It was Christmas time in Camelot and King Arthur was throwing a party. The entire court was invited— save the wicked sorceress Morgan le Fay— and food and drink flowed freely. But in the midst of the revelry, the castle doors split open. A towering knight riding an emerald steed burst into the room, stunning the court into silence. Then, in a deep bellowing voice, he proposed a game.
Saat itu malam Natal di Camelot, dan Raja Arthur tengah berpesta. Seluruh istana diundang— termasuk penyihir jahat Morgan le Fay— serta makanan dan minuman berlimpah ruah. Namun, di tengah kemeriahan pesta, gerbang istana sontak terbuka. Kesatria yang menjulang tinggi dan menunggang kuda hijau menerjang masuk, membuat seisi ruangan diam terkesima. Kemudian, dengan suara berat dia melemparkan sebuah tantangan.
The Green Knight declared he would allow the bravest warrior present to attack him with his own axe. If they could strike him down, they would win his powerful weapon. However, the knight would be allowed to return that blow in one year and one day.
Kesatria Hijau mengumumkan bahwa dia mempersilakan kesatria terkuat yang hadir untuk menyerangnya menggunakan kapaknya sendiri. Kesatria yang bisa mengalahkannya, akan mendapatkan senjatanya yang ampuh. Namun, kesatria yang menang diperbolehkan menerima kembali pukulan tersebut dalam satu tahun dan satu hari.
Arthur and his knights were baffled. No man could survive such a strike. The Green Knight began to mock their leader’s hesitance, and Arthur stood to defend his honor. But as soon as he gripped the axe, another leapt to take his place. Arthur’s nephew, Sir Gawain, took the weapon instead. And with one swift strike, he beheaded the grinning knight.
Arthur dan para kesatrianya kebingungan. Tidak ada yang bisa bertahan dari serangan semacam itu. Kesatria Hijau mencemooh keragu-raguan pemimpin mereka, dan Arthur maju untuk mempertahankan kehormatannya. Namun, saat Arthur mencengkeram kapak, kesatria lain bergegas menggantikannya. Keponakan Arthur, Sir Gawain, mengambil senjata tersebut. Dengan sekali ayun, dia memenggal kepala kesatria yang sedang menyeringai tersebut.
But the moment his skull met the ground, it began to laugh. The Green Knight collected his head and mounted his horse. As he rode off, his severed head reminded Gawain of their contract and told him to seek the Green Chapel one year hence.
Saat kepala Kesatria Hijau menyentuh tanah, dia mulai terbahak. Kesatria hijau memungut kepalanya lantas menunggang kudanya. Saat dia beranjak, penggalan kepalanya mengingatkan Gawain akan kontrak mereka dan menyuruhnya untuk mencari Kapel Hijau satu tahun kemudian.
In the months that followed, Gawain tried to forget this bizarre vision. But despite the strangeness of the knight’s game, he was determined to act honorably. When the following winter approached, he set out— enduring foul weather and beastly encounters in his quest to find the mysterious Green Chapel. Finally, on Christmas Eve, he saw a shimmering castle on the horizon. The castle’s lord and lady were thrilled to help such an honorable guest, and informed him that the Green Chapel was only a short ride away. They implored Gawain to rest at their home until his meeting with the Green Knight.
Berbulan-bulan setelahnya, Gawain mencoba melupakan bayangan ganjil tersebut. Terlepas dari keanehan tantangan kesatria itu, dia bertekad untuk bertindak terhormat. Ketika musim dingin tiba, dia bergegas pergi— menerjang cuaca buruk dan pertarungan yang mengerikan dalam misinya mencari Kapel Hijau yang misterius. Akhirnya, pada malam natal, dia melihat istana berkilau di cakrawala. Tuan dan nyonya istana senang sekali bisa membantu tamu terhormat sepertinya, dan memberitahu bahwa Kapel Hijau berada tak jauh dari sana. Mereka memohon agar Gawain beristirahat di sana sebelum bertemu Kesatria Hijau.
