BY ROBERT SOUTHEY 1872.  he news went to the giant, and presently he
came out on horseback ; and he appeared so
huge upon the horse that not a man in the
world would dare look at him ; he had on plates of
iron, so long that they covered him from the throat to
the saddle, and a large and bright helmet, and an iron
mace in his hand. Greatly afraid were the squires
and damsels to behold him, and Galaor was not so
hardy but that then he had great fear, but the nearer
he came the less he feared. Wretch! said the giant,
he who sent thee shall never see thee again ; look,
and see how a mace is used! and he came on like a
tower. Devil! quoth Galaor, thou shalt be conquered
and killed with what I bring on my side, which is God
and the right; and he ran at him so fiercely that his
lance broke, and the giant lost one of his stirrups.
He on his part had lifted up his mace to strike Galaor
on the head, but the knight past so rapidly that
it only struck the rim of his shield, and burst all the
arm and neck-fastenings, so that it fell, and Galaor
had well nigh fallen also : this did not break the blow,
nor could the giant recover the mace, which came
upon the head of his own horse and smote him down,
so that he himself fell. Galaor twice rode over the
giant before he could rise; but then his own horse
stumbled over the giant's, and he fell on the other side.
The knight seeing himself in the chance of death rose
presently and drew the sword which Urganda had
given him, and met the giant, who had now taken his
mace from the ground, and struck it on the wooden
stock that he severed it; but with the piece that was
left the giant gave him such a blow on the helmet as
made him set one hand to the ground, and twisted
the helmet on his head; but he who was nimble and
of good heart, rose presently, and turned to the giant,
and avoided his next blow, and gave a stroke at him
with so full force that it cut away the arm clean from
the shoulder, and passing down wounded him in the
leg. The giant roared aloud, Ah wretch! am I destroyed
by one man? and he caught at Galaor, but his
wounded limb failed him; then he sate down, and
with his remaining hand sought to seize the knight,
but Galaor cut that hand through, and sprung upon
him, for in out-reaching he had fallen along, and smote
off his head. The squires and damsels then came up,
and Galaor sent the squires with the head to Gandalac. With that there came through the gate ten knights chained together, who bade him come and take possession of the castle, seeing that he had slain the giant and delivered them. What think you, damsels, said Galaor, shall we sojourn here to-night? They assented thereto, and he freed the knights from their chain, and so went they all into the castle, where were many goodly houses ; and there they feasted and refreshed themselves. The next day the people of the land came to do him homage, but he took their homage for Gandalac to whom of right it belonged, and right joyful were they hearing that their natural lord should return, for they had long been hardly ruled, and like foreign subjects. This done, Galaor and the damsels, and one squire who continued with him, took the way to the hermitage, aud there the knight received the good man's blessing. The one damsel then said, she would pursue her journey to King Lisuarte's court, whither she was going to see a knight, her brother. Damsel, then said Galaor, if you see there a knight bearing two lions in his shield, say the child whom he made knight commends himself to him, and that I shall strive to be a good man, and that if we meet I shall tell him more concerning both me and himself than he yet knows. And when she was gone, Galaor asked the other who her lady was that sent her to see the battle ? If you would know that, said she, follow me, and in five days you shall see. That shall not let me, quoth he. So they went on together. At length they came to a forked way, and Galaor, who rode before, thought that the damsel followed him, but she had taken the other: this was at the entrance of the forest called Brananda, which separates the counties Clara aud Gresca. It was not long before he heard a voice cry, Help me ! help me ? He turned, and the squire said he thought it was the damsel who had left them. How! left us? I have badly looked to her, quoth he, and he took shield and lance and galloped towards the sound. Hard at hand he espied six villains, armed with morions and battleaxes, and a hideous dwarf on horseback, who cruelly laid on the damsel with a staff. Thou wicked and ugly thing, quoth the knight, God send thee bad luck ! and passing the lance to his left hand, he seized the staff, and therewith smote him to the ground and stunned him. The villains then attacked him on all sides, but to the first he gave such a greeting with the staff that he lay sprangling on the earth; another, who had fixed his battle-axe in his shield and could not pluck it out again, he smote through with the lance, and left the lance, and made at the others with the battle-axe which he plucked from his own shield ; but they durst not now abide him, and fled into the thick underwood where he could not follow. By this the dwarf had got again on horseback, and calling out to Galaor, in an evil hour hast thou killed my men ! he galloped away. Then Galaor drew his lance from the body of the villain, and saw that it was sound, which pleased him; and he gave his arms to the squire, and said, Damsel, go you before me, and I will guard you better than I have done. So took they again the way they had left, and it soon brought them to the river Bran, which could not be passed without a boat. Now rode the damsel somewhat far before Galaor, and finding the boat ready she crossed before him. While he waited for the boat's return, the dwarf came and cried, By my faith, Sir Traitor, thou shalt die, and leave the damsel! and Galaor saw that there came with him three knights well armed and mounted. What! quoth the one, shall we all agree to set upon a single enemy? I want no help ! and he ran with a full course against Galaor, who was ready to entertain him, they encountered in such sort, that the knight pierced Galaor's armour, making him feel the naked point of his lance, and 'Galaor bade him bravely welcome, and cast him from the saddle. Whereat the other twain admiring, ran both against him, the one failing and the other breaking his lance. Galaor smote off the helmet of the one; the other turned and struck at his breast and broke his lance; but though Galaor felt the blow sorely, it wounded him not. Then they all laid hand to sword and began battle, the dwarf crying out, kill his horse that he may not escape ! Galaor aimed a blow at him whom he had unhelmed, he raised up his