He was gallant and geared in green, this knight,
and the hair of his head like his horse’s mane,
fair locks like a fan enfolding his shoulders;
a big beard like a bush on his breast hangs down,
which, along with the lofty locks from his head,
was bobbed all about above his elbows,
so that half his arms were held thereunder in the wise
of a king’s broad cape clasped at his neck;
the mane of that mighty horse was much the same,
well curled and combed, with copious knots,
the gorgeous green crisscrossed with gold thread,
each wisp interwoven with one of gold;
the brow was braided to pair with his plaited tail,
and both were bound with a band of bright green,
stitched with stylish stones down the whole length,
then tied in a tight twist on top with a thong,
where many bright bells of burnished gold were ringing.
No such horse on earth, nor the human that rides him,
were ever beheld in that hall ere that time
            by eye.
            He looked like flashing light—
            or so they testified.
            It seemed like no man might
            withstand his heavy strike.