The Green Knight on ground graithly him dresses, + 

A little he louts, to let the skin show, + 

His long lovely locks he lays o’er his crown, + 

And the naked nape for the knock makes ready. + 

Gawain gripp’d his axe and heav’d it on high + 

(His left foot forward, firm on the floor), + 

Then swung it adown full swift on the bare, + 

That the sharp edge shore, sheer through the báckbone, + 

Cut the flesh cleanly, and clove him in two. + 

The blade of the bright steel bit in the ground, + 

The head from a-high to the earth bounded, + 

So that many foin’d it with their feet, as forward it roll’d. + 

The blood from the body blink’d on the green: + 

Yet nor falter’d nor fell the fey man for all that, + 

But started forth stoutly on stalwart shanks, + 

And roughly he reach’d, mid the ranks on the floor, + 

For his lovely head, that he lifted at once: + 

Then he turns to his colt and, catching the bridle, + 

Steps into steelbow and strides aloft, + 

Holding by the hair his head in his hand, + 

And as soberly seats him in saddle again + 

As no únhap had ail’d him, though headless he was. + 

Sans head, + 

He writhèd every way + 

The gruesome trunk that bled; + 

Ere he had said his say + 

Many of him had dread. + 