Thus they four alone took their way to the pavilion, and the king’s men beheld them, even as they came forth from the castle gateway, and Sir Ywain cried, “By my faith, and no lie, I see four men come hither, and all four be knights, so it seemeth me!” And Kay answered, “I see them too!”
And when they came so near to the pavilion that their faces might be seen, Sir Ywain ran joyfully to the king. “Sire, Sire, an God help me, here cometh Sir Gawain, and with him three others, all hand in hand: there be the son of Do, and Sir Lucains, and for the fourth a great knight!”
The king answered no word, but made semblance as if he heard not, and rose not from his couch, save that he raised himself somewhat higher thereon.
In a little space he spake to his knights, “Be not over dismayed, but make as fair a countenance as ye may; methinks they come thither to bid us return with them to prison, but I go not hence ere that I be vanquished, or have freed my comrades.” And all answered, “Well spoken, Sire!”
But now had the four come so nigh that they had dismounted, and come before the king; never was seen such rejoicing as his lord made of Giflet, but now was he in sore distress, and, lo! his sorrow was turned to joy! Why should I lie to ye? The Rich Soudoier told him how Sir Gawain had conquered him, and how, by his courtesy, he had given life to him and to his fair lady; and the king hearkened to the tale right willingly.
Now will I leave speaking of them, but this much will I say, that well might the lord of the castle love and cherish him who first overcame him by arms and then did him so great honour as to yield him to his lady so that his life might thereby be saved. So here will I hold my peace, no, nor speak further, save to tell ye that now was the king lord alike of the Castle Orguellous and the lands around; never in all his days did he make so great a conquest, as Bleheris doth witness to us.
Notes
Page [3].—The knights rode gaily ahead. This episode, in practically identical form, is found as the introduction to the head-cutting challenge, of which in Wauchier’s compilation Carados is the hero. This double use of the same incident appears to me significant in face of the fact that the ‘Carados’ story is an inferior version of our ‘Syr Gawayne and the Grene Knyghte.’ It seems to me most probable that our poem represents an elaborated version of an adventure which originally formed part of the compilation utilised by Wauchier in his continuation of the ‘Perceval,’ and that the passage here given formed the introductory episode of the group.
Page [5].—At Carnarvon. In some of the texts Carduel is substituted for Carnarvon.