drink. Durin alighted, took the child and laid him at the foot of a tree; but, as his sister was about to alight, they heard the roaring of a lion in the thicket, which frightened both palfreys, and they started off full speed. The Damsel had no command over hers, and expecting to be dashed to pieces among the trees, cried out to God to help her. Durin ran after her, and overtaking her at last caught the reins; but she was in such plight that she could scarcely speak. He took her off, and said, stay here, and I will go on your horse in pursuit of my own. Go for the child first, said she, and bring him to me, lest any thing happen. Hold the reins, then, said he, for if I take the horse I cannot bring him. So he set off afoot, but meantime a marvellous adventure had happened, for the lioness whom you have heard of, and who had roared so loud, went every day to that fountain to get scent of the beasts who drank there; and now, as she was looking about her, she heard the child cry, and went to the foot of a tree, and took him up in her keen teeth by the cloaths, without touching the flesh, for so it pleased God, and carried him to her cubs for food: this was about day-break. But that Lord of the World, who is merciful toward those who implore his mercy, and with the innocent, who have
neither age nor understanding to implore it, helped him in this guise. That holy Nasciano having sung mass, and going to the fountain to refresh himself, for the night had been hot, beheld the lioness with the child in her mouth, and heard him crying with the voice of a new-born babe. Whereat he crossed himself, and said to her, go, evil beast, and leave this creature of God's work, who hath not made him for thee! The lioness came crouching to him, and laid the babe at his feet, and then departed. Nasciano made upon him the sign of the true cross, then took him in his arms, and went towards the hermitage. As he past the cave, he saw the lioness was giving suck to her cubs, and he called to her, saying, I command thee on the part of God, in whose power are all things, to come feed this child like thy own cubs, and to guard him like them. She came and lay down at his feet: the good man placed the infant at her teats, and the child sucked, and thenceforth the lioness came fondly to feed him whenever he cried. The Hermit then sent his nephew, a lad who assisted him at mass, to call his father and mother: they dwelt at the skirts of the forest, but the father was gone from home, and could not come till after ten days, during which time the child was fed by the lioness, and
by a she-goat and a ewe, who gave him suck while the lioness was prowling about.
When Durin came to the foot of the tree, and saw that the child was gone, he was greatly dismayed, and he looked on all sides, and beholding only the track of the lioness, thought that surely she had devoured him. When he told his sister this, she beat her face, and cried out aloud, cursing her fortune and the hour wherein she was born, and in this passionate grief she continued more than two hours. Sister, said Durin, this is of no avail, and great evil may rise from it to your Lady and her friend. At last she saw that he had reason, and she said, what shall we do? We must go to Miraflores, said he, since my palfrey is lost, and stay there three or four days as if some business brought us there, and when we return we must tell Oriana that the child is safe; after she is recovered, you must take counsel with Mabilia what to do. So thus they agreed, and the Damsel put on a good countenance on her return, and told Oriana that the child was taken care of.
In ten days the Hermit's sister and her husband arrived, and he told them by what great chance
he had found the infant, whom God certainly loved because he had so saved him, and he besought them to take charge of him till he could speak, and then bring him to him for instruction; but first, said the good man, I will baptize him. When that dame stript him by the font, she saw the white and red letters on his breast, and shewed them to Nasciano, who greatly marvelled thereat, and reading them he saw that the white ones said, in Latin, Esplandian, and thought that this was to be the child's name; and so he baptized him by that name, Esplandian, whereby he was afterwards so known in the world. But the red letters, though he tried earnestly, he could neither read nor understand. So his nurse took the child home with a good will, deeming that she and her family should one day be well repaid; and she nursed him diligently, as one in whom she had placed her hopes; and when he began to speak, she took him again to her brother, and he was then so comely and well grown a child that all who saw him were delighted.
CHAPTER 4.
Heretofore you have heard how King Lisuarte, having landed in the Isle of Mongaza, found King Arban among the rocks, whom he commanded to raise his camp and join him on the plain. He was now advised that Don Galvanes and his companions had departed from the Boiling Lake, and crossed the mountains, with design to give him battle. Forthwith he went to meet them, heartening his army the best he could, for they had to deal with the best Knights in the world. So far they marched, that they encamped that night upon the banks of a river, a league apart from the enemy. When it was day-break, they all heard mass and armed themselves, and the King ordained his forces into three battalions. Don Galaor had the first of five hundred Knights, with him were his comrade Norandel, and Don Guilan the pensive, and his cousin Ladasin, and Grimeo