on the dwarf crieth out: "Damsel, your counterfeit Gawain doth
it well!"

"Our Gawain shall he be," say they, "so none take him from us!"

Messire Gawain draweth from over the knight and cometh toward his
horse, and right fain would he have let the knight live had it not been
for the damsels. For the knight crieth him mercy and Messire Gawain
had right great pity of him. Howbeit the damsels cry to him; "And you
slay him not, the evil custom will not be overthrown."

"Sir," saith the younger damsel, "And you would slay him, smite him in
the sole of his foot with your sword, otherwise will he not die yet."

"Damsel," saith the knight, "Your love of me is turned to shame! Never
more ought knight to set affiance nor love on damsel. But God keep the
other that they be not such as you!"

Messire Gawain marvelleth at this that the damsel saith to him, and
draweth him back, and hath great pity of the knight, and cometh to the
other side whither the horses were gone, and taketh the saddle of the
knight that was dead and setteth it on his own horse and draweth him
away. And the wounded knight was remounted, for the dwarf had helped
him, and fleeth toward the forest a great gallop. And the damsels cry
out, "Messire Gawain, your pity will be our death this day! For the
Knight without Pity is gone for succour, and if he escape, we shall be
dead and you also!"

XII.

Thereupon Messire Gawain leapeth on his horse and taketh a spear that
was leaning against the tent and followeth the knight in such sort that
he smiteth him to the ground. Afterward he saith to him: "No further
may you go!"

"That grieveth me," saith the knight, "For before night should I have
been avenged of you and of the damsels."

And Messire Gawain draweth his sword and thrusteth it into the sole of
his foot a full palm's breadth, and the knight stretcheth himself forth
and dieth. And Messire Gawain returneth back, and the damsels make
great joy of him and tell him that never otherwise could the evil
custom have been done away. For, and he had gone his way, all would
have been to begin over again, for he is of such kind seeing that he
was of the kindred of Achilles, and that all his ancestors might never
otherwise die. And Messire Gawain alighteth, and the damsels would
have searched the wound in his side, and he telleth them that he taketh
no heed thereof.

"Sir," say they, "Again do we proffer you our service, for well we know
that you are