dred; wherefore, as thou art a rightful
king, have pity on this lady; and as thou art a valiant conqueror, avenge
us and deliver us."

"Alas!" said King Arthur, "this is a great mischief that ye tell of. I had
rather than the best realm I have, that I had rescued that lady ere the
giant laid his hand on her; but tell me now, good fellow, canst thou bring
me where this giant haunteth?"

"Yea, Lord!" replied the man; "lo, yonder, where thou seest two great
fires, there shall thou find him, and more treasure also than is in all
Gaul besides."

Then the king returned to his tent, and, calling Sir Key and Sir Bedwin,
desired them to get horses ready for himself and them, for that after
evensong he would ride a pilgrimage with them alone to St. Michael's
Mount. So in the evening they departed, and rode as fast as they could
till they came near the mount, and there alighted; and the king commanded
the two knights to await him at the hill foot, while he went up alone.

Then he ascended the mountain till he came to a great fire. And there he
found a sorrowful widow wringing her hands and weeping miserably, sitting
by a new-made grave. And saluting her, King Arthur prayed her wherefore
she made such heavy lamentations.

"Sir knight," she said, "speak softly, for yonder is a devil, who, if he
hear thy voice, will come and straightway slay thee. Alas! what dost thou
here? Fifty such men as thou were powerless to resist him. Here lieth dead
my lady, Duchess of Brittany, wife to Sir Hoel, who was the fairest lady
in the world, foully and shamefully slaughtered by that fiend! Beware that
thou go not too nigh, for he hath overcome and vanquished fifteen kings,
and hath made himself a coat of precious stones, embroidered with their
beards; but if thou art hardy, and wilt speak with him, at yonder great
fire he is at supper."

"Well," said King Arthur, "I will accomplish mine errand, for all thy
fearful words;" and so went forth to the crest of the hill, and saw where
the giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge
frame by the fire, while three damsels turned three spits whereon were
spitted, like larks, twelve young children lately born.

[Illustration: The giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and
baking his huge frame by the fire.]

When King Arthur saw all that, his heart bled for sorrow, and he trembled
for rage and indignation; then lifting up his voice he cried aloud--"God,
that wielde