shield, and the sword cut through the rim of the shield, and the point came on his head and cleaved it to the jaws; and when the other knight saw that stroke, he turned his horse and away. Galaor followed, and made a blow at him, which fell short upon the saddle, and cut away many plates of his armour; and he then in more fear, spurred his horse and threw his shield from his neck, and galloped so fast that Galaor would follow him no longer. Galaor would then have caught the dwarf to have tied him by the leg, but that little wretch had ridden off betimes. Hereupon he came to the first whom he had dismounted, who had now somewhat recovered : I am more sorry for you, sir knight, said he, than for your comrades, for you attacked me in knightly guise, though I know not wherefore. It is true, replied he, but that dwarf told us that you had beaten him and slain his men, and taken from him a damsel against her will. Galaor then shewed him the damsel waiting for him on the other side of the river. You see her, said he, and if she were with me against her will she would not wait there. Then relating how the truth was, he gave the knight his horse; and, bidding him torment the dwarf for his villainy, he took leave of him. Then Galaor crossed at the ferry, and proceeded under the damsel's guidage. Between nones [1] and vespers she showed him a fair castle that stood above a valley, and said to him, there we shall go to rest; and they were well received, it being the dwelling of the damsel's mother, whom she bade honour her guest as the best knight that ever hung shield from his neck. Then said she to Galaor, Good knight, you must wait awhile for me here, that I may perform what I have promised; I shall soon return. So she went, and without long tarrying returned, and told him to mount and come with her. In God's name, quoth he, and he took his arms, and mounted and followed her. They rode through a forest, and when the night was advanced came to a city called Grandares, and at the castle the damsel told him to alight and follow her, and there she would tell him what she had promised. Shall I take my arms? said he. Yes, she replied, for man knows not what may happen to him. He followed her to a wall; she told him to get over, and she would go round and meet him. Galaor with some difficulty got up, by reason of his arms, and let himself carefully down into a garden, where presently the damsel came, and another with her. Sir knight, said she, before you enter you must tell me whose son you are. Let that alone, quoth Galaor, for I am of such parents that till I am of more renown I dare not name them. You must tell me, and it shall not be to your harm. Know then, I am son to King Perion and Queen Elisena, and I could not have told you that seven days past. Come in, the damsel then said; and having entered they disarmed him, and threw a mantle over him, the one went before and the other behind him, and so they passed thro' the palace, where were many dames and damsels in bed, and when any one asked who was there, the two damsels answered. Thus they went on till they came into a chamber, and there Galaor saw a beautiful damsel on a rich bed combing her goodly locks; and when she saw him, she put a fair garland on her head and went to him; You are very welcome, sir, being the best knight that I know; And you, lady, said he, are very well-found, being the fairest lady that ever I saw. Then said the damsel who had guided him, Here, sir, is my mistress, and I have fulfilled my promise ; her name is Aldeva, the daughter of the King of Serolis, and she has been brought up here by her aunt, wife to the Duke of Bristol. Then turning to her lady, I give you the son of King Perion of Gaul; you are both children of kings, and both fair persons: if ye should love each other no one can blame ye. And with that the damsels left them together, and nothing more shall be here related, for these and such like things which are neither conformable to good conscience nor virtue, man ought in reason lightly to pass over, holding them in as little estimation as they deserve. The hour being come when it behoved him to depart, the damsels conducted him to the place where overnight he had left his arms : and being armed he went again into the garden, and there he found the dwarf, who cried out, In an ill hour didst thou enter here, for now thou shalt die and the wretch that led thee here! Then he called out aloud, come out, knights, come out, for here is a man Come out of the duke's chamber ! Galaor lightly got over the wall, and mounted his horse, but the dwarf and his people speedily came out upon him; and when Galaor saw himself so beset, he said within himself, let me die if I be not revenged upon that villainous dwarf! but he kept behind upon his horse, and the rest compassed the knight on all sides. Galaor laid manfully about him, and slew two before he broke his lance; then fell on them with his sword, and made them so soundly acquainted with its sharp edge, that he who thought himself hardiest was glad to give way; but before he could cut his road through they killed his horse, and when the dwarf saw him on foot he attempted to ride over him. Galaor stept aside and caught his bridle, and gave him such a blow on the breast with his sword-hilt that he fell off, and the blood gushed out of his ears and nose ; then he leapt upon his horse, but in springing up he dropt the reins, and the horse rode off some distance before he could recover them ; he would then have turned back to revenge himself, but he saw his lady shaking a handkerchief from a tower window in token that he should depart, and so he rode into the forest. There were some who were of opinion that they should follow him, but others said it was in vain seeing that he had gotten into the wood; and they were all astonished at what they had done. The dwarf now recovering, cried out, Carry me to the duke, and I will tell him on whom to take vengeance. They took him in their arms, and he told the duke how he found the damsel in the forest, and wished to bring her back, and all that had followed. The duke then asked him if he knew the damsel, which she was? And all the damsels in the palace were called before him, and as soon as the dwarf beheld her, he said, this is she by whom your palace is dishonoured. Ah, traitor ! quoth she, you were beating me in the forest, and that good knight defended me ! but the duke was greatly incensed, and said he would force her to confess the truth, and he put her in prison ; yet neither evils nor torments made her discover any thing, and there she remained in prison, to the great grief of Aldeva who dearly loved her, and knew not by whom to send tidings to her friend Galaor. [1] Three in the afternoon. |