الفصل الفصل 81 · How a knight and a dwarf strove for a lady.

. How a knight and a dwarf strove for a lady.

And therewith he passed unto the one side of the laund; and on the

other side saw Sir Gawaine ten knights that hoved still and made them

ready with their shields and spears against that one knight that came

by Sir Gawaine.

Then this one knight aventred a great spear, and one of the ten knights

encountered with him, but this woful knight smote him so hard that he

fell over his horse’s tail. So this same dolorous knight served them

all, that at the leastway he smote down horse and man, and all he did

with one spear; and so when they were all ten on foot, they went to

that one knight, and he stood stone still, and suffered them to pull

him down off his horse, and bound him hand and foot, and tied him under

the horse’s belly, and so led him with them. O Jesu! said Sir Gawaine,

this is a doleful sight, to see the yonder knight so to be entreated,

and it seemeth by the knight that he suffereth them to bind him so, for

he maketh no resistance. No, said his host, that is truth, for an he

would they all were too weak so to do him. Sir, said the damosel unto

Sir Gawaine, meseemeth it were your worship to help that dolorous

knight, for methinketh he is one of the best knights that ever I saw. I

would do for him, said Sir Gawaine, but it seemeth he will have no

help. Then, said the damosel, methinketh ye have no lust to help him.

Thus as they talked they saw a knight on the other side of the laund

all armed save the head. And on the other side there came a dwarf on

horseback all armed save the head, with a great mouth and a short nose;

and when the dwarf came nigh he said, Where is the lady should meet us

here? and therewithal she came forth out of the wood. And then they

began to strive for the lady; for the knight said he would have her,

and the dwarf said he would have her. Will we do well? said the dwarf;

yonder is a knight at the cross, let us put it both upon him, and as he

deemeth so shall it be. I will well, said the knight, and so they went

all three unto Sir Gawaine and told him wherefore they strove. Well,

sirs, said he, will ye put the matter in my hand? Yea, they said both.

Now damosel, said Sir Gawaine, ye shall stand betwixt them both, and

whether ye list better to go to, he shall have you. And when she was

set between them both, she left the knight and went to the dwarf, and

the dwarf took her and went his way singing, and the knight went his

way with great mourning.

Then came there two knights all armed, and cried on high, Sir Gawaine!

knight of King Arthur’s, make thee ready in all haste and joust with

me. So they ran together, that either fell down, and then on foot they

drew their swords, and did full actually. The meanwhile the other

knight went to the damosel, and asked her why she abode with that

knight, and if ye would abide with me, I will be your faithful knight.

And with you will I be, said the damosel, for with Sir Gawaine I may

not find in mine heart to be with him; for now here was one knight

discomfited ten knights, and at the last he was cowardly led away; and

therefore let us two go whilst they fight. And Sir Gawaine fought with

that other knight long, but at the last they accorded both. And then

the knight prayed Sir Gawaine to lodge with him that night. So as Sir

Gawaine went with this knight he asked him, What knight is he in this

country that smote down the ten knights? For when he had done so

manfully he suffered them to bind him hand and foot, and so led him

away. Ah, said the knight, that is the best knight I trow in the world,

and the most man of prowess, and he hath been served so as he was even

more than ten times, and his name hight Sir Pelleas, and he loveth a

great lady in this country and her name is Ettard. And so when he loved

her there was cried in this country a great jousts three days, and all

the knights of this country were there and gentlewomen, and who that

proved him the best knight should have a passing good sword and a

circlet of gold, and the circlet the knight should give it to the

fairest lady that was at the jousts. And this knight Sir Pelleas was

the best knight that was there, and there were five hundred knights,

but there was never man that ever Sir Pelleas met withal but he struck

him down, or else from his horse; and every day of three days he struck

down twenty knights, therefore they gave him the prize, and forthwithal

he went thereas the Lady Ettard was, and gave her the circlet, and said

openly she was the fairest lady that there was, and that would he prove

upon any knight that would say nay.