Chapter IV

Happily they walked on, but ere they had gone far the fay cried, “Now turn you, my love, Jehan!” and after them came a great white bear, his teeth agleam and paws outstretched. Again the good sword flashed in the sun and the bear lay dead on the greensward. Then on and on they fled.

“Turn ye, Jehan, my love,” again cried the fay. And behold, a great green dragon with long scaly body lashed at them, and only after a mighty battle was he chopped into pieces.

Then they went across a wide plain. It was now evening, and so weary and footsore were they, that they fain would have rested, but ere the stars came out a red mist rolled along the ground towards them and the fay cried aloud in fear:

“Now we are lost indeed, for this is the poison flood.”

On they sped toward a forest with the great red waves rolling after them. And where they passed, grasses lay sear and the flowers withered and died. Then cried the nut-brown fay, stretching out her hands towards the tall trees:

“O my woodland folk, save us.” As she spoke they entered the wood and the venomous flood rolled to their feet; but the good tall trees sucked down the flood into their strong roots, and where the vapor rolled, a bright stream sprang up and Goldhair and the fay laved their hot faces in its silvery coolness.

Now did Jehan rejoice for, said he, “Won are all our fights,” but the fay answered him:

“Nay, for the night cometh down and I fall into sleep and thou must carry me as I sleep, and whatever may betide, if you lay me down, you lay me in my grave.”

So Jehan promised to obey her and took her in his arms. There she lay against his breast and slept. The moon came up, round and golden, and peered through the branches on Jehan walking with the sleeping fay in his arms, his naked sword in his hand. By and by, the moon was darkened by great batlike creatures which fluttered about them and gnashed upon him with their sharp teeth; but Jehan waved his sword and called upon the names of St. Gabriel and St. Michael for deliverance, and they flew away shrieking.

Then there sounded a woeful cry. A woman ran towards them with a man following at her heels, a long dagger in his hand.

“Save me! Save me! brave Jehan,” she cried, kneeling at his feet while tears ran down her pallid face, and the man dressed in a sheepskin coat came running quickly with his weapon gleaming in the moonlight.

Now was Jehan hard pressed, for to fight for her life he must lay down his sleeping love and he could not see the woman die. Yet, as he bent to lay the fay on the grass, under an oak, the leaves murmured in his ear, “Beware! Beware!” and making the sign of the cross with his drawn sword in the air Jehan heard a great wail and the two figures disappeared in a puff of smoke. And thus he was free from the enchantment. Then the sleeping fay awoke and slid from his arms to kiss him right roundly. And the sun came up as they climbed the hill above the Land of the Wheaten-shocks, and he saw the smoke from his father’s house. And as they went down the green valley to the town, his kinfolk came running forth to meet him and his bride. And thus entering his home, amid rejoicing, he drew the fay after him, and forgetting all of their trials Jehan the Goldhaired and the nut-brown fay dwelt happy ever afterward.

Transcriber’s Notes

Perceived typographical errors have been silently corrected.

A table of contents has been added.