Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Middle-English Arthurian Romance Retold in Modern Prose |
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Common terms and phrases
Amadan Arthur Arthurian asked bade blow boar bright broidered brought castle Christ clad court courteously courtesy covenant drew dwelling earth errand fain fair lady faith fare fell fierce fled gaily gallant Gaston Paris girdle give ye gleamed gold Green Chapel Green Knight greeted guest Guinevere hall hand hath hauberk head heard hearkened heart hero high feast hither honour host hounds hounds bayed hunting huntsmen king King Arthur kingdom of Britain kissed knot lace laughed looked lord maidens marvel mediæval merry mirth Morgain Morgain le Fay naught neck never noble noble lady pentangle poem pray quoth Gawain quoth the knight rich ring of red rode romances Round Table shield Sir Gawain Sir Knight slain sooth sorrow spake steed stood story swiftly tale tell thee thine thou didst thou hast took turned twas valiant wain WIDENER words Ywain
Popular passages
Page 20 - Then the flowers come forth, meadows and grove are clad in green, the birds make ready to build, and sing sweetly for solace of the soft summer that follows thereafter. The blossoms bud and blow in the hedgerows rich and rank, and noble notes enough are heard in the fair woods. After the season of summer, with the soft winds, when zephyr breathes lightly on seeds and herbs, joyous indeed is the growth that waxes thereout when the dew drips from the leaves beneath the blissful glance of the bright...
Page 6 - ... for he rode even as a knight, yet was green all over. For he was clad all in green, with a straight coat, and a mantle above; all decked and lined with fur was the cloth and the hood that was thrown back from his locks and lay on his shoulders. Hose had he of the same green, and spurs of bright gold with silken fastenings richly worked; and all his vesture was verily green.
Page 34 - ... Do this penance now, and soon things will be better ! " Right mirthful was he for the wine that went to his head. 17. Then they questioned and inquired sparingly in skilful queries put to the prince himself, till he courteously acknowledged that he was of the court which noble Arthur holds alone, who is the rich, royal king of the Round Table ; and that it was Gawain himself that sits in the house, by chance come for that Christmas. When the lord had learned that he had that hero, he laughed...
Page 76 - ... no mercy, Be he churl or chaplain who rides by that chapel, monk or mass-priest, or any man else, he thinks it as pleasant to slay them as to pass alive himself. Therefore, I tell ye, as sooth as ye sit in saddle, if ye come there and that knight know it, ye shall be...
Page 5 - ... and full gallant knights. And at the end of the table was Bishop Bawdewyn, and Ywain, King Urien's son, sat at the other side alone. These were worthily served on the dais, and at the lower tables sat many valiant knights. Then they bare the first course with the blast of trumpets and waving of banners, with the sound of drums and pipes, of song and lute, that many a heart was uplifted at the melody. Many were the dainties, and rare the meats, so great was the plenty they might scarce find room...
Page 33 - There with mirthful speeches they took from the guest his byrny and all his shining armour, and brought him rich robes of the choicest in its stead. They were long and flowing, and became him well, and when he was clad in them all who looked on the hero thought that surely God had never made a fairer knight: he seemed as if he might be a prince without peer in the field where men strive in battle. Then before the hearth-place, whereon the fire burned, they made ready a chair for Gawain, hung about...
Page 36 - ... bleared, and ill to look upon. A worshipful lady in sooth one might call her ! In figure was she short and broad, and thickly made — far fairer to behold was she whom she led by the hand. When Gawain beheld that fair lady, who looked at him graciously, with leave of the lord he went towards them, and, bowing low, he greeted the elder, but the younger and fairer he took lightly in his arms, and kissed her courteously, and greeted her in knightly wise. Then she hailed him as friend, and he quickly...
Page 54 - ... She came to the bedside and looked on the knight, and Gawain gave her fit greeting, and she greeted him again with ready words, and sat her by his side and laughed, and with a sweet look she spoke to him: Sir, if ye be Gawain, I think it a wonder that ye be so stern and cold, and care not for the courtesies of friendship, but if one teach ye to know them ye cast the lesson out of your mind. Ye have soon forgotten what I taught ye yesterday, by all the truest tokens that I knew!" "What is that?"...
Page 21 - Bedivere, valiant knights both, and many another hero, with Sir Mador de la Porte, and they all drew near, heavy at heart, to take counsel with Sir Gawain. Much sorrow and weeping was there in the hall to think that so worthy a knight as Gawain should wend his way to seek a deadly blow, and should no more wield his sword in fight. But the knight made ever good cheer, and said, "Nay, wherefore should I shrink? What may a man do but prove his fate?
Page 51 - for by accord of covenant ye may claim it as your own." "That in sooth," quoth the other, "I grant you that same; and I have fairly won this within walls, and with as good will do I yield it to ye." With that he clasped his hands round the lord's neck and kissed him as courteously as he might. "Take ye here my spoils, no more have I won; ye should have it freely, though it were greater than this.