it was adventure made for the high
feast of King Arthur, and therefore I would have gone after to have won
me worship; and here my younger brother said he would go after the hart,
for he was better knight than I: and for this cause we fell at debate,
and so we thought to prove which of us both was better knight. This is a
simple cause, said Sir Gawaine; uncouth men ye should debate withal, and
not brother with brother; therefore but if you will do by my counsel I
will have ado with you, that is ye shall yield you unto me, and that ye
go unto King Arthur and yield you unto his grace. Sir knight, said the
two brethren, we are forfoughten and much blood have we lost through our
wilfulness, and therefore we would be loath to have ado with you. Then
do as I will have you, said Sir Gawaine. We will agree to fulfil your
will; but by whom shall we say that we be thither sent? Ye may say, By
the knight that followeth the quest of the hart that was white. Now what
is your name? said Gawaine. Sorlouse of the Forest, said the elder. And
my name is, said the younger, Brian of the Forest. And so they departed
and went to the king's court, and Sir Gawaine on his quest.

And as Gawaine followed the hart by the cry of the hounds, even afore
him there was a great river, and the hart swam over; and as Sir Gawaine
would follow after, there stood a knight over the other side, and said,
Sir knight, come not over after this hart but if thou wilt joust with
me. I will not fail as for that, said Sir Gawaine, to follow the quest
that I am in, and so made his horse to swim over the water. And anon
they gat their spears and ran together full hard; but Sir Gawaine smote
him off his horse, and then he turned his horse and bade him yield
him. Nay, said the knight, not so, though thou have the better of me
on horseback. I pray thee, valiant knight, alight afoot, and match we
together with swords. What is your name? said Sir Gawaine. Allardin of
the Isles, said the other. Then either dressed their shields and smote
together, but Sir Gawaine smote him so hard through the helm that it
went to the brains, and the knight fell down dead. Ah! said Gaheris,
that was a mighty stroke of a young knight.

CHAPTER VII How the hart was chased into a castle and there slain, and
how Sir Gawaine slew a lady.

THEN Gawaine and Gaheris rode more than a pace after the white hart, and
let slip at the hart three couple of greyhounds, and so they chased the
hart into