Part one starts by saying that the
city of Troy had been destroyed. Because of this new cities had to be built;
Romulus founded Rome, Ticius founded Tuscany, and Brutus Founded Britain. The current
leader of Britain was King Arthur who is thought of as the greatest leader
ever.
The main story starts during Christmastime
during one of King Arthur’s parties, this one had lasted fifteen days and it
was now New Year’s Day. When the food was about to be served the king decides
that he will not eat until he hears a good story or saw something interesting. Everybody
else eats except Arthur who was still waiting for something interesting to be
said or done.
Unexpectedly a huge knight enters
the room on horseback, the man had green hair with handsome facial features, as
well as very elaborate green and gold cloak. In one hand he held a branch of
holly and in the other a huge battle axe.
The first thing the knight asks who
the leader of the people was, everyone was very silent and after a long moment
Arthur steps forward and asks the knight to join there celebration but he
refuses. The Green Knight goes on to explain that he had come to see Arthur and
his kingdom because he had heard so much about it and that he comes in peace
and wishes to play a game. The rules of the game are that someone will try and
strike him with his own axe, and afterwards in exactly one year and a day gets
to do the same.
The knight waits for someone to volunteer
but when no one does he questions the reputation of Arthur and his men and says
that they are cowards. So Arthur steps forward and accepts but Gawain, Arthur’s
cousin, said that he would like to take his place so that if anything were to
happen they wouldn’t lose their king.
Gawain and the knight go over the
rules once again and that in one year and a day Gawain must seek the knight out
in order to finish the agreement. The large knight got off his horse, knelt
down in order to expose his neck, and Gawain cut off his head in one strike with
the axe. But instead of dying the knight gets on his horse and grabs his own
head, he proceeds to tell him how to locate him, then leaves. Gawain hung the
huge axe above the dais and returned to the feast.
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