NOW shall everych of us choose a damosel.I shall tell you,said Sir Uwaine,I am the youngest and most weakest of you both,therefore I will have the eldest damosel,for she hath seen much,and can best help me when I have need,for I have most need of help of you both.Now,said Sir Marhaus,I will have the damosel of thirty winter age,for she falleth best to me.Well,said Sir Gawaine,I thank you,for ye have left me the youngest and the fairest,and she is most liefest to me.Then every damosel took her knight by the reins of his bridle,and brought him to the three ways,and there was their oath made to meet at the fountain that day twelvemonth an they were living,and so they kissed and departed,and each knight set his lady behind him.And Sir Uwaine took the way that lay west,and Sir Marhaus took the way that lay south,and Sir Gawaine took the way that lay north.Now will we begin at Sir Gawaine,that held that way till that he came unto a fair manor,where dwelled an old knight and a good householder,and there Sir Gawaine asked the knight if he knew any adventures in that country.I shall show you some to-morn,said the old knight,and that marvellous.So,on the morn they rode into the forest of adventures to a laund,and thereby they found a cross,and as they stood and hoved there came by them the fairest knight and the seemliest man that ever they saw,making the greatest dole that ever man made.And then he was ware of Sir Gawaine,and saluted him,and prayed God to send him much worship.As to that,said Sir Gawaine,gramercy;also I pray to God that he send you honour and worship.Ah,said the knight,I may lay that aside,for sorrow and shame cometh to me after worship.
CHAPTER XX
How a knight and a dwarf strove for a lady.
AND therewith he passed unto the one side of the laund;and on the other side saw Sir Gawaine ten knights that hoved still and made them ready with their shields and spears against that one knight that came by Sir Gawaine.
Then this one knight aventred a great spear,and one of the ten knights encountered with him,but this woful knight smote him so hard that he fell over his horse's tail.So this same dolorous knight served them all,that at the leastway he smote down horse and man,and all he did with one spear;and so when they were all ten on foot,they went to that one knight,and he stood stone still,and suffered them to pull him down off his horse,and bound him hand and foot,and tied him under the horse's belly,and so led him with them.O Jesu!said Sir Gawaine,this is a doleful sight,to see the yonder knight so to be entreated,and it seemeth by the knight that he suffereth them to bind him so,for he maketh no resistance.No,said his host,that is truth,for an he would they all were too weak so to do him.Sir,said the damosel unto Sir Gawaine,meseemeth it were your worship to help that dolorous knight,for methinketh he is one of the best knights that ever I saw.I would do for him,said Sir Gawaine,but it seemeth he will have no help.Then,said the damosel,methinketh ye have no lust to help him.
Thus as they talked they saw a knight on the other side of the laund all armed save the head.And on the other side there came a dwarf on horseback all armed save the head,with a great mouth and a short nose;and when the dwarf came nigh he said,Where is the lady should meet us here?and therewithal she came forth out of the wood.And then they began to strive for the lady;for the knight said he would have her,and the dwarf said he would have her.Will we do well?said the dwarf;yonder is a knight at the cross,let us put it both upon him,and as he deemeth so shall it be.I will well,said the knight,and so they went all three unto Sir Gawaine and told him wherefore they strove.Well,sirs,said he,will ye put the matter in my hand?Yea,they said both.
Now damosel,said Sir Gawaine,ye shall stand betwixt them both,and whether ye list better to go to,he shall have you.And when she was set between them both,she left the knight and went to the dwarf,and the dwarf took her and went his way singing,and the knight went his way with great mourning.
Then came there two knights all armed,and cried on high,Sir Gawaine!knight of King Arthur's,make thee ready in all haste and joust with me.So they ran together,that either fell down,and then on foot they drew their swords,and did full actually.