Book X · ORGELUSE, part 1 of 10
¶ARGUMENT
¶Book X. relates how Gawain, after various adventures, fell in with a maiden and a wounded knight, how he succoured the knight and rode to Logrois. How he met with Orgelusé and wooed her, and how she repaid him with scorn. How the squire Malcréature mocked Sir Gawain, and how the knight Urian stole his charger. How Lischois Giwellius fought with Gawain and was conquered, and of the tribute due to the Master Boatman. How Gawain came to Terre de Merveil, and was well entreated by the Boatman and his daughter Bené.
¶BOOK X
¶ORGELUSE
¶Now tell we of strange adventures thro' which joy shall be waxen low, And yet pride shall grow the greater, of the twain doth this story show.
¶Now the year of truce was ended, when the strife must needs be fought Which the Landgrave unto King Arthur at Plimizöl had brought. At Schamfanzon he challenged Gawain to meet him at Barbigöl, 5 Yet still unavenged was Kingrisein at the hand of Kingrimursel-- In sooth, Vergulacht, he rode there, and thither had come Gawain, And the whole world was 'ware of their kinship nor might strife be betwixt the twain; For the murder, Count Eckunât did it, and Gawain must they guiltless hold, At rest did they lay their quarrel and friends were those heroes bold. 10
¶Then they parted for both would ride thence, Vergulacht and the knight Gawain, Tho' both for the Grail were seeking yet apart would they ride, those twain. And many a joust must they ride now, for he who the Grail would see Sword in hand must he draw anigh it, and swift must his seeking be!
¶Now all that befell to Gawain, the lot of that blameless knight 15 Since he rode forth from fair Schamfanzon, if he oft on his way must fight, Ye shall ask of those who there saw him, since naught may I tell ye here, Yet hearken, and heed the story and the venture that draweth near. One morning Gawain rode gaily o'er a grassy plain and green, When a shield, in the sun fair shining, with lance-thrust pierced thro' was seen, 20 And a charger stood beside it that bare women's riding-gear, And the bridle and aye the housing were of costly stuff and dear-- And the charger and shield beside it were bound to a linden tree. Then he thought, 'Who shall be this woman? for valiant I ween is she, Since she beareth a shield so knightly--If she thinketh with me to fight, 25 How, then, may I best withstand her? Were it better to here alight? If too long she wrestle with me perchance I were overthrown, If hatred or love I shall win here I will fight her on foot alone; Yea, e'en an she were Kamilla, who before Laurentium fought-- Did she live still to battle with me, as awhile she for honour sought, 30 I would face her, nor fear her prowess, if here she my foe would be, Tho' ne'er with a maid have I foughten and the chance seemeth ill to me!'
¶Battle-hewn was the shield and dinted, as Gawain right well espied The nearer he rode unto it, and pierced with a lance-thrust wide. Such token by joust is painted, little payment his skill should know 35 Whose hand erst the shield had fashioned an he thought him to paint it so! By the trunk of the mighty linden sat a maid on the grass so green, And sore did she weep and bewail her, and joyless, I wot, her mien. Then around the tree rode Gawain, and lo! on her knee she bore A knight, and she wept above him, and grieved with a sorrow sore. 40
¶Fair greeting Sir Gawain proffered, she thanked him and bowed her low, And hoarse was her voice thro' weeping and weakened thro' force of woe. Then down to the ground sprang Gawain, for the knight he was like to choke, Since the blood welled within his body, and unto the maid he spoke, And he asked if the knight were living, or should now in the death-throe be? 45 And she spake, 'He dieth surely, yet but now alive was he, God hath sent thee unto my succour, now help me with word and deed, Such wounds shalt thou oft have looked on, give counsel in this my need!'
¶'Yea, gladly I'll aid thee, Lady, from death shall thy knight be freed, And healing I well might win him an there were but at hand a reed. 50 Thou shalt see him, and hearken to him, nor his life shall be waxen less, The wound is not all too dangerous, but the blood on his heart doth press.' Then he stripped from a bough of the linden the bark, and did wind it round, (No fool he in art of healing,) and he set it unto the wound, And he bade the maiden suck it till the blood should toward her flow-- 55 And strength came again and hearing, and the voice of the knight they know, And he looked on Gawain, and he thanked him, and said he should honoured be In that from his woe he had freed him, and he asked of him, whence came he? Rode he hither in search of knighthood? 'From far Punturtois I came In search of such knightly venture as should win for me meed of fame, 60 Yet sorely must I bewail me for the ill that I here have won, Sir Knight, an thy senses fail not, 'twere better this way to shun!'
¶'Such evil I little looked for--'Twas Lischois Giwellius Who hath wounded me so sorely, and down from my charger thrust: Fair was the joust and knightly, and he pierced me thro' shield and side, 65 On her steed this maiden helped me, and hither hath been my guide!' Then he prayed Gawain to abide there, but he spake, he the place would see Where such evil had chanced unto him, 'If Logrois thus near shall be, Perchance I shall yet o'ertake him, he shall answer to me, I trow, For the deed he hath done, and his reason for vengeance on thee I'll know!' 70 But the wounded knight spake, 'Not so, for true are the words I say, And no child's play shall be this journey, great perils beset the way.'
¶With the band from the maiden's tresses Gawain the wound did bind, And spake o'er it spells of healing, and he bade them their comfort find In God, since He cares for all men--With blood was their pathway red, 75 And crimson the grass besprinkled as a stag had its life-blood shed; Thus he rode not astray, and in short space did Logrois before him stand-- A fortress so fair and stately, its praise was in every land.