y senses from very grief, for I had six sons who were
knights, fairer than any I knew in the world, and the giant has taken
all six of them. Before my eyes he killed two of them, and to-morrow he
will kill the other four, unless I find some one who will dare to fight
him for the deliverance of my sons, or unless I consent to surrender my
daughter to him; and he says that when he has her in his possession he
will give her over to be the sport of the vilest and lewdest fellows in
his house, for he would scorn to take her now for himself. That is the
disaster which awaits me to-morrow, unless the Lord God grant me His
aid. So it is no wonder, fair sir, if we are all in tears. But for your
sake we strive for the moment to assume as cheerful a countenance as we
can. For he is a fool who attracts a gentleman to his presence and then
does not honour him; and you seem to be a very perfect gentleman. Now
I have told you the entire story of our great distress. Neither in town
nor in fortress has the giant left us anything, except what we have
here. If you had noticed, you must have seen this evening that he has
not left us so much as an egg, except these walls which are new; for he
has razed the entire town. When he had plundered all he wished, he set
fire to what remained. In this way he has done me many an evil turn."

(Vv. 3899-3956.) My lord Yvain listened to all that his host told him,
and when he had heard it all he was pleased to answer him: "Sire, I am
sorry and distressed about this trouble of yours; but I marvel greatly
that you have not asked assistance at good King Arthur's court. There is
no man so mighty that he could not find at his court some who would be
glad to try their strength with his." Then the wealthy man reveals and
explains to him that he would have had efficient help if he had known
where to find my lord Gawain. "He would not have failed me upon this
occasion, for my wife is his own sister; but a knight from a strange
land, who went to court to seek the King's wife, has led her away.
However, he could not have gotten possession of her by any means of his
own invention, had it not been for Kay, who so befooled the King that he
gave the Queen into his charge and placed her under his protection. He
was a fool, and she imprudent to entrust herself to his escort. And I
am the one who suffers and loses in all this; for it is certain that my
excellent lord Gawain would have made haste to come here, had he known