Charles Henry Hanson

“ At that King Arthur roused himself, saluted the Green Knight courteously, and invited him to sit down at the banquet.
“That will I not do,” answered the other. “I come not here to feast, but to seek the most valiant man of thy court, that I may prove him; but methinks here are only beardless children, for I see no man who is worthy to match me. If any one of you be bold enough to strike one stroke for another, this axe shall be his, and I will abide his blow, but he shall receive a stroke in return from me within twelve months and a day.” ”

“ Neither horse nor armour wilt thou get of me, except thou win it with thy hands.”
“Say you so?” said the black knight, smiling. “Now, yield thy lady to me without more words, for it beseems not a kitchen-knave to ride with such a lady.”
“Thou liest,” answered Beaumains. “I am a gentleman born, and of higher lineage than thou, and that will I prove upon thy body.”
Then in great wrath they drew apart with their horses, and ran together with a crash like thunder. The black knight broke his spear to no purpose, but Beaumains’ spear thrust through the other’s side, and broke in his body. ”

“ So the four rode into the field; and there Sir Lancelot smote down Sir Tristram, and Sir Bleoberis Sir Palomides, and Sir Ector Sir Gareth, and King Arthur overthrew Sir Dinadan. Then there was a great cry that the four green knights had a fall; and the King of Northgalis, remembering how Sir Tristram had helped him, rode straight to him and said,—
“Noble knight, I know not who thou art; but for the great deeds thou hast done this day take now my horse, and I will help myself as well as I can; for God knows thou art better worthy to have my horse than I myself.” ”

“ As he was going over the bridge there sprang out all of a sudden a foul-looking churl, who smote his horse on the nose so that it turned about, and then he asked the knight why he came over that bridge without license.
“Why should I not ride this way?” said Lancelot. “There is no other way.”
“Thou must find another,” said the churl, and straightway struck at him with a great club stuck full of pins of iron. The knight warded the blow with his sword, and dealt such a buffet in return that he cut the churl almost in twain. ”

“ With that he went into the press, and did so mightily that all the cry forsook Sir Palomides and followed Sir Tristram; for he smote down forty knights with his spear, and many others with his sword.
“How now?” said Sir Lancelot to King Arthur. “I told you that this day a better knight than Sir Palomides should play his part. See how well yonder knight is doing; he has both strength and wind.”
“You say truth,” answered the king: “I never saw a better knight. He far surpasses Palomides.” ”

“ Then each took his horse to an opposite end of the lists, and they met together with great force in the midst; and there Sir Tristram smote Sir Blamor from his horse. After that they did a great battle with their swords; but at the last Sir Tristram struck Sir Blamor so heavy a blow on the helm that he fell down, and might not rise again. As soon as Sir Blamor could speak, he said: “Sir Tristram, I require thee, as thou art a noble knight, and the best that ever I met, to slay me out of hand; for yield will I never, and I would not live shamed to be lord of all the world.” ”

“ The knight again entreated him, offering to make ample amends. Sir Gawaine would not listen, and unlaced Ablemore’s helmet, with intent to strike off his head. Suddenly Sir Ablemore’s lady came out of her chamber, and threw herself over her lord to shield him, and Gawaine, who had not seen her, struck off her head by misadventure instead of the knight’s.
“Alas!” said Gaheris, “that was foully and shamefully done. The shame of that blow will not soon quit you. Moreover, you should give mercy to those who ask it; for a knight without mercy is without worship.” ”

“ There stood a fair town, and on the other side of it a great castle. As the knight passed through the town all the people in it saluted him and the lady. The three rode on and went into the castle, where Geraint saw many people welcome them. He himself looked into every house in the town, to see if there were any that he knew, from whom he might borrow a suit of armour; but he had never seen any of the people before. Every house he saw was full of men and arms and horses; and the people were polishing shields, and burnishing swords, and washing armour, and shoeing horses. ”

“ As it was after nine o’clock in the morning, Gawaine’s strength ever increased, and Sir Marhaus marvelled at it. But he was a knight of great prowess, and he withstood Sir Gawaine mightily. At noon they were still fighting, and then Gawaine began to grow more feeble, till at last he could no longer endure.
“Sir,” said Marhaus, “I have well felt that you are a passing good knight, and a man of marvellous might as ever I met. Our quarrel is not so great that it need be fought to the death, and I should be loath to do you hurt, for I perceive you are very feeble.” ”

