Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight: The Quest

. . .The Green Knight dismounted and took off his helmet. The throng gasped since the man’s hair, beard and flesh were the same emerald shade as his cape, and his green eyes smoldered with hostility. Reaching to his saddle, the huge knight grasped a great green axe with a blade that glinted like a razor.  He turned to the king and said, “ I did not come to feast at your table, Arthur; I have a challenge, if you or your knights are not too cowardly to accept it. I dare anyone with the courage to accept it, to take this, my axe, and try to chop off my head with it.  I will not resist; yet if I survive that blow, that knight will come to my castle in a year and a day where I will return the blow.

All were silent before this obscene challenge.  These were Christian knights, and this challenge was either murder or witchcraft. How could any man accept it honorably? Sir Gawaine was torn. How could a knight murder someone in cold blood, but how could he insult his own king by not answering a challenge made in his own hall?  The Green Knight’s harsh laughter jolted them from their thoughts.

   “ I knew it; cowards to the man! What about you, Arthur; are you merely the leader of cowards or will you respond to my challenge?”

   Sir Gawaine’s eyes swept his fellow knights who seemed frozen by the dilemma before them. Surely, one of the older knights has some experience with such a challenge! He looked to each of the veterans but saw his own confusion on their faces. No one moved. The King was rising to accept the challenge when Sir Gawaine stepped forward, his hand on his sword. He could not allow the king he revered to be humiliated by not having a single knight answer this challenge. A king who had to answer a challenge in his own hall was one who had lost the confidence or the respect of his men. Be it murder, or witchcraft or suicide, he had sworn to serve the king and he would. That was his duty.

“ How dare you? You are speaking to my laird, the king,” Sir Gawaine said in a low, intense voice. “ Withdraw your insult or pay for it with your life!”

The Green Knight appraised the knight before him. He was quite young. Unlike the other noblemen he was dressed with an elegance that was impressive in its simplicity; the dragon crest and ring of Camelot were his only ornamentation. He was clearly loath to take the axe, yet he showed no sign of fear, and it was clear that his threat had not been made vain. The slightness of his build was hardly that of a warrior, yet he held himself with complete confidence. He had issued his threat with the authority of a king, but looking into his eyes was like looking into those of an innocent child. It was a disconcerting combination. The Green Knight spit out the words, “ I say again that Arthur is first among cowards in this Hall.”

He held out the axe, its blade glistening. Sir Gawaine took it, and the Green Knight pulled a bench forward and knelt before it.

“ I urge you sir, without dishonor, withdraw this insult.”

 “Get on with it,” the Green Knight snarled.

Sir Gawaine’s mind raced. This seemed like a pointless execution, murder; yet he could not possibly allow such an insult to stand.  Unless he were suicidal, the Green Knight must have some magic to expect to survive this blow. I will have no such magic in a year. Still, he had accepted this challenge; and he could no more go back on his word than he could stop breathing. Gawaine’s heart was pounding, and he could feel the blood pulsing in his ears. He had killed in battle, but never like this. Surely, the Green Knight has a spell of protection; the blade will just bounce off. We will laugh about this over ale later. He slowly raised the axe letting it fall of its own great weight--