Book XII · EIDEGAST, part 4 of 8

¶Quoth Gawain to the Duchess, 'Lady, tho' deep were my wounds I trow They ere this have found help and healing--If such help I from thee might know That thou, gracious, wouldst own my service, no peril would be so great, 255 But I, for thy love and rewarding, the issue would gladly wait!' Quoth she, 'Then shalt thou ride with me new honour perchance to gain!' Then rich in all joy and contentment was that valiant knight Gawain-- And the Turkowit went with the boatman, and he bade him the tidings bear To the Burg, and there pray the maidens to have of the knight good care. 260

¶And his spear it was yet unsplintered, tho' both horses they spurred amain To joust, his right hand yet held it, and he bare it from off the plain. And many a maiden saw him, and wept as he rode away. Quoth Arnivé, 'Our joy and comfort hath chosen to him to-day A joy for the eyes and a sorrow for the heart, yea, both flower and thorn, 265 Alas! that he rides with the Duchess, since he leaveth us here forlorn. To the Perilous Ford he rideth, and his wounds sure shall work him ill!' (Maids four hundred must weep for his going, yet new tasks would he fain fulfil.)

¶But yet tho' his wounds they pained him, his sorrow had taken flight When he looked upon Orgelusé, so fair was her mien and bright. 270 Then she quoth, 'Thou shalt win me a garland of fresh leaves from off a tree, And I for the gift will praise thee--If thou doest this deed for me Thou shalt find in my love rewarding!' Then he quoth, 'Wheresoe'er it stand, The tree that shall bring such blessing as reward unto this mine hand, If I not in vain bemoan me, but win hearing for this my grief, 275 Then thy garland, tho' death it bring me, shall lack not a single leaf!'

¶And tho' many a blossom bloomed there yet their colour it was as naught To the colour of Orgelusé, and Gawain on her beauty thought Till it seemed him his grief of aforetime and his anguish had fled away-- And thus with her guest did she journey a space from the Burg that day, 280 And the road it was straight and easy, and it led thro' a forest fair, And Tamris I ween and Prisein were the names that the trees did bear, And the lord of the wood was Klingsor--Then Gawain the hero spake, 'Say, where shall that garland blossom which the spell of my grief shalt break?'

¶(In sooth he had best o'erthrown her, as oft shall have chanced I trow 285 To many a lovely lady.) Then she quoth, 'Thou shalt see the bough Whose plucking shall win thee honour!' O'er the field ran a deep ravine, And so near did they ride to the chasm that the tree from afar was seen. Then she quoth, 'Now, Sir Knight, one guardeth that tree who my joy hath slain, If thou bring me a bough from off it, no hero such prize shall gain 290 As from me shall be thy rewarding! And here must I hold my way, Nor further may I ride with thee; but make thou no more delay, God have thee in His safe keeping! Thine horse must thou straightway bring To the gulf, and with sure hand urge it o'er the Perilous Ford to spring.'

¶So still on the plain she held her, and on rode the gallant knight, 295 And he hearkened the rush of water that had riven a path with might Thro' the plain--it was deep as a valley, and no man its waves might ford; Then Gawain spurred his steed towards it, and he sprung o'er the flood so broad, And yet but the charger's fore-feet might light on the further side, And they fell in the foaming torrent; and the lady in anguish cried, 300 For swift and wide was the water; yet Gawain he had strength enow, Tho' heavy the weight of his armour, for he saw where there grew a bough That hung o'er the foaming torrent, and he grasped it, for life was dear, And he gained on the bank a footing, and he drew from the waves his spear.

¶Up and down the stream swam the charger, and Gawain to its aid would go, 305 Yet so swift was the rush of the water he followed with pain its flow, For heavy I ween his harness, and his wounds they were deep and sore: Then he stretched out his spear as a whirlpool bare the charger towards the shore-- For the rain and the rush of the waters had broken a passage wide, And the bank at the place was shelving, and the steed swept towards the side-- 310 And he caught with the spear its bridle, and drew it towards the land Till the hero at last might reach it and lay on the rein his hand.

¶And Gawain, the gallant hero, drew his horse out upon the plain, And the steed shook itself in safety, nor the torrent as prize might gain The shield--Then he girt his charger, and the shield on his arm he took: 315 And if one weepeth not for his sorrow methinks I the lack may brook, Tho' in sooth was he in sore peril--For love he the venture dared, For the fair face of Orgelusé, his hand to the bough he bared. And I wot, 'twas a gallant journey, and the tree it was guarded well, He was one, were he twain, for that garland his life must the payment tell. 320 King Gramoflanz, he would guard it, yet Gawain he would pluck the bough. The water, men called it Sabbins, and the tribute was harsh enow That Gawain would fetch when both charger and knight did the wild waves breast. Tho' the lady was fair, I had wooed not! To shun her methinks were best.

¶When Gawain erst the bough had broken and its leaves in his helm did wave, 325 Uprode a knight towards him, and his bearing was free and brave. Nor too few were his years nor too many; and in this he his pride had shown, What evil so e'er befell him he fought not with one alone, Two or more must they be, his foemen! So high beat his gallant heart, That whate'er one might do to harm him unscathed might he thence depart. 330 To Gawain this son of King Irôt a fair 'good-morrow' gave, 'Twas King Gramoflanz--'To the garland that doth there in thine helmet wave I yield not my claim!' thus quoth he, 'Sir Knight, were ye two I trow, Who here for high honour seeking had reft from my tree a bough, I had greeted ye not, but had fought ye, but since thou alone shalt be, 335 Thou canst ride hence, for strife unequal I deem it a shame to me!'