Still smiling, the green man bowed, and bent
His head a bit, baring his neck,
His lovely long hair tossed back, leaving
The naked flesh open, exposed.
Gawain hefted the axe, swung it high
In both hands, balancing his left foot in front of him,
Then quickly brought it down. The blade
Cut through bones and skin and fair
White flesh, split the green man's neck
So swiftly that its edge slashed the ground.
and the head fell to the earth, rolled
On the floor, and the knights kicked it with their
feet:
The body spurted blood, gleaming
Red on green skin--but the green man stood
A moment, not staggering, not falling, then sprang
On strong legs and roughly reached through thrashing
Feet, claimed his lovely head,
And carrying it to his horse caught the bridle,
Stepped in the stirrups and mounted, holding
His head by its long green hair, sitting
High and steady in the saddle as though nothing
Had happened. But he sat there headless, for everyone
To see,
Twisting his bloody, severed
Stump. And the knights were wary,
Afraid before he ever
Opened that mouth to speak.
And he held that head high, slowly turning
Its face toward Arthur and the noblest of his knights,
And it lifted its lids and stared with wide eyes
And moved its lips and spoke, saying:
"Gawain, be ready to ride as you promised;
Hunt me well until you find me--
As you swore to, here in this hall, heard
By these knights. Find the green chapel, come
To take what you've given, a quick and proper
Greeting for a New Year's Day. Many men
Know the knight of the green chapel:
Seek me, and nothing can keep you from me.
Then come! or be called a coward forever."
With a violent rush he turned the reins
And galloped from the hall, his head in his hands;
His horse's hooves struck fire on the stone.
And where he rode to no one knew,
No more than they'd known from where he came.
-- Unknown, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (lines 417-461)
it's amateur hour