“ But after he had been thus entertained, the chief lady of the castle told him that he must joust with a knight who kept an island close by, for it was a custom of the castle that no man might pass except he jousted.
“It is an unhappy custom,” said Balin, “that I must joust whether I be willing or not. However, since so it is, I am ready. Though my horse be weary with travel, my heart is not weary; but I should grieve little if I were going to my death,” For he saw that the curse of the sword he had taken abode ever with him. ”

“ Then both of them chanced to meet Sir Palomides, who at that time had taken up the quest of following a strange and dreadful beast that was called the questing-beast. It had a head and neck like a serpent, a body like a leopard, and legs and feet like a deer, and the noise it made was like the cry or questing of thirty couples of hounds. It was while he was seeking this beast that Sir Palomides met Sir Lamoracke and Sir Tristram; and there with one spear he smote them both down; which shows that sometimes the worse knight may put the better knight to reproach. ”

“ Then he took off his helm and bared his neck, and calmly awaited the blow. The Green Knight raised the axe, and brought it down with so much might that it hissed as it swept through the air; but he made it pass just by Gawaine, who shrank a little as it came by him. The Green Knight laughed scornfully.
“Behold,” he said, “thou art a Knight of the Table Round, and yet showest fear before thou hast felt harm. So did not I when thou didst strike me, and therefore must I be the better man.”
“It is true,” said Gawaine, “that I have shrunk once, but I will not again. ”

“ Down sprang Sir Gawaine from his horse, nothing loath, and they fought together with their swords a great while, and both had many wounds. But at last Gawaine struck down the other knight, whose name was Sir Ablemore of the Morass, and then he yielded, and cried for mercy, and begged Sir Gawaine, as he was a knight and a gentleman, to save his life. But Gawaine answered him, “Thou shalt die for slaying my hounds.” ”

“ When they had broken their fast the next day, Sir Persaunt asked whither they were going. “Sir,” said the damsel, “we are going to the siege of my sister at the Castle Dangerous.”
“Ah,” said Sir Persaunt, “there is the Red Knight of the Red Lands, who is the most perilous knight that I know, and a man that is without mercy, and it is said he hath seven men’s strength. He doth great wrong to the lady, and that is a pity, for she is one of the fairest in the world. If thou art her sister, is not thy name Lynette?” ”

“ She was the fairest lady Ewaine had ever seen, and as soon as he beheld her he became inflamed with love for her. He inquired of the maiden who the lady was.
“She is my mistress, and one of the fairest and most noble of women. She is called the Countess of the Fountain; and the knight whom thou didst slay yesterday was her husband.”
“Verily,” said Ewaine, “she is the woman that I love best in all the world.”
“Then,” said the damsel, “she shall also love thee not a little.” ”

“ To all this the king gladly assented, and sent word to the judges that he had found a champion. On the day set the two knights met in the field, and when they withdrew to make ready, Sir Bleoberis said to Sir Blamor: “Brother, you will find that knight the mightiest you ever had to do with. I know him right well, for I have had to do with him. But do thou remember of what kin we are come, and that none of our kindred was ever shamed in battle, but would rather suffer death than be shamed.” ”

“ Therein, said the squire, was the Green Chapel; but he himself would go no farther, for it was the most perilous place in the world. “He who dwells there,” he said, “is full stiff and stern, and bigger than any four knights in King Arthur’s court. No man hath ever yet been to the Green Chapel whom he did not slay by a single blow of his hand. I counsel thee therefore, Sir Knight, to quit this perilous quest, and withdraw thee; and if thou dost, I swear to thee that I will never reveal it.” ”

“ After that, the damsel made much of Sir Tor, and took him to her husband’s castle hard by, where he had good entertainment till the next day. Then he rode to Camelot, where he was joyfully received; and when he told his adventures, the king and all the court gave him great praise. But said Merlin—
“These things are nothing to what he shall do; he will prove as noble a knight as any now living, and gentle, and courteous, and full of good parts, and passing true of his promise, and he shall never do any outrage.” ”

“ Thereafter came in Sir Galahaut the high prince, who cried,—
“Knight of the many colours, well hast thou jousted; now make thee ready, that I may joust with thee.”
When Sir Gareth heard that, he took a new spear, and the two ran together. The prince broke his spear, but Sir Gareth smote him on the left side so that he reeled in his saddle, and would have fallen had not his men come round him and recovered him.
“So God me help,” said King Arthur, “that knight with the many colours is a good knight;” and he prayed Sir Lancelot to joust with him. ”

