orm it or die."

"Fie on you, kitchen knave! you would not dare, for all the broth you
ever supped, to look the red knight in the face."

"Would I not? That is to be seen."

As they thus angrily debated, there came to them a man flying at full
speed.

"Help me, sir knight!" he cried. "Six thieves have taken my lord and
bound him, and I fear they will slay him if he be not rescued."

"Lead me to him," said Beaumains.

He followed the man to a neighboring glade, where he saw a knight bound
and prostrate, surrounded by six sorry-looking villains. At sight of
this the heart of Beaumains leaped with anger. With a ringing battle-cry
he rushed upon the knaves, and with three vigorous strokes laid three of
them dead upon the earth. The others fled, but he followed at full
speed, and quickly overtook them. Then they turned and assailed him
fiercely, but after a short fight he slew them all. He then rode back to
the knight, whom his man had unbound.

The rescued knight thanked him warmly, and begged him to ride with him
to his castle, where he would reward him for his great service. But
Beaumains answered that he was upon a quest which could not be left, and
as for reward he would leave that to God.

Then he turned and rode back to the damsel, who greeted him with the
same contempt as before, bidding him ride farther from her, as she could
not bear the smell of the kitchen.

"Do you fancy that I esteem you any the nobler for having killed a few
churls? You shall see a sight yet, sir knave, that will make you turn
your back, and that quickly."

Not much farther had they ridden when they were overtaken by the rescued
knight, who begged them, as it was near night, and his castle close at
hand, to spend the night there. The damsel agreed to this, and they rode
together to the castle, where they were well entertained.

But at supper the knight set Beaumains before the damsel.

"Fie, fie! sir knight," she exclaimed. "This is discourteous, to seat a
kitchen page before a lady of high birth. This fellow is more used to
carve swine than to sit at lords' tables."

To this Beaumains made no answer, but the knight was ashamed, and
withdrew with his guest to a side table, leaving her to the honor of the
high table alone. When morning came they thanked the knight for their
entertainment, and rode refreshed away.

Other adventures were ready for Beaumains before they had ridden far,
for they soon found themselves at the side of