No More Learning

But while our author has borrowed many of the details of his story from the
"Roman de Perceval" by Chrestien de Troyes, he has made the narrative more
attractive by the introduction of several original and highly interesting
passages which throw light on the manners and amusements of our ancestors.

The following elaborate descriptions are well deserving of especial
notice:--

I. The mode of completely arming a knight (ll. 568-589).

II. The hunting and breaking the deer (ll. 1126-1359).

III. The hunting and unlacing the wild boar (ll. 1412-1614).

IV. A fox hunt (ll. 1675-1921).

The following is an outline of the story of Gawayne's adventures, more or
less in the words of the writer himself:--

Arthur, the greatest of Britain's kings, holds the Christmas festival
at Camelot, surrounded by the celebrated knights of the Round Table,
noble lords, the most renowned under heaven, and ladies the loveliest
that ever had life (ll. 37-57).
This noble company celebrate the New
Year by a religious service, by the bestowal of gifts, and the most
joyous mirth. Lords and ladies take their seats at the table--Queen
Guenever, the grey-eyed, gaily dressed, sits at the dais, the high
table, or table of state, where too sat Gawayne and Ywain together with
other worthies of the Round Table (ll. 58-84, 107-115). Arthur, in mood
as joyful as a child, his blood young and his brain wild, declares that
he will not eat nor sit long at the table until some adventurous thing,
some uncouth tale, some great marvel, or some encounter of arms has
occurred to mark the return of the New Year (ll. 85-106).

The first course was announced with cracking of trumpets, with the
noise of nakers and noble pipes.

"Each two had dishes twelve,
Good beer and bright wine both. "

Scarcely was the first course served when another noise than that of
music was heard. There rushes in at the hall-door a knight of gigantic
stature--the greatest on earth--in measure high. He was clothed
entirely in green, and rode upon a green foal (ll. 116-178). Fair wavy
hair fell about the shoulders of the Green Knight, and a great beard
like a bush hung upon his breast (ll. 179-202).

The knight carried no helmet, shield, or spear, but in one hand a holly
bough, and in the other an axe "huge and unmeet," the edge of which was
as keen as a sharp razor (ll. 203-220). Thus arrayed, the Green Knight
enters the hall without saluting any one.