Sir Gawain and Lady Ragnell

The Wedding of Gawain and Dame Ragnell or Sir Gawain and the Lady Ragnell was a late 15th century Middle English tale of how Gawain won the love of Ragnell. In this tale, Gawain appeared in a much better light, yet strangely, the story ended without the hero ever drawing his sword.

The Price of the Riddle

Arthur was hunting in a forest when a giant named Gromore Somer Jour captured the king. The giant extracted a promise from Arthur that he would find the answer to Gomer's riddle and return within a year and a day, or else the giant would kill him. The riddle was "What do women desire most of all?"

Arthur returned to his castle with the news of his capture and probation. Seeking his wise advisers, Arthur could find no solution to the giant's riddle.

Later, an ugly crone came to the castle, offering to give Arthur the solution to the perplexing riddle. However, the price for the solution was that the most noble knight had to marry her. This knight was Sir Gawain, the nephew of King Arthur. Gawain, who was the most loyal of all Arthur's knights, agreed to the exchange in order to save his uncle from the giant.

After the wedding, while they were in their chamber, Gawain kissed the crone, who was transformed into a beautiful young maiden. Gawain was surprised and pleased by the transformation.

The maiden told Gawain that her name was Ragnell, and she was the daughter of the giant Gromore Somer Jour. Ragnell explained that it was her own brother who had placed a spell upon her, which could only be broken if the best knight in the world had the courage to marry and kiss her.

Ragnell told her new husband that he had a choice of having her beautiful and young either in the daytime or in the night. Gawain wisely told her that he would not choose; he left the choice to her. Ragnell was happy with his answer, so she told the hero the solution to her brother's riddle.

With this solution, Arthur returned to Gromore's lair, and told the giant that the greatest wish of all women is to have their own will.

Upon hearing the correct solution, Gromore vented his anger and cursed his sister for revealing the answer to the king.

Gawain and Ragnell lived happily ever after, and they had a son named Gingalain (Guinglain), the hero of the Lybeaus Desconus or the French Le Bel Inconnu ("The Fair Unknown", c. late 12th century).

It should be noted that in Le Bel Inconnu, Guinglain's mother was named Blanchemains.

The transformation of a woman from young beautiful maiden to an ugly old crone, or vice versa, is a common theme of Celtic tales. Usually, the woman was either a goddess or fairy a with shapeshifting abilities, or a princess suffering a curse from a sorcerer or witch, where only her true love could restore her true appearance.