CHAPTER 10.
The Green Sword Knight sailed with his company toward Constantinople, as you have heard, but suddenly the wind changed, and the sea became so high, that neither the strength of the ship nor the skill of the mariners could withstand it, and they were all in great peril of death. Eight days they drove about not knowing whither they went, the rain falling so heavy and the wind so violent, and the heaven so dark, that they, drenched in water, and unable to rest, despaired of their lives. At length the vessel was driven ashore, it was night, and they were all greatly comforted as men who had escaped from death to life, but when morning brake the mariners saw they were upon the Devil's Island, and began to beat their faces and lament that they were fallen into a worse danger than theyhad escaped, and they came to the Knight of the Green Sword in this guise without telling him more. He enquired wherefore they were so terrified. O Knight, said they, we have not power to tell you the cause is so great; let Master Helisabad speak! he knows why this is called the Devil's Island. The Knight then encouraged the Master, who was in no less fear than they, and he at length shaking all over and faltering in his speech, in great seriousness and fear said, You must know Sir Knight that a Giant called Bandaguido was lord of this Island, and he was so mighty that he made all the neighbouring Giants tributary. Now he had to wife a Giantess who was gentle and well disposed, who, when her husband was slaying and destroying the christians, always, as far as she could, took pity and relieved them. By this Dame Bandaguido had one daughter, so adorned by nature that in all the world there could not be found one of her rank and blood to equal her in beauty; but as great beauty is soon joined with vanity, and vanity with sin, this Damsel seeing herself so worthy to be loved, and that none for fear of her father durst pretend to her, at last as a remedy took to loving her own father with a most foul and shameful love, so that often when the wife had risen from her husband's side the daughterwould lay down by him sporting with him, and clipping and kissing him, which he at first received as caresses of a daughter, but at length by long continuance of this, and her great beauty, and the want of all conscience and virtue in him, she accomplished her wicked[184:A]will. From this great and abominable sin a worse arose, as often happens when men seek to remedy one sin by committing another, not knowing that the physic for sin is repentance, which obtains pardon from that Most High Lord, who for such sins placed himself upon the cross, whereon he died as very man and afterwards rose again as very God. For this unhappy Giant and his daughter, being thus mutually enamoured, he was told by the false idols whom heworshipped, that if he married her, the fiercest and strongest thing in the world should be by them begotten. Wherefore that unhappy daughter determined to bring this to pass, and one day when her mother, who loved her better than herself, was walking in the garden this daughter called to her, saying that she saw something odd in the well and bade her look, and as she was looking, violently pushed her in so that she was drowned. Then she cried out that her mother had fallen into the well, whereupon the Giant himself, who knew how it had been done, and all the men of the place gathered round, and they seeing their Lady dead whom they loved so well began to make great sorrow. But the Giant said, make no lamentation for so the Gods have willed, and I will take one to wife from whom such a one shall be born as will give us the mastery over all our enemies; so they were all silent for fear, and he that day publicly took his daughter Bandaguida to wife, upon whom in that unhappy night a creature was begotten by the Devil's ordinance, whom she and her husband-father brought up as you shall hear. This creature's face was all hairy and its body covered with scales, one lying over the other so hard that no weapon can pierce them; its legs and feet thick and strong, and from its shoulders there grew two wings solarge that they cover it down to the feet, not of feathers but of a shaggy leather, black as pitch and shining, and so hard that they resist all arms, and with these wings the monster covers itself as with a shield, and from under them come its arms which are as strong as Lion's paws, all covered with smaller scales, and its hands are like eagle's claws, and their five talons so sharp and strong that there is nothing in the world so hard that they cannot pierce and tear it piece-meal. In each jaw it has two long teeth that grow out a cubit long, its eyes are round and huge and red like fire, so that at night they can be seen far away, and all fly before it. It bounds and runs so fast that no game, how fleet soever, can escape; it seldom eats or drinks, and sometimes goes without food feeling no pain of hunger; all its delight is to kill men and living animals. When it finds any Lion or Bear who resists it, then it grows furious, and sends a smoke like flames of fire from its nostrils, and roars so horribly that all living things fly from it as from death, and its stench is rank poison, and when it ruffles its scales, and gnashes its teeth, and shakes its wings, it is as if the earth shook. They call it Endriago, said Master Helisabad, and it is such as I have described; moreover because of the sin of the Giant and his daughter thewicked enemy entered it and hath greatly increased its force and cruelty.
