people of the town
came running to see who it was that dared to come so boldly into their
town.

These, when Sir Launcelot came nigh, began to call to him on high, crying:
"Turn back, Sir Knight! Turn back! Else you will meet your death at this
place."

But Sir Launcelot would not turn back, but advanced very steadfastly upon
his way.

Now somewhat nigh the farther end of that bridge there stood a little lodge
of stone, built to shelter the warden of the bridge from stress of weather.
When Sir Launcelot came nigh to this lodge there started suddenly out from
it a great churl, above seven feet high, who bore in his hand a huge club,
shod with iron and with great spikes of iron at the top. This churl ran to
Sir Launcelot and catched his horse by the bridle-rein and thrust it back
upon its haunches, crying out in a great hoarse voice: "Whither goest thou,
Sir Knight, for to cross this bridge?" Sir Launcelot said: "Let go my
horse's rein, Sir Churl." Whereunto the churl made answer: "I will not let
go thy horse's rein, and thou shalt not cross this bridge."

[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot slays the huge churl] At this Sir Launcelot waxed
very angry, and he drew his sword and struck the churl a blow with the flat
thereof upon the shoulder, so that he dropped the rein very quickly.
Therewith that churl drew back and took his great iron-shod club in both
hands and struck at Sir Launcelot a blow that would have split a millstone.
But Sir Launcelot put by the blow with his sword so that it did him no
harm. But therewith he waxed so wroth that he ground his teeth together
with anger, and, rising in his stirrups, he lashed that churl so woeful a
blow that he cleft through his iron cap and his head and his breast even to
the paps.

[Sidenote: The folk warn Sir Launcelot] Now when the people of the town
beheld that terrible blow they lifted up their voices in a great outcry,
crying out: "Turn back, Sir Knight! Turn back! For this is a very woful
thing for thee that thou hast done!" and some cried out: "Thou hast killed
the giants' warder of the bridge!" And others cried: "Thou art a dead man
unless thou make haste away from this." But to all this Sir Launcelot paid
no heed, but wiped his sword and thrust it back into its sheath. Then he
went forward upon his way across the bridge as though nothing had befallen,
and so came to the farther side. Then, without paying any heed to all the
people who were there, he rode straight to the ca