adventures as might lightly turn to his harm, or even to his death--the
land was of such customs.

This did Sir Gawain tell to the twain. Then they saw, by the parting of
the ways, a hermit's cell, fairly builded, and the knights bethought
them that they would turn them thither that they might hear and see, and
know what the words boded.

There saw they the hermit, who seemed to them a right good man; and they
dismounted at his little window, and asked his tidings, if perchance a
knight in red armour had passed that way? And the good man answered and
said 'twas but the other day, afore noon, that he had seen two knights
who were wondrous like unto each other. "Of a truth it seemed to me,
by their features and by their gestures, that they should be brothers.
Their steeds seemed beyond measure weary. They came that self-same road
that cometh from that land that men here call Britain; they were both in
seeming men of might, and the one had steed and armour that were even
red as blood. They dismounted, both of them, at the foot of that cross
ye see there. There many a judgment is given. There did a knight lose
his life, he and his wife with him; well did they deserve that their
memory should be held in honour by the friends of our Lord, for they
made a right good ending! They had sought the shrine of a saint, with
them they had money and steeds, beside other goods, as befitted folk of
high degree. Here did they fall in with a company of robbers, who slew
the good knight, and took his steed and his money, and all that he had.
Of this was his wife so sorrowful that for grief and woe her heart
brake, and so did they die here, the twain of them, even at the cross
roads, where ye see the fair cross, where now many a judgment is spoken.
'Twas made through the knight's will. Hither come folk stripped and
bare-foot, doing penance for their sins; and they who pass ahorse or