If now the gallant Gawain a knightly joust would ride,
Tho' never I feared for his honour yet I fear what may now betide.
And tho' dear be the other's safety yet never a doubt I know,
For he who in strife would face him an army had found for foe.
O'er far seas, in the land of paynim, his helmet was fashioned fair, 5
And ruby-red was his harness, and the trappings his charger bare.
So rode he in search of adventure, and his shield it was piercèd thro'—
He had plucked for his helm a garland, and the tree where the garland grew
Was the tree that Gramoflanz guarded; and Gawain knew the wreath again,
And he thought, did the king here wait him it were counted to him for shame, 10
If hither for strife he had ridden then strife there perforce must be,
Tho' alone were the twain, and no lady the fate of their jousting see.
From Monsalväsch they came, the chargers, which each of the knights bestrode,
And they spurred them alike to a gallop, and each 'gainst the other rode,
On the dewy grass of the meadow, not the sand of the Tourney ring, 15
Should the joust this morn be ridden; and I ween, as their deeds I sing,
I had mourned for the harm of either—'Twas a fair joust they rode that morn,
Of a race that fought fair and knightly was each gallant hero born;
And little had been his winning, great his loss, who there won the prize,
And ne'er had he ceased to mourn it, if he were in his calling wise. 20
For faith had they pledged to each other, nor of old time, nor yet to-day,
Had their love and their truth been wounded—Now hear how they fought the fray:
Swiftly they rode, yet in such wise that each knight must mourn his fate—
For kinsman and knightly brethren, in strength of foeman's hate,
In strife had come together; and he who this joust should win 25
His joy were the pledge of sorrow, and his deed must he count for sin—
And each right hand it smote so surely that the comrades and foemen twain,
With horse and with goodly harness, fell prone on the grassy plain.
And then in such wise they bear them, with their swords such blows they smite,
That their shields are hewn and riven, and cloven in deadly fight. 30
And the splinters of shields, and the grass blades, were mingled upon the ground,
And far other the look of the meadow ere their strife had its ending found;
And too long must they wait for a daysman—'twas early when first they fought,
And the hours sped by, and no man an end to their conflict brought,
And no man was there beside them—Will ye hear how, the self-same day, 35
King Arthur's knights to the army of King Gramoflanz made their way?
On a plain by the sea he camped him—On the one side of the ground
Flowed the Sabbins, and over against it the Poinzacleins its ending found.
And the plain it was strongly guarded; Rosche Sabbins the citadel,
With towers and with walls deep-moated, defended the fourth side well. 40
And the host on the plain lay stretching its length for a mile and more,
And half a mile broad had they deemed it—As the messengers toward it bore,
Many unknown knights rode forward, archers, squires, with arms and spear,
And behind them, with waving banners, did the mighty host draw near.
With ringing blasts of trumpet would the army leave the plain, 45
That very morn to Ioflanz marched the monarch and all his train.
And clear rung the ladies' bridles as they circled around the king—
And, if I may tell the story, the tidings I fain would bring
Of those who had ridden hither, and camped on the sward so green,
For Gramoflanz bade them hither, and his combat they fain had seen. 50
If ye shall not before have heard it then here would I make it known,
From Punt, the water-locked city, to his nephew's aid had flown
Brandelidelein, and with him were six hundred ladies fair,
By the side of each lovely lady her knight must his armour wear;
For knighthood and love would he serve her—Of Punturtois, the gallant knights 55
Were fain for this stately journey, in sooth 'twas a noble sight.
And there rode, an ye will believe me, Count Bernard of Riviers,
Rich Narant had been his father, and left Uckerland to his heir.
And in many a ship o'er the water had he brought so fair a host
Of ladies, that none gainsaid him who would make of their beauty boast. 60
Two hundred of them were maidens, and two hundred already wed—
And if I have rightly counted 'neath his banner Count Bernard led
Five hundred knights well proven, who with him had sailed the sea,
And each well might face a foeman, and each should a hero be.
Thus King Gramoflanz would wreak vengeance in strife for the broken tree, 65
For he deemed he should be the victor, and the folk should his prowess see.
And the princes from out his kingdom, with many a valiant knight,
And many a lovely lady, had come to behold the fight;
And a goodly folk were gathered—Now Arthur's men drew near,
And they looked upon the monarch, how they found him ye now shall hear. 70
Of Palmât was the high seat 'neath him, and with silk was the couch spread o'er,
And maidens, so fair and graceful, they knelt low the king before,
And with iron hose they shod him; and high o'er the monarch's head,
A silk, Ecidemon-woven, both broad and long, was spread,
On twelve spear-shafts tall was it lifted, from the sunlight to be a shade— 75
Then came the men of King Arthur, and this was the word they said:
'Sire, King Arthur hath hither sent us, and ever hath he been known
As one whom all men have honoured, and whom all shall as victor own.
Yea, honour enow is his portion—And yet wouldst thou mar his fame,
Since upon the son of his sister thou thinkest to bring this shame! 80
And e'en had Sir Gawain wrought thee worse ill by far, I ween,
That the fame of the great Round Table might here for a shield have been.
For brotherhood all have sworn him who sit at that noble board,
And stainless shall be their knighthood who own Arthur for king and lord!
Quoth the king, 'The strife I sware him e'en to-day my hand shall dare, 85
And Gawain to-day shall face me, if well or if ill he fare.
For this hath been truly told me, that King Arthur draweth near
With his queen, and his host of warriors; I bid them welcome here!
Tho' it may be the angry Duchess shall counsel him to mine ill,
Yet hearken and heed, ye children, the strife shall be foughten still. 90
For here have I many a follower, and hindered of none will be,
What one man can do unto me that bear I right joyfully!
And if now I should fear to face that to which I my pledge have sworn,
Of Love's service and Love's rewarding henceforward were I forlorn!
In her favour I found aforetime my life and my life's best bliss— 95
God knoweth how he hath pleased her, she oweth me much for this!—
And tho' ever I did disdain me to fight with one man alone,
Yet Gawain hath so bravely borne him that him as I my peer I'll own.
And I think me I shame my manhood when such easy strife I fight;
And yet have I fought, believe me, (ye can ask if it seem ye right,) 100
With folk whom mine hand hath proven to be valiant men and true,
But ne'er have I fought but one man! No praise shall be here my due,
From the lips of gracious women, tho' the victory be mine to-day—
And greatly my heart rejoiceth that her bands have been reft away
For whose sake I fight this conflict; so many a distant land 105
Are vassals unto King Arthur, and pay tribute unto his hand,
It may well be with him she cometh, for whose sake both joy and pain
Unto death I would gladly suffer, if she be for my service fain.
And what better fate can befall me than that this my fair lot shall be,
That she looketh upon my service, and her eyes shall my victory see!' 110
And near to the king sat Bené, nor her heart for the strife did fail,
For full oft had she seen his valour, and she deemed he might well prevail.
But yet had she known that Gawain was brother unto the maid,
And 'twas he who now stood in peril, of a sooth had she been dismayed.