Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/333

 of the Round Table. 293

from the arm of one of the new knights of Askalot, and I think that it is a foreign knight." Borz entered the battle and began to smite knights, and to throw them down right and left, as if they were all sheep ; he went round cleaving heads and helmets with one stroke, and when his spear broke he drew his sword and did mighty deeds. At last he saw Lang, and singled him out for his victim, for he did not recognize him. So he turned his heavy thick spear on Lane, and struck him with great force, so that he split his shield and his coat of mail and pierced his side, inflicting on him a very grievous wound. And he pressed him so hard with the spear that he bore down the horse and its rider. The blood was flowing profusely, reddening his armour. The spear of Borz broke. Lang as a valiant knight did not remain on the ground, nor did he care for his wound, but mounted his horse again, and, full of wrath and anger at his wound and fall, he exclaimed with a loud voice, — " The knight who has felled me to the ground is, by my head, no young man, for amongst thousands I have not yet found one man who has put me to shame, but this one has surely never done in his life anything for which he was so quickly punished as he will be now."

32. He immediately snatched a strong spear from a saidier, and turned his steed to Borz. When the knights saw that the princes of knights were going to fight, they withdrew and left them a large space, the better to fight, and they said, — "We shall now behold the fight of the two greatest knights in the world, for both are doing mighty deeds, and the one who will win now will surely carry off the honour of being the first at this tournament." Lane sat himself firmly on his horse, and struck Borz with great force and with great anger and wrath ; so powerful was the blow that he broke the saddle-strap.s, and Borz fell to the ground, whilst his horse ran into the field. Galwan said to the King, — " What dost thou