that I thee fostered; alas! that the monster hath thee here thus
destroyed; alas! that I was born; my limbs he hath broken in pieces!"

Then looked the woman about, where the giant should arrive; and looked
on the Earl Beduer, who was come there. Then said the woman hoar,
where she sate by the fire: "What are thou, fair wight? art thou
angel, art thou knight? are thy wings hung with gold? If thou art from
heaven, thou mayest in safety go hence, and if thou art earthly
knight, harm thou wilt have forth-right. For now anon cometh the
monster that all thy limbs will draw in pieces; though thou wert all
steel, he would thee destroy, every bit. He went to Britanny, to the
best of all mansions, to Howel's castle, noble man in Britanny; the
gates he all brake in pieces, and within he gan wend. He took the hall
wall, and pulled it to ground; the chamber's door he cast down, so
that it burst in five; he found in the chamber the fairest of all
maids; Helen she was named, of noble race; Howel's daughter, noble man
of Britanny, Arthur's relative of most noble lineage. I was her
foster-mother, and fair her fostered. There the giant took us forth
with himself, fifteen miles, into this wild wood, hither to this same
place; thus he us treated to-day a sen'night. So soon as he hither
came, so he took the maid; he would have carnal intercourse with the
maiden. Age had she no more but fifteen years; the maiden might not
endure his force; anon so he lay with her, her life she lost soon! And
here he her buried, fairest of all maids, Helen, mine own foster,
Howel's daughter! When he had this done, so myself he took; on the
ground he me laid, and lay with myself. Now hath he all my bones
loathsomely broken; my limbs all dismembered; my life to me is odious!
Now I have thee told, how we are led here. Flee now quickly, least he
thee find; for if he cometh enraged, with his direful onsets, was he
never born that may stand thee before!"

Even with these words that the woman said, Beduer gan to comfort her
with fair words: "Dear mother, I am a man, and knight am brave; and I
will say thee through my sooth words, that no champion was born of
ever any lady, that man may not with strength stoop him to ground; and
serve thee an old woman--very little are thy powers. But have now very
goodday, and I will go my way."

Down went him Beduer to his sovereign, and told him how he had care,
and all how he had fared, and what the old woman told him of the