‘Ah, Accolon,’ said Arthur, ‘do you not know that I am the King?’
When Accolon heard this, he cried out aloud: ‘Fair, sweet lord King Arthur, have mercy on me, for I knew you not!’
‘Mercy you shall have,’ answered Arthur, ‘for I see that this battle was not your doing, but my sister’s. Ah, Accolon, she has deceived me also by her beauty and her magic wiles: the good Merlin warned me, but I would not take warning. Now will I send her from my court, or slay her if she bring any man to his death.’
Then King Arthur made peace between Sir Damas and Sir Outlake; and when he had done this their squires carried him and Sir Accolon, who was even more badly wounded, to an abbey near by in the forest. And Nimue came with them and tended on them. Sir Accolon died of his hurts before the next sun rose, but Arthur recovered slowly.
Meanwhile Queen Morgana le Fay, thinking him to be dead, was continuing at Camelot with her wicked plans. On the very day of the battle she found her husband King Urience lying asleep on his couch; and at once she called one of her damsels to her and said:
‘Go, fetch me my lord’s sword, for I never saw a better moment than this wherein to slay him!’
‘Ah, Madame!’ cried the damsel. ‘Do not do this thing – you will never escape if you murder your husband!’
‘That is no concern of yours,’ answered Morgana le Fay. ‘This day have I decreed that he shall die – so fetch me the sword quickly!’
Away went the damsel, but she sought out Prince Uwaine first of all, and said:
‘Sir, come quickly and wait on my lady your mother, for she is just going to murder the king your father – I am fetching the sword for her to do it.’
‘Bring her the sword quickly’ said Sir Uwaine, ‘or she will slay you also!’
With trembling hands the damsel brought the sword to Morgana le Fay, who went swiftly to where King Urience lay sleeping. But as she raised the sword to strike, Sir Uwaine sprang out from behind the hangings and seized her arm:
‘Ah, fiend,’ he hissed. ‘What wickedness are you at? Were you not my mother, I would kill you here and now: I think you are a devil, and not a woman!’
‘Have mercy on me,’ begged Morgana. ‘It was the devil who tempted me to this deed: the fiends of darkness are ever ready to lead astray those who know too much of their secret arts.’
‘You shall vow upon the Holy Sacrament never to attempt such a deed again,’ said Uwaine. And to this oath Morgana le Fay pledged herself.
And a little while later one of her damsels came to tell her that Accolon was slain, and King Arthur resting at the abbey in the forest.
‘When he returns to Camelot,’ she thought, ‘he will surely slay me for striving to bring about his death. I will go speedily from the Court before he comes …’
Then she set out with her men-at-arms and her damsels: but she told Queen Guinevere that she was going riding in the forest.
On her way Queen Morgana le Fay came to the abbey where Arthur lay recovering from his wounds; and suddenly she thought that now at least she could steal his sword Excalibur.
‘The King lies sleeping on his bed,’ she was told, ‘and gave command that no one was to wake him.’
‘I am his sister,’ answered Morgana very sweetly. ‘Let me come just to watch by his side for a little while, there to pray for his speedy recovery.’
So they brought her where he was, and left her with him. She found Arthur lying asleep with the sword Excalibur naked in his right hand: but the scabbard leant against a chair at his bedside.
‘At least I can take this from him,’ she thought, and hiding it beneath her cloak, she went quietly out of the abbey, mounted her horse, and rode on her way.
Presently King Arthur woke and missed his scabbard. Then he was very angry and asked who had been there while he slept, and they told him that it was Queen Morgana le Fay.
‘Alas,’ said Arthur, ‘falsely have you watched me.’
‘Sir,’ they answered, ‘we durst not disobey your sister’s commands.’
Then Arthur called for horses, and he and Sir Outlake went galloping through the forest after Queen Morgana le Fay and her attendants.
Before long they saw them, and the chase became fast and furious. Nearer and nearer came Arthur and Outlake, until at last she realized that there was no escape. Then she rode to a deep lake in the forest and threw the scabbard into the middle of it, crying: ‘Whatever happens to me, I will at least make sure that my brother never has his scabbard again!’ And it sank, for it was heavy with gold and precious jewels.
