Cliges return, whiter than lily-flower, his shield held by the
straps behind it, on his trusty, white, Arab steed, as he had
devised the night before. Gawain, the valiant, the renowned, has
not gone to sleep on the field; but pricks, and spurs, and
advances, and puts forth all his utmost efforts to joust well if
he finds any with whom to joust. Soon both will be on the field
for Cliges had no wish to delay; for he had heard the murmur of
those who say: "It is Gawain who is no weakling, afoot or on
horseback. It is he with whom none dares to measure himself."
Cliges, who hears the words, charges into the middle of the field
towards him; both advance and encounter with a spring more swift
than that of a stag who hears the baying of dogs barking after
him. The lances strike on the shields; and so mighty is the
crash of the blows, that to their very ends they shatter into
splinters, and split, and go to pieces; and the saddle-bows
behind, break; moreover, the saddle-girth and breast harness
burst. They both alike fall to the ground and have drawn their
naked swords. The folk have pressed round to behold the battle.
King Arthur came in front of all to separate and reconcile them;
but they had broken and hewn in pieces the white hauberks, and
had cleft through and cut up the shields, and had fractured the
helmets before there was any talk of peace.


The king had gazed at them as long a time as it pleased him; and
so did many of the others who said that they esteemed the white
knight no whit less in arms than my lord Gawain; and up till now
they could not say which was the better, which the worse, nor
which would overcome the other if they were allowed to fight till
the battle was fought out. But it does not please or suit the