in these words: "King, hold to me covenant! Cause
this dyke to be dug anon seven feet deeper than it is now; they shall
find a stone wondrously fair, it is fair and broad, for folk to
behold." The dyke was dug seven feet deeper, then they found anon
there-right the stone. Then said Merlin these words: "King, hold to me
covenant! Say to me, Joram, man to me most hateful, and say to this
king what kind of thing hath taken station under this stone?" Joram
was still; he could not tell.

Then said Merlin a wonder: "A water here is under; do away this stone,
the water ye shall find anon." They did away the stone before the king
anon, the water they found anon. Then said Merlin: "Ask me Joram, who
is my full foe, after a while, to say thee of the bottom, what
dwelleth in the water, winter and summer." The king asked Joram, but
he knew nought thereof. The yet said Merlin these words: "King, hold
to me covenant! Cause this water to be carried off, and away cast;
there dwell at the bottom two strong dragons; the one is on the north
side, the other on the south side, the one is milk-white, to each
beast unlike, the other as red as blood, boldest of all worms! Each
midnight they begin to fight, and through their fight thy works fell,
the earth began to sink, and thy wall to tumble; and through such
wonder thy wall is fallen, that happened in this flood, and not for my
blood." This water was all carried off; the king's men were glad,
great was the bliss before the monarch, and soon there-after they were
sorry; ere the day came to an end, strange tidings they heard.

When the water was all carried off, and the pit was empty, then came
out these two dragons, and made great din, and fought fiercely down in
the dyke. Never saw any man any loathlier fight; flames of fire flew
from their mouths! The monarch saw this fight, their grim gestures;
then was he astonished in this worlds-realm, what this tokening were,
that he saw there at the bottom, and how Merlin knew it, that no other
man knew. First was the white above, and afterwards he was beneath,
and the red dragon wounded him to death; and either went to his hole--
no man born saw them afterwards! Thus fared this thing that Vortiger
the king saw. And all that were with him loved Merlin greatly; and the
king hated Joram, and deprived him of his head, and all his seven
comrades that with him were there.

The king went to his house, and led Merlin with him, and said to him
with much lo