🧚 Opening, part 8 · page 2

The shame of Sir Gawain80

Then the other stood a great while still, sorely angered and vexed within himself; all the blood flew to his face, and he shrank for shame as the Green Knight spake; and the first words he said were, “Cursed be ye, cowardice and covetousness, for in ye is the destruction of virtue.”81 Then he loosed the girdle, and gave it to the knight.82 “Lo, take there the falsity, may foul befall it!83 For fear of thy blow cowardice bade me make friends with covetousness and forsake the customs of largess and loyalty, which befit all knights.84 Now am I faulty and false and have been afeard: from treachery and untruth come sorrow and care.85 I avow to thee, Sir Knight, that I have ill done; do then thy will.86 I shall be more wary hereafter.”87

Then the other laughed and said gaily, “I wot I am whole of the hurt I had, and thou hast made such free confession of thy misdeeds, and hast so borne the penance of mine axe-edge, that I hold thee absolved from that sin, and purged as clean as if thou hadst never sinned since thou wast born.88 And this girdle that is wrought with gold and green, like my raiment, do I give thee, Sir Gawain, that thou mayest think upon this chance when thou goest forth among princes of renown, and keep this for a token of the adventure of the Green Chapel, as it chanced between chivalrous knights.89 And thou shalt come again with me to my dwelling and pass the rest of this feast in gladness.”90 Then the lord laid hold of him, and said, “I wot we shall soon make peace with my wife, who was thy bitter enemy.”91

How Sir Gawain would keep the girdle92

“Nay, forsooth,” said Sir Gawain and seized his helmet and took it off swiftly, and thanked the knight: “I have fared ill, may bliss betide thee, and may He who rules all things reward thee swiftly.93 Commend me to that courteous lady, thy fair wife, and to the other my honoured ladies, who have beguiled their knight with skilful craft.94 But ’tis no marvel if one be made a fool and brought to sorrow by women’s wiles, for so was Adam beguiled, and many a mighty man of old, Samson, and David, and Solomon—if one might love a woman and believe her not, ’twere great gain!95 And since all they were beguiled by women, methinks ’tis the less blame to me that I was misled!96 But as for thy girdle, that will I take with good will, not for gain of the gold, nor for samite, nor silk, nor the costly pendants, neither for weal nor for worship, but in sign of my frailty.97 I shall look upon it when I ride in renown and remind myself of the fault and faintness of the flesh; and so when pride uplifts me for prowess of arms, the sight of this lace shall humble my heart.98 But one thing would I pray, if it displease thee not: since thou art lord of yonder land wherein I have dwelt, tell me what thy rightful name may be, and I will ask no more.”99

How the marvel was wrought100

“That will I truly,” quoth the other.101 “Bernlak de Hautdesert am I called in this land.102 Morgain le Fay dwelleth in mine house,[10] and through knowledge of clerkly craft hath she taken many.103 For long time was she the mistress of Merlin, who knew well all you knights of the court.104 Morgain the goddess is she called therefore, and there is none so haughty but she can bring him low.105 She sent me in this guise to yon fair hall to test the truth of the renown that is spread abroad of the valour of the Round Table.106 She taught me this marvel to betray your wits, to vex Guinevere and fright her to death by the man who spake with his head in his hand at the high table.107 That is she who is at home, that ancient lady, she is even thine aunt, Arthur’s half-sister, the daughter of the Duchess of Tintagel, who afterward married King Uther.108 Therefore I bid thee, knight, come to thine aunt, and make merry in thine house; my folk love thee, and I wish thee as well as any man on earth, by my faith, for thy true dealing.”109

But Sir Gawain said nay, he would in no wise do so; so they embraced and kissed, and commended each other to the Prince of Paradise, and parted right there, on the cold ground.110 Gawain on his steed rode swiftly to the king’s hall, and the Green Knight got him whithersoever he would.111

How Sir Gawain came again to Camelot112

Sir Gawain, who had thus won grace of his life, rode through wild ways on Gringalet; oft he lodged in a house, and oft without, and many adventures did he have and came off victor full often, as at this time I cannot relate in tale.113 The hurt that he had in his neck was healed, he bare the shining girdle as a baldric bound by his side, and made fast with a knot ’neath his left arm, in token that he was taken in a fault—and thus he came in safety again to the court.114

Then joy awakened in that dwelling when the king knew that the good Sir Gawain was come, for he deemed it gain.115 King Arthur kissed the knight, and the queen also, and many valiant knights sought to embrace him.116 They asked him how he had fared, and he told them all that had chanced to him—the adventure of the chapel, the fashion of the knight, the love of the lady—at last of the lace.117 He showed them the wound in the neck which he won for his disloyalty at the hand of the knight, the blood flew to his face for shame as he told the tale.118