Pearl Poet

“ When he had belted his brand upon his broad haunches,
he dressed his love-token double about him,
the knight swathed sweetly about his waist
the girdle of green silk, which became him well,
upon the royal red cloth that was fair to see.
But this hero wore not the girdle for its wealth,
for pride of the pendants, though they were polished,
and though the glittering gold gleamed on the ends;
but to save himself when it behoved him to suffer,
to await his doom without resistance, with no brand or knife to
defend him.
⁠By this the good man is ready
⁠and goes out quickly. ”

“ None but a person truly religious could have written a poem informed with so lofty a moral tone. Perhaps no other writer of his age could have pictured the scenes between Gawain and the lady without having them border either on the luscious or the coarse. And only a man conversant with the highest society of his time, a man who had seen the world, could describe with such loving wealth of detail the knightly trappings, the merry evenings at the castle, and the stirring hunts. More elaborate guesses about his personality may be found in the editions of Gollancz and Bateson. ”

“ Deal to me my destiny, and do it promptly;
for I shall stand thee a stroke, and not start again
till thine axe has hit me — have here my troth."
"Have at thee then!" quoth the other, and heaves it aloft,
and aims as savagely as if he were mad.
He strikes at him mightily, but touches the man not;
for he withheld his hand cleverly ere it could hurt.
Gawain awaits it properly and flinches with no member,
but stands as a stone, or a stump that
is twisted into the rocky ground with a hundred roots.
Then merrily spoke the man in the green:
"So, now thou hast thy heart whole it behoves me to hit. ”

“ The other warrior with a quick motion withheld the bright weapon,
and then he reproved the prince with many proud words.
"Thou art not Gawain," said the man, "who is held so good,
who never flinched for any army by hill nor by vale;
and now thou fleest for fear before thou feelest any harm.
Such cowardice I never heard of that knight.
I neither winced nor fled, sir, when thou didst strike,
nor tried any tricks in King Arthur's house.
My head flew to my foot, and yet I never budged;
and thou, ere any harm taken, art fearful in heart.
Wherefore the better man I ought to be called
for it." ”

“ The clear light then
appeared along the walls, as men set and distributed
waxen torches all about the hall.
Much mirth and glee rose up therein,
about the fire on the hearth, and in various wise
at supper and after. Many noble songs they sang,
as Christmas carols and new dance tunes,
with all the mannerly mirth that a man can tell of.
And ever our lovely knight sat beside the lady.
Such seemly cheer she made to the hero,
sought with such sly stolen [79] glances to please the stalwart one,
that the wight was all amazed, and wroth with himself. ”

“ Curtains running on ropes, red gold rings,
tapestries of Toulouse and Tars hung on the wall,
and under foot on the floor of the same pattern.
There with mirthful speeches the hero was despoiled
of his burnie and of his bright weeds.
Quickly men brought him rich robes
that he might pick and choose the best for his change.
As soon as he took one and was wrapped therein,
that sat upon him seemly with sailing skirts,
the hero by his visage verily seemed
to well nigh every man in looks
glowing and lovely is all his limbs;
it seemed to them that Christ never made a
comelier knight. ”

“ I leste hyr in on erbere;
Þurȝ gresse to grounde hit fro me yot.
I dewyne, fordolked of luf-daungere
Of þat pryuy perle wythouten spot. ”

“ The warrior on his steed settled himself in his saddle,
and fiercely his red eyes he reeled about;
bent his thick brows, shining green;
and waved his beard, awaiting whoso would rise.
When none would answer him he coughed aloud,
stretched himself haughtily and began to speak;
"What! Is this Arthur's house," said the hero then,
"that is famous through so many realms?
Where is now your pride and your conquests,
your fierceness, and your wrath and your great words?
Now is the revel and the renown of the Round Table
overcome by the word of a single man ”

“ Lo! little it is, and less it is worth;
but whoso knew the virtues that are knit therein,
he would esteem it at a greater price peradventure;
for whatsoever man is girt with this green lace,
while he has it fittingly wrapped about him,
there is no warrior under heaven that can wound him;
for he could not be slain by any device in the world."
Then the knight paused, and it came to his heart
that it would be a jewel for the peril that awaited him
when he arrived at the chapel to undergo his ordeal. ”

“ This is the evil and the loss that I have got
from the cowardice and covetousness that I showed there.
This is the token of untruth that I am taken in,
and I must needs wear it while I may last;
for none may hide his shame without mishap,
for where it once is incurred, depart it will never."
The king and all the court comfort the knight.
They laugh loud at his tale, and lovingly agree
that the lords and the ladies that belong to the Table,
each knight of the brotherhood, should have a baldric,
an oblique band about him of a bright green,
and wear that for the sake of the hero. ”

“ Look Gawain, that thou be ready to go as thou has promised,
and seek loyally, hero, till thou find me;
as thou has promised in this hall in the hearing of these knights.
To the green chapel go thou, I charge thee, to receive
such a blow as thou has dealt. Thou deservest
to be promptly paid on New Year's morn. [18]
As the knight of the green chapel many men know me;
therefore, if thou strivest to find me, thou shalt never fail. ”

“ Gawain was glad to begin those games in the hall;
but it would not be surprising if the end were heavy;
for though men be merry in mind when they have much drink,
yet a year runs full swiftly, and yields never the same;
the beginning full seldom matches the end. ”

“ There dwells in that waste a wight the worst upon earth;
for he is stiff and stern and loves to strike;
and greater he is than any man in the world,
and his body bigger than the four best
that are in Arthur's house, and bigger than Hector or any other.
He maintains that adventure at the green chapel.
There passes by that place none so proud in arms
but he dins him to death with dint of his hand.
For he is a man without measure and uses no mercy;
for be it churl or chaplain that rides by the chapel,
monk or mass-priest, or any man else,
he likes as well to kill him as to go alive himself. ”

“ If what ye say be true, I am to blame."
"Yet I taught you about kissing," replied the fair lady;
"wherever a countenance is known, quickly to claim a kiss;
that becomes every knight who practices courtesy." ”

“ When he came to the water, where he did not wish to wade,
he hopped over on his axe, and fiercely advanced,
with savage ferocity pacing the broad snow-covered
glade.
⁠Sir Gawain met the knight
⁠and bowed to him, not at all low.
⁠The other said, "Now, sweet, sir,
⁠in a covenant a man can trust thee."
"Gawain," quoth the green warrior, "may God preserve thee.⁠ [ original ]
Indeed thou art welcome, hero, to my place;
and thou hast timed thy travel as a true man should. ”

“ The lord hindered him from that, persuaded him to linger,
and said, "As I am a true man, I pledge my troth
thou shalt reach the green chapel to do thy tasks,
sir, by New Year's light, long before prime.
Therefore lie in thy loft and take thine ease;
and I shall hunt in this holt and keep the covenant —
change merchandise with thee when I return hither;
for I have tried thee twice, and faithful I find thee;
now 'third time, best time.' [80] Think on the morrow.
Make we merry while we may, and be joyful:
for a man can catch trouble whensoever he likes." ”

“ But the lady blessed him and spake in this wise:
"A man as good as Gawain is properly held —
and courtesy is closed so entirely in him —
could not easily have lingered so long with a lady
but he had on some trifling excuse or other [53] courteously craved a kiss."
Then said Gawain, "Indeed, be it as you like;
I shall kiss at your commandment as becomes a knight,
and fear [54] lest he displease you; so urge that plea no more." ”