Король Артур и рыцари Круглого стола
Chapter VI
Whereatthehartsprangsuddenlywithagreatleap,andoverthrewaknightsittingatthetable,whoroseforthwith,and,takingupthehound,mounted,androdefastaway.
Butnosoonerhadheleft,thantherecameinalady,mountedonawhitepalfrey,whocriedouttotheking,“Lord,suffermenottohavethisinjury!—thehoundisminewhichthatknighttaketh.”Andasshespake,aknightrodeinallarmed,onagreathorse,andsuddenlytookuptheladyandrodeawaywithherbyforce,althoughshegreatlycriedandmoaned.
ThenthekingdesiredSirGawain,SirTor,andKingPellinoretomountandfollowthisadventuretotheuttermost;andtoldSirGawaintobringbackthehart,SirTorthehoundandknight,andKingPellinoretheknightandthelady.
SoSirGawainrodeforthataswiftpace,andwithhimGaheris,hisbrother,forasquire.Andastheywent,theysawtwoknightsfightingonhorseback,andwhentheyreachedthemtheydividedthemandaskedthereasonoftheirquarrel.“Wefightforafoolishmatter,”onereplied,“forwebebrethren;buttherecamebyawhitehartthisway,chasedbymanyhounds,andthinkingitwasanadventureforthehighfeastofKingArthur,Iwouldhavefollowedittohavegainedworship;whereatmyyoungerbrotherheredeclaredhewasthebetterknightandwouldgoafteritinstead,andsowefighttoprovewhichofusbethebetterknight.”
“Thisisafoolishthing,”saidSirGawain.“Fightwithallstrangers,ifyewill,butnotbrotherwithbrother.