CHAP. 21.-How Gerames went with Huon and his companie, and so came into the wood, whereas they found king Oberon, who conjured them to speake unto him.

When Huon had well heard Gerames, how he was minded to goe along with him, hee was thereof right joyfull, and thanked him of his courtesy and service, and gave him a goodly horse, whereon he mounted, and so road foorth together so long that they came into the wood whereas king Oberon haunted most. Then Huon, who was wearie of travaile, and what for famine and for heate, the which he and his companie had endured two dayes without bread or meat, so that he was so feeble that he could ride no further, and then he began pityously to weepe, and complayned of the great wronge that kinge Charlemaine had done unto him; and then Garyn and Gerames comforted him, and had great pitie of him, and they knew well by the reason of his youth, hunger oppressed him more then it did to them of greater age. Then they alighted under a great oake, to the entent to search for some fruit to eate. They glad thereof, let their horses goe to pasture.

When they were thus alighted, the dwarfe of the fayry kinge Oberon came ryding by, and had on a gowne so rich that it were marvaile to recount the riches and fashion thereof, and it was so garnished with precious stones, that the clearnesse of them shined like the sonne. Also he had a goodlie bow in his hand, so rich that it could not be esteemed, and his arrowes after the same sort; and they were of such a nature or qualitie, that any beast in the world that he would wish for, the arrowe would arrest him. Also he had about his necke a rich horne hanging by two laces of gold. The horne was so rich and faire that there was never seene any such. It was made by foure ladies of the fayries in the isle of Chafalons; one of them gave to the horne such a propertie, that whosoever heard the sound thereof, if he were in the greatest sickenesse in the world, he

H

should incontinent be whole and sound: the ladie that gave this gift to the horne was named Glorianda. The second ladie was named Translyna; she gave to this horne another propertie, and that was, whosoever heard this horne, if he were in the greatest famine of the worlde, he should be satisfied as well as though he had eaten al that he woulde wishe for, and so likewise for drinke as well as though he had droonke his fil of the best wine in al the world. The third ladie named Margala gave to this horne yet a greater gift, and that was, whosoever heard this horne, though he were never so poore or feeble by sicknesse, he should have such joy in his heart that he should singe and daunce. The fourth ladie named Lempatrix gave to this horne such a gift that whosoever heard it, if he were an hundred dayes journey of, he should come at the pleasure of him that blew it farre or neare.

Then King Oberon, who knew well and had seene the fourteene companions, he set his horne to his mouth, and blew so melodious a blast that the fourteene companions, being under the tree, had so perfit a joy at their hearts, that they al rose up, and began to sing and daunce. Ah, good Lord,” quoth Huon, "what fortune is come unto us? Me thinke we be in Paradise; right now I could not sustaine myselfe for lacke of meat and drinke, and nowe I feele myselfe neither hungrie nor thirstie ! From whence may this come?" "Sir," quoth Gerames, "knowe for troth this is done by the dwarfe of the fayrye, whome you shall soone see passe by you. But, sir, I require you on jeopardie of loosing of your life, that you speake to him no word, without you purpose to abide ever with him.” Sir," quoth Huon, “have no doubt of me, seeing I know the jeopardie." Therewith the dwarfe began to crie aloude, and saide, "Yee fourteene men that passe by my wood, God keepe you all! and I desire you speake with mee, and I conjure you thereto by God Almightie, and by the Christendome that you have received, and by all that God hath made, answeare mee!"

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CHAP. 22.-How king Oberon was right sorrowfull and sore displeased, in that Huon would not speake: and of the great feare that he put Huon and his companie in.

When that Huon and his companie heard the dwarfe speake, they mounted on their horses, and road away as fast as they might without speaking of any word; and the dwarfe seeing how that they road away and would not speake, hee was sorrowfull and angrie. Then hee set one of his fingers on his horne, out of the which yssued such a winde and tempest so horrible to heare, that it bare downe trees, and therewith came such a raine and hayle, that it seemed that heaven and the earth had fought together, and that the world should have ended; the beasts in the woods brayed and cryed, and the foules of the ayre fell down dead for the feare that they were in; there was no creature but he would have been afrayd of that tempest. Then suddainly appeared before them a great river that ran swifter then the birds did flye, and the water was so blacke and so perilous, and made such a noyse that it might be heard ten leagues of. "Alas!" quoth Huon, "I see well now we be all lost; wee shall heere be oppressed without God have pitie of us. I repent me that ever I entred into this wood. I had been better to have travailed a whole yeere then to have come hether." "Sir," quoth Gerames, "dismay you not, for all this is done by the dwarfe of the fayrye." "Well," quoth Huon, “ I thinke it best to alight from our horses, for I thinke we shall never escape from hence, but that we shalbe all oppressed." Then Garyn and the other companions had great marvaile, and were in great feare. "Ah! Gerames," quoth Huon, "you shewed mee well that it was great perill to passe this wood. I repent mee nowe that I had not beleeved you."

