"
Tristan left the woman and returning to his ship armed himself in
secret, and it was a fine sight to see so noble a charger and so good
a knight come out from such a merchant-hull: but the haven was empty
of folk, for the dawn had barely broken and none saw him as he rode to
the gate. And hardly had he passed it, when he met suddenly five men
at full gallop flying towards the town. Tristan seized one by his
hair, as he passed, and dragged him over his mount's crupper and held
him fast:
"God save you, my lord," said he, "and whence does the dragon come?"
And when the other had shown him by what road, he let him go.
As the monster neared, he showed the head of a bear and red eyes like
coals of fire and hairy tufted ears; lion's claws, a serpent's tail,
and a griffin's body.
Tristan charged his horse at him so strongly that, though the beast's
mane stood with fright yet he drove at the dragon: his lance struck
its scales and shivered. Then Tristan drew his sword and struck at the
dragon's head, but he did not so much as cut the hide. The beast felt
the blow: with its claws he dragged at the shield and broke it from
the arm; then, his breast unshielded, Tristan used the sword again and
struck so strongly that the air rang all round about: but in vain, for
he could not wound and meanwhile the dragon vomited from his nostrils
two streams of loath-some flames, and Tristan's helm blackened like a
cinder and his horse stumbled and fell down and died; but Tristan
standing on his feet thrust his sword right into the beast's jaws, and
split its heart in two.
Pages:
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31