ed them, for the love of
God, to let her in. The cowards, refused, and in the meantime the
great bear, irritated by the dangling chain, made a rush towards the
child. Hereward dashed forward, shouting to distract the bear, and
just managed to stop his charge at the girl. The savage animal turned
on the new-comer, who needed all his agility to escape the monster's
terrible onset. Seizing his battle-axe, the youth swung it around
his head and split the skull of the furious beast, which fell dead. It
was a blow so mighty that even Hereward himself was surprised at its
deadly effect, and approached cautiously to examine his victim. In the
meantime the little girl, who proved to be no other than the king's
ward, Alftruda, had watched with fascinated eyes first the approach of
the monster, and then, as she crouched in terror, its sudden
slaughter; and now she summoned up courage to run to Hereward, who had
always been kind to the pretty child, and to fling herself into his
arms. "Kind Hereward," she whispered, "you have saved me and killed
the bear. I love you for it, and I must give you a kiss, for my dame
says so do all ladies that choose good knights to be their champions.
Will you be mine?" As she spoke she kissed Hereward again and again.

[Illustration: Alftruda]

Hereward's Trick on the Knights

"Where have they all gone, little one?" asked the young noble; and
Alftruda replied: "We were all out here in the courtyard watching the
young men at their exercises, when we heard a crash and a roar, and
the cage burst open, and we saw the dreadful Fairy Bear. They all ran,
the ladies and knights, but I was the last, and they were so
frightened that they shut themselves in and left me outside; and when
I beat at the door and prayed them to let me in they would not, and I
thought the bear would eat me, till you came."

"The cowards!" cried Hereward. "And they think themselves worthy of
knighthood when they will save their own lives and leave a child in
danger! They must be taught a lesson. Martin, come hither and aid me."
When Martin came, the two, with infinite trouble, raised the carcase
of the monstrous beast, and placed it just where the bower door,
opening, would show it at once. Then Hereward bade Alftruda call to
the knights in the bower that all was safe and they could come out,
for the bear would not hurt them. He and Martin, listening, heard with
great glee the bitter debate within the bower as to who should ris