Note 9 — III

.

Page 65.

—

I will give thee my girdle.

This magic girdle, which confers invulnerability on its owner, is a noticeable feature of our story. It is found nowhere else in this connection, yet in other romances we find that Gawain possesses a girdle with similar powers (cf., my

Legend of Sir Gawain

, Chap. IX.). Such a talisman was also owned by Cuchulinn, the Irish hero, who has many points of contact with Gawain. It seems not improbable that this was also an old feature of the story. I have commented, in the Introduction, on the lady’s persistent wooing of Gawain, and need not repeat the remarks here. The Celtic

Lay of the Great Fool

(

Amadan Mor

) presents some curious points of contact with our story, which may, however, well be noted here. In the

Lay

the hero is mysteriously deprived of his legs, through the draught from a cup proffered by a

Gruagach

or magician. He comes to a castle, the lord of which goes out hunting, leaving his wife in the care of the Great Fool, who is to allow no man to enter. He falls asleep, and a young knight arrives and kisses the host’s wife. The Great Fool, awaking, refuses to allow the intruder to depart; and, in spite of threats and blandishments, insists on detaining him till the husband returns. Finally, the stranger reveals himself as the host in another shape; he is also the

Gruagach

, who

96

deprived the hero of his limbs, and the Great Fool’s brother. He has only intended to test the

Amadan Mor’s

fidelity. A curious point in connection with this story is that it possesses a prose opening which shows a marked affinity with the “Perceval”

enfances

. That the Perceval and Gawain stories early became connected is certain, but what is the precise connection between them and the Celtic

Lay

is not clear.

In its present form

the latter is certainly posterior to the Grail romances, but it is quite possible that the matter with which it deals represents a tradition older than the Arthurian story.