Thrilled at this news, Gawain happily accepted their offer. However, in exchange for their hospitality, the lord made a strange request. Over the next three days, he would go hunting and share his spoils every night. In return, Gawain must give him whatever he’d gained during his day at the castle. At first, Gawain was perplexed by these strange terms. But the lord’s meaning became quite clear the next day, when his wife tried to seduce Gawain. To rebuff the lady’s advances without offending her honor, Gawain allowed one kiss— which he then passed on to her husband in exchange for a slain dear. The next day, Gawain allowed two kisses, which he gave to the lord for a dead boar. But on the third day, the lady offered more than just three kisses. She presented a magical sash that would protect Gawain from the Green Knight’s blade. Gawain accepted immediately, but that evening, when the lord returned, the knight offered only three kisses with no mention of his enchanted gift.
Gembira mendengar informasi ini, Gawain menerima tawaran mereka. Namun, sebagai imbalan atas keramahan mereka, tuan tanah mengajukan permintaan yang aneh. Selama tiga hari berikutnya, ia berburu dan membagikan buruannya setiap malam. Sebaliknya, Gawain harus memberinya apa pun yang ia dapatkan selama di istana. Awalnya, Gawain sedikit bingung dengan syarat-syarat aneh ini. Namun, maksud sang tuan tanah menjadi lebih jelas di hari berikutnya, saat nyonya rumah mencoba merayu Gawain. Untuk menolak permintaan sang ratu tanpa menyinggung kehormatannya, Gawain mengizinkannya untuk mencium satu kali— yang kemudian dia teruskan ke sang suami untuk ditukar dengan seekor kijang. Keesokan harinya, Gawain memperoleh dua ciuman, yang ditukar dengan satu ekor babi jantan. Namun di hari ketiga, sang nyonya menciumnya lebih dari tiga kali. Dia memberikan selempang ajaib yang akan melindungi Gawain dari pedang sang Kesatria Hijau. Gawain serta merta menerimanya. Namun, saat sang raja kembali malam itu, Gawain hanya memberinya tiga kali ciuman tanpa menyinggung tentang hadiah ajaib.
The next morning, Gawain rode out to the Green Chapel— a simple mound of earth where the Green Knight ominously sharpened an axe. With the sash’s protection, Gawain approached stoically— determined to honor his agreement. He bowed his head for the deadly blow, and with a massive swing, the Green Knight cut Gawain’s neck— inflicting nothing more than a flesh wound.
Keesokan paginya, Gawain bertolak menuju Kapel Hijau— sebuah gundukan tanah biasa tempat Kesatria Hijau mengasah kapaknya. Dengan perlindungan selempangnya, Gawain mendekat dengan tabah— bertekad memenuhi janjinya. Dia menundukkan kepala untuk menerima serangan, dan dengan satu ayunan besar, Kesatria Hijau memenggal leher Gawain— menghasilkan hanya sedikit luka gores.
Once more, Gawain was bewildered. Why hadn’t the sash protected him? And why hadn’t the knight killed him? Bursting into laughter, the Green Knight revealed himself to be the castle’s lord, and he’d been working with Morgan Le Fay to test the honor and bravery of Arthur’s knights. He was impressed with Gawain’s behavior, and he’d planned to spare his neck entirely— until Gawain concealed the sash.
Sekali lagi, Gawain kebingungan. Mengapa kain selempangnya tidak melindungi dirinya? Mengapa sang kesatria tidak membunuhnya? Kesatria Hijau terbahak sembari berubah ke wujud aslinya yaitu si tuan istana, yang selama ini bekerja sama dengan Morgan le Fay untuk menguji kehormatan dan keberanian para kesatria Arthur. Ia sangat terkesan dengan sikap Gawain, dan berencana untuk menyelamatkan lehernya sepenuhnya— sampai Gawain mengeluarkan selempangnya.
Filled with shame, Gawain returned to Camelot. But to his surprise, his companions absolved him of blame and celebrated his valor. Struggling to understand this strange journey, it seemed to Gawain that perhaps the whole world was playing a game— with rules more wild and bewildering than any man could understand.
Dipenuhi rasa malu, Gawain kembali ke Camelot. Namun, di luar dugaan, teman-temannya tak menyalahkannya dan merayakan keberaniannya. Berjuang memahami perjalanan yang aneh ini, Gawain merasa bahwa seluruh dunia sedang memainkan permainan— dengan aturan yang lebih liar dan membingungkan