Erec and Enide and Gareth and Lynet

Roger Sherman Loomis shows how the stories of Gareth and Erec are similar: Erec's valor is been questioned by Enide, just as Gareth's is by Lynet. Enide rides ahead, scorning her champion, but Erec follows her, and Gareth and Lynet do the same. Erec defeats three robbers, including one who flees. Gareth defeats three robbers, then three other robbers who flee from him. Enide warns Erec of five knights who will try to block his way, and Lynet warns Gareth of two. Erec overcomes the knights, throwing one into a ford and drowning him. Gareth does the same. There are more parallels which Loomis discusses, including the thorn tree, a supernatural horse from Wales, as well as other images, which we will not explore here (128).

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