the sea
red of his blood. Then the dragon flew away all on an height, and came
down with such a swough, and smote the boar on the ridge, which was ten
foot large from the head to the tail, and smote the boar all to powder
both flesh and bones, that it flittered all abroad on the sea.

And therewith the king awoke anon, and was sore abashed of this dream,
and sent anon for a wise philosopher, commanding to tell him the
signification of his dream. Sir, said the philosopher, the dragon that
thou dreamedst of betokeneth thine own person that sailest here, and
the colours of his wings be thy realms that thou hast won, and his
tail which is all to-tattered signifieth the noble knights of the
Round Table; and the boar that the dragon slew coming from the clouds
betokeneth some tyrant that tormenteth the people, or else thou art like
to fight with some giant thyself, being horrible and abominable, whose
peer ye saw never in your days, wherefore of this dreadful dream doubt
thee nothing, but as a conqueror come forth thyself.

Then after this soon they had sight of land, and sailed till they
arrived at Barflete in Flanders, and when they were there he found many
of his great lords ready, as they had been commanded to wait upon him.

CHAPTER V. How a man of the country told to him of a marvellous giant,
and how he fought and conquered him.

THEN came to him an husbandman of the country, and told him how there
was in the country of Constantine beside Brittany, a great giant which
had slain, murdered and devoured much people of the country, and had
been sustained seven year with the children of the commons of that land,
insomuch that all the children be all slain and destroyed; and now late
he hath taken the Duchess of Brittany as she rode with her meiny, and
hath led her to his lodging which is in a mountain, for to ravish and
lie by her to her life's end, and many people followed her, more than
five hundred, but all they might not rescue her, but they left her
shrieking and crying lamentably, wherefore I suppose that he hath slain
her in fulfilling his foul lust of lechery. She was wife unto thy cousin
Sir Howell, whom we call full nigh of thy blood. Now, as thou art a
rightful king, have pity on this lady, and revenge us all as thou art a
noble conqueror. Alas, said King Arthur, this is a great mischief, I
had liefer than the best realm that I have that I had been a furlong
way to-fore him for to have rescued that lady