The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
Children's literature
Sir Gawain had a son, and he was fair to look on, bright of face and
well-favoured in body. He was named Geynleyn. But for love of his fair
face his mother called him Beau-fys, and no other name; and he never
asked her what he was truly called, for Sir Gawain had wedded this
lady secretly, and none knew that he was Geynleyn's father. On a
certain day Geynleyn went to the woods to hunt the deer, and there he
found a knight in gay armour, lying slain. Geynleyn wondered thereat;
but in a little time he took off the knight's garments, and clad
himself in the rich armour; and when he had done this, he went to
Glastonbury, where King Arthur lay at that time. He came into the hall
before the knights and greeted them.
"King Arthur, my lord," he said, "grant that I may speak a word, I
pray you. I would fain be made a knight."
"Tell me your name," answered King Arthur, "for since I was born I
never saw before me one so fair to look on."
"I know not what is my true name," answered the lad. "While I was at
home, my mother, jesting, called me Beau-fys, and nought else."
Then said Arthur the king, "This is a wondrous thing, that the boy
should know not his name when he would become a knight; and yet he is
full fair of face. Now will I give him a name before you all. Let him
be called Le Beau Disconus, which is to say, 'The fair unknown': so is
he to be named." Thereupon King Arthur made him a knight, and gave
him bright arms, and girt him with a sword, and hung round him a
shield wrought with the design of a griffin. Sir Gawain took charge of
him to teach him knightly ways.
When Le Beau Disconus had been made a knight, he asked yet another
boon of the king. "My lord," he said, "I should be right glad in heart
if I might have the first fight that is asked of you."
"I grant your asking," answered Arthur the king, "whatsoever the
combat be. But you seem too young to do well in a great fight."
Then they sat down to feast. Not long had they feasted ere there came
a maiden riding, and a dwarf beside her, in a great heat as though
with haste. This maid was called Elene the bright and gentle; no
countess or queen could be her equal in loveliness. She was richly
clad, and the saddle and bridle of her milk-white steed were full of
diamonds. Her dwarf wore silk of India; a stout and bold man was he,
and his beard, yellow as wax, hanged down to his girdle. His shoes
were decked with gold, and truly seemed a knight that felt no poverty.
His name was Teondelayn; he was skilled in playing all musical
instruments.
The dwarf spoke to the maiden, and bade her tell her errand, and lose
no time. She knelt in the hall before all the knights, and greeted
them with honour, and said, "Never was sadder tidings than I bring. My
lady of Synadown is brought into a strong prison; she prays King
Arthur to send her a knight of stout courage, to win her out of
prison."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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