our her.
Still, in fairy-land wild beasts cannot harm kings' daughters,
provided they are pure, so the lion--the personification of
Courage--not only spares Una, but humbly licks her feet, and
accompanies her as watch-dog when she resumes her journey. They two
soon reach the house of Superstition, an old woman, whose daughter,
Stupidity, loves a robber of churches. When this lover attempts to
visit her secretly by night, he is slain by the lion; whereupon the
two women angrily banish Una. She is therefore again wandering
aimlessly in the forest when Archimago meets her in the guise of the
Red Cross Knight, for he wishes her to believe he is her missing
champion. On perceiving the lion, however, the magician approaches Una
cautiously, but the fair maiden, suspecting no fraud, joyfully runs
to meet him, declaring she has missed him terribly.
They two have not proceeded far before they encounter
Sansloi,--Lawlessness,--brother of the two knights with whom Georgos
recently fought. Anxious to avenge their death, this new-comer boldly
charges at the wearer of the Red Cross. Although terrified at the mere
thought of an encounter, Archimago is forced to lower his lance in
self-defence, but, as he is no expert, he is overthrown at the first
blow. Springing down from his steed, Sansloi sets his foot upon his
fallen foe and tries to remove his helmet so as to deal him a deadly
blow. But no sooner does he behold the crafty lineaments of Archimago
in place of those of the Red Cross Knight, than he contemptuously
abandons his opponent to recover his senses at leisure, and starts off
in pursuit of Una, whose beauty has charmed his lustful eye.
In a vain endeavor to protect his mistress, the lion next loses his
life, and Sansloi, plucking the shrieking Una from her ass, flings her
across his palfrey and rides off into the forest, followed by the
little steed, which is too faithful to forsake its mistress. On
arriving in the depths of the forest, Sansloi dismounts, but Una's
cries attract a company of fauns and satyrs, whose uncanny faces
inspire Sansloi with such terror that he flees, leaving his captive in
their power. Notwithstanding their strange appearance, these wild men
are essentially chivalrous, for they speedily assure Una no harm shall
befall her in their company. In return she instructs them in regard to
virtue and truth, until Sir Satyrane appears, who generously
volunteers to go with her in search of the Red Cross Knig
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