From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Tale of Sir Thopas, lines 107-142

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From The Tale of Sir Thopas, lines 58-106:
Sir Thopas wishes to marry an elf-queen

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Tale of Sir Thopas
lines 107-142: Sir Thopas meets Sir Oliphant who blocks the way to fairyland

	Into his sadel he clamb anon,
	And priketh over stile and stoon
	An elf-queene for t'espye,
110	Til he so longe hadde riden and goon
	That he foond, in a pryve woon,
	The contree of Fairye
	So wilde;
	For in that contree was ther noon
115	That to him dorste ryde or goon,
	Neither wyf ne childe,

	Into his saddle he climbed anon
	And spurred then over stile and stone.
	An elf-queen for to see,
110	Till he so far had ridden on
	He found a secret place and won
	The land of Faery
	So wild;
	For in that country was there none
115	That unto him dared come, not one,
	Not either wife or child.

       Til that ther cam a greet geaunt,

His name was Sir Olifaunt,

       A perilous man of dede;

120 He seyde "Child, by Termagaunt,

But if thou prike out of myn haunt,

       Anon I sle thy steede

                     With mace.

       Heere is the queene of Fayerye,

125 With harpe and pipe and symphonye,

       Dwellynge in this place."

       Until there came a great giant,

Whose name it was Sir Oliphant,

       A dangerous man indeed;

120 He said: "O Childe, by Termagant,

But thou dost spur from out my haunt,

Anon I'll slay thy steed

                     With mace.

       For here the queen of Faery,

125 With harp and pipe and harmony,

       Is dwelling in this place."

       The child seyde, "Also moote I thee,

Tomorwe wol I meete with thee,

       Whan I have myn armoure.

130        And yet I hope, par ma fay,

That thou shalt with this launcegay

       Abyen it ful sowre.

                     Thy mawe

Shal I percen if I may

135 Er it be fully pryme of day,

       For heere thow shalt be slawe."

       The Childe said: "As I hope to thrive,

We'll fight the morn, as I'm alive,

       When I have my armour;

130        For well I hope, and par ma fay,

That thou shalt by this lance well pay,

       And suffer strokes full sore;

                     Thy maw

Shall I pierce through, and if I may,

135 Before it be fully prime of day,

Thou'lt die of wounds most raw."

       Sir Thopas drow abak ful faste,

This geant at hym stones caste

       Out of a fel staf-slynge;

140 But faire escapeth child Thopas,

And al it was thurgh Goddes gras,

       And thurgh his fair berynge.

       Sir Thopas drew aback full fast;

This giant at him stones did cast

       Out of a fell staff-sling;

140 But soon escaped was Childe Thopas,

And all it was by God's own grace,

       And by his brave bearing.

Next:
From The Tale of Sir Thopas, lines 143-166:
Sir Thopas goes home to prepare for the fight