The narrative begins at King Arthur’s court in Caerlion during a magnificent August feast. A handsome young man appears, requesting a boon: to be made a knight and granted the first quest that arrives. He reveals he does not know his own name or lineage, leading Arthur to dub him “The Fair Unknown”. Shortly after, a maiden named Helie and her dwarf, Tidogolain, arrive seeking a champion to rescue the Lady of Sinadon from a dire enchantment. Despite Helie’s vocal protests that the youth is too inexperienced for such a task, Arthur holds to his promise and assigns the Unknown to the quest.
The group sets out, and the hero’s prowess is immediately tested at the Perilous Ford. There, he encounters the cruel knight Blioblieris, whom he defeats in a fierce joust and sword fight. The Fair Unknown spares the knight on the condition that he surrenders himself to King Arthur’s court. Later, the party hears a scream in the forest and discovers two hideous giants; one is attempting to rape a noble maiden named Clarie, while the other roasts a stolen meal. The Unknown attacks, killing the first giant with his lance and the second in a desperate struggle. He rescues Clarie, sends her home, and shares the giants' provisions with his companions.
The journey continues as three of Blioblieris’s companions—Elin of Graie, the Lord of Saie, and William of Salebrant—attack the party to avenge their friend’s defeat. The Fair Unknown defeats all three in succession, killing Elin and forcing the others to swear fealty to Arthur. Next, they arrive at the castle of Becleus, where they encounter Margerie, a maiden mourning her slain lover. To avenge her, the hero participates in a traditional beauty contest involving a golden sparrowhawk. He defeats the castle’s lord, Giflet son of Do, asserting Margerie’s superior beauty and winning the bird for her.
The quest takes a magical turn when they reach the Golden Isle (l’Isle d’Or), a city of white marble and crystal palaces. To enter, the Unknown must defeat Malgier the Gray, the formidable guardian of the causeway who has already killed scores of knights. The hero slays Malgier and is welcomed by the city's ruler, the Maiden of the White Hands (Pucele as Blanches Mains), a powerful sorceress. She offers him her hand and her kingdom, and though he is deeply entranced by her, Helie reminds him of his prior vow to Sinadon. Realizing he must fulfill his duty, the Unknown secretly flees the island with his companions under the cover of night.
They finally reach the Waste City (Gaste Cité) of Sinadon, which lies in desolate ruins. Before entering the keep, the hero must joust with the seneschal Lampart. After unhorsing Lampart, he is welcomed as the city's long-awaited savior. The Unknown enters the enchanted palace alone, encountering a surreal atmosphere where invisible jongleurs perform music before the lights are suddenly extinguished. He is attacked by two sorcerer-knights, Evrain the Cruel and Mabon, who use their magical arts to assail him. After a brutal struggle, the hero kills Mabon, which breaks the enchantments and restores light to the hall.
The climax of the quest involves the Fier Baiser (The Fearsome Kiss). A monstrous serpent with glowing eyes and a flaming mouth emerges from a cupboard. Though terrified, the Unknown stands his ground and allows the serpent to kiss him on the mouth. Immediately after, a celestial voice reveals his true identity: he is Guinglain, the son of the celebrated knight Gawain and the fay Blancemal. The serpent is then transformed back into its human form: Blonde Esmeree, the Queen of Wales, who reveals that the sorcerers had cursed her into that shape.
Despite his promise to marry the Queen, Guinglain remains obsessively in love with the Maiden of the White Hands. He eventually deserts the Queen’s party and returns to the Golden Isle. Upon his arrival, the Maiden reveals she has known his destiny all along and orchestrated his quest to test his valor. She punishes his earlier desertion with magical illusions, such as making him believe he is crossing a collapsing footbridge over a roaring river, before finally accepting him as her lover. They share a period of bliss until King Arthur, determined to see his nephew properly wedded to the Queen, announces a grand tournament at the Castle of Maidens.
Guinglain is torn between his private love and his public duty as a knight. When he chooses to attend the tournament, the Maiden of the White Hands realizes she cannot keep him. She uses her magic to “evict” him; Guinglain wakes up alone in a forest with his armor and horse, his magical paradise having vanished. He participates in the tournament, where he distinguishes himself as the most capable knight of the gathering. The narrative concludes with Guinglain’s royal marriage to Blonde Esmeree and his coronation as the King of Wales in Snowdon. Renaut de Bagé ends with a meta-textual note, stating that if his own lady shows him a “fair appearance,” he might write a sequel to reunite Guinglain with the sorceress; otherwise, the hero remains bound to his social obligations.
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