mote after quickly, and hit him not, but he smote the tree,
so that his club brake all in pieces. And Arthur quickly ran round
about the tree; and so Arthur and the monster ran round it thrice
about. Then was the giant exceeding heavy, and Arthur was the swifter,
and overtook the giant, and up heaved his good brand, and smote from
him the thigh; and the giant down fell.

And Arthur stopt and beheld; then gan the fiend to speak: "Lord, lord,
give me peace; who is it that fighteth with me? I weened not that any
man in this world's realm might me thus lightly defeat in fight,
except it were Arthur, noblest of all kings; and nevertheless was I
never of Arthur sore afraid." Then said Arthur to him, noblest of
kings: "I am Arthur the king, Britain's darling. Tell me of thy race,
and where is their habitation; and who should be to thee father or
mother accounted on earth; and from what land thou art hither arrived;
and why thou hast destroyed with murder my relative?" Then answered
the fiend, where he lay and beheld: "All this I will do, and thy troth
receive, on condition that thou let me live, and heal my limbs."
Arthur him wrathed, wondrously much; and he called Beduer, his bold
champion: "Go near, Beduer, and take off from him here the head; and
carry it forth with thee, down from this mount." Beduer came near, and
deprived him of his head; and so they proceeded thence down to their
companions. Then sate the king down, and gan him rest; and said these
words Arthur the good: "Never fought I any such fight, upon this land,
but when I slew the King Riun, upon the mount of Ravin!"

Afterwards they forth went, and came to the host; when that they the
head saw, wondrous it seemed to them, wherever under heaven were such
head begotten! Howel of Britanny came to the king, and the king said
to him all of the maiden. Then was Howel sorry, and sorrowful
therefore in heart; and took all his companions, and fared to the
mount where the British maid lay buried in earth. He caused there to
be areared soon a church most fair, in Saint Mary's name, the Lord's
mother; and afterwards he gave a name to the hill, ere he thence
departed, and named it Helen's Tomb,--now it hight Mount Saint Michel.

Then was Arthur's host numerously collected; from Ireland, from
Scotland, thither were they come. Then caused the king the trumpets to
be blown in the host, and marched from Britain, busy men and keen,
throughout Normandy, that then hight Neustrie.