All the trappings of his steed were of metal of like enamel, even the
stirrups that he stood in stained of the same, and stirrups and
saddle-bow alike gleamed and shone with green stones. Even the steed on
which he rode was of the same hue, a green horse, great and strong, and
hard to hold, with broidered bridle, meet for the rider.
The knight was thus gaily dressed in green, his hair falling around his
shoulders, on his breast hung a beard, as thick and green as a bush, and
the beard and the hair of his head were clipped all round above his
elbows. The lower part of his sleeves were fastened with clasps in the
same wise as a king’s mantle. The horse’s mane was crisped and plaited
with many a knot folded in with gold thread about the fair green, here a
twist of the hair, here another of gold. The tail was twined in like
manner, and both were bound about with a band of bright green set with
many a precious stone; then they were tied aloft in a cunning knot,
whereon rang many bells of burnished gold. Such a steed might no other
ride, nor had such ever been looked upon in that hall ere that time; and
all who saw that knight spake and said that a man might scarce abide his
stroke.