Much was the Green Sword Knight astonished at this tale. Master, quoth he, how could a thing so monstrous be born of body of woman? I will tell you, he replied, as I found it written in a book which the Emperor of Constantinople hath, for this island was his till he lost it, not being able to destroy this Devil. You are to know that Bandaguida, finding herself pregnant told the Giant, who greatly rejoiced thereat, believing that what his Gods had told him would assuredly come to pass, and he said that three or four nurses would be necessary for the child as it was to be the strongest creature in the world; but as this unborn creature was the work of the Devil it oftentimes made the mother fall sick, and her face and eyes became yellow like poison, but she bore it all as good signs, believing also that the boy was to be the mightiest in the world, and if he should prove so she would then devise how to murder the father and marry him in his stead. When her time came she brought forth with little travail, for evil things alway go on pleasantly till the end. The nurses took the babe, and seeing a thing so monstrous were fearfully dismayed; however fearing theGiant's anger they took and swathed it in the rich cloaths which had been prepared, and one of them having more hardiness than the other offered it the teat, which it caught and sucked so furiously that the woman screamed out, and when they took the child away, fell down dead with the force of the poison. This was presently told to the Giant, who then looking at his child marvelled to behold so monstrous a creature, and went to the temple to ask his Gods why they had given him such issue. These Idols were three in number, the one like a man, the other as a lion, the third after the manner of a griffin. So when he had made his sacrifices he asked why they had sent him such a child, and the man-idol answered, so it behoved the child to be, that as its actions were to be strange and marvellous so should itself be, especially for destroying the christians who seek to destroy us, and for this I gave it my likeness, in giving it a free will like man, which the beasts possess not. The other Idol answered, I gifted it with a strength and courage such as we Lions possess, and the third said, I gave it wings and talons such as no other creature in the world hath, and fleetness beyond all others. How shall I feed it, said the Giant, seeing that the nurse who suckled it fell down dead? they answered, makethe other two nurses give it the teat and they will die also, but the fourth shall suckle it with milk of your flocks for a year, and in that time it shall wax as great and as fair as we ourselves are who have made it be begotten, but take heed that neither thou nor thy wife, nor any other except the nurse, see it during that year. The Giant accordingly did as these Idols commanded, and in this wise was the monstrous beast brought up. When the year was past the Giant, who understood from the nurse that it was grown monstrous great, and who heard its strong and terrible voice, resolved with his daughter, who was his wife, to go see it; so they entered the chamber where it was bounding about, but the monster, as soon as it beheld its mother, leaped at her and with its claws cut her nostrils open, and tore out her eyes, so that she dropt down dead. The Giant drew his sword to slay it but it gave him such a wound on the leg as tore it off and he fell and died speedily, then it leapt over him, and having poisoned all the people in the Castle with its breath, took to wing and fled among the mountains. It was not long before the Island was dispeopled, they who could, flying by sea, and the rest being by it slain, and thus hath it remained for forty years.
Great things hast thou told me Master! quoth the Knight of the Green Sword, and the Lord our God is of long suffering with those who offend him, but if they do not amend at last the judgment waxeth heavier like the sin. Now I beseech you say mass betimes, for I will go see this Island, and if it please God to assist me, restore it to his service. The remaining part of the night the mariners passed in great fear, as well of the sea, which was still raging, as of the Endriago, thinking that it would come upon them from a Castle hard at hand where it sometimes lodged. At morning the Master sung mass, and the Knight having humbly heard it besought God to help him in this great danger which he undertook for his sake, or if it was his pleasure that he should then meet his death, to have mercy upon his soul. Then he armed himself and made his horse be landed, and took Gandalin with him, saying to the sailors, friends, I will go into yonder Castle, and if I find the Endriago there I will fight it, and if not will see if the Castle be in such state that you can lodge in it till the weather be abated, and I will then seek this beast among the mountains; if I escape from it I will return to you, if I do not come back do ye as ye shall think best. At this were they all sorely dismayed, for they, even where theywere, could not endure the fear of the Endriago, and Master Helisabad, who was a man of learning and a priest of the mass, dissuaded him all he could, saying that such things were against the nature of man, and that he ought to give up the thought lest he should fall into the guilt of self-murder; but the Knight of the Green Sword replied, that if he entertained any thought like that he must have given up the quest of adventures altogether, it became him to kill this monster or die in the enterprize. Then he saw that Gandalin, while he was thus talking, had armed himself to assist him, and was on horseback lamenting greatly; and he said to him, who has told thee to do this thing? disarm thyself! for if thou dost thus to serve and help me, that is not to be done by losing thy own life, but by preserving it that thou mayest relate the manner of my death in that place from whence chiefly I receive it. So making him disarm he went with him to the Castle.
