Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight | Page 5

and put on rich robes, which
so well became him, that all declared that a more comely knight Christ had never made
(ll. 860-883).
[Footnote 1: Gawayne is now in the castle of the Green Knight, who, divested of his
elvish or supernatural character, appears to our knight merely as a bold one with a
beaver-hued beard.]
A table is soon raised, and Gawayne, having washed, proceeds to meat. Many dishes are
set before him--"sews" of various kinds, fish of all kinds, some baked in bread, others
broiled on the embers, some boiled, and others seasoned with spices. The knight
expresses himself well pleased, and calls it a most noble and princely feast.
After dinner, in reply to numerous questions, he tells his host that he is Gawayne, one of
the Knights of the Round Table. When this was made known great was the joy in the hall.
Each one said softly to his companion, "Now we shall see courteous behaviour and learn
the terms of noble discourse, since we have amongst us 'that fine father of nurture.' Truly
God has highly favoured us in sending us such a noble guest as Sir Gawayne" (ll.
884-927). At the end of the Christmas festival Gawayne desires to take his departure
from the castle, but his host persuades him to stay, promising to direct him to the Green
Chapel (about two miles from the castle), that he may be there by the appointed time (ll.
1029-1082).
A covenant is made between them, the terms of which were that the lord of the castle
should go out early to the chase, that Gawayne meanwhile should lie in his loft at his ease,
then rise at his usual hour, and afterwards sit at table with his hostess, and that at the end
of the day they should make an exchange of whatever they might obtain in the interim.
"Whatever I win in the wood," says the lord, "shall be yours, and what thou gettest shall
be mine" (ll. 1083-1125).

Full early before daybreak the folk uprise, saddle their horses, and truss their mails. The
noble lord of the land, arrayed for riding, eats hastily a sop, and having heard mass,
proceeds with a hundred hunters to hunt the wild deer (ll. 1126-1177).
All this time Gawayne lies in his gay bed. His nap is disturbed by a little noise at the door,
which is softly opened. He heaves up his head out of the clothes, and, peeping through
the curtains, beholds a most lovely lady (the wife of his host). She came towards the bed,
and the knight laid himself down quickly, pretending to be asleep. The lady stole to the
bed, cast up the curtains, crept within, sat her softly on the bed-side, and waited some
time till the knight should awake. After lurking awhile under the clothes considering what
it all meant, Gawayne unlocked his eyelids, and put on a look of surprise, at the same
time making the sign of the cross, as if afraid of some hidden danger (ll. 1178-1207).
"Good morrow, sir," said that fair lady, "ye are a careless sleeper to let one enter thus. I
shall bind you in your bed, of that be ye sure." "Good morrow," quoth Gawayne, "I shall
act according to your will with great pleasure, but permit me to rise that I may the more
comfortably converse with you." "Nay, beau sir," said that sweet one, "ye shall not rise
from your bed, for since I have caught my knight I shall hold talk with him. I ween well
that ye are Sir Gawayne that all the world worships, whose honour and courtesy are so
greatly praised. Now ye are here, and we are alone (my lord and his men being afar off,
other men, too, are in bed, so are my maidens), and the door is safely closed, I shall use
my time well while it lasts. Ye are welcome to my person to do with it as ye please, and I
will be your servant" (ll. 1208-1240).
Gawayne behaves most discreetly, for the remembrance of his forthcoming adventure at
the Green Chapel prevents him from thinking of love (ll. 1205-1289). At last the lady
takes leave of the knight by catching him in her arms and kissing him (ll. 1290-1307).
The day passes away merrily, and at dusk the Lord of the castle returns from the chase.
He presents the venison to Gawayne according to the previous covenant between them.
Our knight gives his host a kiss as the only piece of good fortune that had fallen to him
during the day. "It is good," says the other, "and would be much better if ye would tell me
where ye won such bliss" (ll. 1308-1394). "That was not in our covenant,"