up holding the red plume in
his hand. He told a story of how he had fought with the Red Champion
all the day and how he had beaten him to his boat and how he had made
him take his boat out to sea, and how, as the Champion had sprung into
the boat, he had struck at him and had cut the red plume from his cap.
"And I shall go down the sea-shore to-morrow," said the Cook's son
very bravely, "and if the Red Champion dares come back I shall take
off his head instead of his plume." Then he left the red plume beside
the King's daughter and her father made Bright Brow hold up her
forehead for the Cook's son to kiss. And all in the supper-room
clapped their hands for the Cook's son.

The next day Mell the Hen-wife's son stood outside the Cook-house and
he heard a tremendous rattling within. "That is the Cook's son
preparing to go out to battle," said one of the grooms. "He is
striking the ladles upon the pot-lids to show how fierce he is." Just
as that was being said the Cook's son walked out of the Cook-house. He
looked around him very haughtily. Then he walked away with his big
sword trailing behind him and his breast-plate all to one side. Mell
the Hen-wife's son followed him.

When he came to the sea-shore he stood for a while looking out to sea
with his knees knocking together. Then he went where he had gone the
day before. He climbed into a cave in the face of the cliff and he
drew the bush to the entrance of it so that it was quite hidden.

Mell the Hen-wife's son looked out to sea and he saw the boat that
moved of itself come towards the shore. The Red Champion was in it. He
sprang out on the strand, struck his sword on his shield and made
proclamation: Unless the King of the Land sent a champion who could
overthrow him he would make him pay tribute for his Kingdom.

Then down to meet him came Mell the Hen-wife's son, his sword in his
hand. He and the Red Champion saluted each other and then they fought
together trampling over the beach, making the soft places hard and the
hard places soft with the dint of their trampling. "A good champion,
by my faith you are," said the Red Champion to Mell, when
three-quarters of the day had been spent in fighting. And after that
the Red Champion tried only to guard himself from the thrusts and the
strokes of Mell's sword. He drew away from Mell and towards his boat.
He put his two feet in it and pushed away. "You have the honors of the
day's fight, champion," said he. "I shall hav