ay find thee friends.'

And the troll, whose name was Decet, held towards him a blue stone upon
a silver string. The stone burned with the dazzling blue of the
lightning flash, when the light caught it.

Sir Owen thanked him, put the string about his neck, and stood watching
the troll as he limped, faint and wounded, into the mound that was his
home.

Then, picking up his lance, Sir Owen mounted his horse, and rode
forward through the wood, thinking of this strange adventure.

When he reached the fountain where a silver cup hung by a silver chain,
he filled the cup with water, as the troll had bidden him, and threw it
over a pillar of stone that was set beside the fountain. And instantly
there came a clap of thunder as if the earth would dash asunder, and
after the thunder came the shower, and so fierce and heavy were the
hailstones that they would surely have slain horse and rider, but that
Sir Owen, as the troll had bidden him, had put his horse's forefeet in
the fountain, and kept his own hand therein, whereby the hailstones
became thin rain before they touched him.

Then the sky became bright, and the flock of birds descended on the
tree and began to sing. But Sir Owen heeded them not, but mounted his
horse, dressed his shield and lance, and prepared for the combat.

There came a mourning cry through the wood, and a sky-blue knight on a
high-stepping destrier dashed through the trees towards Sir Owen, and
came against him, lance in rest. Whereupon Sir Owen put spurs to his
horse, and furiously rode against the knight. At the first onset each
broke his lance; whereat they drew their swords and lashed at each
other most fiercely.

Sir Owen feinted, and then, quickly recovering, he smote the other so
hard and stern a blow that the blade bit through headpiece, skin and
bone, until it wounded the brain itself.

Then, with a great cry, the blue knight wheeled his horse and fled,
with Sir Owen in pursuit. But the other knight's horse was fleeter, and
Sir Owen could not overtake him, though he kept within a few yards.

In a little while a great castle, resplendent with new stone, shone
before them. The wounded knight thundered across the drawbridge, with
Owen close behind him; but when the blue knight gained the street
beyond, the portcullis was let fall with a rush. Sir Owen fell from his
horse, and looking round he found that the horse had been cut in twain
by the gate.

So that Sir Owen found himself, with th