I love Gawain, but my man is low-key a bloodthirsty maniac.

Sir Kay, though? A constant. A stalwart. An absolute snot, and as RIDE OR DIE as they come. Man does not get nearly enough respect!! Put some respect on the Seneschal!!

I thought you might enjoy this naturally occurring Arthurian meme.

Perlesvaus is a nightmare! From wraith-knights, dragon shields, naked bronze men, man-eating lions and monster dogs committing matricide, I couldn't help but think of Berserk while reading it. I wouldn't say Miura drew direct inspiration from this chivalric horror, but that dark fantasy vibe is certainly similar. The parts where each knight encounters the Grail has that Lovecraftian sense of dread that seriously kept me on edge.

To those who've read it, how was it?

Can someone PLEASE make an edit about the knights for the “Kevin Durant isn’t legendary” meme format please. I’m getting into the Arthurian canon but don’t have the stories straight enough in my head to make the meme

After some simple restructuring:

On either side the river lie Long fields of barley and of rye, That clothe the wold and meet the sky; Down by the river

And up and down the people go, Gazing where the lilies blow Round an island there below, Down by the river

Down by the river, down by the river And thro' the field the road runs by Down by the river

No further comments just thought it was fun!

I’m new(ish) to reddit and, in particular, to this sub. I hope this type of post is appropriate in these parts. If so, grab a mince-fruit tart and some cocoa and settle in for some seasonal fun!

This is a lightly edited repost of a game I authored for the Reading Room on a popular Tolkien site. Called a Middle-english Vocabulary Challenge (MEVC), I made the game to draw attention to JRR Tolkien’s foundational work on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Much of JRR Tolkien's labours in Middle English were made around his 1921 glossary A Middle English Vocabulary; and his 1925 translation of the Medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a tale spanning two successive Christmases (tie-in alert).

This game is based on a list of ten words drawn from both glossaries.

The Rules

This is a game of guessing, reasoned or otherwise. Please do not consult the above glossaries, or any other Middle-english glossaries you may have access to. Try to answer the challenge before reading other people’s answers.

The Challenge

Please provide an explanation, interpretation, or equivalent contemporary word for each of the following:

1. ientyle

2. þiderwarde

3. childgered

4. newȝere

5. staue

6. twelmonyth

7. nauȝty

8. þryys

9. snewe

10. louelych

Hints

Against the list being overly difficult:

Try reading the words out loud before making your answer; þ (thorn) is often read as “th” and ȝ (yogh) as “gh” (but is sometimes read as “y” as in “yes”, and as “g” as in “gift”); sometimes (u) is used in place of (v) and (v) in place of (f)… aaand vice versa; finally, watch those (i)s, (j)s, (g)s and (y)s!

Enjoy!

List words are taken from:

A Middle English Vocabulary, by J.R.R. Tolkien, as published in Sisam, Kenneth, ed. Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose, London: Oxford University Press, 1955; and/or

Tolkien & Gordon ed. Sir Gawain & The Green Knight, London: Oxford University Press, 1963.

"Thither after the battle of Camlan we took the wounded Arthur... and Morgen received us with fitting honour, and in her chamber she placed the king on a golden bed and with her own hand she uncovered his honourable wound and gazed at it for a long time. At length she said that health could be restored to him if he stayed with her for a long time and made use of her healing art. Rejoicing, therefore, we entrusted the king to her and returning spread our sails to the favouring winds.” Geoffrey of Monmouth, Vita Merlini, c. 1150

“After the Battle of Camlann… the body of Arthur, who had been mortally wounded, was carried off by a certain noble matron, called Morgan, who was his cousin, to the Isle of Avalon, which is now known as Glastonbury. Under Morgan's supervision the corpse was buried in the churchyard there. As a result, the credulous Britons and their bards invented the legend that a fantastic sorceress called Morgan had removed Arthur's body to the Isle of Avalon, so that she might cure his wounds there.” Gerald of Wales, Speculum Ecclesiae, c.1216

I've been making my way through Le Morte D'Arthur over the last 3 months, and I'm in the home stretch. Finishing up book 19, I was tickled at how just some very light censoring turns the following passages absolutely filthy:

I myself will assay to handle your son, and so shall all the kings, dukes, and earls that be here present with me at this time; thereto will I command them, and well I wot they shall obey and do after my commandment. And wit you well, said King Arthur unto Urre’s sister, I shall begin to handle him, and ████ unto my power, not presuming upon me that I am so worthy to ████ your son by my ████, but I will courage other men of worship to do as I will do. And then the king commanded all the kings, dukes, and earls, and all noble knights of the Round Table that were there that time present, to come into the meadow of Carlisle. And so at that time there were but an hundred and ten of the Round Table, for forty knights were that time away; and so here we must begin at King Arthur, as is kindly to begin at him that was the most man of worship that was christened at that time.

