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17 Arthur’s Dream and the Fight with the Giant

Now we leave Sir Lucius and speak of King Arthur. On the eighth day after the feast of Saint Hillary, he commanded that all the people who were under his rule should be assembled to hold a parliament within the walls of York. There they decided to commandeer all the ships of the land, and to be ready at Sandwich in fifteen days.

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“Now sirs,” said Arthur, “I intend to pass through many perils and rule the empire that my ancestors before me claimed. Therefore, I pray you, counsel me so that I may do this the best way and with the most worship.”

The kings and knights gathered themselves together in council and decided to name two leaders to provide advice and reassurance. These were Baldwin of Britain, an ancient and honorable knight, and Sir Cador of Cornwall (he was known as Sir Constantine then) who was king after Arthur’s days. There in the presence of all the lords the king gave the rule of the land to these two lords and to Queen Guenevere. At this time also, Sir Tristram remained with King Mark of Cornwall for the love of La Beale Isode, and this made Sir Lancelot very angry.

Then Queen Guenevere made great sorrow because the king and all his lords were departing; she fell into a swoon, and her ladies bore her to her chamber. The king put himself in God’s hands and left the queen in the hands of Sir Constantine and Sir Baldwin, along with all of England to rule as they thought best.

When the king was on horseback, he said in the hearing of all the lords, “If I should die on this journey, I hereby make you, Sir Constantine, my true heir, for you are my next of kin, excepting your father, Sir Cador; therefore, if I should die, it is my wish that you be crowned king.”

Then he and his knights headed to Sandwich, where he found many valiant knights; most of the Round Table was on the banks, ready to sail whenever the king wished. As hastily as possible, they loaded their horses and armor and war equipment on board; there were many tents and pavilions, all trussed up.

So from the banks went many kinds of ships—carracks, ships with forecastles, cogs, galleys, very noble pinnaces, along with some small boats—all of them rowed by many oars. Many valiant hundreds of ships struck out onto the water.

As the king was in his cabin on his ship, he fell asleep and dreamed that a terrible dragon came flying out of the west and drowned most of his people. It seemed that his head was covered with azure enamel, his shoulders shone with gold, and his stomach was covered in something like chain mail with marvelous colors; his tail was full of sharp points, and his feet looked as if they were made of fine sable. His claws were like pure gold. A hideous flame of fire came out of his mouth, and it seemed as if he would set both land and water on fire.

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Then it seemed to Arthur that out of the Orient came a ferocious bear, all black and in a cloud, with paws as big as thick posts. He was covered all over with loosely hanging locks, the foulest beast that ever any man had seen. He roamed about and roared so loudly that it was a great marvel.

Then the dreadful dragon challenged him, coming toward him like a falcon on the wind, and fiercely struck the bear. The bear struck at him with his deadly claws, so that his breast and his body were all bloody, the blood gushing into the sea.

Then the worm moved away, flew up high, and came down with a loud rushing sound. He torched the bear from the top of his head to the tip of his tail. He struck the bear and burned him up so that he fell to powder, both flesh and bone, and the ashes floated out to sea.

When the king woke from his dream, he sent for a philosopher and asked him to tell him what his dream signified. “Sir,” said the philosopher, “the dragon you dreamt of represents your own person, sailing here with your loyal knights. The color of his wings signifies the kingdoms you and your noble knights have won. His tail which was all jagged represents your noble knights of the Round Table. The bear that the dragon slew from the clouds betokens some tyrant that torments your people, or else you are likely to fight with some giant in single combat. Therefore, have little dread of this dream, and do not worry, Sir conqueror, but comfort yourself.”

Within a while they saw the banks of Normandy, and on that tide the king arrived at Barfleur and found there, ready and waiting, many of his great lords, just as he had commanded at Christmas.

Then a peasant came out of the country and spoke many astonishing words to the king, saying, “Sir, nearby there is a great giant of Genoa who torments your people; he has eaten more than five hundred of our children over the last seven winters! Yet his appetite is never sated, and in the country of Constantine he has killed all our boys.

