"You're
scarcely
fit to touch your victor, you dogs!
Tennyson
"See me, Lady," he said cheerily,
"your prisoner, and if you keep me in your dungeon here I'll be quite
content if you'll just let me see your face every day. For I've sworn my
vows and you've given me your promise and I know that when you've done
proving me you will give me your love and have me for your knight. "
But she made fun of his vows and told her knights to put him outside
again and "if he isn't a fool to the middle of his bones," said she,
"he'll never come back. " Then the three knights laughed and thrust him
out of the gates.
But a week later Ettarre called them again, "He's watching there yet. He
comes just like a dog that's been kicked out of his master's door. Don't
you hate him? Go after him, all of you at once, and if you don't kill
him bind him as you did before and bring him in. "
So the three knights couched their spears all together, three against
one, ready to dash upon Pelleas, low down beneath the shadow of the
towers.
Gawain passing by on a lonely adventure saw them.
"The villains! " he shouted to Pelleas, "I'll strike for you! "
"No," cried Pelleas, "when one's doing a lady's will one doesn't need
any help. "
Gawain stood by quivering to fight while the three knights sprang down
upon Pelleas, but Pelleas all alone beat the three of them together.
Then they rose to their feet, and he stood still while they bound him
and took him into their lady.
"You're scarcely fit to touch your victor, you dogs! " she cried to her
men, "far less bind him; but take him out as he is and let whoever wants
to untie him. Then if he comes again--"
She paused just a minute and Pelleas broke in at once with, "Lady, I
loved you and thought you very beautiful, but if you don't love me
don't trouble yourself about it; you won't see me again. "
As soon as Pelleas was put outside the gate Gawain sprang forward,
loosed his bonds, flung them over the walls and cried out:
"My faith, and why did you let those wretches tie you up so when you
were victor of all the jousts? "
"O," said Pelleas, "they were just obeying the wishes of my lady, and
her wishes are mine. "
Gawain laughed. "Lend me your horse and armor," he said, "and I'll tell
her I've killed you. Then she'll let me in just to hear all about it and
when I've made her listen I'll tell her all about you, what a great and
good fellow you are. Give me three days to melt her and on the third
evening I'll bring you golden news. "
"Don't betray me," cried Pelleas, as he handed over his horse and all
his weapons except his sword. "Aren't you the knight they call
'Light-of-love? '"
"That is just because women are so light," Gawain rejoined, laughing.
Then he rode up to the castle gate, and blew the bugle so musically that
all the hidden echoes in the walls rang out.
"Away with you! " cried Ettarre's maidens, running up to the tower
window. "Our lady doesn't love you.
"your prisoner, and if you keep me in your dungeon here I'll be quite
content if you'll just let me see your face every day. For I've sworn my
vows and you've given me your promise and I know that when you've done
proving me you will give me your love and have me for your knight. "
But she made fun of his vows and told her knights to put him outside
again and "if he isn't a fool to the middle of his bones," said she,
"he'll never come back. " Then the three knights laughed and thrust him
out of the gates.
But a week later Ettarre called them again, "He's watching there yet. He
comes just like a dog that's been kicked out of his master's door. Don't
you hate him? Go after him, all of you at once, and if you don't kill
him bind him as you did before and bring him in. "
So the three knights couched their spears all together, three against
one, ready to dash upon Pelleas, low down beneath the shadow of the
towers.
Gawain passing by on a lonely adventure saw them.
"The villains! " he shouted to Pelleas, "I'll strike for you! "
"No," cried Pelleas, "when one's doing a lady's will one doesn't need
any help. "
Gawain stood by quivering to fight while the three knights sprang down
upon Pelleas, but Pelleas all alone beat the three of them together.
Then they rose to their feet, and he stood still while they bound him
and took him into their lady.
"You're scarcely fit to touch your victor, you dogs! " she cried to her
men, "far less bind him; but take him out as he is and let whoever wants
to untie him. Then if he comes again--"
She paused just a minute and Pelleas broke in at once with, "Lady, I
loved you and thought you very beautiful, but if you don't love me
don't trouble yourself about it; you won't see me again. "
As soon as Pelleas was put outside the gate Gawain sprang forward,
loosed his bonds, flung them over the walls and cried out:
"My faith, and why did you let those wretches tie you up so when you
were victor of all the jousts? "
"O," said Pelleas, "they were just obeying the wishes of my lady, and
her wishes are mine. "
Gawain laughed. "Lend me your horse and armor," he said, "and I'll tell
her I've killed you. Then she'll let me in just to hear all about it and
when I've made her listen I'll tell her all about you, what a great and
good fellow you are. Give me three days to melt her and on the third
evening I'll bring you golden news. "
"Don't betray me," cried Pelleas, as he handed over his horse and all
his weapons except his sword. "Aren't you the knight they call
'Light-of-love? '"
"That is just because women are so light," Gawain rejoined, laughing.
Then he rode up to the castle gate, and blew the bugle so musically that
all the hidden echoes in the walls rang out.
"Away with you! " cried Ettarre's maidens, running up to the tower
window. "Our lady doesn't love you.
