After supper, when the knights were all in high
spirits throughout the hall, the King, as the custom was, because
he had taken the Stag, said that he would bestow the kiss and
thus observe the custom of the Stag. Throughout the court a
great murmur is heard: each one vows and swears to his neighbour
that it shall not be done without the protest of sword or ashen
lance. Each one gallantly desires to contend that his lady is
the fairest in the hall. Their conversation bodes no good, and
when my lord Gawain heard it, you must know that it was not to
his liking. Thus he addressed the King: "Sire," he says, "your
knights here are greatly aroused, and all their talk is of this
kiss. They say that it shall never be bestowed without
disturbance and a fight." And the King wisely replied to him:
"Fair nephew Gawain, give me counsel now, sparing my honour and
my dignity, for I have no mind for any disturbance."
(Vv. 311-341.) To the council came a great part of the best
knights of the court. King Yder (4) arrived, who was the first
to be summoned, and after him King Cadoalant, who was very wise
and bold. Kay and Girflet came too, and King Amauguin was there,
and a great number of other knights were there with them. The
discussion was in process when the Queen arrived and told them of
the adventure which she had met in the forest, of the armed
knight whom she saw, and of the malicious little dwarf who had
struck her damsel on the bare hand with his whip, and who struck
Erec, too, in the same way an ugly blow on the face; but that
Erec followed the knight to obtain vengeance, or increase his
shame, and how he said that if possible he would be back by the
third day.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50