they rode on and came to a deep valley full of stones, with a stream of water running through it. At the head of the stream was a fair fountain, with three damsels sitting nearby. They rode up to them and each greeted the other.
The eldest damsel had a garland of gold about her head, and she was sixty years of age or more, and her hair was white beneath the garland. The second damsel was thirty years old, and she had a circlet of gold about her head. The third damsel was fifteen years of age, and she had a garland of flowers about her head.
When the knights saw them, they asked why they sat at the fountain. “We are here,” said the damsels, “for this reason: if we see any knights-errant, we will lead them to strange adventures. You are three adventurous knights and we are three damsels; therefore, each of you must choose one of us. When you have done so, we will lead you to a place where three different highways diverge; each of you shall choose a way and a damsel to go with you. In a year you must meet here again, if, by God’s grace, you are still alive. You must swear to follow these conditions.”
“That is well said,” said Sir Marhalt. “Now, each of us shall choose a damsel.”
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“I shall tell you,” said Sir Uwain, “that as I am the youngest and weakest of all of us, let me have the eldest damsel, for she has seen much and will best be able to help me when I have need, for I have more need of help than either of you.”
“Now,” said Sir Marhalt, “I will take the damsel of thirty year of age, for she seems best suited to me.”
“Well,” said Sir Gawain, “I thank you, for you have left me the youngest and the fairest, and she is the one I would prefer.”
Then each damsel took her knight by the reins of his bridle and brought him to the three ways; there they made a promise to meet again at the fountain in a year if they were all still alive. So they kissed and departed, and each knight set his lady behind him. Sir Uwain took the way that went west, Sir Marhalt the way that went south, and Sir Gawain took the way that went north.
13 Sir Gawain in the Forest of Adventure
We will begin with Sir Gawain, who kept on his way until he came to a fair manor where an old knight dwelled, who was a good householder. Sir Gawain asked him if he knew of any adventures. “Tomorrow,” said the knight, “I will show you marvelous adventures.”
So in the morning they rode together through the Forest of Adventure until they came to a field and found a cross. As they stood there, waiting, the fairest and seemliest knight they had ever seen came by them, and he was making the greatest dole that ever a man had made. When he noticed Sir Gawain he greeted him, and asked God to send him much honor.
“As for that,” said Sir Gawain, “many thanks. Also, I pray to God that you may have honor and worship.”
“Ah,” said the knight, “I have set that aside, for sorrow and shame come to me after the worship.” Then he crossed to one side of the field, and Gawain saw on the other side of the field ten knights waiting, and they made themselves ready with their shields and spears to challenge the one knight with whom Sir Gawain had spoken.
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Then the one knight brandished his spear, and one of the ten knights challenged him. The woeful knight smote him so hard that he fell over his horse’s tail. Just so, the dolorous knight served each of the ten knights—at the very least he smote down both horse and man, and he did it all with one spear.
When all ten of them were on foot, they went to the one knight; he stood still as a stone, allowing them to pull him down off his horse and bind him hand and foot. They tied him under the belly of his horse, and led him away with them.
“Ah, Jesus!” said Sir Gawain. “This is a sad sight, to see yonder knight treated this way. It seems that the knight allows them to bind him so, for he makes no resistance.”
“No,” said his host, “that is the truth. He allows them to do so, for they are all too weak to defeat him.”
“Sir,” said the damsel to Sir Gawain, “I think it would increase your worship to help that dolorous knight, for I think he is one of the best knights that I ever saw.”
“I would be happy to help him,” said Sir Gawain, “but it seems to me that he wishes to have no help.”
“No,” said the damsel, “I think you have no desire to help him.”
As they were talking, they saw a knight on the other side of the field fully armed, except for his head. On the other side of the field came a dwarf on horseback, fully armed except for his head and he had a large mouth and a short nose. When the dwarf came near he said, “Where is the lady who was to meet us here?” Then a lady came out of the woods. Then the knight and the dwarf began to fight for the lady, for the knight said he would have her, and the dwarf said he would.
“Will you agree to a settlement?” said the dwarf. “Yonder is a knight at the cross; let the matter be put before him, and however he judges, so shall it be.”
“I will gladly,” said the knight. So all three of them went to Sir Gawain and told him why they fought.
“Well, sirs, are you willing to put the matter in my hands?”
“Yes, sir,” they both said.
“Now damsel,” said Sir Gawain, “you shall stand between them both, and whichever one you like better, go to him, and he shall have you.”
When she was set between them both she left the knight and went to the dwarf. Then the dwarf took her up on his horse and went on his way singing, and the knight went his way with great mourning.
Then two knights, fully armed, suddenly arrived and cried out loudly, “Sir Gawain, knight of the court of King Arthur! Make yourself ready quickly to joust with me!” So they ran together, and both fell down. Once on foot, they drew their swords and fought as hard as they could.
In the meantime, the other knight went to the damsel and asked her why she was with Sir Gawain. He said, “If you will stay with me, I will be your faithful knight.”
“Then with you I will be,” said the damsel, “for I cannot find it in my heart to be with him, for just now there was a knight who fought against ten knights, and at the last, Sir Gawain let him be cowardly led away. Therefore, let us go while these two are fighting.”
Sir Gawain fought with this other knight for a long time, but finally they agreed to call it a draw. Then the knight asked Sir Gawain to stay with him that night.
As Sir Gawain went with that knight, he asked, “Who is the knight in this country that smote down the ten knights? For after he had done so manfully, he allowed them to bind him hand and foot, and led him away.”
“Ah,” said the knight, “I believe that is the best knight in the world and the man of greatest prowess. It is the greatest pity that he suffers so, more than any knight living, because he has been captured in that way more than ten times. His name is Sir Pelleas, and he loves a great lady in this country, and her name is Ettard. Shortly after he fell in love with her, a great joust—three days long—was announced, and all the knights and ladies of the land were there. Whoever proved himself the best knight would be rewarded with a good sword and a circlet of gold, and the knight was to give that circlet to the fairest
