Fitt III, lines 1893-1978

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Anonymous 14th century, Fitt III (lines 1893-1995)
Translation by Lorne Roberts


1893 Now he lounged there in that lit, where love him loomed over.
Yet still is the lord on the land, leading his games,
he's to finishing this here fox that he followéd long,
as he over-sprinteth a shrub to spy out the sly one.
Then as heard he the hounds who hurried him hard,
Reynard came on crashing through thicket thick
with the rabble all in a row, right on his heels
1900 But the wily one was 'ware of the wild, and warily waits,
And brandishéd out bright bronze, and at the beast he brings it,
But the foxy one shunned from the sharp, yet should have swerved,
A hound hoves him to, right as he might
and right before the horse's feet the hounds fell on him all
and worried him with a wroth-ful noise.
The lord alightest lightly and latcheth to the fox,
raised him full rightly out of the wrath of the dogs,
holds it high over his head, hulloahs fast
and beats back the baying bloodhounds.
1910 Hunters hied then hither, with horns a-holler,
all sounding smartly til their sarge they saw;
By then was gathered his whole great group of gend'armes
all who bore the bugles blew in one bright blast,
and all the others hollered out who had no horns.
It was the merriest music that man might ever hear
that rich roar that was raised for Reynard's soul

such notes;
The hounds they then reward
their heads they pet and stroke
1920 and take they then Reynard,
and stripped him of his coat.





And then they head to home, for twas nigh to night,
striking stoutly out their store of horns.
The lord alights at last at his lovéd home,
finds fire in the furnace and the knight there-beside,
Sir Gawain the good that gladly was with-filled
for love of the ladies with whom he'd passed the p.m.
He was wrapped in a bundle of blue that brushed on the earth,
His sur-coat seemed so well and so softly was furred
1930 and his hood of that ilk it a-hingéd upon his high shoulders
bordered with beaver were both then all about.
He meetest the good man in midst of floor
and with goodwill him greets and goodly says:
"I shall fill upon you first our fore-agreed pact,
that we specially spoke of when spared we no small sip of syrrah."
Then embraceth he the knight, and kisses him thrice,
as sweetly, and as sadly, as he himself could.
"By Christ!" quoth that other knight, "you catch much quarry
in CHEVISAUNCE OF THIS CHAFFER IF YE HADE GOUD CHEPES!"
1940 "Yeah, of the merch no matter," quoth chiefly that other,
"As is perfectly paid now that prize that I have purchased."
"Mary!", quoth that other man, "mine is behind
For I have hunted all this day, and naught have I gotten
but this foul fox who fell--Fuck! The Fiend have the fur!
As it is full poor for to pay for such prizéd things
as ye have passed to me here, such soft kisses

so good!"
"Enough," said Sir Gawain
"I thank you, by Christ's wood"
1950 And how the fox was slain
was told Gaywain as they stood.





With mirth and minstrelsy, with meats at their will
They made as merry as any men might
with laughing of ladies, with joking and jest
Gawain and the goodman glad were they both
more drunken than dudes full deeply into drink
both the men and their men-folk made then many jests
til the season was seen that sever they all must
bumbling to their beds, behoovéd at last.
1960 Then humbly his leave from the lord first
taketh this fair man, and fairly him thanks:
"Of such a sojourn as I have had here,
Your hosting, at his high feast the High King will honour.
I give you me for one of yourses if your-self likes this,
For I must needs, as thou know, leave in the morn.
If thou might throw me some ranger, to ride me, as thou though,
the gate to the green chapel, as God will grant me
to be dealt, on New Year's Day, the doom I am destined."
"In good faith," quoth the good man, "with a good will,
1970 All that I've ever held on to shall I surely share."
There assignest he a servant, to set him the way,
and direct him by the dale-downs, that no delay he endure
for to fly by the forest and to fare in the fastest

of ways.
That lord then to Gawain did grant
such worship as to him would raise,
and then to the ladies of rank
our knight says all final good-days.

Translation #1-- Fitt 2, lines 670-740

(Image: The Vigil, by John Petite, 1884)


Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, anonymous 14th century. Fitt 2, lines 670-740. Translation by Lorne Roberts


670 He spurred the steed with spurs, and sprung away,
So stiff that stone-fire struck out then thereafter.
All those seemly-folk who saw it sighed in heart,
and soothly said, all soldiers same to self,
Concerned then for that comely, "By Christ, it is scathe
675 that that lord shall be lost, that art of life so noble!
To find his frere upon fields, in faith is not easy;
To have wrought back then more wisely've more wise been,
And have deferred to another that day, a duke t'have devenu,
a lovéd leader of legions in land well seeméd.
680 Rather than now to be bringéd to naught,
Than beheaded by a brute for bullshit of brawny pride;
Who knew any king ever such council to take,
As knights in cavalcaderie on Christmas?

Well much wast the warm water that was wept
685 when that seemly sire set out from that house
that day
he made then no abode
But wightly made his way
Many wilesome way he (w)rode
690 The book as I heard say.




Now rideth this rank'd sarge to realm of Logres,
Sir Gawain on God's quest, no game this he guessed;
Oft lack-love and alone he lounged at night
Where found he n'er before him fare he'd fancy;
695 He had no frere but his foal, or the forests and fields,
Not no comrade but God by gate-way whom to carp at,
Til he nearéd full night into north of Walés
All isles of Anglesay on 'is left half he holdeth,
And fareth o'er fords then by for-londeth
700 Over at Holy Head, til he had once more turned from shore
Into wilderness of Wyrale; lacking in life
that either God or man with good heart loved.
And ever he asked as he voyaged, of folks that he met,
If they had heard any karp of a knight green,
705 In any ground there-about, of the strange chapel green;
And all nixed him with nay, that never in their life
They saweth n'er no soldier that was of such hues
of green.
The knight took pathways strange,
710 In many a shore obscene,
His cheer full oft can change,
That chapel ere he'll have seen.





Many cliffs he over-climbed in countries strange,
Far flung from friends a foreigner he rode;
715 At each ford over water passed our knight,
and found a foe before him, he was fortune's favoured
and foul and fell beast fled before his force;
So many marvels by mountain-road he finds,
It were too tiring to tell of the tenth trial.
720 Some-while with wretched worms he wars and with wolves,
Some-while with wodwos who wreaked their wilderness wiles
Both with bulls and with bears, and beast-boars other-whiles,
And giants' perilous pursuit in highland paths; yeah;
Had he not been dauntless, and dominant, and daring, then
725 Doubtless he'd have been dead, and fubar'd full oft.
For war wrecked him not so much that winter wasn't worse,
When the cold clear water from clouds it crashéd down,
And froze before it fell on frigid earth.
Near slain with the sleet he slept in his chivalrous suit,
730 More nights than needed nestled in naked rock
There where crashing from crag and crest the cold creek clattered
and it hung high overhead in huge heavy ic-icles.
Thus in peril, and pain, and plights full hard,
Bleak country carries this knight 'til Christmas eve,
735 alone;
The knight well then that time
to Mary made his moan,
That she show him where to climb,
and guide him to some home.