King Arthur fights with a giant in Brittany

King Arthur was considered as a "legendary" figure now, but he was much more like a "historical" hero throughout the Middle Ages. First appearing as a military leader of Briton, he combats against the intruding Saxons and rescues the Britons from the invasion. (In fact, his "historical" fame was gradually overshadowed by appearance of other stories centering on his Knights of the Round Table)

One of the memorable episodes concerning King Arthur is a fight with a giant in Brittany (Little Britain). Brittany was often deemed as a place of magic and enchantment, and the giant dwells in Mont Saint Michel. Arthur hears the news that the giant, a constant harass in the region, killed and abducted the niece of Brittany. Finally, Arthur defeats a giant by showing his prowess.

(Egerton 3028   f. 49   Drawing of king Arthur finding a giant roasting a pig)

The story is recorded in the 14th-century alliterative poem. Confronted with Arthur, the initial description of the giant runs with concentration of "g" sound.

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Then glopined the glutton   and glored unfair;
He grenned as a grayhound   with grisly tuskes;
He gaped, he groned fast   with grouchand lates
For gref of the good king   that him with grame greetes. (1074-77)
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Simon Armitage, one of Britain's most celebrated poets, translates the passages as follows:

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The startled glutton glared gruesomely,
grinned like a greyhound with grisly fangs,
then groaned and glowered with a menacing grimace,
growling at the good King who greeted him angrily. (41)
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A sequence of "g" sound helps to heighten a nature of his brutality and ferocity as well as a sense of terror. The "g" alliteration really creates a fitting atmosphere that heralds monster's entrance on the stage.

"G" consonant has been traditionally associated with such effect, reminding us that the first monster slain in the history of English literature is called "Grendel."