s kings, holds the Christmas festival
at Camelot, surrounded by the celebrated knights of the Round Table,
noble lords, the most renowned under heaven, and ladies the loveliest
that ever had life (ll. 37-57). This noble company celebrate the New
Year by a religious service, by the bestowal of gifts, and the most
joyous mirth. Lords and ladies take their seats at the table--Queen
Guenever, the grey-eyed, gaily dressed, sits at the dais, the high
table, or table of state, where too sat Gawayne and Ywain together with
other worthies of the Round Table (ll. 58-84, 107-115). Arthur, in mood
as joyful as a child, his blood young and his brain wild, declares that
he will not eat nor sit long at the table until some adventurous thing,
some uncouth tale, some great marvel, or some encounter of arms has
occurred to mark the return of the New Year (ll. 85-106).

The first course was announced with cracking of trumpets, with the
noise of nakers and noble pipes.

"Each two had dishes twelve,
Good beer and bright wine both."

Scarcely was the first course served when another noise than that of
music was heard. There rushes in at the hall-door a knight of gigantic
stature--the greatest on earth--in measure high. He was clothed
entirely in green, and rode upon a green foal (ll. 116-178). Fair wavy
hair fell about the shoulders of the Green Knight, and a great beard
like a bush hung upon his breast (ll. 179-202).

The knight carried no helmet, shield, or spear, but in one hand a holly
bough, and in the other an axe "huge and unmeet," the edge of which was
as keen as a sharp razor (ll. 203-220). Thus arrayed, the Green Knight
enters the hall without saluting any one. The first word that he
uttered was, "Where is the govenour of this gang? gladly would I see
him and with himself speak reason." To the knights he cast his eye,
looking for the most renowned. Much did the noble assembly marvel to
see a man and a horse of such a hue, green as the grass. Even greener
they seemed than green enamel on bright gold. Many marvels had they
seen, but none such as this. They were afraid to answer, but sat
stone-still in a dead silence, as if overpowered by sleep;

"Not all from fear, but some for courtesy" (ll. 221-249).

Then Arthur before the high dais salutes the Green Knight, bids him
welcome, an