The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True by Gerald Morris Read Free Book Online

destination, I'd rather not go back out in the cold."
    Sir Bredbaddle looked crestfallen. "Are you sure? Because there's really nothing to do around here."
    "Doing nothing sounds very nice, actually."
    "Very well," Sir Bredbaddle said with a sigh. "Shall I stay and keep you company? Aggie hardly talks at all, so if I go hunting, you'll be stuck here in horrible quietness."
    "No, Sir Bredbaddle," Sir Gawain said hastily. "Please don't change your plans on my account. I beg you: go ahead and hunt."
    "But what about you, all quiet and still here by the fire? Won't it be dreadful?"
    "I shall try to bear it bravely," Sir Gawain assured him.
    Sir Bredbaddle shook his head with consternation. "I just don't understand! A knight is always striving, seeking, hunting! I know how it'll be! I'll leave you here, and in an hour you'll be hunting around for something to do..." Sir Bredbaddle's eyes lit up. "And I'll prove it to you! We'll have a game! I'll go hunting in the forest, and whatever I take in my hunt I'll give to you at the end of the day. You stay here, and whatever you get inside, you give to me! I'll wager you'll have nothing to show for your day! What do you say? Is it a game? Or, if you'd rather, I could stay and chat with you all day."
    "It sounds like a wonderful game!" Sir Gawain said quickly. "You should go on to the hunting field at once!"
    Sir Bredbaddle grasped Sir Gawain's hand and shook it vigorously. "Fine! Now, remember! Give me all you get! I'm taking it as a solemn vow!" With that, he hurried from the room.
    Sir Gawain and Lady Agnes stood in silence for nearly a minute, listening to the slowly fading noise of Sir Bredbaddle's shouting voice. At last, Lady Agnes said, "When my husband came in just now, you were apologizing to me, were you not?"
    "I was," replied Sir Gawain. "Can you forgive me?"
    Lady Agnes gave him a speculative look. "I will admit that I was quite angry with you for some time after that day. You saved my life from the creature, but then you spoke only of yourself, refused to let me give you any token of thanks, and then rode off leaving me to find my own way home. I might have died there, and I did spend rather a lot of time imagining ways to punish you for your selfishness."
    Sir Gawain waited in silence.
    Lady Agnes continued. "But, yes, since you ask, I shall forgive you. Nevertheless, you must allow me to give you the tokens of thanks that I offered you before."
    "Whatever you wish, my lady," Sir Gawain said humbly. "I am yours to command."

    Lady Agnes stepped forward. "First, a kiss." She stood on her tiptoes before Sir Gawain and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you for saving my life, Sir Gawain." Then she untied the green sash that was around her waist. "And second, this sash. I tried to tell you a year ago, but you interrupted me. This is a magical sash, woven by my mother, the Enchantress Agostes, and the knight who wears it can never be harmed by any weapon. Please take it as a token of my gratitude." She placed the sash in his hand, smiled, then left the room.
    Sir Gawain stared at the sash, open-mouthed. There in his hand lay life. With that sash, he would be able to survive the next day. The Green Knight's axe would not harm him. He could return to Arthur's court. He could see his friends again. He could live.
    The rest of the day was like a dream to Sir Gawain. All the misery of the past months had faded away, and he spent hours in blissful peace, making plans for the future. Then, just as the sun was lowering in the sky, he heard a bang from the courtyard and a loud shout. Sir Gawain recognized Sir Bredbaddle's voice and strolled out to greet his jovial host. The huntsman stood proudly in the middle of the court, showing off a magnificent stag that he had felled.
    "Look at this fellow, why don't you? Don't you wish you had gone hunting with me? It was a grand day!" Sir Gawain smiled and said nothing. Then Sir Bredbaddle said, "But I remember our bargain! This stag is