After this Queen Morgana led her followers into a valley filled with great stones, and by her magic turned herself and all of them into stones also, so that when King Arthur and Sir Outlake came among them a few minutes later, neither Morgana le Fay nor any of her people was to be seen.
‘Here has been an evil magic,’ said Arthur, crossing himself. And when they had searched long and vainly for the scabbard, they rode back to the abbey, and thence to Camelot, where Guinevere and all the fellowship of the Round Table rejoiced greatly to see them.
But as they sat at meat in the great hall that evening a damsel came in and bowed low before King Arthur.
‘My lord,’ she said, very humbly, ‘I come from your sister Queen Morgana to beg her pardon of you for the wickedness that she has done. Never again after this day will she strive to hurt you – for the fiend has gone from her which tempted her to evil. And in token of her great love and true repentance she sends you this mantle, the fairest in the world: and whoso wears it shall never suffer pain any more.’
When all saw the mantle they marvelled at it – for indeed it was passing fair, set all with precious stones and embroidered with gold and silver. And King Arthur was happy in the gift of the mantle, and put out his hand to take it. But the Lady Nimue, who had returned to Camelot with him, cried out suddenly:
‘Lord King, put not on the mantle until you know more of it! Let this damsel set it upon her own shoulders ere it come on yours or any other’s in this hall.’
‘It shall be as you counsel me,’ said King Arthur. ‘Damsel, I would see the mantle upon you!’
‘Sir,’ she said, ‘I am not worthy to wear a king’s robe!’
‘Nevertheless, you shall wear this!’ commanded Arthur. And so perforce the damsel drew the mantle close about her – and immediately there was a bright burst of flame, and she fell to the ground, a heap of smouldering ashes.
And after this Queen Morgana le Fay dared never again enter the realm of Logres, but went to her own castle in the land of Gorre, and fortified it strongly.
Book Two
THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE
1
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
King Arthur’s adventures did not end when he had defeated the Saxons and brought peace to Britain: for though he had set up the Realm of Logres – the land of true good and piety, nobleness and right living – the evil was always breaking in to attack the good. It would need many books to tell of every adventure that befell during his reign – that brief period of light set like a star of Heaven in the midst of the Dark Ages: and we cannot, for example, tell here how Arthur himself fought with the Giant of St Michael’s Mount who carried off helpless wayfarers to his dark and evil castle; nor how he made war against the Emperor Lucius and was received in Rome; nor even of his fight with the dreadful Cat of Losane.
But year by year the fame of his court grew, and spread far and wide, and the bravest and noblest knights in the world came to his court and strove by their deeds of courage and gentleness to win a place at the Round Table.
Many stories are told of these knights also – of Launcelot and Gawain, of Tristram and Gareth, of Percivale, Ywain, Marhaus, Cleges, Agravaine, and many, many others – and more adventures that befell the most famous of these than may possibly be told in one book.
One of the first and bravest of the knights was Sir Gawain – and it was said indeed that only Sir Launcelot, Sir
Galahad, and Sir Percivale could surpass him. He had many exciting adventures: but now only one of them can be told.
King Arthur held his Christmas feast at Camelot one year, with all the bravest of his knights about him, and all the fairest ladies of his court – and his chief celebrations fell upon New Year’s Day. Queen Guinevere, clad in fair, shining silk, sat beneath an embroidered canopy studded with gems: fair was she to look upon, with her shining eyes of grey, and each knight bent in reverence before her ere he took his place. Beside her sat King Arthur, well pleased to see the noble gathering and the joy that was in the hall: but he would not begin the feast, for such his custom was, until he had been told of some knightly deed, or set before his knights some strange or terrible new quest.
The minstrels had stopped playing and the whole company sat quietly in the great hall, only the roar and crackle of the log fires in the wide hearths breaking the silence – when suddenly there rang out the clash and clang of iron-shod hooves striking upon stone: the great doors flew open, and into the hall rode a strange and terrible figure.
