The work opens with a broad scholarly introduction framing the literary significance and historical context of Chrétien de Troyes, who wrote his celebrated Arthurian romances during the third quarter of the twelfth century at the court of Marie de Champagne. His poetry established Arthurian romance as the vehicle par excellence for the ideals of chivalry and courtly love, contrasting sharply with the earlier virile epic songs of France. The main portion of the text presents the verse narrative Erec et Enide, the earliest extant Arthurian romance. The story begins on Easter Day at Cardigan, where King Arthur insists on holding the ancient hunt for the White Stag, despite Gawain's warning that it will spark disputes over whose lady is the fairest.
During the hunt in the forest of adventure, Erec, a renowned and courteous young knight of the Round Table, is insulted and struck across the face by the dwarf of a proud, armed knight. Seeking vengeance, Erec pursues them to a distant town, where he finds lodging with a poor, impoverished vavasor. He falls in love with the vavasor's wondrously beautiful and intelligent daughter, Enide, and pledges to marry her if she is fitted out with arms to fight the offending knight.
Erec defeats the knight—who is revealed to be Yder, son of Nut—in a fierce duel before the local sparrow-hawk contest, and sends him to Cardigan as a prisoner to the Queen. Returning to court with Enide in her threadbare dress, Erec wins universal acclaim, and the King bestows upon her the kiss of the White Stag as the fairest of all. Following grand wedding festivities and a tournament where Erec claims the honors, they return to his father's kingdom in Farther Wales. There, Erec falls so deeply in love that he abandons all knightly pursuits, causing widespread public murmurs.
When Enide accidentally weeps and speaks aloud of her grief over his lost reputation, Erec hears her and resolves to test her loyalty through a perilous journey. He commands her to ride ahead and strictly forbids her to speak to him. Along the road, Enide repeatedly breaks her silence to warn him of impending dangers from robbers and knights, for which Erec harshly chides her while single-handedly defeating multiple adversaries.
After numerous trials, including an encounter with Count Oringle of Limors who presumes Erec dead and attempts to force Enide into marriage, Erec recovers from his wounds, slays the Count, and reconciles fully with his loyal wife. They are subsequently aided by Guivret the Little and arrive at the castle of Brandigant, where Erec undertakes the perilous adventure known as the Joy of the Court. By defeating Mabonagrain in single combat and blowing the magic horn, Erec breaks the spell, releases the knights whose heads decorated the garden stakes, and restores joy to the court. Returning triumphant to King Arthur's realm, Erec and Enide are magnificently crowned at Nantes in a ceremony of unprecedented splendor, bringing the foundational romance to a triumphant close.
