the Saracen plucked at her robe to stop her.

Now when the lion, her fierce servant, saw that Paynim knight lay hands
on his sovereign lady, he sprang on him with gaping jaws, and almost
tore the shield from his arm. But the knight leapt swiftly back, and
swinging his sword plunged it into the heart of the faithful creature,
who rolled over and died amidst the tears of his mistress.

After which the knight set Una on his steed before him and bore her
away.

[Spenser's _Faerie Queene_.]

HOW THE RED CROSS KNIGHT SLEW THE DRAGON

While Una was riding through forest and over plains, with her faithful
lion for her guard, the knight whom she sought had given himself over
into the care of Duessa (for such was the name of Sansfoy's companion),
by whom he was led to the gates of a splendid palace. The broad road up
to it was worn by the feet of hosts of travellers; but though many
peeped through the doors few returned. As the knight stood aside and
watched, all manner of strange people passed before him, though none
spoke. At length a man, but newly issued from the palace, and bearing a
shield with the words 'Sans joy' written across it, stopped suddenly in
front of the knight's page, then snatched from his arm a shield like his
own, bearing the name 'Sansfoy.' The page, overcome by the quickness of
the action, did not resist, but a blow on the helmet from the Red Cross
Knight made Sansjoy stagger where he stood.

The fight was fierce, and no one could tell with whom the victory lay
till the queen of that place came by, and bade them cease their
brawling, for on the morrow they should meet in the lists.

But the battle next day went against the Paynim, in spite of the
presence of the queen and the counsel of the false Duessa. Short would
have been his shrift had not thick darkness fallen about him, and when
the Red Cross Knight cried to him to begin the fray afresh, only silence
answered him.

Then the false Duessa, ever wont to take the side of him who wins,
hurried up to him, and whispered, as she had whispered to Sansjoy, 'The
conquest yours, I yours, the shield and glory yours;' but the knight did
not heed her, for his eye was ever bent on the wall of thick darkness
which shut in his foe. Indeed, so busy were his thoughts that he never
knew that blood was streaming from his wounds, till the queen ordered
him to be carried into the palace, and ointments to be laid on his body.

As was her custom, Duessa ta