5 10 15 come in this night, then wherever thou meet my lord, thou must yield thee to him as prisoner." "Madam," said Sir Gareth, "what is your lord's name?" "Well, madam," said Sir Gareth, "I shall promise you in whatever place I meet your lord, I shall yield me unto him and to his good grace, if I understand he will do me no harm; and if I understand that he will, I will release myself if I can with my spear and my sword." "Ye say well," said the lady, and then she let the drawbridge down and he rode into the hall and there he alit and his horse was led into a stable. And in the hall he unarmed him and said, "Madam, I will not go out of this hall this night and when it is daylight, whoever will fight me shall find me ready." Then was he set unto supper and had many good dishes and so when he had supped, he rested him all night. And on the morn he took his leave and thanked the lady for her lodging and good cheer and then she asked him his name. "Madam," he said, "truly my name is Gareth of Orkney and 20 some men call me Beaumains.” 25 25 So Sir Gareth departed and by fortune he came to a mountain and there he found a goodly knight, who said, "Abide, sir knight, and joust with me." "What are ye called?" said Sir Gareth. "My name is the Duke de la Rowse." "Ah, sir, I lodged in your castle and there I made promise unto your lady that I should yield me unto you." "Ah," said the Duke, “art thou that proud knight that offerest to fight with my knights? Make thee ready, for I will fight 30 with you." So they did battle together more than an hour and at last Sir Gareth smote the duke to the earth and then the duke yielded to him. "Then must ye go," said Sir Gareth, "unto King Arthur, dă lă rouse' my lord, at the next feast and say that I, Sir Gareth of Orkney, sent you unto him." "It shall be done," said the duke, "and I will do homage to you and a hundred knights with me, and all the days of my 5 life do you service wherever you command me." CHAPTER VIII. HOW SIR GARETH AND SIR GAWAIN FOUGHT EACH AGAINST OTHER. So the duke departed and Sir Gareth stood there alone and then he saw an armed knight coming toward him. Then Sir Gareth mounted upon his horse and they ran together as it had been thunder. And so they fought two hours. At last came the 10 damsel, who rode with Sir Gareth so long, and she cried, "Sir Gawain, Sir Gawain, leave thy fighting with thy brother Sir Gareth." And when he heard her say so he throw away his shield and his sword and ran to Sir Gareth and took him in his arms 15 and then kneeled down and asked for mercy. 20 "Who are ye," said Sir Gareth, "that right now were so strong and so mighty and now so suddenly yield you to me?" "O, Gareth, I am your brother, Gawain, that for your sake have had great sorrow and labor." Then Sir Gareth unlaced his helmet and kneeled down to him and asked for mercy. Then they rose and embraced each other and wept a great while and either of them gave the other the prize of the battle. And there were many kind words between them. 25 "Alas, my fair brother," said Sir Gawain, "I ought of right to honor you, if you were not my brother, for ye have honored King Arthur and all his court, for ye have sent him more honorable knights this twelvemonth than six of the best of the Round Table have done except Sir Lancelot." Then the damsel went to King Arthur, who was but two miles thence. And when she told him of Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth, the king mounted a horse and bade the lords and ladies come after, who that would, and there was saddling and bridling 5 of queens' horses and princes' horses and well was he that was soonest ready. And when the king came nigh Sir Gareth, he made great joy and ever he wept as if he were a child. With that came Gareth's mother and when she saw Gareth she might not weep, 10 but suddenly fell down in a swoon and lay there a great while, as if she were dead. And then Sir Gareth comforted his mother in such wise that she recovered and made good cheer. Then made Sir Lancelot great cheer of Sir Gareth and he of him, for there was never knight that Sir Gareth loved so well 15 as he did Sir Lancelot and ever for the most part, he would be in Sir Lancelot's company. And this Sir Gareth was a noble knight and a well-ruled and fair languaged. HELPS TO STUDY. Notes and Questions. What reason did Gareth have for What do you think he hoped to Contrast Sir Kay and Sir Lance- Read the line which explains Sir How did Gareth behave during the year he worked in the kitchen? What do you learn of the condi tion of the times from the story What was King Arthur's purpose Which of the vows of his knighthood did he fulfill when he went to the rescue of the knight? How did Gareth receive the harsh words of the damsel? Would he have been justified in leaving her when she showed such discourtesy and ingratitude? What was it that Gareth never forgot and that helped him to bear her rudeness? According to the rule of knight hood what was a knight bound to do when a vanquished foe asked for mercy? Why did Gareth say the damsel must ask for the life of the Green Knight? What essential quality of knight hood did the Green Knight show in combat? What quality of knighthood did he show when he praised Gareth to the damsel? What quality of knighthood did he show in his farewell to Gareth? Read the words in which the dam sel asks forgiveness. What does she say made her realize she was wrong? What knight did Sir Persant say was the chief of all knights? What two knights did he rank next in order? What did the damsel tell Gareth beginning the fight? What commands did Gareth lay upon the Red Knight of the Red Lands when he spared his life? What quality of knighthood did all these knights show when they went to the court and did homage to King Arthur? Read Sir Lancelot's answer to the king's request that he encounter the unknown knight who had overthrown so many. Why would not Gareth strike Sir Lancelot ? Read the lines which tell of Gareth's love for Sir Lancelot. Words and Phrases for Discussion. "labor daily in arms'' "hold his lands of you" "prove his might' "deeds of arms" "ungentle knight" "a proved knight" "good fame" "make amends'' BOOK III. THE PEERLESS KNIGHT LANCELOT CHAPTER I. 5 10 15 THE TOURNAMENT AT WINCHESTER. King Arthur proclaimed a great joust and a tournament that should be held at Camelot, that is Winchester; and the king said that he and the King of Scots would joust against all that would come against them. And when this proclamation was made, thither came many knights. So King Arthur made him ready to depart to these jousts but Sir Lancelot would not ride with the king, for he said he was suffering from a grievous wound. And so the king departed toward Winchester with his fellowship and by the way he lodged in a town called Astolat. And upon the morn early Sir Lancelot departed and rode until he came to Astolat and there it happened in the evening, he came to an old baron's place who was called Sir Bernard of Astolat. As Sir Lancelot entered into his lodging, King Arthur saw him and knew him full well. "It is well," said King Arthur unto the knights that were with him, "I have now seen one knight that will play his play at the jousts to which we are going. I undertake he will do marvels." "Who is that, we pray you tell us?" said many knights that 20 were there at that time. "Ye shall not know from me," said the king, "at this time." And so the king smiled and went to his lodging. So when Sir Lancelot was in his lodging and unarmed him in his chamber, the old baron came to him and welcomed him in the 25 best manner, but the old knight knew not Sir Lancelot. |