Upon his shield, as upon an anvil, the others strike and
pound, splitting and hewing it to bits. But every one who
strikes him there, he pays back by casting him from his stirrups
and saddle; and no one, unless he wished to lie, could fail to
say when the jousting ceased that the knight with the red shield
had won all the glory on that day. And all the best and most
courtly knights would fain have made his acquaintance. But their
desire was not felt before he had departed secretly, seeing the
sun already set; and he had his vermilion shield and all his
other harness removed, and ordered his white arms to be brought
out, in which he had first been dubbed a knight, while the other
arms and the steeds were fastened outside by the door. Those who
notice this realise and exclaim that they have all been defeated
and undone by one single man; for each day he has disguised
himself with a different horse and set of armour, thus seeming to
change his identity; for the first time now they noticed this.
And my lord Gawain proclaimed that he never saw such a champion,
and therefore he wished to make his acquaintance and learn his
name, announcing that on the morrow he himself will be the first
at the rally of the knights. Yet, withal, he makes no boast; on
the other hand, he says that he fully expects the stranger knight
will have all the advantage with the lance; but it may be that
with the sword he will not be his superior (for with the sword
Gawain had no master).
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