earing his golden crown on his head; for he
wished the goodly assemblage to know how priceless a service the young
man had done him. Nay, he too thought, like his people, that there was
only one boon that the youth could fitly crave.

When he was seated on his throne, he signed to the chevalier to draw
near.

'And what is the reward that I shall give you?' he asked with a smile as
the young man knelt before him.

'O mighty sultan, grant me this, that with the sword which slew your
enemy you will make me a knight'; then he paused and grew red, as a
cloud came over the sultan's brow.

'By all the rules of chivalry----' But the sultan's words were drowned
by a tumult in the hall, and pushing her way between the crowds came a
richly clad maiden, closely pursued by a huge black king.

'Save me!' she cried, looking wildly on the company of knights that
stood round. 'I am the daughter of as mighty a monarch as you, and was
carried off from my father's island by this black man whom you see
before you. One grace he has given me, that for the space of a year I
may wander where I will, seeking a knight to be my champion. But,
despite their mighty names, not one has ever managed to pierce his
armour.'

And again she looked on the knights, but not a man stirred from his
place.

Then the chevalier rose to his feet and spoke out boldly.

'Make _me_ a knight, O sultan, and _I_ will fight this man who is feared
by all the world! Oh, I know what you would say, that I am yet too young
to bear the weight which has sometimes proved too heavy for many a
goodly knight. But, if my years are few, my deeds have proved that I am
no whit behind the doughtiest knight of your court. So grant me my boon
or this day I will leave you for ever.'

'Be it so,' answered the sultan at last, 'though I would rather have
given you the half of my kingdom or the hand of my daughter. But watch
this night beside your arms in the temple, and to-morrow you shall be
admitted into the order of chivalry.'

* * * * *

Now the sultan had a brother named Lyrgander, who was wise in every kind
of enchantment, and, though he was at this time in a far country, he
learned by means of his arts what strange things were happening at the
court of Babylon. Without losing a moment he went to the room where his
treasures were kept, and opened a large chest, from which he took two
suits of armour. One, which was all white, he meant for the