Book XII · EIDEGAST, part 3 of 8

¶Alas! I wot well 'gainst Frau Minne all helpless shall be Gawain-- Then he looked on the knight who rode there, and he spake to the queen again, 'Lady, a knight I see there, who rideth with well-aimed spear, Nor will cease from the goal he seeketh--Well! I ween he may find it here, 170 Since he craveth some deed of knighthood I am ready with him to fight, But say, who shall be the maiden?' she quoth, ''Tis the lady bright Who is Duchess and queen of Logrois,--Now 'gainst whom doth she bear ill-will? For the Turkowit rideth with her, and unconquered shall he be still. With his spear such fame hath he won him, as were riches for kingdoms three, 175 And against a hand so valiant 'twere best not to venture thee; For strife is it all too early, and thou shalt be hurt too sore, And e'en wert thou whole I should rede thee to strive with him nevermore!' Quoth Gawain, 'If indeed I be lord here then he who so near shall seek Deeds of knighthood, shall shame mine honour if vengeance I fail to wreak. 180 Since he lusteth for strife, O Lady, thou shalt give me mine armour here!' Then the ladies, the four, bewailed them with many a bitter tear: And they quoth, 'Wilt thou deck thy glory? wilt thou greater honour know? Strive not now, shouldst thou fall before him then greater shall wax our woe. But e'en if thou be the victor, if thou girdest thine harness on 185 Thou must die who so sore art wounded, and with thee are we all undone!'

¶Gawain, he was sorely anguished, and the cause have ye heard aright, For he counted himself dishonoured by the coming of such a knight And his wounds, they must sorely pain him, yet love's torment it vexed him more, And the grief of these four fair ladies, and the love they towards him bore. 190 Then he bade them to cease from weeping, and harness and sword he craved, And his charger; and those fair women they led forth the hero brave. And he bade them go forth before him, and adown the steps they wind To the hall where the other maidens so sweet and so fair they find.

¶Then Gawain for his perilous journey was armed 'neath the light of eyes 195 Tear-dimmed, and they secret held it, and none knew save the merchant wise. And they bade him the steed make ready, and the hero he slowly stept To the place where his charger waited--nor light on its back he leapt, But scarcely his shield might he carry, for in sooth was he wounded sore. And thro' centre and rim was it piercèd, and traces of battle bore! 200

¶Then again he bestrode his charger, and he turned from the Burg away, And he rode to his host so faithful; and never he said him Nay, But all that he asked he gave him, a spear both strong and new, (Many such had, I ween, been his tribute from that plain where they jousted true,) Then Gawain bade him ship him over, in a ferry they sought the shore, 205 And the Turkowit, who high courage and the thought of sure victory bore; For so well against shame was he armèd that ill-deeds from before him fled, And his fame was so high accounted, that they made of the sward their bed Who would ride a joust against him--From their charger they needs must fall, And of those who had faced his valour, his spear had o'erthrown them all. 210 And this was the rule of the hero, that by spear-thrust, and no sword-blade, Would he win to him fame in battle, or his honour be prostrate laid. And to him who should face his onslaught, and o'erthrow him, the self-same day Would he yield, nor defend him further, but would give him his pledge straightway.

¶And thus heard Gawain the story from him who the pledge did hold, 215 For his pledge Plippalinòt took there, when the tale of the joust was told. Did one fall while the other sat still, with goodwill of the heroes twain Did he take that which one must forfeit, and the other methinks should gain, Of the charger I speak, hence he led it, for he deemed they enough had fought. Who was victor, and who the vanquished, from the Burg were the tidings brought, 220 For the women, they looked on the jousting, and many a conflict saw. Then he bade Gawain seat him firmly, and the charger he led to shore, And his shield and his spear he gave him--and the Turkowit swiftly came As one who his joust can measure, nor too high nor too low his aim. And Gawain turned his horse against him--of Monsalväsch, Gringuljet, 225 And it answered unto the bridle, and his spear 'gainst the foe he set.

¶Now forward!--the joust be ridden--Here rideth King Lot's fair son, Undaunted his heart--Now know ye where the helm hath its fastening won? For there did his foeman strike him; but Gawain sought another aim, And swift thro' the helmet's visor with sure hand the spear-point came, 230 And plain to the sight of all men was the fate of the joust that day, On his spear short and strong the helmet from his head Gawain bare away, And onward it rode, the helmet! But the knight on the grass lay low, Who was blossom and flower of all manhood till he met with such mighty foe. But now he in joust was vanquished, and the jewels from his helm were seen 235 To vie with the dew on the herbage and the flowers on the meadow green. And Gawain, he rode back unto him, and his pledge did he take that day, And the boatman he claimed the charger, who was there should say him Nay?

¶Thou art joyful, and yet hast small reason,' spake the lady of Gawain's love, (As of old were her words of mocking,) 'Since wherever thy shield doth move 240 The lion's paw doth follow--And thou thinkest fresh fame to gain Since the ladies have looked on thy jousting---Well thou mayst in thy bliss remain, Since the Lit Merveil hath dealt gently and but little harm hath wrought! And yet is thy shield all splintered as if thou hadst bravely fought-- Thou art doubtless too sorely wounded to yearn for a further fray? 245 And such ill to the 'Goose' be reckoned, that I called thee but yesterday. So eager wert thou to vaunt thee, as a sieve hast thou piercèd thro' Thy shield, one would deem it riddled with the darts that toward thee flew. But to-day mayst thou well shun danger--If thy finger shall wounded be Ride hence to the maids of the castle, for well will they care for thee! 250 Far other strife were his portion, to whom I a task would give, Did thine heart yet yearn for my favour, and thou wouldst in my service live!'