He found the Castle desolate, none but birds having their home therein, but there were good dwellings there, albeit somewhat ruinous, and the doors had chains and bars wherewith the men might secure themselves; at this being full glad he bade Gandalin call them, and they, though ingreat fear of the Endriago, went into the Castle, for the storm still continued. Good friends, then said the Knight, I shall go seek the Endriago, if it falls out well, Gandalin shall wind his horn, and then be ye assured that the beast is dead and I living; if the chance be against me there will be no need to make any sign; do ye therefore bring food from the galley to last ye till the storm abates, and secure yourselves here. Then the Knight of the Green Sword departed leaving them all lamenting, but the lamentations and bitter grief of Ardian the Dwarf cannot be expressed, he tore his hair and beat his face, and dashed his head against the wall calling himself wretched, that his fortune had made him serve such a master, for he had been a thousand times brought to the point of death in beholding his feats, and now he was about to attempt what the Emperor of Constantinople with all his power could not effect! so he went up upon the walls like one out of his senses and looked after his master. Master Helisabad made an altar be erected and placed the relics there which he had brought to enable him to say mass, and made all the men take each a wax taper in his hand, and kneel round the altar and pray to God to preserve that Knight, who for his service and their sakes, knowingly exposed himself to death.
But the Green Sword Knight rode on and Gandalin followed him weeping, for sure he thought that his Master's days would this day have their end. The Knight turned to him—my good brother hast thou so little faith in God and in the sight of my Lady Oriana, that thou despairest thus? Not only is her recollection present to me now but her very person, and I see her beholding me and telling me to defend her from this foul monster. What then my true friend ought I to do? for her life and death are mine, and the bare memory of her has made me go through all that I have yet performed, how then will this actual vision enable me? and with these thoughts his courage was so kindled that he thought he was long in finding the Endriago. By this he came to a valley in the mountain, a wild and craggy and deep place. Shout Gandalin, said he, that the Endriago may hear thee, and if I should die here I pray thee endeavour to carry to my Lady Oriana that which is entirely her own—my heart, and tell her I sent it to her that I might not have to give account to God for retaining that which was another's. When Gandalin heard this he not only called out aloud but began to shriek and tear his hair, hoping to die himself before he saw the death of his Master, whom he loved so dearly, and it was nothingbefore they saw the Endriago come bounding over the rocks, but fiercer and more terrible than ever; and the reason was, that the Devils seeing how this Knight put more trust in his Mistress Oriana than in God had power thereby to enter it and make it more terrible than before, thinking that if that Knight perished there would be none other so bold as to attack this monster.
