ng their
enemies!" Meanwhile the man rides off, without waiting for them, and
makes his way rapidly toward a fortress which stood upon a fortified
hill; thither he hastens, till he comes to the gate, while the others
spur after him. The castle was surrounded by a high wall and moat. As
soon as they had got inside, a gate was lowered upon their heels, so
that they could not get out again. Then they say: "Come on, come on!
Let us not stop here!" and they rapidly pursue the man until they reach
another gate which was not closed against them. But as soon as the man
had passed through, a portcullis dropped behind him. Then the others
were much dismayed to see themselves shut in, and they think they must
be bewitched. But he, of whom I have more to tell, wore upon his finger
a ring, whose stone was of such virtue that any one who gazed at it was
freed from the power of enchantment. [415] Holding the ring before his
eyes, he gazed at it, and said: "Lady, lady, so help me God, now I have
great need of your succour!" [416] This lady was a fairy, who had given
it to him, and who had cared for him in his infancy. And he had great
confidence that, wherever he might be, she would aid and succour him.
But after appealing to her and gazing upon the ring, he realises that
there is no enchantment here, but that they are actually shut in and
confined. Then they come to the barred door of a low and narrow postern
gate. Drawing their swords, they all strike it with such violence that
they cut the bar. As soon as they were outside the tower, they see that
a fierce strife was already begun down in the meadows, and that there
are at least a thousand knights engaged, beside the low-bred infantry.
While they were descending to the plain, the wise and moderate son of
the vavasor remarked: "Sire, before we arrive upon the field, it would
be wise for us, it seems to me, to find out and learn on which side our
people are. I do not know where they are placed, but I will go and
find out, if you wish it so." "I wish you would do so," he replies,
"go quickly, and do not fail to come back again at once." He goes and
returns at once, saying: "It has turned out well for us, for I have
plainly seen that these are our troops on this side of the field." Then
the knight at once rode into the fight and jousted with a knight who
was approaching him, striking him in the eye with such violence that he
knocked him lifeless to the ground. Then the lad dismounts, and