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“Tonight he has abducted the Duchess of Brittany as she was riding along a river with her knights. He has taken her to yonder mount and intends to lie with her while her life lasts. Many people followed him—more than five hundred barons and bachelors and noble knights. She shrieked wondrously loudly, and we will never recover from the sorrow of that lady. She was the wife of your cousin—Sir Howell the Courteous—a man we know is your close kin. Now, as you are our rightful king, have pity on this lady and your devoted people, and avenge us as a noble conqueror should.”

“Alas,” said King Arthur, “this is a great mischief! I would trade all the realms I hold of my crown to have been within a furlong of this fiend, and so to have rescued the lady. Now fellow,” said Arthur, “can you tell me where this churl lives? I will have dealings with him before long!”

“Sir conqueror,” said the good man, “behold the two fires that burn yonder; there shall you find the churl, beyond the cold streams, and you almost certainly will also find there treasure beyond measure—more treasure, I think, than there is in all of France.”

The king said, “Good man, peace! You need say no more. Your speech has sorely grieved my heart.” Then he turned toward his tent, saying little more.

The king met with Sir Kay in council, and to him and Sir Bedevere the Bold he said thus: “See that after evening mass, you two are fully armed, with your best horses. I am riding out on a secret pilgrimage, and only we three shall go. When we are able, we will ride to Saint Michael’s Mount, where great marvels shall be seen.”

Then Sir Arthur went to his wardrobe and put on his armor—both his light coat of armor and his helmet—and took up his broad shield. He prepared himself and his horse who waited in the field. He mounted and took up the bridle, used the stirrups to stir him, and soon he found his two knights armed and ready.

They trotted along quietly together over the lovely country that was full of many birds. When they came to the promontory, they and Arthur dismounted.

“Now secure our horses,” said Arthur, “so that none are near the others. I will seek out this saint alone, and speak with the master of this mountain.” Then the king went up to the crest of the crag, where he was comforted by a cold wind. Then he went on past two streams and found two fires in high flame.

At one fire sat an old woman, wringing her hands. She was sitting on a grave that had been newly dug. Arthur greeted her, and she him in return, and he asked why she sat there sorrowing.

“Alas!” she said. “Be careful knight! You speak too loudly. Just yonder is a monster who will destroy us both. You are unlucky—what are you doing on this mountain? Even if there were fifty such as you, you would be too feeble, even all together, to take on the monster. Why do you bear arms? It will avail you little, for the giant needs no other weapon but his bare hands. Here is the grave of a duchess, the fairest that ever lived. He has murdered that mild maid without mercy. He forced his filthy self upon her, and in so doing, slit her apart to the naval.”

“Dame,” said the king, “I come from the conqueror, King Arthur, to treat with this tyrant on behalf of his liege people.”

“Fie on such treating!” she said then. “He cares nothing for the king nor for any man. But if you have brought Arthur’s wife, Dame Guenevere, he will be happier than if you had given him half of France. Unless you have brought her, do not come too close. Look what he has done to fifteen kings: he has had himself a coat made, set with precious stones, and along the border are the beards of fifteen kings, and they were of the most noble blood to be found on earth! He would have no other rent from the fifteen realms. This present was sent to him last Christmas, and was given to him by the kings in an attempt to save their people. He waits here for Arthur’s wife, and he has more treasure than ever did Arthur or any of his elders.

“You will find him at supper, dining on six boys, for whom he has made sauce and seasoning with many different wines; there are three fair maidens turning the spit, each waiting her turn to go to his bed. Those three shall be dead within four hours, and still his fleshly desire for filth will not be fulfilled.”

“Well,” said Arthur, “I will complete my task, despite all your grim words.”

“Then go to yonder fire that flames so high, and there, truly, you shall find him.”

