"Far Too Shallow, Much Too Deep..."
Apr. 15th, 2007 10:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
psalm_onethirtyoneFor Kali and Snowy, who both need to read the demned book:
The Prologue to The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf.
It came to pass in the years of darkness, when magic and sorcery did oppress England, that a great king arose and for a time drove back the evil forces. He was y-clept Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, and his court was at Camelot. From this great court, noble knights rode out and fought evil wheresomever they found it, be it dragons or be it recreant knights. Thus these knights gained great worship, unless the recreant knights won, which did happen sometimes.
Of Arthur's knights, two were most honoured: the king's nephew, Sir Gawain, and the French knight, Sir Lancelot du Lac. And when Sir Gawain rode away seeking adventures, accompanied only by his squire Terence, Sir Lancelot drew all honour unto himself, for he had never been unhorsed by any knight whatsomever.
In due time, Sir Gawain returned, having earned glory, and King Arthur did proclaim a tournament. In this tournament, a strange knight y-clept Sir Wozzel, later considered a wizard, did unhorse sir Lancelot and then disappeared. In sorrow and shame, then, Sir Lancelot declared he would leave the court and end his days in a forest hermitage, and he departed with great dolor.
At this time arose a young knight, Sir Gareth of Orkney, the youngest brother of Sir Gawain, who did love Sir Lancelot. Sir Gareth vowed that he too would depart, and he swore a solemn oath that ne'er would the court of Camelot hear his name again until he had restored the honour of Sir Lancelot, the greatest of all knights. Thus rendered he much worship to Sir Lancelot.
Sir Gareth's vow grieved the soul of his brother Sir Gaheris, who spoke to Sir Gawain. "Gawain, my brother," quoth Sir Gaheris, "we cannot let our youngest brother expose himself to such danger. The silly sod would get lost before e'er going out of sight of the castle. To speak truth, Gareth hath need of a trail of breadcrumbs to find his own chamberpot."
But Gawain said only that Gareth must fulfill his stupid vow by himself, and so Sir Gareth departed alone on his quest. The next day, Sir Gaheris followed his youngest brother at a distance, ready to succor him should he lose his way. After Gareth and Gaheris had been gone for a month, and no word had come, then Sir Gawain repented himself of his hardness of heart, and he set off alone to seek his two brothers.
Many months passed, and still no word came. Then, but a day before Easter, when King Arthur held court most plenour, a strange dwarf appeared at the court, leading a haggard young man. The man was of goodly size, but gaunt and unshaven, and his hair did hang coarsely over his face. The dwarf led the young man to Sir Kai, King Arthur's seneschal, and did request food for him, lest he starve.
"Right gladly," said Sir Kai. Then the dwarf departed alone.
When he was gone, the young man said, "I ask one further boon. Allow me to stay here as a servant."
Then quoth Sir Kai, "If you wish, sirrah. What is your name?"
"That I will not say," replied the young man.
Then Sir Kai laughed. "Why then, I must christen thee myself. I shall call thee Beaumains, which is to say Pretty Hands, for though your appearance is coarse, your hands are soft and your nails betrimmed like unto a lady's--or a courtier's."
At Sir Kai's mockery, the young man was wonderly wroth, for he was none other than Sir Gareth himself, but he hid his face and did not speak for cause of the vow he had taken, that none should speak his name until he had restored the honour of Sir Lancelot. Then took he his place in the kitchen, and soon the court grew used to the kitchen knave whom Sir Kai had scorned, and none wist his true name.
The Prologue to The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf.
It came to pass in the years of darkness, when magic and sorcery did oppress England, that a great king arose and for a time drove back the evil forces. He was y-clept Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, and his court was at Camelot. From this great court, noble knights rode out and fought evil wheresomever they found it, be it dragons or be it recreant knights. Thus these knights gained great worship, unless the recreant knights won, which did happen sometimes.
Of Arthur's knights, two were most honoured: the king's nephew, Sir Gawain, and the French knight, Sir Lancelot du Lac. And when Sir Gawain rode away seeking adventures, accompanied only by his squire Terence, Sir Lancelot drew all honour unto himself, for he had never been unhorsed by any knight whatsomever.
In due time, Sir Gawain returned, having earned glory, and King Arthur did proclaim a tournament. In this tournament, a strange knight y-clept Sir Wozzel, later considered a wizard, did unhorse sir Lancelot and then disappeared. In sorrow and shame, then, Sir Lancelot declared he would leave the court and end his days in a forest hermitage, and he departed with great dolor.
At this time arose a young knight, Sir Gareth of Orkney, the youngest brother of Sir Gawain, who did love Sir Lancelot. Sir Gareth vowed that he too would depart, and he swore a solemn oath that ne'er would the court of Camelot hear his name again until he had restored the honour of Sir Lancelot, the greatest of all knights. Thus rendered he much worship to Sir Lancelot.
Sir Gareth's vow grieved the soul of his brother Sir Gaheris, who spoke to Sir Gawain. "Gawain, my brother," quoth Sir Gaheris, "we cannot let our youngest brother expose himself to such danger. The silly sod would get lost before e'er going out of sight of the castle. To speak truth, Gareth hath need of a trail of breadcrumbs to find his own chamberpot."
But Gawain said only that Gareth must fulfill his stupid vow by himself, and so Sir Gareth departed alone on his quest. The next day, Sir Gaheris followed his youngest brother at a distance, ready to succor him should he lose his way. After Gareth and Gaheris had been gone for a month, and no word had come, then Sir Gawain repented himself of his hardness of heart, and he set off alone to seek his two brothers.
Many months passed, and still no word came. Then, but a day before Easter, when King Arthur held court most plenour, a strange dwarf appeared at the court, leading a haggard young man. The man was of goodly size, but gaunt and unshaven, and his hair did hang coarsely over his face. The dwarf led the young man to Sir Kai, King Arthur's seneschal, and did request food for him, lest he starve.
"Right gladly," said Sir Kai. Then the dwarf departed alone.
When he was gone, the young man said, "I ask one further boon. Allow me to stay here as a servant."
Then quoth Sir Kai, "If you wish, sirrah. What is your name?"
"That I will not say," replied the young man.
Then Sir Kai laughed. "Why then, I must christen thee myself. I shall call thee Beaumains, which is to say Pretty Hands, for though your appearance is coarse, your hands are soft and your nails betrimmed like unto a lady's--or a courtier's."
At Sir Kai's mockery, the young man was wonderly wroth, for he was none other than Sir Gareth himself, but he hid his face and did not speak for cause of the vow he had taken, that none should speak his name until he had restored the honour of Sir Lancelot. Then took he his place in the kitchen, and soon the court grew used to the kitchen knave whom Sir Kai had scorned, and none wist his true name.
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 02:47 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 02:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 03:01 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 03:13 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 02:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 02:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 03:04 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 03:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 03:13 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 03:15 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 03:39 am (UTC)...Paint + Snowy = BFFs
(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 03:40 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 04:07 am (UTC)and also, ha!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-16 04:22 am (UTC)I should get out Lioness and Her Knight and find the bit where you're making an ass of yourself, sir.