“ King Arthur rode at the head of his knights, and smote down on every hand, and Mordred on his part fought better than he had done in all his life before. At the last the king looked around him, and of all his host there were none left but Sir Lucas and Sir Bedivere, while on the other side there was none but Mordred himself, that stood leaning grimly on his sword. When Arthur saw him, he took his spear in his hand, and ran toward him, crying, “Traitor, now is thy death-day come.” ”

“ When Sir Sagramore saw his fellow have such a fall, he marvelled who the strange knight might be, and he put his spear in rest, and rode at Sir Tristram with all his might; but Sir Tristram bore him also to the earth, and in the fall he broke his thigh. Then said Tristram: “Fair knights, will you have any more? Are there no stronger knights in King Arthur’s court? It is a shame to speak disworship of Cornish knights, for here has one knight of Cornwall matched you both.” ”

“ Hard by dwells a knight that can overmatch any other I ever heard of, except it be thee; and I understand that he keeps in his prison more than threescore of King Arthur’s knights that he has conquered with his own hands. But when you have accomplished that adventure, you must promise me, as you are a true knight, to go with me and help me and other damsels that are distressed by a false knight.”
Sir Lancelot promised as she desired, and she brought him to Sir Turquine’s castle, and bid him beat on the copper basin. ”

“ CHAPTER II. HOW ARTHUR GOT HIS CROWN, HIS QUEEN, AND THE ROUND TABLE. THE Feast of Pentecost came, and there was again a great gathering of kings, nobles, and knights at London to decide who should be King of Britain. Once more a great many competitors came forward and strove to draw out the magic sword; but pull and twist as they might, it remained immovable in the grasp of all save Arthur, who drew it forth again and again in the sight of lords and commons. Most people were by this time weary of the long interregnum, and of the terrible evils it had brought upon the land. ”

“ He is the best man of his hands that ever I met, and I would rather lose a year’s rents than that he should die.”
“Fear nothing, sir,” answered Merlin. “He is more whole than you are. He is but asleep, and will wake within these three hours.” And he told the king that the knight was Sir Pellinore—the same that had slain King Lot.
Then they rode to a hermitage where dwelt a holy man that was an excellent leech, and he searched the king’s wounds, and healed them in three days. Then they departed; and as they went Arthur said to Merlin, “I have no sword.” ”

“ Sir Knight of the Round Table, dost thou withdraw? Thou dost thyself and thy kin great shame. I am but a young knight, and never fought till now; but rather than withdraw, I would be hewn into a hundred pieces.”
To that Sir Marhaus answered nothing, but went his way groaning; and as soon as he was on board his ship, he caused her to set sail for Ireland. When he reached King Anguisance’ court his wounds were searched, but the piece of Sir Tristram’s sword could not be got out of his skull; so he died. ”

“ Then the knights said to one another, “It is the proud Sir Kay; he thinketh no knight is as good as he, but the contrary is often proved.” Then one of the knights, who was named Sir Gaunter, said, “By my faith I will ride after him, and assay him for all his pride, and you may see how I shall speed.” With that he armed him, took his spear and shield, and rode hard after Sir Lancelot. And when he came near him he called out, “Abide, thou proud knight Sir Kay, for thou shalt not pass quietly.” ”

“ When they encountered, Sir Tristram met Sir Gaheris and gave him a fall, but Sir Palomides unhorsed Sir Dinadan and bruised him much. Then they were for fighting on foot, and Sir Tristram was ready enough, but Sir Dinadan would not. “You fare like a madman,” said he to Tristram; “and I may curse the hour when I saw you. There are not in the world two knights that crave after fighting as do you and Sir Lancelot. ”

“ At this the countess was exceedingly wrathful, and declared to Luned that she would banish her. Luned replied that the only cause for it was her desire to render her a service of which she stood in need; and she was going away affecting great anger, when the countess called her back.
“In truth,” said she, “evil is thy disposition; but if thou knowest what is to my advantage, declare it to me.”
“That will I,” quoth Luned. “Thou knowest that unless thou canst defend the fountain thou canst not maintain thy dominions; and no one can defend the fountain except a knight of King Arthur’s court. ”

“ Then La Beale Isoude hung down her head, and said no more. But while they sat at their meat, two armed knights came into the pavilion. “Sirs,” said Tristram, “you do not well to come upon us armed at all points.”
“Nay,” said one of them, “we come not with any evil intent, but as friends. I am come to see thee, Sir Tristram, and this knight to see Queen Isoude.”
Then Sir Tristram requested them to take off their helms; and when they did so, they were Sir Lancelot and King Arthur. So they were joyfully welcomed, and there was much merry talk about the tournament and other things. ”