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And overthrower from being overthrown。
With sword we have not striven； and thy good horse
And thou are weary； yet not less I felt
Thy manhood through that wearied lance of thine。
Well hast thou done； for all the stream is freed；
And thou hast wreaked his justice on his foes；
And when reviled； hast answered graciously；
And makest merry when overthrown。 Prince； Knight
Hail； Knight and Prince； and of our Table Round！'
And then when turning to Lynette he told
The tale of Gareth； petulantly she said；
'Ay wellay wellfor worse than being fooled
Of others； is to fool one's self。 A cave；
Sir Lancelot； is hard by； with meats and drinks
And forage for the horse； and flint for fire。
But all about it flies a honeysuckle。
Seek； till we find。' And when they sought and found；
Sir Gareth drank and ate； and all his life
Past into sleep； on whom the maiden gazed。
'Sound sleep be thine！ sound cause to sleep hast thou。
Wake lusty！ Seem I not as tender to him
As any mother？ Ay； but such a one
As all day long hath rated at her child；
And vext his day； but blesses him asleep
Good lord； how sweetly smells the honeysuckle
In the hushed night； as if the world were one
Of utter peace； and love； and gentleness！
O Lancelot； Lancelot'and she clapt her hands
'Full merry am I to find my goodly knave
Is knight and noble。 See now； sworn have I；
Else yon black felon had not let me pass；
To bring thee back to do the battle with him。
Thus an thou goest； he will fight thee first；
Who doubts thee victor？ so will my knight…knave
Miss the full flower of this accomplishment。'
Said Lancelot； 'Peradventure he； you name；
May know my shield。 Let Gareth； an he will；
Change his for mine； and take my charger； fresh；
Not to be spurred； loving the battle as well
As he that rides him。' 'Lancelot…like；' she said；
'Courteous in this； Lord Lancelot； as in all。'
And Gareth； wakening； fiercely clutched the shield；
'Ramp ye lance…splintering lions； on whom all spears
Are rotten sticks！ ye seem agape to roar！
Yea； ramp and roar at leaving of your lord！
Care not； good beasts； so well I care for you。
O noble Lancelot； from my hold on these
Streams virtuefirethrough one that will not shame
Even the shadow of Lancelot under shield。
Hence： let us go。'
Silent the silent field
They traversed。 Arthur's harp though summer…wan；
In counter motion to the clouds； allured
The glance of Gareth dreaming on his liege。
A star shot： 'Lo；' said Gareth； 'the foe falls！'
An owl whoopt： 'Hark the victor pealing there！'
Suddenly she that rode upon his left
Clung to the shield that Lancelot lent him； crying；
'Yield； yield him this again： 'tis he must fight：
I curse the tongue that all through yesterday
Reviled thee； and hath wrought on Lancelot now
To lend thee horse and shield： wonders ye have done；
Miracles ye cannot： here is glory enow
In having flung the three： I see thee maimed；
Mangled： I swear thou canst not fling the fourth。'
'And wherefore； damsel？ tell me all ye know。
You cannot scare me； nor rough face； or voice；
Brute bulk of limb； or boundless savagery
Appal me from the quest。'
'Nay； Prince；' she cried；
'God wot； I never looked upon the face；
Seeing he never rides abroad by day；
But watched him have I like a phantom pass
Chilling the night： nor have I heard the voice。
Always he made his mouthpiece of a page
Who came and went； and still reported him
As closing in himself the strength of ten；
And when his anger tare him； massacring
Man； woman； lad and girlyea； the soft babe！
Some hold that he hath swallowed infant flesh；
Monster！ O Prince； I went for Lancelot first；
The quest is Lancelot's： give him back the shield。'
Said Gareth laughing； 'An he fight for this；
Belike he wins it as the better man：
Thusand not else！'
But Lancelot on him urged
All the devisings of their chivalry
When one might meet a mightier than himself；
How best to manage horse； lance； sword and shield；
And so fill up the gap where force might fail
With skill and fineness。 Instant were his words。
Then Gareth； 'Here be rules。 I know but one
To dash against mine enemy and win。
Yet have I seen thee victor in the joust；
And seen thy way。' 'Heaven help thee；' sighed Lynette。
Then for a space； and under cloud that grew
To thunder…gloom palling all stars； they rode
In converse till she made her palfrey halt；
Lifted an arm； and softly whispered； 'There。'
And all the three were silent seeing； pitched
Beside the Castle Perilous on flat field；
A huge pavilion like a mountain peak
