he Swedes fled to right and left or were
driven, like dogs, into their own ditch; but as he pushed forward singly
with headlong courage the foe closed behind and hung upon his rear. One
aimed a blow full at his heart; but the protecting power which watches
over the great and good turned aside the hostile blade and directed it
to a side-pocket, where reposed an enormous iron tobacco-box endowed,
like the shield of Achilles, with supernatural powers, doubtless from
bearing the portrait of the blessed Saint Nicholas. Peter Stuyvesant
turned like an angry bear upon the foe, and seizing him as he fled by an
immeasurable queue, "Ah, caterpillar!" roared he, "here's what shall
make worm's meat of thee!" So saying, he whirled his sword and dealt a
blow that would have decapitated the varlet, but that the pitying steel
struck short and shaved the queue forever from his crown. At this moment
an arquebusier levelled his piece from a neighboring mound with deadly
aim; but the watchful Minerva, who had just stopped to tie up her
garter, seeing the peril of her favorite hero, sent old Boreas with his
bellows, who as the match descended to the pan gave a blast that blew
the priming from the touch-hole.

Thus waged the fight, when the stout Risingh, surveying the field from
the top of a little ravelin, perceived his troops banged, beaten, and
kicked by the invincible Peter. Drawing his falchion and uttering a
thousand anathemas, he strode down to the scene of combat with some such
thundering strides as Jupiter is said by Hesiod to have taken when he
strode down the spheres to hurl his thunderbolts at the Titans.

When the rival heroes came face to face each made a prodigious start in
the style of a veteran stage champion. Then did they regard each other
for a moment with the bitter aspect of two furious tom-cats on the point
of a clapper-clawing. Then did they throw themselves into one attitude,
then into another striking their swords on the ground first on the right
side, then on the left; at last at it they went with incredible
ferocity. Words cannot tell the prodigies of strength and valor
displayed in this direful encounter--an encounter compared to which the
far-famed battles of Ajax with Hector, of AEneas with Turnus, Orlando
with Rodomont, Guy of Warwick with Colbrand the Dane, or of that
renowned Welsh knight Sir Owen of the mountains with the giant Guylon,
were all gentle sports and holiday recreations. At length the valiant