The stirrups that he stood in stain’d of the same,
The saddlebows in suit, and the splendid pommels—
All glimmer’d and gleam’d with the green jewels;
And the foal that he fared on, of fine green too,
certain;
A green horse great and strong,
A stiff steed to restrain,
With broider’d bridle-thong,
He match’d the man, ’tis plain.
IX
All gaily in green this gallant was gear’d,
And the hair of his head with his horse was in suit;
Fair waving locks that enfolded his shoulders,
A great beard like a bush o’er his breast falling,
Which with the athel hair that hung from his head
Was bobb’d all about, the elbows above,
That the half of his arms it halchèd23 thereunder,
Like a King’s capados24 that clings on him close.
The mane of his horse full meetly it match’d,
Well crispèd and comb’d, with knots very many
Folden with fildor25 the fair green amongst—
A harl of the hair with a harl of the gold:
His tail and his topping were twinèd in suit,
Bounden were both with a bright green band,
And dubb’d with rich stones to the dock’s end;
On his head was a wharl-knot wound with a ribbon,
Where many bells full bright of brent gold rung.
Such a foal upon field, such a rider on foal,
No eye in that hall had beheld ere that hour,
Pardie!
He look’d as levin,26 bright,
Said all that did him see;
Them thought that no man might
Endure his dints to dree.27
X
Yet had he no helmet nor hawberk either,
No pisan28 nor plate, not a piece of armour,
No shield nor no shaft to shove with or strike;
But he held in one hand a cluster of holly
That is greatest in green when groves are bare,
And an axe in the other, huge beyond measure,
A terrible tool to tell of in speech:
The head of this axe had an ellyard’s length,
The grain29 of green steel with gold was enchasèd,
The bit burnisht bright, with a broad edge on it
As well shapen to sheer as a sharp razor.
The stale to this steel was a timber full stout
That with iron was wound to the wánd’s ènd
And engravèd in green with gracious devices:
A lace round it lapp’d that lock’d at the head,
And was halchèd full often the handle about,
With many a choice tassel attachèd thereto
On buttons of bright green broider’d full rich.
This áthel híes him ín and the hall enters,
Driving to the dais: no danger he fear’d.
He gave none greeting but gazed ay before him,
And no word did he utter, but “where is” (quoth he)
“The governor of this gyng?30 full glad should I be
Of that same to have sight, and with him would speak
reasón.”
On knights he cast his e’en
And swagger’d up and down,
Then stopp’d, and studied keen
Who there had most renown.
XI
There was long looking that liege to behold,
Not a man but marvel’d what it might mean,
That an athel and a horse should have such a colour
As to grow green as grass, and greener it seem’d,
Glowing more green than enamel on gold.
They studied what stood there, then stalk’d it a-nigh
With áll the wónder in the wórld what work it would do,
For many a marvel had they seen but no marvel like this;
Wherefore phantom and fäerie the folk must it deem,
And many an athel was for answer o’erawed.
All were stounded at his speech and stood there like stocks,
In a swooning silence; as on sleep they were fall’n,
All that court so stately were still as a stone
well-nigh;
Not all, in faith! for fear,
But some for courtesy;
On the Prince that had no peer
They waited for reply.
XII
By the dais he marks this marvel of a man,
And courteously accosts him, that coward was never:
“Ye are welcome, good wight, I wis, to this place;
I am head of this hostel, Arthur my name;
May it list you alight, and lodge here, I pray you,
And whatso your will is, we shall weet after.”
“Nay, so help me,” said he, “the high God in heaven.
To wone any while, it was not mine errand.
’Tis because thy fame, Sir, is flaunted so high,
And thy burg and thy barons the best are holden,
Stoutest under steel-gear on steed to ride,
Worthiest and wightest31 of the world’s children,
Proved men to play with in all pure games,
And here courtesy is custom (I know it by tale),
That I have wended me hither, I wis, at this tide.
Full sure may ye be by this branch that I bear,
That I pass as in peace, and no peril I seek;
For with force had I fared in fighting array,
I have a hauberk at home and a helmet too,
A shield and a sharp spear, shining all bright,
And other weapons to wield, full well do I know;
But war I would not, and my weeds are the softer.
If so hardy thou be as by all thou art holden,
Thou wilt grant of thy grace the game that I ask
by right.”
Arthur made answer clear,
Said he, “Sir courteous knight,
If thou crave combat here
Thou failest not to fight.”
XIII
“Nay, in faith,” said the fell man, “no fight do I challenge;
The boys on this bench are but beardless children.
Were I haspèd in arms on a hígh stèed.
No man here could match me, their might is too feeble.
Wherefore I crave in this court but a Christmas game,
For ’tis Yule and New Year, and youth ye have here:
If any in this house so hardy him hold,
Be so bold in his blood, and of brain so wild,
As stiffly to strike one stroke for another,
I give him for gift this gísarm32 noble,
This axe so heavy, to handle as he likes,
And I bide the first blow, as bare as I sit.
If any be so true as to test what I tell ye,
Let him leap to me lightly, I lend him this weapon
(He may keep it his own, I quit-claim it for ever)
To stand him a
