The narrator briefly introduces the story of Gawaine, or the Knight of the Silver Tongue, saying it is about his faithfulness and good fortune.

While traveling far from Camelot, King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and their court set up pavilions near the forest to shade them from the midday heat. During their feast, a white deer and a white dog, both with gold collars, run around their table, and then back into the forest. A knight and lady emerge from the forest where the animals ran. Another knight attacks the first knight, knocking him unconscious, and captures the lady, riding back into the forest with her. The unconscious knight’s squires get him on his horse and lead him into the forest as well. Arthur asks if one of his knights will discover what happened to the lady captured by the knight, and Gawaine volunteers, with his younger brother Gaheris as his squire.

Gawaine and Gaheris ride for a while, asking forest folk about the deer, hound, lady, and knight. They arrive at a meadow where two knights are fighting, and they ask about the nature of their dispute.