Король Артур та лицарі Круглого столу
Chapter VIII
Gothen,andbringbyforceallthatthoucanstfind;andtakewiththeeSirGawain,mynephew,andSirClegis,SirClaremondtheCaptainofCardiff,andastrongband.”
Anon,thoseknightsmadeready,androdeoverholtsandhills,andthroughforestsandwoods,tilltheycametoagreatmeadowfulloffairflowersandgrass,andtheretheyrestedthemselvesandtheirhorsesthatnight.Andatthedawnofthenextday,SirGawaintookhishorseandrodeawayfromhisfellowstoseeksomeadventure.Soonhesawanarmedknightwalkinghishorsebyawood’sside,withhisshieldlacedtohisshoulder,andnoattendantwithhimsaveapage,bearingamightyspear;andonhisshieldwereblazonedthreegoldgriffins.WhenSirGawainspiedhim,heputhisspearinrest,andridingstraighttohim,askedwhohewas.“ATuscan,”saidhe;“andtheymayestprovemewhenthouwilt,forthoushaltbemyprisonererewepart.”
ThensaidSirGawain,“Thouvauntesttheegreatly,andspeakestproudwords;yetIcounselthee,forallthyboastings,looktothyselfthebestthoucanst.”
Atthattheytooktheirspearsandranateachotherwithallthemighttheyhad,andsmoteeachotherthroughtheirshieldsintotheirshoulders;andthendrawingswordssmotewithgreatstrokes,tillthefiresprangoutoftheirhelms.ThenwasSirGawainenraged,andwithhisgoodswordGalotinestruckhisenernythroughshieldandhauberk,andsplinteredintopiecesallthepreciousstonesofit,andmadesohugeawoundthatmenmightseebothlungsandliver.
