were wine, he
suddenly heard a strange noise. It was mournful and complaining, but very
soft and sweet. It seemed to be the voice of an unhappy woman, and this
pleased the knight, for he had ridden forth in search of adventures. He
had already been successful in several encounters, and from George's
saddle hung the tail-tips of seven dragons which his master had killed.
But a woman with a musical, appealing voice, in great danger, offered a
rare opportunity to a knight. Wendelin had not yet had any such
experience. The squire saw his master's eyes sparkle with pleasure, and
scratched his head thinking: "Distress brings tears to most peoples'
eyes, but there is no knowing what will delight a knight like him!"

The waters of the lake proved to be not salt, but wonderfully sweet.

When Wendelin reached the grotto from which the complaining notes came,
he found a beautiful young woman, more lovely than any one the
grey-haired George had ever seen. She was pale, but her lips shone moist
and red like the pulp of strawberries, her eyes were as clear and blue as
the sky over the Holy Land, and her hair glistened as if it had been spun
of the sunbeams. The knight's heart beat fast at the sight of her
loveliness; he could not speak, but he noticed that her hands and feet
were bound with chains, and that her beautiful hair was entwined about a
circle of emeralds that hung by a chain from the ceiling. She marked
neither the knight nor the squire, who stood shading his eyes with his
hand in order to see her the better.

Hot rage took possession of the heart of Wendelin when he saw the tears
rain down from the lady's large eyes onto her gown, which was already as
wet as if she had just been drawn from the lake.

When the knight noticed this, an overwhelming pity chased the anger from
his heart, and George, who was a soft-hearted man, sobbed aloud at her
pitiful appearance. The voice of the knight, too, was unsteady as he
called to the fair prisoner that he was a German, Wendelin by name, and
that he had set out on a knightly quest to kill dragons, and to draw his
sword for all who were oppressed. He had already conquered in many
combats, and nothing would please him better than to fight for her.

At this she ceased to weep, but she shook her head gently--her hair being
chained impeded her motion,--and answered sadly. "My enemy is too
powerful. You are young and beautiful, and the darling, perhaps, of a
loving mother at home, I c