Then bespake him Sir Gawaine,
That was ever a gentle knight:
That loathly lady I will wed,
Therefore be merry and light.

Now nay, now nay, good Sir Gawaine,

My sister's son ye be;

This loathly lady's all too grim,

And all too foul for ye.

Her nose is crooked, and turned outward,
Her chin stands all awry ;

A worse-formed lady than she is,

Was never seen with eye.

What though her chin stand all awry,

And she be foul to see;

I'll marry her, uncle, for thy sake,

And I'll thy ransom be!

Now thanks, now thanks, good Sir Gawaine, And a blessing thee betide;

To-morrow we'll have knights and squires,

And we'll go fetch the bride.

And we'll have hawks, and we'll have hounds,

To cover our intent;

And we'll away to the green forest,

As we a hunting went.

Sir Lancelot, Sir Stephen bold,
They rode with them that day;
And foremost of the company,
There rode the steward Kay.

So did Sir Banier and Sir Bore,
And eke Sir Garratt keen;
Sir Tristram too, that gentle knight,
To the forest fresh and green.

And when they came to the green forest,

Beneath a fair holly-tree,

There sat that lady in red scarlet,

That unseemly was to see.

Sir Kay beheld that lady's face,
And looked upon her sweere:
Whoever kisses that lady, he says,
Of his kiss he stands in fear.

Sir Kay beheld that lady again,
And looked upon her snout:
Whoever kisses that lady, he says,
Of his kiss he stands in doubt.

Peace! brother Kay, said Sir Gawaine,
And amend thee of thy life;
For there is a knight, among us all,
Must marry her to his wife.

Marry I'faith, then said Sir Kay,
I' the devil's name anon;
Get me a wife wherever I may,
In sooth she shall be none.

Then some took up their hawks in haste,

And some took up their hounds,
And said they would not marry her,

For cities, nor for towns.

Then bespake him King Arthur,

And sware there by his faye,
For a little foul sight and misliking,
You shall not say her nay.

Peace! lordings, peace! Sir Gawaine said,

Nor make debate and strife,

* Neck-suire, in the original. The next very irreverent term is literal.

This loathly lady I will take,

And marry her to my wife.

Now thanks! now thanks! good Sir Gawaine,

And a blessing be thy meed,

For as I am thine own lady,

Thou never shall rue this deed.

Then up they took that loathly dame,
And home anon they bring,
And there Sir Gawaine he her wed,
And married her with a ring.

And when they were in wed-bed laid,
And all were done away,—
Come turn to me, my own wed lord,
Come turn to me, I pray.

Sir Gawaine scant could lift his head,
For sorrow and for care;

When lo! instead of that loathly dame,
He saw a young lady fair!

Sweet blushes stained her rud-red cheek,
Her eyen were black as sloe,
The ripening cherry swelled her lip,

And all her neck was snow.

Sir Gawaine kissed that lady fair,
Lying upon the sheet,

And swore, as he was a true knight,
The spice was never so sweet.

Sir Gawaine kissed that lady bright,
Lying there by his side,
The fairest flower is not so fair,

Thou never can'st be my bride!

I am thy bride, mine own dear lord!

The same which thou didst know,
That was so loathly, and was wont,
Upon the wild moor to go.

Now gentle Gawaine, choose, quoth she,
And make thy choice with care,
Whether by night, or else by day,
Shall I be foul or fair.

My fair lady! Sir Gawaine said,
I yield me to thy skill,
Because thou art mine own lady,
Thou shalt have all thy will.

Now blessed be thou, sweet Gawaine!
And the day that I thee see,
For as thou seest me at this time,
So shall I ever be.

My father was an aged knight,

And yet it chanced so,

He took to wife a false lady,

Which brought me to this woe.

She witched me, being a fair young maid,

In the green forest to dwell,

And there to abide in loathly shape,

Most like a fiend of hell.

Midst moors and mosses, woods and wilds,

To lead a lonesome life,

Till some young, fair, and courtly knight

Would marry me to his wife.

Nor fully to gain my own true shape,-
Such was her devilish skill,-

Until he would yield to be ruled by me,
And let me have all my will.

She witched my brother to a carlish boor,
And made him stiff and strong;
And built him a bower on magic ground,
To live by rapine and wrong.

But now the spell is broken through,
And wrong is turned to right;
Henceforth I shall be a true Lady,
And he be a gentle Knight!

[The original contains nine more stanzas, which describe the subsequent congratulations of the monarch and his courtiers].

Well Coz Gawaine sayes S' Kay

thy chance is fallen arright

for thou hast gotten one of the fairest maids

I euer saw wth my sight

It is my fortune said S' Gawaine

for my Vncle Arthurs sake

I am glad as grasse wold be of raine
great joy that I may take