The Story of King Arthur and His Knights

While traveling far from Camelot, King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and their court set up pavilions near the forest to shade them from the midday heat. During their feast, a white deer and a white dog, both with gold collars, run around their table, and then back into the forest. A knight and lady emerge from the forest where the animals ran. Another knight attacks the first knight, knocking him unconscious, and captures the lady, riding back into the forest with her. The unconscious knight’s squires get him on his horse and lead him into the forest as well. Arthur asks if one of his knights will discover what happened to the lady captured by the knight, and Gawaine volunteers, with his younger brother Gaheris as his squire.

Gawaine and Gaheris ride for a while, asking forest folk about the deer, hound, lady, and knight. They arrive at a meadow where two knights are fighting, and they ask about the nature of their dispute. The knights initially will not share their conflict, but when Gawaine asks about the animals and the lady carried off by a knight, they tell him their story. The two knights are brothers who witnessed similar events and argued over whether the deer or hound should win. Then, they argued over who would rescue the lady, and their arguments turned into the physical fight that Gawaine and Gaheris interrupted. After Gawaine condemns them for wounding each other, they introduce themselves—Sir Sorloise and Sir Brian. Gawaine introduces himself and asks the knights to report back to Arthur and his court. They agree to do so and ride off.

Gawaine and Gaheris see a knight next to a river and ask him about the deer, hound, lady, and knight. The knight says he is also in pursuit of them, and Gawaine challenges him over who should continue the adventure. They joust, the knight’s spear breaks, Gawaine’s does not, and the knight is unhorsed. Gawaine checks on him, takes off his helmet, and learns his name is Sir Alardin of the Isles. Gawaine sends Alardin to Arthur and his court.

At sunset, Gawaine and Gaheris reach a plain that holds a castle. They find that the white hound is dead, and the white deer is grazing nearby. The deer runs towards the castle, and Gawaine and Gaheris chase it. In the courtyard of the castle, Gawaine kills the deer and immediately regrets it. The lord and lady of the castle come out, and the lord challenges Gawaine to a fight over his killing of the deer. The lord, Sir Ablamor of the Marise, injures Gawaine, and Gawaine nearly kills Ablamor, but the lady jumps in front of him and Gawaine hits her with the flat of his sword. Ablamor thinks she is dead, and threatens to kill Gawaine, but when she regains consciousness, Ablamor cries with joy.

Gawaine and Gaheris stay at the castle that night, and Ablamor tells them the story of the white deer and hound. He and his brother married two sisters, and these ladies encountered a beautiful damsel in the forest who gave them the white animals with gold collars and leashes. The hound tried to kill the deer, and this caused the households to be in dispute. Ablamor reveals that he is the knight they saw hit his brother and take his wife earlier that day. Gawaine believes the damsel who gave the ladies the animals is Vivien. He convinces Ablamor to release his lady’s sister and make peace with his brother.

When Gawaine returns to Arthur’s court, Guinevere is unhappy that he did not show mercy, and struck a lady. Gawaine breaks his sword and pledges to prove his chivalry to the queen.

Later, Arthur resides at Tintagalon while Guinevere and their courts wait at Carleon. One spring day, Arthur asks his squire Boisenard to go with him on an adventure. They ride into the forest and get lost. After night falls, Boisenard climbs a tree and sees a light. They ride towards it and find a castle. Arthur hides his identity (he is wearing unmarked armor), and the castle porter suggests they sleep outside, but Arthur insists on entering.

Inside, attendants help them clean up and they head into the hall. A knight wearing all black offers seats near him at the head of the table during the feast. After they eat, the knight suggests that they each try to withstand a blow to the head by the other. Arthur hesitates, and Boisenard tries to talk him out of it, but Arthur is determined. The knight offers his bare neck to Arthur, and Arthur beheads him with Excalibur. The body of the knight picks up his head and places it back on his neck. Arthur bares his own neck, and the knight touches his sword to it and swings his sword in the air but does not decapitate Arthur. The knight agrees to spare Arthur’s life if he vows to return in a year and a day. Arthur swears on Excalibur, and the knight offers also to spare Arthur’s life when he returns if he can solve a riddle: what does a woman desire most? In the morning, Arthur leaves the castle.

During the following year, Arthur sets his affairs in order and seeks the answer to the riddle. However, many women offer different responses to the question of what they desire most. Shortly before the year ends, Arthur has Boisenard arm him in the unmarked armor, tells Boisenard what to do if he does not return in a month, and sets off from the castle. He continues to ask women what they desire as he travels towards his destination.

The day before he is due back at the castle, Arthur rides in the forest and discovers a hidden hut. Inside is an ugly old woman who recognizes him. She offers an answer to the riddle if Arthur will marry her to one of his knights. He agrees, and she tells him a woman desires her will above all else. She also tells him the knight carries his life-force in the locket he wears on a necklace, and destroying the locket is the only way to kill him. Arthur thanks her, stays with her that night, and heads to the castle in the morning.

Arthur enters the castle and tells the knight his answer to the riddle: that a woman desires to have her will. The knight is unsure of what to do, and Arthur asks for the knight’s necklace in exchange for the one Arthur wears. When the knight hesitates, Arthur grabs the necklace and breaks the clear ball inside the locket, killing the knight. He then storms out of the castle and goes to the old woman’s hut.

Arthur takes the old woman to Carleon, where everyone is enjoying the May day outside. He tells Guinevere and the court the story of how the old woman saved his life. She chooses Gawaine for her husband, as per her arrangement with Arthur, and Gawaine agrees to marry her. After their wedding, they go to Gawaine’s house, and he hides in his chambers for a while, ashamed. Then he goes to his wife’s room, and she tells him that she is under a curse: for half the day she appears ugly and old, but for the other half of the day, she is beautiful. When they disagree about which part of the day she should be beautiful, Gawaine allows her to win the argument, consenting to her decision.

This, she reveals, is the final test, and she will remain beautiful all the time. Gawaine is overjoyed. She reveals that she is one of the Ladies of the Lake but became mortal (rather than fay) to be with Gawaine. He reveals her beauty to the rest of the house, and they celebrate. The next day, he takes her to see the king and queen, revealing her beauty to the court, and everyone thinks Gawaine is lucky to have her.

The narrator ends the chapter with a lesson for the reader about accepting tasks that seem ugly, like Gawaine’s old damsel, in order to be dutiful and worthy.

The narrator includes a brief conclusion that previews his other books that contain the stories of knights, such as Lancelot and Galahad. The end is a blessing that the reader will be as happy as the knights in his stories.