A Red knight, A Green Knight, A Black Knight and Sir Gareth!

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mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --</style><span style="font-size: 20.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"the goodlyest yonge man and the fayreste"</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Malory</span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir Gareth was the youngest brother of <a href="http://maryanneyarde.blogspot.co.uk/2..." target="_blank">Sir Gawain</a> and the son of King Lot of Orkeny, and Morgause - which makes him King Arthur's nephew. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cPOby9AJVeM..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cPOby9AJVe..." width="207" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To understand where Sir Gareth fits into the legend we will need to take a look at  <a href="http://maryanneyarde.blogspot.co.uk/2..." target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Malory's</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Le Morte d' Arthur.</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> </span></i>In particular we need to study...</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">  Book IV: “The Tale of Sir Gareth of Orkney"</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let me set the scene....</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is The Feast of Pentecost.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A handsome man, although very poorly dressed, enters Camelot, along with two other men and a dwarf. Sir Gawain announces them and the handsome man asks Arthur for three boons. Firstly, he would like<i>,</i> food and drink for a year<i>.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://maryanneyarde.blogspot.co.uk/2..." target="_blank">Sir Kay</a> - a knight renowned for his honour...or not - as the case may be - scorns this handsome young man and states <i>"as he is, so he hath asked."</i>  Being the polite and noble knight Sir Kay is, it is no surprise he makes up a nickname for Gareth. He calls him "Beaumains" - <i>pretty hands. </i>Kay states that the boy may work in the kitchens.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gawain and<a href="http://maryanneyarde.blogspot.co.uk/2..." target="_blank"> Lancelo</a>t try to defend the boy, but Kay is having none of that and the boy seems more than happy to work in the kitchens.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 year later - The Feast of Pentecost</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8k2edWR_8s..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8k2edWR_8..." width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lynet is in a desperate situation, her sisters' castle is under siege by the cruel Red Knight of the Red Lands. She comes to Arthur for help, but because she refuses to give him her sisters name, Arthur refuses her his knights.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Beaumains decides now would be the time to tell Arthur of his other two boons. He asks that he be allowed to assist Lynet and he asks to be knighted by Lancelot. Arthur agrees.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lynet is not best pleased when she is presented with this kitchen boy. But if that is all Arthur is willing to give her, then she will take him. The dwarf that travelled with Beaumain, produces - to the courts astonishment - beautiful armour and an equally beautiful horse. Beaumain gallantly rides away without a shield or a spear.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kay, not one to miss an opportunity, rides after him. Gawain and Lancelot follow. But Beaumain is a knight himself now - he and Kay joust. Beaumain is the better warrior, he beats Kay and wins his shield and spear! Lancelot watches the event unfold and is impressed. Beaumain then admits to Lancelot that he is really Gawain's youngest brother. I can imagine Lancelot raising his eyebrows and giving Gawain a quizzical look!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So the adventure begins...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6IH8rjSTC58..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6IH8rjSTC5..." width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gareth bests...</span><br /><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Six thieves,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Two knights,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Black Knight,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Green Knight,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir Persaunt of Inde,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and of course, not forgetting, The Red Knight of the Red Lands.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At the same time he wins Lynet's approval! (It takes a great deal of effort to impress these Dark Age women.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gareth falls in love with Lyonesse, the lady of the castle, and she with him - so she send him away for another year?? (Like you do when you love someone?) Meanwhile Lyonesse sends her brother, Sir Gryngamour, to capture the dwarf - the dwarf reveals Gareth's true identity!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Meanwhile, Gareth is searching for the lost dwarf. He arrives at Grungamour's castle. Here, Lyonesse seduces him, although she is in disguise. She then tells him who she is and they almost make love, but they are interrupted. Gareth is not in a forgiving mood and cuts off the intruders head!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Back at Camelot, Lady Morgause turns up looking for her son. Arthur learns the true identity of the boy and to cut a long story short, there is a joust, a magic ring, 30 weeping widows, enough colourful knights that you can lay them along side each other and create a rainbow - and lets not forget, a wedding!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jItqhDF4yE..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jItqhDF4y..." width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Unfortunately Gareth and his brother, <a href="http://maryanneyarde.blogspot.co.uk/2..." target="_blank">Gaheris</a>, perish by Lancelot's hands, when he fights desperately to save his love, <a href="http://maryanneyarde.blogspot.co.uk/2..." target="_blank">Guinevere</a>, from the burning pyre. Lancelot is deeply grieved by the deaths of Gawain's brothers, but Gawain will not accept his apology. The grievance demands blood.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You can also read about Gareth in Tennyson's <i> <b>Idylls of the King</b></i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I think Sir Gareth was pretty cool - what do you think? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>