The Endriago came on breathing smoke and flames of fire in its fury, and gnashing its teeth and foaming, and ruffling its scales and clapping its wings that it was horrible to see it, and when the Knight saw it and heard its dreadful voice he thought all that had been told him was nothing to what the truth was, and the monster bounded towards them more eagerly because it was long since it had seen living man. But the horses took fright at seeing it and ran away in spite of all the Knight and Gandalin could do, so the Knight dismounted and said, brother, keep you aloof that we may not both perish, and see what success God will give me against this dreadful Devil, and pray to him to help me that I may restore this Island to his service, or if I am to die here to have mercy upon my soul; for the rest do as I have said before. But Gandalin could not answer for exceeding agony, forassuredly he thought his Master's death was certain, unless it pleased God miraculously to deliver him. The Green Sword Knight then took his lance and covered himself with his shield, and went against the Endriago as a man already dead but without fear. The Devil seeing him come on snorted out fire and smoke so black and thick that they could scarcely see one another, and he of the Green Sword went on through the smoke and drove at the monster with his lance, and by great good fortune pierced it in the eye; it caught the lance with its talons and bit it into pieces, and the iron and a fragment of the stave remained driven on through its tongue and the skin of the throat, for it had sprung on upon it thinking to seize the Knight but he defended himself with good heart seeing his exceeding peril, and the shock of this wound repelled the monster, and the blood ran fast, and with the shrieks it gave it ran down its throat and almost choaked it, so that it could neither close its mouth nor bite with it, the Knight then drew his Green Sword and struck at it, but the blow fell upon its scales, and felt as though it had fallen upon a rock and it made no impression; the Endriago thought then to grasp him, but only caught his shield which it plucked so fiercely that he fell upon his hands, but he recovered whilewith its talons the monster rent the shield to pieces. He then seeing that his shield was gone, and that his good sword availed him nothing, knew that he had no hope unless he could strike the other eye. Now the Endriago was faint and weak with its wound, and our Lord having wrath that the wicked one had so long had the dominion over those who, sinners as they were, believed his holy catholick faith, was pleased to give the Knight strength and especial grace to perform what else could not by course of nature have been done. He aimed his sword at the other eye but God guided it to one of the nostrils, for they were large and spreading, and so hard he thrust that it reached the brain, the Endriago itself forcing it on, for seeing him so near it grappled with him and plucked him towards itself, and with its dreadful talon rent away the arms from his back, and crushed the flesh and bones to the very entrails, but then being suffocated with its own blood, and the sword being in its brain, and above all the sentence of God being passed upon it, its grasp relaxed and it fell like one dead, and the Knight plucked out his sword and thrust it down its throat till he killed the monster.
But before its soul departed the Devil flew fromits mouth and went through the air with a great thunder-clap, and they of the Castle heard it as if close to them, and, though barred and bolted in as they were, they feared greatly for their lives, and if the sea had not been so stormy they would have run to their ships, howbeit they prayed earnestly to God for the good Knight who was engaged in so terrible a battle. Now he, when the Endriago was dead, drew back and went toward Gandalin, but he could not bear his wound longer and reeled and fell beside a little brook. When Gandalin came up and saw how he was wounded he verily believed him slain, and fell from his horse and began to tear his hair and shriek; the Knight at this somewhat recovered and said, Good brother and my true friend you see I am slain; I beseech you, by the fostering I received from your parents, and by the true love which I have ever borne you, that so soon as I be dead you take my heart to my Lady Oriana, and tell her to preserve it for his sake whose it was, for in so doing my soul will receive comfort! this was all he could say; Gandalin did not stay to answer but went to horse and galloped as fast as he could, and coming on the hill-top he wound his horn as loud as he could wind it, in token that the Endriago was dead; that sound Ardian the Dwarf, who was on the tower, heard, and hecried out to Master Helisabad to go help his Master for the monster was slain. He took what was needful and mounted and galloped that way, where presently he met Gandalin who cried, for God's sake help my Master! the Endriago is dead. Right joyfully did he spur onward, not knowing in what plight the Knight was, whom he found senseless and giving pitiful groans. How now Sir Knight? quoth he, where is your great courage gone now when you so need it? fear not, for here am I your good friend and true servant Master Helisabad to help you! the Knight heard him and opened his eyes and raised his arm as if to embrace him. Then the Master took off his cloak and spread it on the ground and he and Gandalin laid the Knight upon it, and disarmed him; but when the Master saw the wound, though he was the best in the world for such needs, and had seen so many cruel wounds before, he was dismayed and feared for his life; however he resolved to do his best, as one who loved him as the best Knight in the world, and looking more closely he found that the flesh and bones only had suffered, but that