Then they sawe on the other side of the river a faire castell, envyroned with fourteene great towers, and on everie tower a clocher of fine gould by seeming, the which they long regarded,

and by that time they had gone a little by the river side, they lost the sight of the castle, it was cleane vanished away, whereof Huon and his companie were sore abashed. "Huon,"

quoth Gerames, "of all this that you see dismay you not, for all this is done by the crooked dwarfe of the fayrye, and all to beguile you, but he cannot greeve you, so you speake no word : howbeit, ere we depart from him, he will make us all abashed, for anone he will come after us like a mad man, bicause you will not speake unto him: but, sir, I require you as in God's name, be nothing afrayd, but ride foorth surely, and ever beware that you speake unto him no word." "Sir," quoth Huon, "have no doubt thereof, for I had rather he were destroyed then I should speake one word unto him." Then they road to passe the river, and they founde there nothing to let them, and so road about five leagues. "Sir," quoth Huon, "wee may well thanke God that wee bee thus escaped this dwarfe, who thought to have deceived us; I was never in such feare during my life, God confound him!" Thus they road devising of the little dwarfe, who had done them so much trouble.

CHAP. 23.-How kinge Oberon, dwarfe of the fayry, pursued so much Huon, that he constrained him to speake to him at last.

When Gerames understood the companie, howe they thought they were escaped from the dwarfe, he began to smile, and said, "Sirs, make no bragging that you be out of this danger, for I beleeve you shall soone see him againe." And as soone as Gerames had spoke the same words, they sawe before them a bridge the which they must passe, and they sawe the dwarfe on the other part. Huon sawe him first and said, “I see that divell who hath done us so much trouble." Oberon heard him and saide, "Freend, thou doest me injurie without cause, for I was never divell nor ill creature: I am as other be; but I conjure thee by the divine puissance, to speake unto me." Then Gerames said, "Sirs, for God's sake let him alone, nor speake

no word to him, for by his faire language he may deceive us all, as he hath done many other; it is pity that he hath lived so long." Then they road forth a good pace, and left the dwarfe alone sore displeased in that they would not speake to

him. blew it.

Then he tooke his horne, and set it to his mouth, and

When Huon and his companie hearde it, they had no power to ride any further, but they began all to sing. Then Oberon the dwarfe said, "Yonder company are fooles and proud, that for any salutation that I can give them, they disdaine to answeare mee: but by the God that made me, before they escape me, the refusall of my words shalbe deere bought." Then he tooke againe his horne, and strooke it three times on his bowe, and cryed out aloud, and said, "Yee, my men, come and appeare before me." Then there came to him aboute foure hundred men of armes, and demaunded of Oberon what was his pleasure, and who had displeased him. "Sirs," quoth Oberon, "I shall shew you howbeit I am greeved to shewe it: heere in this woode there passed fourteene knights, who disdaine to speake unto me; but to the entent that they shall not mocke me, they shall deerely buy the refusing of their answeare; wherefore I will you goe after them, and slay them all let none escape." Then one of his knights said, "Sir, for God's sake, have pitie of them." Certainly," quoth Oberon, “mine honour saved, I cannot spare them, since they disdaine to speak unto me." "Sir," quoth Glorianda, "for God's sake doe not as you say; but, Sir, worke by my counsaile, and after doe as it pleaseth you." Sir, I counsaile you yet once againe goe after them then, if they do not speake, we shall slay them all; for surely, sir, if they see you returne againe to them so shortly, they will be in great feare." "Freend," quoth Oberon, "I shall do as you have counsailed mee."

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Thus Huon and his company road forth a great pace, and Huon said, "Sirs, we are now from the dwarfe about five leagues; I never sawe in my life so faire a creature in the visage; I have great marvaile how he can speake of Almightie God, for I