Messire Gawain and the damsels go on their way a great pace through the
high forest, green and leafy, where the birds are singing, and enter
into the most hideous forest and most horrible that any might ever see,
and seemed it that no greenery never there had been, so bare and dry
were all the branches and all the trees black and burnt as it had been
by fire, and the ground all parched and black atop with no green, and
full of great cracks.
"Damsel," saith Messire Gawain, "Right loathly is this forest and right
hideous. Goeth it on far like this?"
"Sir." saith she, "For nine leagues Welsh goeth it on the same, but we
shall pass not through the whole thereof."
Messire Gawain looketh from time to time on the damsel that cometh
arbor, and sore it irketh him that he may not amend her estate. They
ride on until that they come to a great valley and Messire Gawain
looketh along the bottom and seeth appear a black castle that was
enclosed within a girdle of wall, foul and evilseeming. The nigher he
draweth to the castle the more hideous it seemeth him, and he seeth
great halls appear that were right foully mis-shapen, and the forest
about it he seeth to be like as he had found it behind. He seeth a
water come down from the head of a mountain, foul and horrible and
black, that went amidst the castle roaring so loud that it seemed to be
thunder. Messire Gawain seeth the entrance of the gateway foul and
horrible like as it had been hell, and within the castle heard he great
outcries and lamentations, and the most part heard he saying: "Ha, God!
What hath become of the Good Knight, and when will he come?"
"Damsel," saith Messire Gawain, "What is this castle here that is so
foul and hideous, wherein is such dolour suffered and such weary
longing for the coming of the Good Knight?"
"Sir, this is the castle of the Black Hermit. Wherefore am I fain to
pray you that you meddle not herein for nought that they within may do
to me, for otherwise it may well be that your death is at hand, for
against them will you have no might nor power."
They come anigh the castle as it were a couple of bow-shots, and
behold, through the gateway come knights armed on black horses and
their arms all black and their shields and spears, and there were a
hundred and fifty and two, right parlous to behold. And they come a
great gallop toward the damsel, and toward the car, and take the
hundred and fifty-two heads, each one his own, and set them upon their
spears and so enter into the castle again with great joy. Messire
Gawain seeth the insolence that the knights have wrought, and right
great shame hath he of himself that he hath not moved withal.
"Messire Gawain," saith the damsel, "Now may you know how little would
your force have availed you herein."
"Damsel, an evil castle is this where folk are robbed on such wise."
"Sir, never may this mischief be amended, nor this outrage be done
away, nor the evil-doer therein be stricken down, nor they that cry and
lament within the prison there be set free until such time as the Good
Knight shall come for whom are they yearning as you have heard but now."
"Damsel, right glad may the knight be that by his valour and his
hardiment shall destroy so many evil folk!"
"Sir, therefore is he the Best Knight in the world, and he is yet young
enough of age, but right sorrowful am I at heart that I know not true
tidings of him; for better will have I to see him than any man on live."
"Damsel, so also have I," saith Messire Gawain, "For then by your leave
would I turn me again."
"Not so, sir, but and you shall come beyond the castle, then will I
teach you the way whereby you ought to go."