stle and into the gate of
the castle and into the court-yard thereof.

Now by this time all the castle was astir, and in great tumult, and many
people came running to the windows and looked down upon Sir Launcelot. And
Sir Launcelot sat his horse and looked all about him. So he perceived that
beyond the court-yard was a fair space of grass, very smooth and green,
well fitted for battle, wherefore he dismounted from his horse and tied it
to a ring in the wall, and then he went to that green field and made him
ready for whatever might befall.

Meantime all those people who were at the windows of the castle cried out
to him, as the people of the town had done: "Go away, Sir Knight! Go away
whilst there is still time for you to escape, or else you are a dead man!"

But Sir Launcelot replied not, but stood there and waited very steadfastly.
Then the great door of the castle hall opened, and there came forth
therefrom those two giants of whom he had heard tell.

[Sidenote: Two giants attack Sir Launcelot] And in truth Sir Launcelot had
never beheld such horrible beings as they; for they were above ten feet
high, and very huge of body and long of limb. And they were clad in armor
of bull-hide with iron rings upon it, and each was armed with a great club,
huge and thick, and shod with iron, and studded with spikes. These came
toward Sir Launcelot swinging their clubs and laughing very hideously and
gnashing their long white teeth, for they thought to make easy work of him.

[Sidenote: How Sir Launcelot slays the first giant] Then Sir Launcelot,
seeing them coming thus, set his shield before him, and made ready for that
assault with great calmness of demeanor. Then the giants rushed suddenly
upon him and struck at him, the both of them together; for they deemed that
by so doing the enemy could not escape both blows, but if one failed the
other would slay him. But Sir Launcelot put aside the blow of one giant
with his sword and of the other with his shield, with marvellous dexterity.
Thereupon, ere they could recover themselves, he turned upon that giant who
was upon his left hand and he struck him so terrible a blow upon the
shoulder that he cut through the armor and through the shoulder and
half-way through the body, so that the head and one arm of the giant leaned
toward one way, and the other arm and the shoulder leaned toward the other
way. Therewith the giant fell down upon the ground bellowing, so that it
was most terri