Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/308

300 so that I may know him." So in very deed they brought him, and when the king saw him he said: "Thou hast a very doughty name. Is it true that thou killest seven with one fisticuff?" "Yes, gracious majesty," quoth he. "Well, then," said the king, "I have a daughter very fair to see, and I will give her thee in marriage if thou killest the boar that does so much damage in this city. Art thou bold enough to do this?" "Yes, your gracious royal majesty." "Well said, but if thou dost not slay him I will have thy head cut off. Now thou wilt go and choose in my armoury the arms which thou preferest."

The next day Don Juan made himself ready with great care, and, choosing the best arms, went forth trembling with fright to where the wild beast was. The beast was fiercer than ever, for for three days he had been unable to find anybody to devour. So Don Juan set himself to think what he should do, and in what way he might be able to slay this beast, though more likely it was that the beast would kill him, or if he escaped he would not be able to escape from the king; moreover, heretofore he had never had in his hands other arms than his shoemaker's tools.

As soon as he was outside the city he entered the wood, and as soon as he got there the boar, who scented human flesh, rushed out of the wood, with bloodshot eyes and bristles sticking up on end, furious with rage and hunger. When Don Juan saw him coming towards him he got into such a fright that not knowing what he was doing he ran back towards the palace, the boar after him blind with fury, and both of them running their best. Don Juan got to the palace, and the thought came into his head of hiding himself behind the street door. The boar running in after him went further on into another court-yard where the guard was. The soldiers, wild with fright, make ready their arms, and all together fired off their muskets and killed [the boar.] As Don Juan was looking on at what was passing, he rushed running out of his hiding-place, and went straight to the king, who also had come forth to inquire what great noise was that in the palace. "What is this, Don Juan?" said he. "What can it be, your irracious royal majesty?—but that not only I wanted to kill the boar,