Ah the Gawain manuscript would be great, did you go? Did you see Simon Armitage's documentary from some time back?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74glI1lg1CQ

And the Garner thing sounds ever so interesting. Have you got a link? Or don't tell me you heard the man talking about it in person.

Btw the compliment is kind but it's really no more than stamp collecting, a sort of hunter gatherer folklore kick I get from finding examples. I'm sure there's a grand thesis in it somewhere but I haven't thought of whatever that would be.