A great man it was, riding upon a huge horse: a strong-limbed, great-handed man, so tall that an earth-giant almost he seemed. Yet he rode as a knight should, though without armour, and his face, though fierce, was fair to see – but the greatest wonder was that he was green all over. A jerkin and cloak of green he wore above green hose gartered in green, with golden spurs; in the green belt round his waist jewels were set, and his green saddle was inlaid richly, as were also his trappings. But his hair, hanging low to his shoulders, was bright green, and his beard also; green was his face and green his hands; and the horse was also green from head to foot, with gold thread wound and knotted in the mane.
He had no weapons nor shield save for a great axe of green steel and gold, and a bough torn from a holly tree held above his head. He flung the branch upon the inlaid floor of the hall and looked proudly on every side; at the knights seated about the Round Table, and the ladies and squires at the boards on either side, and at Arthur where he sat with Guinevere above the rest. Then he cried in a great voice:
‘Where is the governor of this gang? With him would I speak and with none other!’
All sat in amazement gazing at the strange knight: some dire enchantment it must be, they thought – for how else could there be such a man sitting there on his horse, as green as the grass – greener than any grass on this earth?
But at length Arthur, courteous ever, greeted the Green Knight, bade him be welcome and sit down to the feast with them.
‘Not so!’ cried the stranger in answer. ‘I come not to tarry with you: and by the sign of the green bough I come not in war – else had I clothed me in armour and helmet most sure – for such have I richly stored in my castle in the north. But even in that land have I heard of the fame and valour of your court – the bravery of your knights, and their high virtue also.’
‘Sir,’ replied the King, ‘here may you find many to do battle and joust if such be your will.’
‘Not so,’ cried the Green Knight in his great booming voice. ‘Here I see only beardless children whom I could fell with a stroke! Nay, I come rather in this high season of Our Lord’s birth to bring Yule-tide sport, a test of valour to your feast. If any man in this hall is so brave and so courageous as to exchange stroke for stroke, I will give him this noble axe – heavy enough truly to handle as he may desire: yes, and I myself will stand here on the floor and receive the first stroke of the axe wherever he may smite me. Only he must swear, and you, lord king, to give me the right to deal him such another blow, if I may, a twelve-month and a day from now.’
More silent still sat the knights; if they had been surprised before, now their amazement was greater still. But none dared answer his challenge, so terrible was the man and so fearsome the great axe which he held in his hand.
Then the Green Knight laughed aloud in mockery: ‘Is this indeed the Court of King Arthur?’ he cried, ‘and are these the far-famed Knights of the Round Table? Now is their glory laid low for ever, since even to hear tell of blows makes them all grow silent in fear!’
King Arthur sprang up at this. ‘Fellow,’ he cried, ‘this foolishness of yours shall have a fitting answer. If none other will take your challenge, give me the axe and make ready for the blow!’
But at this Sir Gawain rose to his feet and said:
‘My lord king and noble uncle, grant me a boon! Let this adventure be mine, for still there is my old shame unhealed: still have I to prove my worth as a Knight of your Round Table, still to fit myself to be a champion of Logres.’
‘Right happy I am that the quest shall be yours, dear nephew,’ answered Arthur. And the Green Knight smiled grimly as he sprang from his horse and met with Gawain in the middle of the hall.
‘I too am overjoyed to find one brave man amongst you all,’ he said. ‘Tell me your name, Sir knight, ere we make our bargain.’
‘I am Gawain, son of King Lot of Orkney, and nephew to royal Arthur,’ was the answer. ‘And here I swear by my knighthood to strike but one blow, and bravely to endure such another if you may strike it me a twelve-month hence.’
‘Sir Gawain,’ cried the Green Knight, ‘overjoyed am I indeed that your hand shall strike this blow. Come now and deal the stroke: thereafter shall I tell you who I am and where you may find me. Take now the axe and let us see how well you can smite.’
