If he astounded them at first, much more so did he after this speech,
and fear held them all silent. The knight, righting himself in his
saddle, rolls fiercely his red eyes about, bends his bristly green
brows, and strokes his beard awaiting a reply. But finding none that
would carp with him, he exclaims, "What! is this Arthur's house, the
fame of which has spread through so many realms? Forsooth, the renown
of the Round Table is overturned by the word of one man's speech, for
all tremble for dread without a blow being struck!" (ll. 283-313). With
this he laughed so loud that Arthur blushed for very shame, and waxed
as wroth as the wind. "I know no man," he says, "that is aghast at thy
great words. Give me now thy axe and I will grant thee thy request!"
Arthur seizes the axe, grasps the handle, and sternly brandishes it
about, while the Green Knight, with a stern cheer and a dry
countenance, stroking his beard and drawing down his coat, awaits the
blow (ll. 314-335). Sir Gawayne, the nephew of the king, beseeches his
uncle to let him undertake the encounter; and, at the earnest entreaty
of his nobles, Arthur consents "to give Gawayne the game" (ll.
336-365).

Sir Gawayne then takes possession of the axe, but, before the blow is
dealt, the Green Knight asks the name of his opponent. "In good faith,"
answers the good knight, "Gawayne I am called, that bids thee to this
buffet, whatever may befall after, and at this time twelvemonth will
take from thee another, with whatever weapon thou wilt, and with no
wight else alive." "By Gog," quoth the Green Knight, "it pleases me
well that I shall receive at thy fist that which I have sought
here--moreover thou hast truly rehearsed the terms of the
covenant,--but thou shalt first pledge me thy word that thou wilt seek
me thyself, wheresoever on earth thou believest I may be found, and