The story begins at Arthur’s Court where the King is being crowned; there is a great party complete with jugglers, harps, and singers (chanteurs chanter des chansons!). The narrator lists for us many guests present, including the Fair Coward (le Beau Couard) and Lancelot, however, he cannot name the women. A focus on names is thus established from the opening scene.
Suddenly, an unknown knight appears, heading straight for the King in a purposeful, confident fashion. All the guests remark upon his good looks. The King agrees to grant him a ‘don’ as part of the rash boon tradition. When asked his name, this knight claims not to know it (nor to know whether or not he had a father). All he knows is that his mother called him ‘Beautiful Son’. The King, judging this name unsuitable, names him the Fair Unknown.
A woman (Hélie) then arrives at the Court, demanding that Arthur helps her mistress who is in trouble: she needs a knight. Luckily for her mistress, the Fair Unknown is eager to accept this quest. Arthur allows him to go, promising to grant him a place at the Round Table if he returns. The young woman is at first disheartened to see this is the knight she has ended up with and leaves angrily with the dwarf (Robert) who accompanies her. The Fair Unknown sets off to follow her, soon catching up with her and the dwarf where she agrees to allow him to take this challenge.
The Fair Unknown, Hélie and the dwarf then set off to rescue the damsel (Blonde Esmerée) in distress. Along the journey they encounter many dangerous situations which allow the Fair Unknown to showcase his knighting brilliance. For example, a run in with some difficult giants leads to the Fair Unknown saving a young girl (Clarie) from certain torture at the hands of the giants. He also takes revenge for a young woman named Margerie whose beloved was killed by a man named Giflet in a combat to prove that their loved one is the most beautiful woman to have ever lived. The Fair Unknown overpowers Giflet and sends him to be a prisoner at Arthur’s Court.
The narrator intervenes every now and again, to remind the audience he is a) telling the truth (very important) and also b) to tell them about his beloved, for whom he sings this tale. She is not interested in him, it seems, but he remains madly in love with her. He is waiting for her to give him the Bel Sanblant AKA. to show him some sign of humility.
The team arrive at the Ile d’Or. Inside the city’s palace, a beautiful woman with white hands (la Belle aux Blanches Mains) whose beauty is incontestable is being held against her will. After having freed her by killing Mauger the Gray, the Fair Unknown falls in love with this enchantress who possessed some sort of magical powers. He does not stay with her, however, but goes on to finish his quest.
He then arrives at the city of Sinaudon (whose name is likely linked to Mount Snowdon in Wales) which has been razed to the ground. It is here that he kills the demonic enchanters Mabon and Evrain the Cruel, freeing Blonde Esmerée (Hélie’s mistress) in a bizarre scene that involves kissing a wyvern (mythical animal) which turns out to be the Blonde Esmerée herself. While he is resting, he hears a voice which reveals his origins and his lineage (this voice is actually the Beautiful Lady with White Hands). King Arthur was wrong to call him the Fair Unknown. His father is Gauvain, his name is Guinglain and his mother is the fairy Blanchemal.
The Belle Esmerée is eager to give him her hand in marriage, but he decides to return to his promised one, the Beautiful Woman with the White Hands of the Ile d’Or. He, however, struggles to commit to this relationship. When he hears of a tournament, which has been deliberately organized to lure him back to Arthur’s Court, he cannot help himself, leaving her again to chase this new glory. Unfortunately, the Fair Unknown thus misses his chance with the Beautiful Lady with the White Hands. Instead he marries Blonde Esmerée, and becomes King of Wales. Ultimately, the Fair Unknown chooses a life of honorable social standing over his true love in the supernatural world.
