On the day of the Pentecost feast, when all the Round Table is assembled and Arthur, according to his custom, is waiting for some marvel to be revealed before he begins his meal, Sir Gawain announces the arrival of three men and a dwarf. One of the men, who at first seems unable to walk, then proves perfectly whole and agile, is “the goodlyest yonge man and the fayreste” the court has ever seen. He asks three gifts. For now he will name only the first: food and drink for a year.
Sir Kay scorns the young man as a “vylayne borne,” on the grounds that “as he is, so he hath asked,” and he mockingly calls him “Beaumains,” that is, “pretty hands.” Kay says he’ll make the boy work in the kitchen. Gawain and Launcelot defend the boy, but Kay is obstinate and the boy goes with him willingly. Gawain had reason to be kind to Beaumains, Malory says, “for that proffer com of his bloode, for he was nere kyn to hym than he wyste of”; Launcelot’s kindness, on the other hand, “was of his grete jantylnesse and curtesy.”
The following Pentecost, a damsel named Lynet arrives at court to ask help for her sister, whose castle is under siege by the Red Knight of the Red Lands. She will not tell her sister’s name, so Arthur refuses to send any of his knights with her. Now Beaumains asks the remaining two gifts: that he be assigned this adventure and that he be knighted by Launcelot. Arthur agrees.
Lynet is furious when she sees a kitchen boy assigned to her, but she has no choice. Beaumains’ dwarf produces a splendidly dressed horse and fine armor, to all the court’s amazement, and Beaumains rides off without spear or shield. Kay follows to mock him and Beaumains takes Kay’s spear and shield. Beamains tells Launcelot, who has seen all this, that he is Gawain’s brother Gareth.
He is knighted and, bearing Kay’s shield, begins a series of adventures each more difficult than the last, throughout which Lynet belittles and scorns him. He beats six thieves, two knights at a bridge, the Black Knight, the Green Knight, Sir Persaunt of Inde, and at last the Red Knight of the Red Lands. Lynet finally comes to approve him.
Now Lyonesse requires that he serve her faithfully for a year in order to win her love. He does so, and in further encounters proves his might, pluck, and chastity. He and Lyonesse plan a tournament at which Gareth is to win her as his lady. After the tournament, but before Gareth rejoins Lyonesse, he fights the Brown Knight without Pity (Bereuse Saunz PitŽ) and—unknowingly—his own brother Gawain. Lyonesse stops the final battle by making the two brothers known to each other; then Gareth and Lyonesse are married at Arthur’s court.
