskoverez, tap, stroke 17 hast 18 name 19 ask my state, I entirely 2 promise man 4 seek 5 believest condition 20 the agreements 21 remain 22 seek no 6 earth ' fetch s nobility dwellest 10 what is thy further 23 but cease 24 take 25 instrument 26 knockname 19 use 12 to get there 13 sure 14 courteous 15 if est_27 readily prepares himself 28 bowed 29 cheek 16 3 |