I. iii Enter the Green Knight
Now of their service I'll say no more,
For anyone with wits can tell there was no want.
Another noise, a new one, was nearing,
The thing that would give the king leave to eat;
For hardly was the noise not a while ceased,
And the first course in the court courteously served,
When there hauls in at the door a frightful master,
One of the most massive men in the world by measure,
From the neck to the waist so square and so thick,
And his loins and his limbs so long and so great,
Half-ogre on earth I think that he was,
But man for the most part I mind him to be,
And of men the merriest in his strength that might ride,
For though he was broad of back and of breast,
Both his belly and waist were worthily small,
And all his features fitting the form that he had
Full clean.
For wonder of his hue men had,
In his semblance to be seen:
He moved like one gone mad--
And overall, bright green.

All green was the man, all green was his garb:
A tight straight cote fitted snug to his sides,
A merry mantle above, made warm within
With fine fur that lined the pure panne cloth
And trimmed with bright ermine were mantle and hood
Let fall from his locks, and laid on his shoulders;
He wore high-drawn hose of that same green
Clinging close to his calves, and shining spurs beneath
Of bright gold, upon silk straps richly striped;
He was shoeless under his shanks where the stirrup rides.
And all his vesture was verily very verdant,
Both the bars of his belt and other bright stones
That were richly set in his clean array
About himself and his saddle, upon worked silks
That were too detailed for to tell of half the trifles
That were embroidered upon it: birds and butterflies
In gay gaudy green, ever filled in with gold.
The pendants of his horse's breastplate, the proud crupper,
His bridle-studs and all the metal were enamelled in green;
The stirrups that he stood on stained the same colour;
His saddle-horn, cantle and saddle-skirts
Ever glimmered and gleamed, all set with green stones.
His frolicsome foal of the same fine colour,
Certain:
A green horse great and thick,
A steed stiff to restrain,
Rich-bridled, dancing quick,
His rider's pride and gain.

Well gay was this giant man all in green gear,
And the hair of his head matched that of his horse.
Fair flowing hair enfolds his shoulders;
A beard great as a bush hangs over his breast,
And both the beard and the hair of his high head
Ended all around just above his elbows,
That half his arms were hidden underneath,
Like a cape à dos closed round the neck of a king.
The mane of that mighty horse was much like it,
Well crimped and combed, with many fine knots
Worked with gold wire about the fair green:
Strands of hair and of gold, woven together.
His tail and his forelock are twined to match,
And both bound with bands of a bright green,
Adorned with costly stones all down the dock's length,
Then tied with a thong, a neat knot, where hung
Many ringing bells of bright burnished gold.
Such a steed upon earth, with such a man to ride him,
Was never seen in that space before then with sight
Of eyes.
He looked like thunder-light,
So said all that saw this;
It seemed that no man might
Withstand a blow of his.

He had no helm nor hauberk neither,
No pysan, nor no plate that pertained to arms,
No shaft nor shield to shove nor to smite,
But in one hand he held a branch of holly,
That is greatest in green when all else is bare,
And an axe in his other hand, uncannily huge,
Terrible to describe in text, whoever might try.
The head looked an ell-wand large in length,
The spike shaped all of green steel and of gold,
The blade burnished bright, with a broad edge
As well shaped to shear as sharp razors.
The stern knight held the steel axe by a strong staff
That was wound with iron to the wood's end,
And all engraved in green with graceful patterns;
A lace wound around it, tied at the head,
Looped about many times below the grip,
With many tied tassels attached to it
By bright green buttons, embroidered full richly.
This high lord rides in and enters the hall,
Makes for the high dais, knowing no dread.
He hailed no man, but looked high overhead.
The first word he spoke: "Where is," said he,
"The leader of these lords? Gladly I would
See that man in sight, and with him speak
Reason."
To the knights he cast his eye,
Along and up and down,
Sternly seeking to study
Who there was of most renown.