in front of me. After the
supper the vavasor admitted to me that, though he had lodged many an
errant knight, he knew not how long it had been since he had welcomed
one in search of adventure. Then, as a favour, he begged of me to return
by way of his residence, if I could make it possible. So I said to him:
'Right gladly, sire!' for a refusal would have been impolite, and that
was the least I could do for such a host."

(Vv. 269-580.) "That night, indeed, I was well lodged, and as soon as
the morning light appeared, I found my steed ready saddled, as I had
requested the night before; thus my request was carried out. My kind
host and his dear daughter I commended to the Holy Spirit, and, after
taking leave of all, I got away as soon as possible. I had not proceeded
far from my stopping-place when I came to a clearing, where there were
some wild bulls at large; they were fighting among themselves and making
such a dreadful and horrible noise that if the truth be known, I drew
back in fear, for there is no beast so fierce and dangerous as a bull. I
saw sitting upon a stump, with a great club in his hand, a rustic
lout, as black as a mulberry, indescribably big and hideous; indeed,
so passing ugly was the creature that no word of mouth could do him
justice. On drawing near to this fellow, I saw that his head was bigger
than that of a horse or of any other beast; that his hair was in tufts,
leaving his forehead bare for a width of more than two spans; that his
ears were big and mossy, just like those of an elephant; his eyebrows
were heavy and his face was flat; his eyes were those of an owl, and his
nose was like a cat's; his jowls were split like a wolf, and his teeth
were sharp and yellow like a wild boar's; his beard was black and his
whiskers twisted; his chin merged into his chest and his backbone was
long, but twisted and hunched. [35] There he stood, leaning upon his
club and accoutred in a strange garb, consisting not of cotton or wool,
but rather of the hides recently flayed from two bulls or two beeves:
these he wore hanging from his neck. The fellow leaped up straightway
when he saw me drawing near. I do not know whether he was going to
strike me or what he intended to do, but I was prepared to stand him
off, until I saw him stop and stand stock-still upon a tree trunk, where
he stood full seventeen feet in height. Then he gazed at me but spoke
not a word, any more than a beast would have done. And I supposed tha