SIR GAWAINE rode more than a pace,and Gaheris his brother that rode with him instead of a squire to do him service.So as they rode they saw two knights fight on horseback passing sore,so Sir Gawaine and his brother rode betwixt them,and asked them for what cause they fought so.The one knight answered and said,We fight for a simple matter,for we two be two brethren born and begotten of one man and of one woman.Alas,said Sir Gawaine,why do ye so?Sir,said the elder,there came a white hart this way this day,and many hounds chased him,and a white brachet was alway next him,and we understood it was adventure made for the high feast of King Arthur,and therefore I would have gone after to have won me worship;and here my younger brother said he would go after the hart,for he was better knight than I:and for this cause we fell at debate,and so we thought to prove which of us both was better knight.This is a simple cause,said Sir Gawaine;uncouth men ye should debate withal,and not brother with brother;therefore but if you will do by my counsel I will have ado with you,that is ye shall yield you unto me,and that ye go unto King Arthur and yield you unto his grace.Sir knight,said the two brethren,we are forfoughten and much blood have we lost through our wilfulness,and therefore we would be loath to have ado with you.Then do as I will have you,said Sir Gawaine.We will agree to fulfil your will;but by whom shall we say that we be thither sent?Ye may say,By the knight that followeth the quest of the hart that was white.Now what is your name?said Gawaine.Sorlouse of the Forest,said the elder.And my name is,said the younger,Brian of the Forest.And so they departed and went to the king's court,and Sir Gawaine on his quest.
And as Gawaine followed the hart by the cry of the hounds,even afore him there was a great river,and the hart swam over;and as Sir Gawaine would follow after,there stood a knight over the other side,and said,Sir knight,come not over after this hart but if thou wilt joust with me.I will not fail as for that,said Sir Gawaine,to follow the quest that I am in,and so made his horse to swim over the water.And anon they gat their spears and ran together full hard;but Sir Gawaine smote him off his horse,and then he turned his horse and bade him yield him.Nay,said the knight,not so,though thou have the better of me on horseback.I pray thee,valiant knight,alight afoot,and match we together with swords.What is your name?said Sir Gawaine.Allardin of the Isles,said the other.Then either dressed their shields and smote together,but Sir Gawaine smote him so hard through the helm that it went to the brains,and the knight fell down dead.Ah!said Gaheris,that was a mighty stroke of a young knight.
CHAPTER VII
How the hart was chased into a castle and there slain,and how Sir Gawaine slew a lady.
THEN Gawaine and Gaheris rode more than a pace after the white hart,and let slip at the hart three couple of greyhounds,and so they chased the hart into a castle,and in the chief place of the castle they slew the hart;Sir Gawaine and Gaheris followed after.Right so there came a knight out of a chamber with a sword drawn in his hand and slew two of the greyhounds,even in the sight of Sir Gawaine,and the remnant he chased them with his sword out of the castle.And when he came again,he said,O my white hart,me repenteth that thou art dead,for my sovereign lady gave thee to me,and evil have I kept thee,and thy death shall be dear bought an I live.And anon he went into his chamber and armed him,and came out fiercely,and there met he with Sir Gawaine.Why have ye slain my hounds?said Sir Gawaine,for they did but their kind,and liefer I had ye had wroken your anger upon me than upon a dumb beast.Thou sayest truth,said the knight,I have avenged me on thy hounds,and so I will on thee or thou go.Then Sir Gawaine alighted afoot and dressed his shield,and struck together mightily,and clave their shields,and stoned their helms,and brake their hauberks that the blood ran down to their feet.
At the last Sir Gawaine smote the knight so hard that he fell to the earth,and then he cried mercy,and yielded him,and besought him as he was a knight and gentleman,to save his life.
Thou shalt die,said Sir Gawaine,for slaying of my hounds.Iwill make amends,said the knight,unto my power.Sir Gawaine would no mercy have,but unlaced his helm to have stricken off his head.Right so came his lady out of a chamber and fell over him,and so he smote off her head by misadventure.Alas,said Gaheris,that is foully and shamefully done,that shame shall never from you;also ye should give mercy unto them that ask mercy,for a knight without mercy is without worship.Sir Gawaine was so stonied of the death of this fair lady that he wist not what he did,and said unto the knight,Arise,I will give thee mercy.Nay,nay,said the knight,I take no force of mercy now,for thou hast slain my love and my lady that I loved best of all earthly things.Me sore repenteth it,said Sir Gawaine,for I thought to strike unto thee;but now thou shalt go unto King Arthur and tell him of thine adventures,and how thou art overcome by the knight that went in the quest of the white hart.I take no force,said the knight,whether I live or I die;but so for dread of death he swore to go unto King Arthur,and he made him to bear one greyhound before him on his horse,and another behind him.What is your name?said Sir Gawaine,or we depart.My name is,said the knight,Ablamar of the Marsh.So he departed toward Camelot.
CHAPTER VIII
How four knights fought against Gawaine and Gaheris,and how they were overcome,and their lives saved at request of four ladies.