Thereupon Messire Gawain departeth so sorrowful and full of thought
that he remembereth not to ask in what land he may find the sword nor
the name of the King that hath it. But he will know tidings thereof
when God pleaseth.

VI.

The history telleth us and witnesseth that he rode so far that he came
to the side of a little hill, and the day was right fair and clear. He
looketh in front of him before a chapel and seeth a tall burgess
sitting on a great destrier that was right rich and fair. The burgess
espieth Messire Gawain and cometh over against him, and saluteth him
right courteously and Messire Gawain him.

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "God give you joy."

"Sir," saith the goodman, "Right sorrowful am I of this that you have a
horse so lean and spare of flesh. Better would it become so worshipful
man as you seem to be that he were better horsed."

"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "I may not now amend it, whereof am I
sorry; another shall I have when it shall please God."

"Fair sir," saith the burgess, "Whither are you bound to go?"

"I go seek the sword wherewith the head of S. John Baptist was cut off."

"Ha, sir," saith the burgess, "You are running too sore a peril. A King
hath it that believeth not in God, and is sore fell and cruel. He is
named Gurgalain, and many knights have passed hereby that went thither
for the sword, but never thence have they returned. But, and you are
willing to pledge me your word that so God grant you to conquer the
sword, you will return hither and show it me on your return, I will
give you this destrier, which is right rich, for your own."

"Will you?" saith Messire Gawain, "Then are you right courteous, for
you know me not."

"Certes, sir," saith he, "So worshipful man seem you to be, that you
will hold well to this that you have covenanted with me."

"And to this do I pledge you my word," saith Messire Gawain, "that, so
God allow me to conquer it, I will show it to you on my return."

VII.

Thereupon the burgess alighteth and mounteth upon Messire Gawain's
horse, and Messire Gawain upon his, and taketh leave of the burgess and
goeth his way and entereth into a right great forest beyond the city,
and rideth until sundown and findeth neither castle nor city. And he
findeth a meadow in the midst of the forest, right broad, and it ran on
beyond, like as there were the stream of a spring in the midst. He
looketh toward the foot of the meadow close by the fo