Medieval Arthurian Legend
Chrétien de Troyes: The Knight of the Lion
12th century, Old French.
Tell Sir Gawain that it was the Knight of the Lion and that he knows me well, and I him, although he would not recognise me.
The Knight of the Lion, who is Sir Yvain, has not seen his good friend Sir Gawain since a spell of madness had overtaken him; Sir Yvain had lived like a derelict in the forest and was cured by ointment that the lady of Norrison gave him; ointment that had marvellous properties of healing.
Since then he has befriended a lion and chosen to be known as The Knight of the Lion. Sir Gawain and he were the best of friends before Sir Yvain’s flight into the forest. And now he has chanced upon the castle of which Sir Gawain’s own sister is the mistress; she and her husband and their children, Sir Gawain’s niece and nephews, are being terrorised by a giant. The Knight of the Lion is only too happy to fight this giant for them and free them from his unwelcome attentions.
‘Send word to my friend Sir Gawain,’ he urges them, after killing this monster, ‘and tell him of my battle to release you from the menaces of this giant.
‘Who shall we say has helped us? Tell us your name.’
‘Tell Sir Gawain that it was the Knight of the Lion... and that he knows me well, and I him, although he would not recognise me.
'
