Chapter XII

[A] Then þe gome in þe grene grayþed hym swyþe,
2260 Gedere3 yp hys grymme tole, Gawayn to smyte;
[B] With alle þe bur in his body he ber hit on lofte,
Munt as ma3tyly, as marre hym he wolde;
Hade hit dryuen adoun, as dre3 as he atled,
2264 Þer hade ben ded of his dynt, þat do3ty wat3 euer.
Bot Gawayn on þat giserne glyfte hym bysyde,
[C] As hit com glydande adoun, on glode hym to schende,
[D] & schranke a lytel with þe schulderes, for þe scharp yrne.
2268 Þat oþer schalk wyth a schunt þe schene wythhalde3,
[E] & þenne repreued he þe prynce with mony prowde worde3:
[F] "Þou art not Gawayn," quod þe gome, "þat is so goud halden,
Þat neuer ar3ed for no here, by hylle ne be vale,
2272 [G] & now þou fles for ferde, er þou fele harme3; [Fol. 121b.]
Such cowardise of þat kny3t cowþe I neuer here.
[H] Nawþer fyked I, ne fla3e, freke, quen þou myntest,
Ne kest no kauelacion, in kynge3 hous Arthor,
2276 [I] My hede fla3 to my fote, & 3et fla3 I neuer;
& þou, er any harme hent, ar3e3 in hert,
[J] Wherfore þe better burne me burde be called
þer-fore."
2280 [K] Quod G:, "I schunt one3,
& so wyl I no more,
Bot pa3 my hede falle on þe stone3,
I con not hit restore.

[Sidenote A: Then the man in green seizes his grim tool.] [Sidenote B: With all his force he raises it aloft.] [Sidenote C: As it came gliding down,] [Sidenote D: Sir Gawayne shrank a little with his shoulders.] [Sidenote E: The other reproved him, saying,] [Sidenote F: "Thou art not Gawayne that is so good esteemed,] [Sidenote G: for thou fleest for fear before thou feelest harm.] [Sidenote H: I never flinched when thou struckest.] [Sidenote I: My head flew to my foot, yet I never fled,] [Sidenote J: wherefore I ought to be called the better man."] [Sidenote K: "I shunted once," says Gawayne, "but will no more.]