Tolkien's translation of this Arthurian tale is wonderful. It can be used as a read-aloud for elementary ages, and can spur discussions on faithfulness and honor.
Its author is unknown, a poet lost in the tides of time and language. It is a tale as lush and dark as England's medieval forests. And its language and verse are the rough-hewn and beautiful descendants of antiquity, courtly and wise in their story, sweeping and powerful in their adventures.
It is romance interlaced with scenes of the hunt and temptations of the flesh; it is a fairy tale of giant warriors in armor and King Arthur's most noble knight; and it is a rousing adventure of epic enchantment and the destiny of human desires.
Free Download:
- Text-only copy of Tolkien's Sir Gawain and the Green Knight at Luminarium
(Note: Of the three copies linked to, the first two are the same translation and somewhat difficult to read; the third, modern translation is fairly easy to read, however.)
- Text-only copy of an old-English version at University of Toronto
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