As the story goes, long ago, King Arthur was hunting a hart. He ran the great deer into a fern thicket and killed it there. Just after the king had tasted the meat, a powerful and heavily armed knight charged in and accused the king of mistreating him for many years by giving his land away to Arthur’s favourite knight, Sir Gawain. In his rage, the formidable knight, Sir Gromer Somer Joure, came close to killing the king on the spot. However, Arthur skilfully convinced him that it would not be chivalrous, since Arthur was only in his light hunting gear than full armour.
Instead of killing Arthur, Sir Gromer gave him a riddle that he must answer, or die. After one year, Arthur was to return to that very spot and answer the question, “What is it that all women desire above all else?” The king was glad to have one-year reprieve, but the question seemed impossible and his life uncertain. When the king returned to his castle, Gawain immediately noticed his distress. After hearing King’s plight, the ever-enthusiastic Gawain suggested that they mount their horses and ride out to different directions to ask the question of every women in the kingdom and record the answers in a great book. Surely that way they would find the right answer. Arthur was doubtful but saw no alternative. After almost a year of wandering and diligent questioning, their books were full of answers, but none of them seemed compelling.
Just before the appointed hour with Sir Gawain, while wandering in the deep woods, Arthur came upon a woman on an exquisitely beautiful horse that was embellished with gold and precious jewels. A fine lute hung from her shoulder. However, when she turned toward him, he saw she was horrifyingly ugly and misshapen. Snot dripped from her pig-like nose, one tusk turned up and one turned down. And her mouth was a gaping pit with loose, flapping lips. Dame Ragnelle immediately knew the King’s plight and told him that she alone had the answer that could save his life. However, she would not give the answer unless she could marry the finest knight in the land: Sir Gawain.
“This is not a favour I can grant. It is Sir Gawain’s choice,” said Arthur. Upon returning to the castle from their separate journeys, Gawain again noticed King’s disturbed state and bade him explain. Without a moment’s hesitation, Gawain offered to wed Dame Ragnelle. No price was too high for his beloved king’s life.
Arthur hastily returned to Ragnelle and told her of Gawain’s acceptance. Ragnelle kept her end of the bargain. She told Arthur that, above all else, all women desire to be autonomous, to have sovereignty over their own lives. Elated, Arthur hastened to Sir Gromer and told him the answer. Gromer flew into rage, not only that he had to let Arthur go, but also because the only person who could have told Arthur the lifesaving answer was Sir Gromer’s own sister, Dame Ragnelle.
For her part, Ragnelle would not be a modest bride. Unlike Gawain, she wanted a grand wedding in which the entire court participated. At the wedding feasts, despite her raiment, everyone was aghast at her ugliness and extraordinary ravenous appetite. She ate more food than six men, while Gawain looked on wanly.
On their wedding night, Ragnelle demanded a kiss of the reluctant Gawain. “Yett for Arthours sake kysse me att the leste.” That momentous kiss transformed the world’s ugliest hag into the most beautiful jewel of a woman. Gawain was initially frightened by the sudden formation and feared she might be some evil spirit. “Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your loving wife.” Amid the surprise and delight occasioned by her transformation, Dame Ragnelle explained that such was the curse on her that she could only be beautiful half the time. Gawain must choose whether he wished her beautiful in the night with him or during the day at court. The rest of the time, Ragnelle must revert to her hideous self. After carefully considering the question, Gawain told Ragnelle that the decision must be hers. With Ragnelle granted full autonomy by Gawain, the spell was completely broken. Ragnelle could be beautiful all the time. The story concludes with royal quaternio: the king and queen on one side and Gawain and Ragnelle on the other.
It is psychological law that whatever is rejected and feared turns ugly and even more troublesome, whether it is a personal problem or a conflict in global politics. Although we need not always fully embrace the rejected, we certainly need to stay aware of it and in touch with it. Surprisingly, that which we reject, that which we fear, often contains exactly what we need for our wholeness, whether personal or collective.
Sometimes the greatest hero is one who gives up personal desires and aversions in the name of loyalty and idealism.
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