‘Gladly will I,’ said Gawain, taking the axe in his hands and swinging it while the Green Knight made ready by kneeling on the floor and drawing his long hair on to the crown of his head to lay bare his neck for the stroke. Putting all his strength into the blow, Gawain whirled up the axe and struck so hard that the keen blade cut through flesh and bone and set the sparks flying from the stone paving, while the Green Knight’s head leapt from his shoulders and went rolling across the floor.
But the knight neither faltered nor fell: swiftly he sprang forward with hands outstretched, caught up his head, and turning with it held in his hand by the hair, mounted upon the waiting horse. Then, riding easily as if nothing had happened, he turned his face towards Gawain and said:
‘See to it that you keep your oath and seek me out a year hence. I am the Knight of the Green Chapel, and as such men know me in the north. Through Wales shall you seek me, and in the Forest of Wirral: and you will not fail to find me there if you be not a coward and a breaker of your knightly word.’
With that he wheeled his horse and galloped out of the door, the sparks flying up round his horse’s hooves, and away into the distance, his head still held in his hand, swinging easily by the hair.
But all at the feast sat astonished beyond words at this strange adventure, and it was a little while before the hall was filled once more with laughter and the joy of that festal season.
The year went by full swiftly; the trees grew green with spring, the leaves fading through the bright summer days, turned to red and gold in the early autumn; and upon Michaelmas Day King Arthur held a feast at Caerleon with many of his knights, in honour of Sir Gawain who must on the morrow set forth upon his dreadful quest. Ywain and Agravaine and Erec were there; Launcelot and Lionel and Lucan the Good; Sir Bors and Sir Bedivere and Baldwin the lord bishop; Arthur and Guinevere to bless him and wish him God-speed. Gawain donned his armour, curved and shining and inlaid with gold; he girt his sword to his side and took the Green Knight’s axe in his hand; then he mounted upon Gringalet his war-horse, and rode into the forests of South Wales, the shield held before him with the device of the Pentangle, the five-pointed Star of Logres, emblazoned in the midst.
So Sir Gawain set out, and rode through the realm of Logres, seeking for no joy but a deadly danger at the end of his quest. After many days he came into the wild lands of North Wales, and fared through lonely valleys and deep forests, forced often to sleep out under the stars by night, and to do battle by day with robbers and wild men.
Grim winter had closed upon him when he came to the northern sea, left the islands of Angl
esey upon his left, and came by Clwyd to the Holy Head, near Saint Winifred’s Well on the shore of the wide river Dee. Near to the mouth he forded the stream at low tide, and came across the desolate sands into the wild Forest of Wirral. Here were many more robbers and evil men, lying in wait by forest path and lonely stream, by rocky defile and by green valley – and he must fight with all who stayed him.
Everywhere he went he asked tidings of a Green Knight and of a Chapel also of Green near which was his dwelling: but none in the forest could help him in his quest. Only a brave knight could have passed that way, and Gawain endured all – foes to overcome, and the bitter weather of mid-winter.
On Christmas Eve he rode upon Gringalet through marsh and mire, and prayed that he might find shelter. And on a sudden he came through open parkland to a fine castle set on a little hill above a deep valley where flowed a wide stream. A fair lawn lay in front of it, and many great oak trees on either side; there was a moat before the castle, and a low palisade of wood.
‘Now God be thanked,’ said Sir Gawain, ‘that I have come to this fair dwelling for Christmas, and may He grant me to find an honourable welcome herein … Good sir!’ he cried to the porter who came to the great gate when he knocked, ‘Grant me entrance, I pray you, and tell the lord of this castle that I am a knight of King Arthur’s court passing this way upon a quest.’
With a kindly smile the porter opened the gate, and Gawain rode over the drawbridge and into the courtyard. And there were squires and serving-men waiting who helped him to alight, led Gringalet away to the stable, and brought Gawain into a goodly hall where a fire burned brightly and the lord of the castle came forth from his chamber to greet his guest, saying:
‘Welcome to my dwelling, Sir knight: all that I have is here at your service, and you shall be my honoured guest for as long as it shall please you to remain in this castle.’
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table Page 7
