as been given up to it; and when it has her in
its claws it devours her."

"Lady," said Tristan, "make no mock of me, but tell me straight: Can a
man born of woman kill this thing?"

"Fair sir, and gentle," she said, "I cannot say; but this is sure:
Twenty knights and tried have run the venture, because the King of
Ireland has published it that he will give his daughter, Iseult the
Fair, to whomsoever shall kill the beast; but it has devoured them
all."

Tristan left the woman and returning to his ship armed himself in
secret, and it was a fine sight to see so noble a charger and so good
a knight come out from such a merchant-hull: but the haven was empty
of folk, for the dawn had barely broken and none saw him as he rode to
the gate. And hardly had he passed it, when he met suddenly five men
at full gallop flying towards the town. Tristan seized one by his
hair, as he passed, and dragged him over his mount's crupper and held
him fast:

"God save you, my lord," said he, "and whence does the dragon come?"
And when the other had shown him by what road, he let him go.

As the monster neared, he showed the head of a bear and red eyes like
coals of fire and hairy tufted ears; lion's claws, a serpent's tail,
and a griffin's body.

Tristan charged his horse at him so strongly that, though the beast's
mane stood with fright yet he drove at the dragon: his lance struck
its scales and shivered. Then Tristan drew his sword and struck at the
dragon's head, but he did not so much as cut the hide. The beast felt
the blow: with its claws he dragged at the shield and broke it from
the arm; then, his breast unshielded, Tristan used the sword again and
struck so strongly that the air rang all round about: but in vain, for
he could not wound and meanwhile the dragon vomited from his nostrils
two streams of loath-some flames, and Tristan's helm blackened like a
cinder and his horse stumbled and fell down and died; but Tristan
standing on his feet thrust his sword right into the beast's jaws, and
split its heart in two.

Then he cut out the tongue and put it into his hose, but as the poison
came against his flesh the hero fainted and fell in the high grass
that bordered the marsh around.

Now the man he had stopped in flight was the Seneschal of Ireland and
he desired Iseult the Fair: and though he was a coward, he had dared
so far as to return with his companions secretly, and he found the
dragon dead; so he cut off its head and