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More than a score of thousand gallant knights the fair betrothed accompanied. The good archbishop, who had chanted mass, before the altar joined the happy pair; then to the palace back again they came, and the great feast began. At trumpet sound, Lucas the royal steward, with twenty thousand pages clad in vests of scarlet silk, bearing fine snowy cloths, vases of silver and rich cups of gold, flocked to the hall to furnish forth the boards. Already harps had tinkled, minstrels tried to charm their hearers with the gay romance, when straight into the hall a squire rushed, crying aloud:
“To arms! good lords, to arms; defend your lives!”
“What hast thou seen, good Mend?” King Arthur said.
“O sire, I've seen a bird, a wond'rous bird, which never man of mother born described. He hath a beak at least ten palms in length, and a huge head large as a fisher's boat; his eyes like carbuncles or diamonds shine; and then his feet, good sooth, without a lie they are as big—as big as yonder door. I know not how I did escape his maw; but ne'er methinks was I so near my death.”
“Bring me my arms,” exclaimed the gallant king, “that I may learn whether this squire hath lied.”
Gawain, Sir Jaufry, and Lord Melyan, fain would follow him to help; but he forbade, and thus alone did quit the castle. Scarce had he crossed the bridge, when he beheld this marvellous great bird. He quietly drew nigh, his shield on arm, his sword within his hand. But, spreading its grand wings, the bird escaped a blow full promptly aimed; and by both arms embracing tight the king, rose with its prey full swiftly in the air. Ladies and knights despairingly rushed out, and o'er the country spread with rending cries. The bird still rose; and when in bulk it seemed no bigger than a crane, it then the king let go. The crowd, all breathless, hastened to the spot, where they expected that their king would fall crushed from that dizzy height. Not so! ere that he reached the ground the bird had deftly seized on him again, and to the summit of a lofty tower borne him in ease away. Reposing there a space, with rapid wing it flew towards the wood, wheeled with a graceful flight, then to the palace brought the king again; itself returning to a human shape, that of the fair enchanter, whom Arthur pardoned, as he'd done at Pentecost, the fright his trick had caused. And thus did close the joyous nuptial feast of brave Sir Jaufry and fair Brunissende. The morrow-morn they left the merry court; and all the train, which called Sir Melyan lord, escorted back in triumph to Montbrun that happy pair, meeting upon their way the lady of the pond (she was in fact the fairy of Gibel), who there had come to bless their life and love.
