The Story of Gareth
HOW BEAUMAINS CAME TO KING ARTHUR’S COURT
King Arthur had a custom that at the feast of Pentecost he would not go to meat until he had heard or seen a great marvel. And because of that custom all manner of strange adventures came before him at that feast.
So Sir Gawain, a little before noon of the day of Pentecost, saw from a window three men on horseback and a dwarf on foot, and one of the men was higher than the other two, by a foot and a half. Then Sir Gawain went unto the King and said, “Sir, go to your meat, for here at hand come strange adventures.”
Right so came into the hall two men and upon their shoulders there leaned the goodliest young man and the fairest that ever they all saw, and he was tall and large and broad in the shoulders and the fairest and largest-handed that ever man saw.
This young man said, “King Arthur, God bless you and all your fair fellowship. For this cause I am come hither, to pray you to give me three gifts and they shall not be unreasonably asked, but you may honorably grant them me. The first gift I will ask now and the other two I will ask this day twelvemonth.”
“Now ask,” said Arthur, “and ye shall have your asking.”
“Sir,” said the young man, “this is my petition, that ye will give me meat and drink for this twelvemonth, and at that day I will ask mine other two gifts.”
“My fair son,” said Arthur, “ask better, I counsel thee, for this is but simple asking; for my heart tells me that thou shalt prove a man of right great honor.”
“Sir,” said the young man, “be that as it may, I have asked that I will ask.”