“Nay, forsooth,” said Sir Gawain and seized his helmet and took it off
swiftly, and thanked the knight: “I have fared ill, may bliss betide
thee, and may He who rules all things reward thee swiftly. Commend me to
that courteous lady, thy fair wife, and to the other my honoured ladies,
who have beguiled their knight with skilful craft. But ’tis no marvel if
one be made a fool and brought to sorrow by women’s wiles, for so was
Adam beguiled, and many a mighty man of old, Samson, and David, and
Solomon—if one might love a woman and believe her not, ’twere great
gain! And since all they were beguiled by women, methinks ’tis the less
blame to me that I was misled! But as for thy girdle, that will I take
with good will, not for gain of the gold, nor for samite, nor silk, nor
the costly pendants, neither for weal nor for worship, but in sign of my
frailty. I shall look upon it when I ride in renown and remind myself of
the fault and faintness of the flesh; and so when pride uplifts me for
prowess of arms, the sight of this lace shall humble my heart. But one
thing would I pray, if it displease thee not: since thou art lord of
yonder land wherein I have dwelt, tell me what thy rightful name may be,
and I will ask no more.”