Then Gawain, who sat by the queen, leaned forward to the king and spake,
“I beseech ye, my lord, let this venture be mine. Would ye but bid me
rise from this seat, and stand by your side, so that my liege lady
thought it not ill, then would I come to your counsel before this goodly
court. For I think it not seemly that such challenge should be made in
your hall that ye yourself should undertake it, while there are many
bold knights who sit beside ye, none are there, methinks, of readier
will under heaven, or more valiant in open field. I am the weakest, I
wot, and the feeblest of wit, and it will be the less loss of my life if
ye seek sooth. For save that ye are mine uncle naught is there in me to
praise, no virtue is there in my body save your blood, and since this
challenge is such folly that it beseems ye not to take it, and I have
asked it from ye first, let it fall to me, and if I bear myself
ungallantly then let all this court blame me.”
Then they all spake with one voice that the king should leave this
venture and grant it to Gawain.
Then Arthur commanded the knight to rise, and he rose up quickly and
knelt down before the king, and caught hold of the weapon; and the king
loosed his hold of it, and lifted up his hand, and gave him his
blessing, and bade him be strong both of heart and hand. “Keep thee
well, nephew,” quoth Arthur, “that thou give him but the one blow, and
if thou redest him rightly I trow thou shalt well abide the stroke he
may give thee after.”