This evil giant, whom may God confound, is named Harpin
of the Mountain. Not a day passes without his taking all of my
possessions upon which he can lay his hands. No one has a better
right than I to complain, and to be sorrowful, and to make
lament. I might well lose my senses from very grief, for I had
six sons who were knights, fairer than any I knew in the world,
and the giant has taken all six of them. Before my eyes he
killed two of them, and to-morrow he will kill the other four,
unless I find some one who will dare to fight him for the
deliverance of my sons, or unless I consent to surrender my
daughter to him; and he says that when he has her in his
possession he will give her over to be the sport of the vilest
and lewdest fellows in his house, for he would scorn to take her
now for himself. That is the disaster which awaits me to-morrow,
unless the Lord God grant me His aid. So it is no wonder, fair
sir, if we are all in tears. But for your sake we strive for the
moment to assume as cheerful a countenance as we can. For he is
a fool who attracts a gentleman to his presence and then does not
honour him; and you seem to be a very perfect gentleman. Now I
have told you the entire story of our great distress. Neither in
town nor in fortress has the giant left us anything, except what
we have here.
Pages:
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515