Now Gawain was a gallant wrestler, and his foe to the ground would bring If in spite of the sword he might grip him, and let but the mighty ring Of his arms his foeman circle, he forced him where'er he would. 565 Now must he with force defend him, and he fought as a hero good, And his courage waxed ever higher, and the youth in his arms he caught, And he bare him to earth beneath him tho' e'en as a man he fought. And he quoth, 'Wilt thou live, thou hero, thou must yield thee unto mine hand!' Yet Lischois, he was all unready to follow so stern command; 570 For never his pledge had he given, and he deemed it a wondrous thing That the hand of a knight should o'erthrow him, and him in such peril bring That against his will he must yield him, who had ever the victor been, For in sooth full many a combat his foeman o'erthrown had seen. Full oft he from them had taken what he cared not to give again, 575 Nay, rather his life would he forfeit; and he spake unto knight Gawain, And he said, 'Let what would befall him, his pledge to no man he'd give;' Nay, death would he rather suffer, since no longer he cared to live! Then sadly, he spake, the vanquished, 'Thou hero, is victory thine? So long as God bare me favour such honour was ever mine; 580 But now hath my fame an ending, and thy right hand hath laid me low, And if maiden and man must hearken to the tale of my overthrow Whose glory once rose to the heaven, then death shall my portion be Ere my kinsmen shall hear the story, and shall sorrow and mourn for me! Yet Gawain still prayed him yield him, but his will and his mind were so 585 That he prayed God would rather take him, or slay him by this his foe. Thought Gawain, 'I am loth to kill him, if he swear but to do my will Unharmed he may go'--yet the young knight withheld him his promise still.