Then Arthur went to the crest of the hill and saw where the giant was sitting, alone, at his supper, gnawing on the limb of a large man. There he warmed his bare buttocks by the bright fire. Three damsels turned three spits, and thereon were twelve infants, skewered like birds.

When the king beheld that sight his heart nearly bled for sorrow. Then he spoke to himself with angry words: “Now may He that rules all give you sorrow, thief, sitting there! You are the foulest freak that ever was formed, and fiendishly you feed yourself—may the devil take your soul! For what reason, churl, have you killed these Christian children? You have created many martyrs in your murderous ventures throughout these lands. You shall have mercy from St. Michael, for whom this mount is named. Also, why have you slain this fair duchess? Therefore, prepare to fight me, you son of a dog; you shall die today by the power of my hands.”

Then the glutton stared and snarled foully. He had teeth like a greyhound, the foulest being that ever a man might see; such a one was never formed on earth, for there was no devil in hell that was more horrible. From his head to his feet he was five fathoms long and huge.

He got to his feet and took up an iron club. He swung at the king with that great weapon. He struck the head of the club down clean to the cold earth. The king covered himself with his shield and delivered a blow to the center of the giant’s forehead such that his blade struck all the way through into the brain. He continued to swing at King Arthur, but the king dodged away and gave him a blow high on his haunches, slicing his genitals away from his body.

Then the giant roared and brayed, but still he struck out, missing Arthur and hitting the earth such that he cut into the surface of the ground more than a sword length. Then the king went up to him and gave him such a blow that he sliced open his belly; out came such gore that the grass and the ground all about was befouled. Then the giant cast away the club and caught the king up in his arms, handling him so roughly that he crushed his ribs.

Then the poor maidens wrung their hands and kneeled on the ground, calling to Christ. At that the monster threw Arthur down, so that they struggled and tumbled over the crags and bushes, each holding the other fast in his arms. At one moment Arthur was on top and at the next he was below, and so they continued fighting until they reached the water’s edge.

While they were fighting Arthur continually stabbed him with his short dagger—up to the hilt—and in the struggle he broke three of the giant’s ribs. By chance they rolled near to the two knights who were waiting with the horses. When Sir Kay saw the king and the giant grappling so together, he said, “Alas, we are forfeit forever! Yonder is our lord, overcome by a fiend.”

“Not so,” said the king. “But help me, Sir Kay, for this saintly body I have dragged out of yonder steep valleys.”

“In faith,” said Sir Bedevere, “that is a foul churl!” He grabbed the saint out of the king’s arms and said, “I have great wonder that St. Michael should look like this and that God would still permit him to abide in heaven! If saints who serve Jesus are such as this, I will never seek out any, by the faith of my body.”

The king laughed at Bedevere’s words and said, “I have sought this saint at my own great peril. Strike off his head and stick it on a spear; then give it to your servant with the fastest horse and have him bear it to Sir Howell, who is hard beset. Bid him be merry, for his enemy is destroyed. After that, in Barfleur, set it on the barbican, so that all who come into this country might behold it. Then you two go up and fetch me my shield, my sword, and huge club of iron; if you would like to take any of the treasure, take as much as you like, for there shall you find wealth beyond measure. As long as I have the kirtle and the club, I wish for nothing more. This was a fierce giant who greatly tested my strength; I have never met with such a one as this in fifteen winters, saving once—on the Mount of Araby I met with such a one. But this one was more fierce, so that I might almost have foundered, had fortune not smiled on me.”

Then the knights fetched the club and the coat and all that remained, and took with them whatever treasure they liked. Then they and the king mounted their horses, and rode from there as they had come.

Then the news spread all throughout the country, and the people came before the king and with one voice thanked God and him that their enemy was destroyed.

“All of you should thank God,” said Arthur, “and no one else. See that all the treasure is equally divided, so that no one can complain of his share.” Then he commanded his cousin, Sir Howell, to build a church on that same crag to the honor of Saint Michael.