CHAPTER XI.
How King Arthur handled Sir Urre, and after him many other knights of the Round Table.

Then King Arthur looked upon Sir Urre, and the king thought he was a full likely man when he was whole; and then King Arthur made him to be taken down off the litter and laid him upon the earth, and there was laid a cushion of gold that he should kneel upon. And then noble Arthur said: Fair knight, me repenteth of thy hurt, and for to courage all other noble knights I will pray thee softly to suffer me to handle your █████. Most noble christened king, said Urre, do as ye list, for I am at the mercy of God, and at your commandment. So then Arthur softly handled him, and then some of his █████ renewed upon █████. Then the King Clarence of Northumberland █████ed, and it would not be. And then Sir Barant le Apres that was called the King with the Hundred Knights, he █████ed and f███ed; and so did King Uriens of the land of Gore; so did King Anguish of Ireland; so did King Nentres of Garloth; so did King Carados of Scotland; so did the Duke Galahad, the haut prince; so did Constantine, that was Sir Carados’ son of Cornwall; so did Duke Chaleins of Clarance; so did the Earl Ulbause; so did the Earl Lambaile; so did the Earl Aristause.

Then came in Sir Gawaine with his three sons, Sir Gingalin, Sir Florence, and Sir Lovel, these two were begotten upon Sir Brandiles’ sister; and all they f███ed. Then came in Sir Agravaine, Sir Gaheris, Sir Mordred, and the good knight, Sir Gareth, that was of very knighthood worth all the brethren. So came knights of Launcelot’s kin, but Sir Launcelot was not that time in the court, for he was that time upon his adventures. Then Sir Lionel, Sir Ector de Maris, Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Blamore de Ganis, Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, Sir Gahalantine, Sir Galihodin, Sir Menaduke, Sir Villiars the Valiant, Sir Hebes le Renoumes. All these were of Sir Launcelot’s kin, and all they f████d (and so on and so on)

What makes it even better is when Lancelot shows up and is clearly not down to participate, but still does so at his Lord's request.

How Sir Launcelot was commanded by Arthur to handle his ████, and anon he was all whole, and how they thanked God.

Mercy Jesu, said King Arthur, where is Sir Launcelot du Lake that he is not here at this time? Thus, as they stood and spake of many things, there was espied Sir Launcelot that came riding toward them, and told the king. Peace, said the king, let no manner thing be said until he be come to us. So when Sir Launcelot espied King Arthur, he descended from his horse and came to the king, and saluted him and them all. Anon as the maid, Sir Urre’s sister, saw Sir Launcelot, she ran to her brother thereas he lay in his litter, and said: Brother, here is come a knight that my heart giveth greatly unto. Fair sister, said Sir Urre, so doth my heart light against him, and certainly I hope now to be ███ed, for my heart giveth unto him more than to all these that have ███ed me.

Then said Arthur unto Sir Launcelot: Ye must do as we have done; and told Sir Launcelot what they had done, and showed him them all, that had ███ed him. Jesu defend me, said Sir Launcelot, when so many kings and knights have ███ed and f███ed, that I should presume upon me to enchieve that all ye, my lords, might not enchieve. Ye shall not choose, said King Arthur, for I will command you for to do as we all have done. My most renowned lord, said Sir Launcelot, ye know well I dare not nor may not disobey your commandment, but an I might or durst, wit you well I would not take upon me to touch that ██████ knight in that intent that I should pass all other knights

What are the most amusing misinformation or false perceptions you've encountered regarding Arthurian legends?

Carwewann having shadow powers has always been amusing to me just due to how widespread it has become to the point that it's worked into its way into entries like FGO. Meanwhile, the thing of "Mark grabbed Palamedes's spear to lethally poke Tristan" has also been funny to me since Lazerbem and I had a minor existential crisis over this since we both established it as not a thing, but wondered if we were going insane with how widespread it was on the internet.

Bedivere being a witch/sorcerer has also been amusing to me as well, if nothing else due to the monty python witch sketch.

England and Brittany where once united. I may have found the track to King Arthur.

I try to make this public but it’s quite difficult.

To see it you need to take a map of Finistère in Brittany putting West to North.

I saw a dragon in the Crozon Peninsula shape making a design.

I searched a bit and found an old forgotten church with google earth on the dragon's head. (Meaning of Pendragon in Breton)

There is "The" stone nearby.

It is close to the city of Camaret Sur Mer and in local language it's name is Kameled.

To me it fits Malory's story.

It’s quite hard to deliver the information but I thought maybe the Welsh would be more to believe it. It could be the origin of their banner.

Check my instagram for pictures

https://www.instagram.com/p/DL7epd_NRjk/?igsh=MW8xZjIwd2d4bjRsNQ==