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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, and 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 and 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* and vespers she showed him a fair castle that stood above a valley, and said to him, there we shall go to rest;

*Three in the afternoon,

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

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