Then first, before all others, spake king Urien, a very wise knight
was he. "My Lord king, ye have no need to take with ye too great a
force; take with ye rather a few, but good, men, so to my thinking
will ye more swiftly free Giflet, our good comrade, from his prison.
Take with ye the best of your knights, 'twill be for your greater
honour, and your foes will be the more speedily vanquished; knight
against knight must ye fight there, and I think me that such of their
men shall there be worsted that they shall that same day yield ye
Giflet the good and valiant knight. Have no doubt for the when or how,
but bid them make ready. I can but praise the folk who shall go with
ye."
Then quoth the king, "What say ye, Lords? I await your counsel!"
King Ydier spake. "Sire, none of us should give ye praise, or speak
other than the best he knoweth. Shamed be he who should give ye
counsel wherein ye may find no honour. I know full well that the more
part of your folk would gladly go with ye, but if ye take them, Sire,
'twill not be for your honour, but believe king Urien, for he hath
given good counsel so I tell ye of a truth."
"Certes," saith Sir Gawain, "he would be false and foolish who should
give other rede!" And all said, "Let it be as the king will; let him
take those whom he please, and leave the others in the land."
"Ye have said well," said the king; "now go ye to your lodging, and
prepare to depart, and I will cause to be made ready a pennon of silk
for each of those whom I shall lead with me." As he said, so it was
done, and all betook them to their lodging.
The king forthwith sent the pennons, and bade them without fail be
armed and ahorse at dawn.
What more shall I tell ye? At sunrise were all the knights armed, even
as the king commanded, all they who had received the pennons came
together ahorse before the hall.
Now will I tell ye their names: there were Sir Gawain, king Ydier,
Guengasoains, Kay, and Lucains, the butler. The sixth was Tors. Then
Saigremors, and Mabonagrain, who was nephew unto king Urien. Eight
have I now named unto ye, counting the kinsman of king Urien. The
ninth was Lancelot du Lac; the tenth Ider, son of Nut; the Laid Hardi,
the eleventh; with Doon l'Aiglain have we twelve, all very courteous
knights. Galegantins the Galois, and the brave Carados Briefbras, who
was a right cheery comrade, made fourteen, and the fifteenth was the
good Taulas de Rogemont: so many were they, nor more, nor less.
All ready armed were they before the hall the while they awaited the
king, ere he came forth armed from his chamber. Then he mounted his
steed, and I tell ye that, to my knowledge, was never king so richly
armed afore, nor ever hereafter shall there be such. The queen bare
him company even to the entrance of the palace, then she turned her
back.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account