the entrails were unhurt. At this he had greater hope, and he set the bones and ribs and sewed up the flesh, and placed such salves and bandaged the whole body so well that the blood was staunched,and the breath did not come through the wound, so that the Knight recovered strength to speak, and opening his eyes said, O Lord God Almighty, who for thy great mercy didst come into the world and take flesh of the Virgin Mary; and to open the gates of paradise which were shut, didst suffer so many injuries and death at last from that cursed and unhappy race, I beseech thee, Lord, as one of the vilest of sinners, to have mercy upon my soul, for my body is condemned to the earth! Sir Knight, quoth the Master, it pleases me to hear you, for remedy must come from him of whom you ask it in the first place, and in the second from me who am his servant; fear not, for on my life I will answer for yours! then he took a sponge that was steeped in a confection good against the poison, and placed it at his nostrils whereby he greatly recovered, and Gandalin knelt down and kissed the Master's hand beseeching him to save his Lord. He then bade Gandalin ride in speed to the Castle and bring men and a litter to convey the Knight there before the night-fall. Away rode Gandalin, and they made a litter the best they could with boughs and carried the Green Sword Knight thereon upon their shoulders to the Castle, and made for him a bed as well as they could with the rich linen which Grasinda had sent aboard, buthe was senseless and knew not what they did, and groaned all night with the torment of his wounds, and had no power to speak. The Master had his own bed placed by him to comfort him, and from time to time applied such excellent and fitting medicines to draw out the poison of the Endriago that by day-break he brought him to a sweet sleep, such good things did he administer, and he ordered all the men to withdraw that no noise might be made to awaken him. After a long sleep the Knight started and cried out aloud, Gandalin! Gandalin! take care of thyself or that foul Devil will slay thee! The Master went immediately to him smiling, and with a better face than heart, for he still feared for his life; if you took care of yourself as he does Sir, quoth he, your renown would not have spread so over the world. But then he knew the Master and said, where are we? for he was yet beside himself. That day the Master displayed his skill so well, as being naturally the best leech in the world, that by vespers the Knight was in his full senses, and knew all around him, and the Master then saw by the appearance of the wounds, that through his great cunning, and above all by the great mercy of God, his life was safe. When the men heard this they gave thanks to God with exceeding joy, but aboveall was the joy of Gandalin and the Dwarf, who loved him from their inmost hearts. They then all came round Gandalin beseeching him to tell of the battle how it had passed, that they might be able to relate the manner of so rare a feat of chivalry; this Gandalin said he would willingly do, on condition that the Master would first administer an oath to him upon the holy Gospels, that they might believe the truth of what he should say and faithfully commit it to writing, that the remembrance of so signal an atchievement might not be lost. Master Helisabad then administered the oath that the thing might be certainly believed, and Gandalin recounted all the circumstances of the battle. When he had finished they said they would all go and see the Endriago, for when they removed the Knight they had not thought of looking for it in the thicket where it had fallen. So the Master gave them all certain confections good against the poison, but when they saw the monster they were more than ever astonished and could scarcely believe that heart of mortal man could have courage to attack such a Devil's work. Twenty days the Knight remained in that Castle not being able to leave his bed, at length Master Helisabad thinking him enough recovered to be removed on board, asked him whither he would go,for some things were necessary for his full recovery which could not there be procured. Oh my true friend, said the Knight, what guerdon can I make you for the great service you have done me, being only a poor Knight with nothing but a horse and these broken arms! Sir, replied the Master, I expect greater guerdon from you than King or great Lord could give me, the succour that so many distressed ones will receive from you, whereof I under God shall have been the cause! The Knight was abashed to hear himself thus praised. Since the weather is changed, said he, let us proceed to Constantinople; great desire have I to see that great Emperor, that if it please God that I should ever return there where my heart desires, I may have strange things to relate, such as can only be seen in such places.
FOOTNOTES:
[184:A]De donde devemos tomar enxemplo que ningun hombre en esta vida tenga tanta confiança de si mesmo, que dexe de esquivar y apartar la conversacion, y contratacion, no no solamente de las parientas y hermanas, mas de sus proprias hijas, porque esta mala passion venida en el estremo de su natural encendimiento, pocas vezes el juyzio, la conciencia, el temor, son bastantes de le poner tal freno con que la retraer puedan. The moralization is more loathsome than the story.
[184:A]De donde devemos tomar enxemplo que ningun hombre en esta vida tenga tanta confiança de si mesmo, que dexe de esquivar y apartar la conversacion, y contratacion, no no solamente de las parientas y hermanas, mas de sus proprias hijas, porque esta mala passion venida en el estremo de su natural encendimiento, pocas vezes el juyzio, la conciencia, el temor, son bastantes de le poner tal freno con que la retraer puedan. The moralization is more loathsome than the story.