Book XII · EIDEGAST, part 5 of 8

¶And Gawain, too, was loth to fight him, for no armour the king did wear, And naught but a yearling falcon he did on his white hand bear. (And the sister of Gawain gave it, Itonjé the maid was hight.) His headgear in Sinzester fashioned was of peacock's plumage bright, 340 And green as grass was the mantle of velvet that wrapped him round, And with ermine lined, and on each side it swept even unto the ground.

¶None too tall yet strong was the charger on which the king did ride, From Denmark by land they brought it, or it came o'er the waters wide. And the monarch he rode unarmèd, nor even a sword would bear. 345 Quoth King Gramoflanz, 'Thou hast foughten, if thy shield may the truth declare, For but little unharmed remaineth, and it seemeth sure to me That the "Lit Merveil" was thy portion, and this venture hath fallen to thee!'

¶'Now hast thou withstood the peril that myself I were fain to dare, Had not Klingsor been ever friendly, and warfare with her my share 350 Who in Love's strife is ever victor, since her beauty doth win the day; And she beareth fierce wrath against me, and in sooth hath she cause alway! Eidegast have I slain, her husband, and with him I slew heroes four; Orgelusé herself, as my captive, I thence to my kingdom bore, And my crown and my land would I give her, yet what service my hand might yield, 355

¶Of all would she naught, but with hatred her heart 'gainst my pleading steeled. And a whole year long I held her, and a whole year long I prayed, Yet never she hearkened to me, and ever my love gainsaid. And thus from my heart I bemoan me, since I know that her love to thee She hath promised, since here I meet thee, and death wouldst thou bring to me. 360 If with her thou hadst hither ridden, perchance had I here been slain, Or perchance ye had died together--such guerdon thy love might gain!'

¶'And my heart other service seeketh, and mine aid lieth in thine hand, Since here thou hast been the victor thou art lord o'er this wonder-land; And if thou wilt show me kindness help me now a fair maid to win 365 For whose sake my heart knoweth sorrow, to King Lot is she near of kin, And no maiden of all earth's maidens hath wrought me such grief and pain! Her token I bear--I prithee, if thou seest that maid again Swear thou to her faithful service--I think me she means me fair, And for her sake I fight, for her favour I many a peril dare; 370 For since with true words Orgelusé her love hath denied to me, Wherever for fame I battled, whate'er might my portion be, Of joy or of grief, she hath caused it, Itonjé, for whom I fight, Yet alas! I have ne'er beheld her! Now do me this grace, Sir Knight, If aid thou art fain to give me, then take thou this golden ring, 375 And unto my lovely lady, I prithee, the token bring. Thou art free from strife, I fight not till thou bring with thee two or more. What honour were mine if I slew thee? I ever such strife forbore!'

¶'Yet in sooth I can well defend me, as a man should,' quoth knight Gawain, 'Thou thinkest small fame will it bring thee if I here at thine hand be slain, 380 But what honour shall I have won me by breaking this bough, I pray? For none will account it glory if I slay thee unarmed to-day! But yet will I do thy message--Give me here the finger-ring, And thy sorrow of heart, and thy service, I will to thy lady bring.' Then the king he thanked him freely--But Gawain he quoth in this wise, 385 'Now tell me, Sir Knight, who may he be who doth conflict with me despise?'

¶'An thou count it me not for dishonour,' quoth the king, 'here my name be told, King Irôt he was my father, who was slain by King Lot of old. And King Gramoflanz do men call me, and my heart doth such valour know That never, for evil done me, will I fight with but one for foe, 390 Saving one man alone, hight Gawain, of him have I heard such fame That to fight with him I am ready, and vengeance from him I claim. For his father he dealt with treason, in fair greeting my father slew, Good cause have I here for mine anger and the words that I speak are true. Now dead is King Lot, and Gawain, his fame o'er all knights stands high 395 Of the Table Round, and I yearn still till the day of our strife draw nigh.'

¶Then out quoth King Lot's son dauntless, 'Wouldst pleasure thy lady still, If indeed she shall be thy lady, and dost speak of her father ill? And reckonest to him false treason, and her brother art fain to slay! Then indeed must she be false maiden if she mourn not thy deeds alway! 400 If true daughter she were, and sister, for the twain would she surely speak, And forbid thee, methinks, thine hatred on kinsmen so near to wreak. If so be that thy true love's father hath broken his troth, yet thou Shouldst, as kinsman, avenge the evil that men spake of the dead, I trow! His son will not fear to do so, and little methinks he'll care 405 If small aid in his need he findeth from the love of his sister fair. He, himself, will be pledge for his father, and his sin be upon my head, For Sir King, I who speak am Gawain, and thou warrest not with the dead! But I, from such shame to free him, what honour be mine or fame, In strife will I give to the scourging ere thou slander my father's name!' 410

¶Quoth the king, 'Art thou he whom I hated with a hatred as yet unstilled? For alike with both joy and sorrow thy valour my soul hath filled. And one thing in thee doth please me, that at last I may fight with thee, And I rede thee to wit that great honour in this hast thou won from me, Since I vowed but to fight with thee only--And our fame shall wax great alway, 415 If many a lovely lady we bring to behold the fray. For I can bring fifteen hundred, and thou art of a fair host king At Château Merveil; and on thy side thine uncle can others bring From the land that he rules, King Arthur, and Löver its name shall be, And the city is Bems by the Korka, as well shall be known to thee. 420 There lieth he now with his vassals, and hither can make his way, In eight days, with great joy; so I bid thee to meet me the sixteenth day, When I come, for my wrong's avenging, to Ioflanz upon the plain, And the pay for this garland's plucking I there from thine hand shall gain!'