Wednesday 21 December 2016

Gawain 2258 - 2308, The Green Knights main deal is fucking with people.



Then the guy in the green got swiftly set,
Gathers up his grim tool. Gawain to smite;
With all the brawn in his body he bears it aloft,
Moved full mightily as maim him he would.
Had it driven down as directly as it could,
There had been killed by the cut that knight so good.
But Gawain on that guisarme glanced him beside,
As it came gliding down to shear him from our globe,
And shrank a little with the shoulders from the sharp iron.
That elvish surgeon with a shunt the steel withholds,
And then reproved the prince with many proud words:
"You are not Gawain," said the guy, "that is so good held,
He never arsed it from horror by hill or by vale,
And now you flinch for fear before you feel harm!
Such cowardice of that knight could I never hear.
Neither flinched I nor fluttered, my friend, when you struck,
Nor claimed any complication in king Arthur's house.
My head fell to my feet, and  yet not a flicker;
And you, before the slightest bite, shrank in your heart.
Lawfully, the finer fellow I feel I should be called
          therefore."
Said Gawain, " I shrank once,
And so will I no more;
But that my head fall on the stones,
I can not it restore.


"But get busy bro, by your faith, and bring me to the point.
Deal to me my destiny and do it out of hand,
For I shall stand thee a stroke, and start no more
Till thy axe has me hit - have here my Truth."
"Have at you then!" said that other, and heaves it aloft,
And swung it like a psychopath, that mad motherfucker.
He strikes out with certainty, but right at the slice,
Expertly withheld his hand before it might hurt.
Gawain gravely bides it and moves with no member,
But stood still as the stone, or the stump of a tree
Rightly locked in rocky ground with roots-a-hundred.
Then merrily he remarked, the man in the green:
"So, now you have your heart whole, hit you I must.
Hold you now the high honour that Arthur gave you,
If it cures decapitations, you might keep your skull."
Gawain full raging with anger then said:
"Why! strike on, you stupid man, you threaten so long;
I think that that your hearts pumping your own bullshit."
"Faith," said that other fellow, "you speak so fell,
I will no longer lightly let thy errand lie
          right now!"
Then set he him to strike,
And frowns both lip and brow;
No marvel that him misliked
That hoped of no rescue.

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