oud harsh voices and rude laughter,
proceeding from out of a neighbouring wood, which they beheld before
them. On this Terence whipped on the crocodiles and hippopotami with
right good will, their own trusty steeds trotting behind till they
arrived at the borders of the wood; when, securely fastening their
chariot to a stout tree, they mounted their chargers, and dashed
forward, in the direction from whence the cries proceeded.

Louder and louder grew the shrieks and lamentations, till the Knight and
his Squire arrived at a spot whence, looking down into a sylvan dell,
they beheld a sight which made their hearts melt with pity, and their
blood run cold with horror. There, with the salt tears running down
their cheeks, and their eyes imploring mercy and pity, they saw six
lovely damsels, clad in green garments, bound to as many trees, while
round them danced a hundred fierce satyrs, terrible of aspect, and
hideous to behold.

Each satyr was armed with a huge club of the size of a tree, which he
flourished wildly, and on his other arm he bore a shield of vast
proportions, like the moon at the full, as she rises over the housetops;
while scabbardless two-handed swords hung with brazen chains by their
sides, and long-bows and quivers full of arrows were suspended at their
backs; their voices as they danced giving forth those hideous sounds
which had attracted the Knight and Squire.

Near the ladies stood six milk-white palfreys, and a little way behind,
who had not at first been seen, six other damsels, their dress and
bearing showing them to be the serving maidens of the lovely ladies in
green. In an instant the heart of the Champion of Ireland, and of his
faithful Squire, were all in a flame, burning to rescue these six lovely
ladies and their six inestimable serving women from the power of those
hideous satyrs; so, drawing their falchions, and uttering the war-cry of
Old Ireland, they dashed with headlong speed in among them, cutting and
slashing and hewing away before any of those terrific beings had any
knowledge of their approach.

Soon recovering themselves, after a few of their number had bitten the
dust, the hideous satyrs, uniting in one body, and seeing that their
enemies consisted but of a single knight and his squire, flourished
their huge clubs, and with loud shouts, louder than the roaring of ten
thousand bulls, advanced towards them.

Heroically fought Saint Patrick, and manfully combated his Squire.