Sir Gawain met the knight
without bowing too low.
The knight said, ‘Good Sir,
you’re a man who keeps his word.
‘Gawain,’ said the Green Knight, ‘God preserve you!
You are welcome to my place here.
You’ve timed your arrival as a true man should,
and you know the terms agreed between us:
A year back you had to take what was yours,
and I was to repay you this New Year’s Day.
Here in this valley we are truly alone.
There’s no one to part us – we can fight as we like.
Take off your helmet and receive what is owed;
make no more protest than I made to you
when you whipped off my head with a single stroke.’
‘No by God,’ said Gawain, ‘who gave me my life,
I will bear you no grudge, whatever the outcome.
But keep to one stroke, while I stand my ground
and make no resistance to your doing as you like in any way.’
He bowed his neck, bent down
and revealed the naked flesh.
He pretended to be fearless,
afraid to show his dread.
“Oh, bummer!”
Oops! Meant as a reply to Sir Gawain and The Green Knight.
without bowing too low.
The knight said, ‘Good Sir,
you’re a man who keeps his word.
‘Gawain,’ said the Green Knight, ‘God preserve you!
You are welcome to my place here.
You’ve timed your arrival as a true man should,
and you know the terms agreed between us:
A year back you had to take what was yours,
and I was to repay you this New Year’s Day.
Here in this valley we are truly alone.
There’s no one to part us – we can fight as we like.
Take off your helmet and receive what is owed;
make no more protest than I made to you
when you whipped off my head with a single stroke.’
‘No by God,’ said Gawain, ‘who gave me my life,
I will bear you no grudge, whatever the outcome.
But keep to one stroke, while I stand my ground
and make no resistance to your doing as you like in any way.’
He bowed his neck, bent down
and revealed the naked flesh.
He pretended to be fearless,
afraid to show his dread.