Sunder the glooming crimson on the marge；
Black； with black banner； and a long black horn
Beside it hanging； which Sir Gareth graspt；
And so； before the two could hinder him；
Sent all his heart and breath through all the horn。
Echoed the walls； a light twinkled； anon
Came lights and lights； and once again he blew；
Whereon were hollow tramplings up and down
And muffled voices heard； and shadows past；
Till high above him； circled with her maids；
The Lady Lyonors at a window stood；
Beautiful among lights； and waving to him
White hands； and courtesy； but when the Prince
Three times had blownafter long hushat last
The huge pavilion slowly yielded up；
Through those black foldings； that which housed therein。
High on a nightblack horse； in nightblack arms；
With white breast…bone； and barren ribs of Death；
And crowned with fleshless laughtersome ten steps
In the half…lightthrough the dim dawnadvanced
The monster； and then paused； and spake no word。
But Gareth spake and all indignantly；
'Fool； for thou hast； men say； the strength of ten；
Canst thou not trust the limbs thy God hath given；
But must； to make the terror of thee more；
Trick thyself out in ghastly imageries
Of that which Life hath done with； and the clod；
Less dull than thou； will hide with mantling flowers
As if for pity？' But he spake no word；
Which set the horror higher： a maiden swooned；
The Lady Lyonors wrung her hands and wept；
As doomed to be the bride of Night and Death；
Sir Gareth's head prickled beneath his helm；
And even Sir Lancelot through his warm blood felt
Ice strike； and all that marked him were aghast。
At once Sir Lancelot's charger fiercely neighed；
And Death's dark war…horse bounded forward with him。
Then those that did not blink the terror； saw
That Death was cast to ground； and slowly rose。
But with one stroke Sir Gareth split the skull。
Half fell to right and half to left and lay。
Then with a stronger buffet he clove the helm
As throughly as the skull； and out from this
Issued the bright face of a blooming boy
Fresh as a flower new…born； and crying； 'Knight；
Slay me not： my three brethren bad me do it；
To make a horror all about the house；
And stay the world from Lady Lyonors。
They never dreamed the passes would be past。'
Answered Sir Gareth graciously to one
Not many a moon his younger； 'My fair child；
What madness made thee challenge the chief knight
Of Arthur's hall？' 'Fair Sir； they bad me do it。
They hate the King； and Lancelot； the King's friend；
They hoped to slay him somewhere on the stream；
They never dreamed the passes could be past。'
Then sprang the happier day from underground；
And Lady Lyonors and her house； with dance
And revel and song； made merry over Death；
As being after all their foolish fears
And horrors only proven a blooming boy。
So large mirth lived and Gareth won the quest。
And he that told the tale in older times
Says that Sir Gareth wedded Lyonors；
But he； that told it later； says Lynette。
The Marriage of Geraint
The brave Geraint； a knight of Arthur's court；
A tributary prince of Devon； one
Of that great Order of the Table Round；
Had married Enid； Yniol's only child；
And loved her； as he loved the light of Heaven。
And as the light of Heaven varies； now
At sunrise； now at sunset； now by night
With moon and trembling stars； so loved Geraint
To make her beauty vary day by day；
In crimsons and in purples and in gems。
And Enid； but to please her husband's eye；
Who first had found and loved her in a state
Of broken fortunes； daily fronted him
In some fresh splendour； and the Queen herself；
Grateful to Prince Geraint for service done；
Loved her； and often with her own white hands
Arrayed and decked her； as the loveliest；
Next after her own self； in all the court。
And Enid loved the Queen； and with true heart
Adored her； as the stateliest and the best
And loveliest of all women upon earth。
And seeing them so tender and so close；
Long in their common love rejoiced Geraint。
But when a rumour rose about the Queen；
Touching her guilty love for Lancelot；
Though yet there lived no proof； nor yet was heard
The world's loud whisper breaking into storm；
Not less Geraint believed it； and there fell
A horror on him； lest his gentle wife；
Through that great tenderness for Guinevere；
Had suffered； or should suffer any taint
In nature： wherefore going to the King；
He made this pretext； that his princedom lay
Close on the borders of a territory；
Wherein were bandit earls； and caitiff knights；
Assassins； and all flyers from the hand
Of J