imself. But Monsieur de Bayard was much grieved, for, says the
chronicler, he would have given a hundred thousand crowns, if he had had
them, to have made Don Alonzo surrender. Still, he was grateful to God
for having given him the victory, and gave thanks, and, kneeling down,
kissed the earth three times. And after the body of Don Alonzo was
carried from the ground, he said to the second, 'Don Diego, my lord,
have I done enough?' And Don Diego answered sadly, 'Enough and too much,
Senor Bayardo, for the honour of Spain.' 'You know,' said Monsieur de
Bayard, 'that as the victor the body is mine to do as I will, but I
yield it to you; and truly, I would that, my honour satisfied, it had
fallen out otherwise.' So the Spaniards bore away their champion with
sobs and tears, and the French led off the conqueror with shouts of joy,
and the noise of trumpets and clarions, to the tent of Monsieur de la
Palisse, after which Monsieur de Bayard went straight to the church to
give thanks in that he had gained the victory. Thus it happened to the
greater renown of Monsieur de Bayard, who was esteemed not only by the
French, his countrymen, but by the Spaniards of the kingdom of Naples,
to be a peerless knight, who had no equal look where you may.[29]

FOOTNOTE:

[29] Brantome.

_STORY OF GUDBRAND OF THE DALES_[30]

THERE was a man named Gudbrand of the Dales, who was as good as king
over the Dales though he had but the title of duke. He had one son, of
whom this story makes mention. Now when Gudbrand heard that King Olaf
was come to Loa and was compelling men to receive Christianity, he cut
the war-arrow and summoned all the dalesmen to meet him at the village
called Houndthorpe. Thither came they all in countless numbers, for the
lake Logr lies near, and they could come by water as well as by land.

There Gudbrand held an assembly with them, and said: 'There is a man
come to Loa named Olaf; he would fain offer us a faith other than we had
before, and break all our gods in sunder. And he says that he has a God
far greater and mightier. A wonder it is that the earth does not burst
in sunder beneath him who dares to say such things; a wonder that our
gods let him any longer walk thereon. And I expect that if we carry Thor
out of our temple, wherein he stands and hath alway helped us, and he
see Olaf and his men, then will Olaf's God and Olaf himself and all his
men melt away and come to nought.'

At this they all at once