venture which no man may achieve! The folk hath fled out of the land,
none may withstand that beast, no shaft is so fell as the venom which
he shooteth on all who near him; and the man whom it reacheth, and upon
whom it shall light (I am he who lieth not), he dieth ere the third day
be past, had he never a wound upon him. This hath been the worse for
many. Then is the beast greater than a horse, and runneth more swiftly
than any horse may. Ye are wise an ye shun the fiend. This do I tell ye
beforehand. Had he not chosen his lair, and did he wander from the land,
as well might be, by the Lord who made us he had laid the world waste!
Ye would do well to turn back."

But 'twas labour lost; not for all the riches that belonged to King
Arthur would he have taken back his word and his covenant, for any
prayer that might be made him, nor have yielded aught through fear.

Then would the knights take leave of each other that they might depart.
The Moor spake to the twain: "For what do ye take me? Am I a lesser or a
weaker man than either of ye that Sir Gawain must needs ride with me?
I will not have it so. There is no knight so bold but I dare well
withstand him. I know well what is unfitting. Now say whither ye will
betake ye, and send me what road ye will; I will dare the venture, be it
never so perilous. By my knighthood, and by all who follow Christendom,
I shall adventure alone, and take that which may chance."

Then said Sir Gawain: "It liketh me ill that ye sware such an oath, yet
since such is your will, take ye the road that leadeth to the sea (this
seemeth to me the best), ride swiftly and spare not, but seek your
father. And do in all things after my counsel; if any man meet ye, when
ye have given him courteous greeting, ask him if he saw riding, or
otherwise met with, two knights, the one of whom ware red armour, and