Many a cliff he o’erclomb in countries unknown⁠— + 

Far stray’d from his friends, a stranger he rode; + 

At each water or warth where the wight ever pass’d, + 

Ay found he before him a foe uncanny, + 

And that so foul and so fell, that to fight behoved him. + 

And marvels so many by mountains he found, + 

It were tedious to tell the tenth-deal thereof. + 

Now with worms did he war, and with wolves also, + 

Now with the satyrs that sought from the screes, + 

With wild bulls and bears and with boars otherwhiles, + 

And with ogres that snorted from the hígh fèlls. + 

Had he not doughtily dree’d, and dearly God loved, + 

Doubtless full often to death he had been done. + 

For if the warfare griev’d him, worse was the winter + 

When the clouds shed adown the clear cold water, + 

That froze ere it fall might, to the fallow earth; + 

Near slain by the sleet, he slept in his irons + 

More nights than enow in naked rocks, + 

Where clattering fro’ the crest the cold burn ran, + 

Or hung high o’er his head in icicles sharp. + 

Thus in peril and pain and plights very hard + 

Cross country he clomb till Christmas-even, + 

alone. + 

The knight full sore that tide + 

To Mary made his moan, + 

That she should well him guide + 

And win him to some wone. + 