Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: With Pearl and Sir Orfeo. Джон Руэл Толкиен

the ground now gets himself ready,

       leaning a little with the head he lays bare the flesh,

       and his locks long and lovely he lifts over his crown,

       letting the naked neck as was needed appear.

       His left foot on the floor before him placing,

       Gawain gripped on his axe, gathered and raised it,

       from aloft let it swiftly land where ’twas naked,

       so that the sharp of his blade shivered the bones,

       and sank clean through the clear fat and clove it asunder,

       and the blade of the bright steel then bit into the ground.

       The fair head to the floor fell from the shoulders,

       and folk fended it with their feet as forth it went rolling;

       the blood burst from the body, bright on the greenness,

       and yet neither faltered nor fell the fierce man at all,

       but stoutly he strode forth, still strong on his shanks,

       and roughly he reached out among the rows that stood there,

       caught up his comely head and quickly upraised it,

       and then hastened to his horse, laid hold of the bridle,

       stepped into stirrup-iron, and strode up aloft,

       his head by the hair in his hand holding;

       and he settled himself then in the saddle as firmly

       as if unharmed by mishap, though in the hall he might

       wear no head.

       His trunk he twisted round,

       that gruesome body that bled,

       and many fear then found,

       as soon as his speech was sped.

       20 For the head in his hand he held it up straight,

       towards the fairest at the table he twisted the face,

       and it lifted up its eyelids and looked at them broadly,

       and made such words with its mouth as may be recounted.

       ‘See thou get ready, Gawain, to go as thou vowedst,

       and as faithfully seek till thou find me, good sir,

       as thou hast promised in this place in the presence of these knights.

       To the Green Chapel go thou, and get thee, I charge thee,

       such a dint as thou hast dealt – indeed thou hast earned

       a nimble knock in return on New Year’s morning!

       The Knight of the Green Chapel I am known to many,

       so if to find me thou endeavour, thou’lt fail not to do so.

       Therefore come! Or to be called a craven thou deservest.’

       With a rude roar and rush his reins he turned then,