Motif
death only through a hidden or prescribed vulnerable point
death_only_through_a_hidden_or_prescribed_vulnerable_point
A motif of the Conditional Invulnerability and Hidden Weakness family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
arthurian
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The High History of the Holy Graal BRANCH V. / INCIPIT. / TITLE I. / VIII.; lines 3570-3683 confidence: high
The younger damsel instructs Gawain to smite the knight in the sole of the foot with his sword, saying otherwise he will not die. Gawain hesitates; the dwarf helps the wounded knight remount; the damsels warn that the Knight without Pity is fleeing for succour.
The younger damsel says the second knight must be struck in the sole of the foot or he will not die; Gawain kills him by thrusting a sword into that spot, and the damsels connect this condition to Achilles' kindred.
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