heir bout
of wrestling they made holes in the ground and they made hillocks on
the ground, and when the day was about to close Mell overthrew the Red
Champion. He left him stark on the ground. Then he took the cord he
had round his waist and he bound the Red Champion--hands and feet,
waist and chest he bound him.

The Cook's son came up to them then. "As you took the red plume and as
you took the silver-studded belt, take the Champion too," said Mell.
Then the Cook's son took the Red Champion, all bound as he was, and
putting him across his shoulders went staggering up the beach and
towards the King's Castle.

VI

Mell the Hen-wife's son sat in the supper-room of the Castle again
that night. The King's daughter, Princess Bright Brow, was there and
she was as white as white rose-leaves and tears were falling down her
cheeks. And when the wine had been drunk out of the cups the King
stood up and called upon the Cook's son to come up to the High Chair
and tell all how he had overthrown and had bound the Red Champion who
would have put a tribute upon the Kingdom. The Cook's son came up to
the High Chair and he told them a story that was wonderful indeed. And
when the story was told the King said "Loose the Red Champion whom you
bound, and when he has knelt here and prayed to us for forgiveness the
King's daughter will take your hands and will marry you." "Look," said
the damsel Sea Swan to Mell the Hen Wife's son, "how the Princess
Bright Brow is pulling the hairs from her head in her grief."

The Red Champion was brought in bound and the Cook's son began to try
to unbind him. But not one knot could he loosen. He tried and he tried
and he broke his nails trying. "This is strange indeed," said the
King, "for it used to be said that whoever bound one could loosen
one."

He tried again and he tried again and not one cord could he loosen
from another. Then the King's daughter Princess Bright Brow looked up.
"How strange it would be," said she, "if it was not the Cook's son who
bound the Red Champion."

Then up the Hall came Mell the Hen-wife's son. He stood over the Red
Champion and he pulled a cord here and he pulled a cord there and in a
minute he was unbound. All in the hall began to murmur "Surely the one
who unloosed him bound him," said many people.

"He is the one who bound me," said the Red Champion, pointing out Mell
the Hen-wife's son, "and besides it was he who cut the red plume off
my cap and who took th