12 "Be well aware," quoth then that Ladie milde, "Least suddaine mischiefe ye too rash provoke: The danger hid, the place unknowne and wilde, Breedes dreadfull doubts: oft fire is without smoke, And perill without show: therefore your hardy stroke, Sir Knight, with-hold, till further tryall made." "Ah Ladie," sayd he, "shame were to revoke The forward footing for an hidden shade: Vertue gives her selfe light through darknesse for to wade." 13 "Yea but," quoth she, "the perill of this place But, full of fire and greedy hardiment, The youthfull Knight could not for ought be staide; But th' other halfe did womans shape retaine, And, as she lay upon the durtie ground, Her huge long taile her den all overspred, Yet was in knots and many boughtes upwound, Pointed with mortall sting: Of her there bred A thousand yong ones, which she dayly fed, Sucking upon her poisnous dugs; each one Of sundrie shapes, yet all ill-favored: Soone as that uncouth light upon them shone, Into her mouth they crept, and suddain all were gone. 14 15 Their dam upstart out of her den effraide, And rushed forth, hurling her hideous taile Ay wont in desert darknes to remaine, 16 Where plain none might her see, nor she see any plaine. די Which when the valiant Elfe perceiv'd, he lept Much daunted with that dint her sence was dazd; With doubled forces high above the ground: Tho, wrapping up her wrethed sterne arownd, That hand or foot to stirr he strove in vaine. 18 God helpe the man so wrapt in Errours endlesse traine! His Lady, sad to see his sore constraint, 19 ye bee; Cride out, "Now, now, Sir Knight, shew what Add faith unto your force, and be not faint; Strangle her, els she sure will strangle thee." That when he heard, in great perplexitie, His gall did grate for griefe and high disdaine; And, knitting all his force, got one hand free, Wherewith he grypt her gorge with so great paine, That soone to loose her wicked bands did her constraine. Therewith she spewd out of her filthie maw A floud of poyson horrible and blacke, With loathly frogs and toades, which eyes did lacke, As when old father Nilus gins to swell With timely pride above the Aegyptian vale, Huge heapes of mudd he leaves, wherin there breed And partly femall, of his fruitful seed; 20 21 Such ugly monstrous shapes elswhere may no man reed. The same so sore annoyed has the Knight, That, wel-nigh choked with the deadly stinke, Whose corage when the Feend perceivd to shrinke, As gentle Shepheard in sweete eventide, When ruddy Phebus gins to welke in west, 22 23 Thus ill bestedd, and fearefull more of shame He raft her hatefull heade without remorse : 24 A streame of cole-black blood forth gushed from her corse. Her scattred brood, soone as their Parent deare 25 They saw so rudely falling to the ground, Groning full deadly all with troublous feare Gathred themselves about her body round, Weening their wonted entrance to have found At her wide mouth; but, being there withstood, They flocked all about her bleeding wound, And sucked up their dying mothers bloud; Making her death their life, and eke her hurt their good. That détestable sight him much amazde, 26 To see th' unkindly Impes, of heaven accurst, His Lady seeing all, that chaunst, from farre, 27 And saide, “ Faire Knight, borne under happie starre, Who see your vanquisht foes before you lye; Well worthie be you of that Armory, Wherein ye have great glory wonne this day, And proov'd your strength on a strong enimie; And henceforth ever wish that like succeed it may!" D Then mounted he upon his Steede againe, And with the Lady backward sought to wend: But still did follow one unto the end, The which at last out of the wood them brought. At length they chaunst to meet upon the way He faire the Knight saluted, louting low, Who faire him quited, as that courteous was; Of straunge adventures, which abroad did pas. '28 29 30 "Ah! my dear Sonne,” quoth he, “how should, alas ! Silly old man, that lives in hidden cell, Bidding his beades all day for his trespas, Tydings of warre and worldly trouble tell? With holy father fits not with such thinges to mell. "But if of daunger, which hereby doth dwell, And homebredd evil ye desire to heare, That wasteth all this countrie farre and neare." 66 Of such," saide he, "I chiefly doe inquere ; And shall thee well rewarde to shew the place, In which that wicked wight his dayes doth weare: That such a cursed creature lives so long a space." 31 |