lled to
seek for safety within his castle-walls; but ere he reached them he let
fall from his grasp his huge oak-tree; on which Saint Anthony,
redoubling his efforts, smote him so fiercely, that he sunk down on his
knees, unable to fly further. Still undaunted, the Giant drew a dagger
twice the size of any ordinary two-handed sword. With this he struck
right and left so rapidly that the Knight had hard work indeed to escape
its blows, and still greater to discover a spot in his huge body in
which he might plant a deadly one in return.

At length, however, the Giant grew weary, and Saint Anthony, springing
forward, with one stroke clove his hideous head almost in twain. Then,
with another blow he cut it off, and handed it to Niccolo, to be carried
before him as a trophy of his prowess. So violent, however, had been
the efforts of the Knight that he also sank fainting on the ground, when
his faithful Squire, believing him to be dead, knelt by his side, and,
weeping, mourned bitterly his loss.

Now, it happened that the lovely Rosalinde, one of the daughters of the
King of Georgia, who had been taken captive by the Giant, looked over
the battlements, and seeing his headless trunk guessed that he had been
slain by some gallant knight, and that the end of her servitude had
arrived.

Descending to the gate, she beheld the seeming lifeless body of the
Champion, and, kneeling opposite to Niccolo, joined her salt tears with
his in mourning the fate of so brave a Knight. Then, remembering that
there were some precious balms within the castle, she went and fetched
them; and having applied them to the limbs of the Champion, their effect
was so great that he instantly revived, and sitting up gazed at her with
admiration, and inquired who she was. They entreated him to wait till
he had been fed and rested within the castle.

While the faithful Niccolo watched by his master's couch, as he slept,
the lady Rosalinde was preparing delicates for his repast.

He at length awoke, restored to health and strength; and then, by the
lady's advice, he ordered Niccolo to drag the Giant's carcass down upon
a craggy rock, to be devoured by hungry ravens; which being done, the
Georgian maiden exhibited to him the wonders of the castle. First she
conducted him to a brazen tower where were a hundred corselets and other
martial furniture of the knights slain by the Giant. Then she conducted
him to the stables, where were a hundred steeds,