e he was able to hide himself, those others
had catched sight of him. And they saw how singularly small and
deformed and withered was his shape, wherefore they shouted aloud and
gave chase to him as though he had been a wild creature. So they pursued
him for a long distance and at last they came up with him and surrounded
him.

Then, finding that he could not escape, Sir Gawaine leaped down from his
horse's back, and flinging himself upon the ground he covered his face
with his hands and sought to bury it, as it were, under the earth, so
that they who had caught him might not behold the shame of his misshapen
countenance. But they dragged him to his feet and they pulled his hands
away from his face and beheld it what it was. Then, when they beheld
that his face was like the face of an ape they all shouted aloud again
and again with laughter.

Then he who was the chief of that party said: "Who are you and how is it
that a misshapen dwarf such as you should be riding about here in the
forest upon a noble and knightly war-horse?" To the which Sir Gawaine
said: "Sir, a great misfortune hath befallen me, and I am not he whom I
was a little while ago." So said Sir Gawaine, and when they heard his
speech they thought he jested wherefore they laughed again and again
with a great uproar of laughter.

[Sidenote: _They mock at Sir Gawaine._]

Then he who had spoken to Sir Gawaine turned to those others and said,
"This poor creature is mad," but Sir Gawaine cried out: "Nay, I am not
mad, but very miserable and unfortunate. For this morning I was a noble
knight of royal lineage and now I am what you behold me."

At this speech they who heard laughed more than ever, for they thought
no otherwise than that this poor dwarf was mad and was making sport for
them.

Then he who had before spoken to Sir Gawaine spake still again, saying:
"Sirrah, you are to know that the pet dwarf of the lady of the castle at
which we dwell hath died only a few days ago. Now I will that you shall
go with us to her, and that you shall serve her instead of the other
creature who is dead. For certes you are the smallest and the most
misshapen elf that ever I beheld in all of my life. What think you of
this? If you go with us you shall have meat and drink in plenty and you
shall have good clothes and lodging and fifty bright silver pennies a
year for your hire."

Then Sir Gawaine cried out in a voice of great anguish: "I will not go
with you for such a