【中文頁面】
第一章
卡美洛的聖誕節慶典非常歡樂。所有的出入口都掛著槲寄生，還用冬青葉妝點餐桌。這是歡慶的季節，到處都是宴席和歡聲笑語，亞瑟王和他的騎士們還舉辦一場又一場友好的競賽。
亞瑟每天都帶著他的騎士們從卡美洛出發，到附近的森林去狩獵。每位騎士都希望自己可以捕獲最大的獵物，這樣獵物就會成為當天晚宴最重要的焦點裝飾了。不過，要到他們為新年晚宴做準備時（也是這一季最後一次盛大的飲宴），騎士之間的競賽才真正開始。
新年當天的朝陽升起，高文爵士和其他的騎士夥伴們就滿心期待的出發。到目前為止，高文一直是狩獵中最有斬獲的騎士，超過一半的主獵物都是他帶回來的。他本來一點也不懷疑自己會繼續維持冠軍寶座—直到貝德維爾爵士捕到一隻巨大野豬，成為競賽勝利者。
「牠比卡布爾還大欸！」當晚，在大廳裡轉述這件事時，鎧喊道。一聽見自己的名字，亞瑟塊頭最大的獵犬就小跑步過來，希望能討到一些食物。鎧大笑著拍拍貝德維爾的肩膀。「就算只用
一隻手，比起我們所有人，他還是最強的獵人！」笑聲揚起時，高文沉默的獨自飲酒，盯著壁爐裡炙
烈的火焰看。他把杯裡的酒一飲而盡，舉起杯子，要一位走過的僕役幫忙再斟滿酒。
「不必這麼沮喪啦！」鎧斥責他。「你遲早會有表現的機會啊！」「會嗎？」高文嘆了一口氣。他懷抱著偉大的夢想來到卡美洛，早就下定決心，要證明自己在圓桌上的位置並非浪得虛名，為自己和君王贏得榮譽，可是最近他開始懷疑是否真的會有機會證明自己的能力。鎧點點頭。「那當然囉！你還這麼年輕，有很多時間可以去追尋自己的挑戰。」
原本和皇后與梅林一同用餐的國王突然站到房間正前方，高文抬頭望著國王。
【英文頁面】
Chapter One
Christmas at Camelot was a truly joyous affair. Mistletoe1 hung in the doorways and holly2 decorated the tables. It was a time of celebration, filled with3 laughter and feasts, and good-natured competition amongst King Arthur and his knights.
Every day, Arthur led his men from Camelot to hunt in the neighbouring forests. Each knight hoped that he would be the one to bring back the largest prey, which would become the centrepiece4 for the feast that evening. But it was for the New Year’s feast, the last of the season, that the competition really began.
As the sun rose on New Year’s Day, Sir Gawain set out5 with his fellow knights in high hopes. He had been he most successful in the hunts so far6, bringing back over half of the centrepieces. He had no doubt that he would be successful again – until Sir Bedivere brought down a huge boar and was declared the winner
‘It was even bigger than Caball!’ Kay declared, as he shared the story in the Great Hall that evening. At the sound of his name, Arthur’s largest hunting dog trotted7 over, hoping for food. Kay
laughed, clapping Bedivere on the shoulder. ‘Even with only one hand, he’s still a better hunter than the rest of us!’
As the laughter rose, Gawain drank his wine in silence, staring at8 the fire burning brightly in the
hearth9. Draining his cup, he held it in the air to ask a passing servant to refill it.
‘Don’t look so dejected10!’ Kay scolded11 him. ‘Your time will come soon enough.’
‘Will it?’ Gawain sighed. He had come to Camelot with dreams of greatness.
He had been determined to prove himself worthy of his seat at the Round Table, and gain glory for himself and his king. Lately he doubted whether he would ever get the chance.
But Kay was nodding.
‘Of course it will! You’re young. You have plenty of 12 time to find your quest13.’ Gawain glanced up as the king stood abruptly14 at the front of the room, where he dined with15 the queen and Merlin.
--------------------------------------------------
【英文詞彙解釋】
1. Mistletoe：槲寄生（植物）
2. holly：冬青葉
3. fill with：充滿
4. centrepiece：最重要的部分；最
吸引人的部分，（尤指正式宴會
擺放在餐桌上的）中央裝飾品
5. set out：出發，啟程
6. so far：到目前為止
7. trot：（四肢動物的）小跑（步）
8. stare at：盯著看
9. hearth：壁爐
10. dejected：沮喪（的），失意的，失望的
11. scold：斥責，責罵，責備
12. plenty of：很多；大量
13. quest：追尋；探索，尋求，追求
14. abruptly：突然（的）
15. dine：進餐，用餐
