I 1
Of the making of Britain 1
How Arthur held high feast at Camelot 2
New Year’s Day 3
Of the noble knights there present 4
The coming of the Green Knight 5
The fashion of the knight 5
Of the knight’s steed 6
The arming of the knight 7
Of the knight’s challenge 9
The silence of the knights 11
How Sir Gawain dared the venture 12
The making of the covenant 13
The giving of the blow 15
The marvel of the Green Knight 16
II 19
The waning of the year 19
Sir Gawain bethinks him of his covenant 21
The arming of Sir Gawain 22
Wherefore Sir Gawain bare the pentangle 24
How Sir Gawain went forth 25
Of Sir Gawain’s journey 26
How Sir Gawain came to a fair castle on Christmas Eve 29
How Sir Gawain was welcomed 31
Sir Gawain tells his name 34
The lady of the castle 35
Of the Christmas feast 37
How the feast came to an end but Gawain abode at the
castle 38
Sir Gawain makes a covenant with his host 41
III 43
The first day’s hunting 43
How the lady of the castle came to Sir Gawain 45
How the lady kissed Sir Gawain 49
How the covenant was kept 51
Of the second day’s hunting 52
Of the lady and Sir Gawain 54
How the lady strove to beguile Sir Gawain with words of
love 55
How the boar was slain 57
The keeping of the covenant 59
Of the third day’s hunting 61
How the lady came for the third time to Sir Gawain 62
The lady would fain have a parting gift from Gawain 64
She would give him her ring 65
Or her girdle 65
The virtue of the girdle 66
How Sir Gawain took the girdle 67
The death of the fox 68
How Sir Gawain kept not all the covenant 69
How Sir Gawain took leave of his host 71
IV 72
The robing of Sir Gawain 73
How Sir Gawain went forth from the castle 74
The squire’s warning 75
Of the knight of the Green Chapel 76
Sir Gawain is none dismayed 77
The finding of the chapel 79
The coming of the Green Knight 80
How Sir Gawain failed to stand the blow 81
Of the Green Knight’s reproaches 82
How the Green Knight dealt the blow 83
Of the three covenants 84
The shame of Sir Gawain 85
How Sir Gawain would keep the girdle 87
How the marvel was wrought 88
How Sir Gawain came again to Camelot 89
Sir Gawain makes confession of his fault 90
The knights wear the lace in honour of Gawain 90
The end of the tale 91
Notes 93
I
[Illustration: Illustrated drop-cap]