If now the gallant Gawain a knightly joust would ride, Tho' never I feared for his honour yet I fear what may now betide. And tho' dear be the other's safety yet never a doubt I know, For he who in strife would face him an army had found for foe. O'er far seas, in the land of paynim, his helmet was fashioned fair, 5 And ruby-red was his harness, and the trappings his charger bare. So rode he in search of adventure, and his shield it was piercèd thro'-- He had plucked for his helm a garland, and the tree where the garland grew Was the tree that Gramoflanz guarded; and Gawain knew the wreath again, And he thought, did the king here wait him it were counted to him for shame, 10 If hither for strife he had ridden then strife there perforce must be, Tho' alone were the twain, and no lady the fate of their jousting see. From Monsalväsch they came, the chargers, which each of the knights bestrode, And they spurred them alike to a gallop, and each 'gainst the other rode, On the dewy grass of the meadow, not the sand of the Tourney ring, 15 Should the joust this morn be ridden; and I ween, as their deeds I sing, I had mourned for the harm of either--'Twas a fair joust they rode that morn, Of a race that fought fair and knightly was each gallant hero born; And little had been his winning, great his loss, who there won the prize, And ne'er had he ceased to mourn it, if he were in his calling wise. 20 For faith had they pledged to each other, nor of old time, nor yet to-day, Had their love and their truth been wounded--Now hear how they fought the fray: