attendants, pursued the distressed damsel, riding through thick and
thin until they came to cross-roads. Not knowing which path the
fugitive had chosen, our heroes decided to part and ride along
separate ways. Thus, it was Prince Arthur who first caught a glimpse
of the fugitive, who still kept glancing backward as if afraid; but,
although he spurred on as fast as possible, he was not able to
overtake her, and had to pause at nightfall to rest. On resuming his
quest on the morrow, he soon encountered a dwarf, who reported he was
the servant of Lady Florimell, who had fled from court five days ago
on hearing a rumor that her lover, Marinell, was slain. The poor
damsel, while in quest of her lover, had been seen and pursued by an
ill-favored forester, and the dwarf feared some harm might have
befallen her. To comfort this faithful henchman, Prince Arthur
promised to go with him and rescue the unhappy damsel.

Meantime, undaunted by darkness, Florimell had ridden on until her
weary steed paused before a hut deep in the woods. There she
dismounted and humbly begged the old witch who lived there to give her
some food. Moved by the distress of the stranger, the sorceress bade
her dry her garments at her fire, and while the lady was sitting there
the witch's son, a lazy worthless fellow, suddenly entered. To see
Florimell was to love her, so the uncouth rustic immediately began to
court her with fruits and flowers which he sought in the forest.
Fearing lest he should molest her finally, Florimell escaped from the
hut on her palfrey, which she found in the witch's stable.

On awakening on the morrow to find their fair visitor gone, the witch
and her son were in such despair that they let loose a wild beast,
which they owned, bidding him track the missing girl. Before long,
therefore, poor Florimell heard this monster crashing through the