Gawain

One of the earliest great stories of English literature after ?Beowulf?, ?Sir Gawain? is the strange tale of a green knight on a green horse, who rudely interrupts King Arthur's Round Table festivities one Yuletide, challenging the knights to a wager. Simon Armitrage, one of Britain's leading poets, has produced an inventive and groundbreaking translation that " helps] liberate ?Gawain ?from academia" (?Sunday Telegraph?).

Sir Gawains Little Green Book retells two of the classic stories about one of King Arthurs foremost knights. The Green Knight takes its title and its story from the Middle English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In The Green Knight Sir Gawain reminisces, looking back on his life from his point of view as an aging legend. He recalls his youth, when he was much greener, and his first adventure, the only one that has remained his through all the centuries. One Christmas the knights of King Arthur are waiting for the Yuletide banquet. Arthur, as is his custom, will not start a meal on a great feast until some wonder has been seen or miracle performed. This Christmas he is rewarded by a huge, green giant riding into his castle on his green horse, carrying a huge green axe. The giant proposes a simple game, an exchange of blows. One knight gets to try to chop the giants head off with the green axe. In a year and a day that knight will seek out the Green Knight, offering his neck for a return stroke. No one is eager to take up this challenge, and just when it looks like it will fall to Arthur, Gawain, and the kings nephew, volunteers. He takes the green axe and neatly and completely slices off the head of the green giant. The intruder walks over to where his head had fallen, picks it up and it announces that he is the knight of the Green Chapel and that is where Sir Gawain should seek him in a year and day to receive his return blow. He then remounts his horse and, carrying his head, rides away. For the rest of the year Gawain dallies. He wants to ride out in search of the Green Knight, but Arthur keeps him close to court out of love. Spring become fall and Gawain finally sets out. In the course of his journey he meets several different types of people: A peasant wife, a knight guarding a ford and a wild man of the woods. None of them have ever heard of a place called the Green Chapel. Finally, just before Christmas, he finds himself before a great castle. He is welcomed and made much of as a famous knight from a great court. He is told that the Green Chapel is very nearby. His host proposes a game. Gawain should rest until New Years Day, when he must keep his appointment. In that time he would exchange whatever he won around the castle with the lord of the castle for whatever he got in the course of a days hunting. Each morning for the next three days, when Gawain awakes, the lady of the castle is in his room. She throws herself at him, asking for lessons in love. Gawain is honorable, and does not give in. He does accept kisses from her. Meanwhile her husband is hunting, first deer, then a boar, then a fox. Each evening Gawain gives the host kisses in return for his hunting prizes. On the final morning Gawain weakens. While he doesnt give in to the ladys demands for love he does accept a gift from her, a green belt, that she tells him will keep him from being wounded in any way. When that nights exchange takes place, Gawain doesnt mention this prize. Finally, Gawain sets out for the Green Chapel. It is a cold and gray day. The page sent along to guide tries to scare him off, but Gawain goes on alone. He descends into the valley where the Green Chapel is said to be but doesnt see anything. Eventually he hears the sound of a sharpening wheel. Then the Green Knight makes himself known, vaulting down to the valley floor on the haft of a new axe. Gawain, true to his word, opens his collar and offers his neck to the giant. The knight takes his swing, but Gawain flinches. The giant tries again, but it is a feint. Finally a third blow comes, which nicks Gawains neck, causing just a scratch. Gawain leaps back, ready to fight, but the Green Knight just stands laughing at him. The Green Knight then reveals himself as the lord of the castle that had harbored Gawain. He had been changed into this form by Gawai

Forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest ... Elise keeps her cards close to her chest. Few people know that she's also Blanchefleur le Fay, the celebrated singer. But she has an even greater secret ... Her baby daughter is the result of a brief but intense affair with Gawain, Count of Meaux. Duty-bound to marry, Gawain is back in Troyes to meet his bride. So why can't he stop thinking about the sweet, silver-voiced girl he met the last time he was there? And when he finds his mistress again, Gawain must choose between duty and forbidden desire ... Knights of Champagne Three Swordsmen for Three Ladies.

With more than 6 million copies of this pioneering work sold worldwide, "Creative Visualization" explains the art of using mental imagery and affirmation to produce positive changes.

Gawain's popular collection of 365 inspirational messages collected here are for every day of the year.

Are you searching for deeper meaning and purpose in your life? Do you sense that you have an inner wisdom that can be a guiding force for you, yet wonder how to connect with that intuitive self? How do you know which inner voices to listen to? For over thirty years, Shakti Gawain has helped readers address these questions.Living in the Lighthas given literally millions of people clear and gentle guidance to create a new way of life — one in which we listen to our intuition and rely on it as a guiding force. The key lies in bringing the light of our awareness to every aspect of ourselves, including our disowned energies — ourshadow side. With great insight and clarity, Shakti shows us the transformative power of bringing awareness to every part of ourselves. Simple yet powerful exercises on subjects including creativity, relationships, parenting, health, money, and transforming the world help us put these teachings to practical use in our daily lives. Living in the Lightis a comprehensive map to growth, fulfillment, and consciousness. As we grapple with personal, national, and global challenges on many fronts, this classic work is timelier than ever.

Chrysanthemum loves her name, until she starts going to school and the other children make fun of it.