at a
pace which betrayed the urgency of his desire to reach home.

Although they travelled almost night and day, it took them the better
part of two weeks to reach the river, on the banks of which King
Hudibras' chief town was built. They arrived at the eastern bank
without mishap, and found that people were crowding over from the
western side to attend some display or fete which was obviously going on
there. Mingling with the crowd they went to the river's edge, where
numerous wooden canoes and coracles were busily engaged in ferrying the
people over.

Approaching a man, whose apparel betokened him one of the poorer class,
Bladud addressed him--

"Can you tell me, friend, what is going on here to-day?"

"Truly you must be a stranger if you know not, for every one--far and
near--has heard of the wedding of our king's pretty daughter."

"Is she, then, married?" asked the prince, scarcely able to conceal his
anxiety.

"Not yet, but she is to be married to-morrow--if no champion comes to
claim her."

"How? What mean you?"

"I mean what I say. Gunrig, the great chief whom she is to wed, is a
proud and a stout man. Many chiefs have been courting the fair
princess, and, in his pride of heart and strength, Gunrig has challenged
any one to fight him in single combat, promising that the bride shall be
given to the conqueror."

"And does my--does the king agree to such a base proposal?"

"Well, he objected to it at first, but Gunrig is such a dangerous enemy,
and his tribe so powerful, that the king has given in at last. Besides,
he knows that the chief is so strong and big, and so well able to use
his weapons, that none of the other chiefs are likely to venture a trial
with him, or, if they do, they are sure to get the worst of it."

"You don't seem to like this Gunrig, I think."

"No. I hate him. Everybody hates him; he is such a proud brute, but
what can _we_ do? when the king commands, all must obey. If I was as
big and stout as you are," added the man with a steady gaze at the
prince, "I'd go at this fellow and win the fair princess myself."

"Perchance I may have a try," returned Bladud with a light laugh. "Does
the princess hate him? and the queen?"

"Ay, worse than poison."

"Come, let us go and see the sport," said the prince to his companions,
as he hurried away from the river. "You know our language well enough,
I think, captain, to understand what has been said?"

"Ay, the most of it;