And so on the morn they all arose, and heard their mass and brake their
fast; and then they took their horses and rode on their way, and the
Green Knight conveyed them through the forest; and there the Green
Knight said, My lord Beaumains, I and these thirty knights shall be
always at your summons, both early and late, at your calling and
whither that ever ye will send us. It is well said, said Beaumains;
when that I call upon you ye must yield you unto King Arthur, and all
your knights. If that ye so command us, we shall be ready at all times,
said the Green Knight. Fie, fie upon thee, in the devil’s name, said
the damosel, that any good knights should be obedient unto a kitchen
knave. So then departed the Green Knight and the damosel. And then she
said unto Beaumains, Why followest thou me, thou kitchen boy? Cast away
thy shield and thy spear, and flee away; yet I counsel thee betimes or
thou shalt say right soon, alas; for wert thou as wight as ever was
Wade or Launcelot, Tristram, or the good knight Sir Lamorak, thou shalt
not pass a pass here that is called the Pass Perilous. Damosel, said
Beaumains, who is afeard let him flee, for it were shame to turn again
sithen I have ridden so long with you. Well, said the damosel, ye shall
soon, whether ye will or not.
CHAPTER X. How the third brother, called the Red Knight, jousted and
fought against Beaumains, and how Beaumains overcame him.
So within a while they saw a tower as white as any snow, well
matchecold all about, and double dyked. And over the tower gate there
hung a fifty shields of divers colours, and under that tower there was
a fair meadow. And therein were many knights and squires to behold,
scaffolds and pavilions; for there upon the morn should be a great
tournament: and the lord of the tower was in his castle and looked out
at a window, and saw a damosel, a dwarf, and a knight armed at all
points. So God me help, said the lord, with that knight will I joust,
for I see that he is a knight-errant. And so he armed him and horsed
him hastily. And when he was on horseback with his shield and his
spear, it was all red, both his horse and his harness, and all that to
him longeth. And when that he came nigh him he weened it had been his
brother the Black Knight; and then he cried aloud, Brother, what do ye
in these marches? Nay, nay, said the damosel, it is not he; this is but
a kitchen knave that was brought up for alms in King Arthur’s court.
Nevertheless, said the Red Knight, I will speak with him or he depart.
Ah, said the damosel, this knave hath killed thy brother, and Sir Kay
named him Beaumains, and this horse and this harness was thy brother’s,
the Black Knight. Also I saw thy brother the Green Knight overcome of
his hands. Now may ye be revenged upon him, for I may never be quit of
him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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