I do not relish your
words." Then he spurs across the field toward his adversary, and
they come together. Each seeks out and assails the other. Erec
strikes him with such force that his shield flies from his neck,
and thus he breaks his collar-bone. His stirrups break, and he
falls without the strength to rise again, for he was badly
bruised and wounded. One of the others then appeared, and they
attack each other fiercely. Without difficulty Erec thrusts the
sharp and well forged steel into his neck beneath the chin,
severing thus the bones and nerves. At the back of his neck the
blade protrudes, and the hot red blood flows down on both sides
from the wound. He yields his spirit, and his heart is still.
The third sallies forth from his hiding-place on the other side
of a ford. Straight through the water, on he comes. Erec spurs
forward and meets him before he came out of the water, striking
him so hard that he beats down flat both rider and horse. The
steed lay upon the body long enough to drown him in the stream,
and then struggled until with difficulty he got upon his feet.
Thus he conquered three of them, when the other two thought it
wise to quit the conflict and not to strive with him. In flight
they follow the stream, and Erec after them in hot pursuit, until
he strikes one upon the spine so hard that he throws him forward
upon the saddle-bow.
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