Then those four went away and did according as the gardener’s boy commanded. And when they had made themselves ready in full array of armor, and when they had obtained the Lady Guinevere’s palfrey, they went unto the postern gate and there the gardener’s boy met them. And when he saw that they sat their horses and that they moved not at his coming, he said: “Ha, Messires! would ye so entreat him whom ye have been ordained to serve? Now I do bid ye, Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine, for to come down and to hold my stirrup for me; and I bid ye, Sir Geraint and Sir Pellias, for to come down and to hold my palfrey for me whiles I mount.”
Then those four noble knights did as they were commanded. And Sir Gawaine said: “Thou mayst command as thou dost list, and I do bid thee to make the most of it whiles thou mayst do so; for thou shalt have but a little while longer for to enjoy the great honor that hath fallen upon thee. For that honor which hath fallen upon thee—lo! it shall presently crush thee unto death.”
And the gardener’s boy said: “Not so; I believe I shall not die yet whiles.” And again those four lords were greatly astonished at the calmness of his demeanor.
And so they rode forth from that place; and the gardener’s boy would not permit that they should ride either before him or beside him, but he commanded them that they should ride behind him whiles they were still servants unto him.
So they rode as he assigned them for a considerable way. Then after they had gone forward a great distance, they drew nigh to a gloomy and dismal woodland that lay entirely beyond the country coadjacent to Cameliard. Then, when they had come nigh unto this woodland, Sir Gawaine rode a little forward, and he said: “Sir Gardener’s Boy, seest thou yonder woodland? Now when we come into it thou shalt immediately die, and that by a sword that hath never yet been touched by any but noble or knightly blood.”
And King Arthur turned him about in his saddle, and he said: “Ha! Sir Gawaine! Wouldst thou ride forward thus when I bid thee to ride behind me?”
King Arthur proclaimeth himself to the four knights.
And as he spake he took the cap from off his head, and, lo! they all beheld that it was King Arthur who rode with them.
Then a great silence of pure astonishment fell upon them all, and each man sat as though he were turned into an image of stone. And it was King Arthur who first spake. And he said: “Ha! how now, Sir Knights? Have ye no words of greeting for to pay to me? Certes, ye have served me with a very ill grace this day. Moreover, ye have threatened to slay me; and now, when I speak to you, ye say naught in reply.”
Then those four knights immediately cried out aloud; and they leaped down from off their horses, and they kneeled down into the dust of the road. And when King Arthur beheld them kneeling there, he laughed with great joyfulness of spirit, and he bade them for to mount their horses again, for the time was passing by when there was much to do.