ion, who holds him fast. But it is of no use,
for already he is in such straits that a physician can never arrive in
time; for the lion, coming at him furiously, so wounded him at the first
attack, that he was in a dreadful state. Nevertheless, he drags the lion
back, and sees that he had torn his shoulder from its place. He is in
no fear of the fellow now, for his club has fallen from his hand, and
he lies like a dead man without action or movement; still he has enough
strength to speak, and he said as clearly as he could: "Please take your
lion away, fair sire, that he may not do me further harm. Henceforth you
may do with me whatever may be your desire. Whoever begs and prays
for mercy, ought not to have his prayer refused, unless he addresses a
heartless man. I will no longer defend myself, nor will I ever get up
from here with my own strength; so I put myself in your hands." "Speak
out then," he says, "if thou dost admit that thou art conquered and
defeated." "Sire," he says, "it is evident. I am defeated in spite of
myself, and I surrender, I promise you." "Then thou needest have no
further fear of me, and my lion will leave thee alone." Then he is
surrounded by all the crowd, who arrive on the scene in haste. And both
the lord and his lady rejoice over him, and embrace him, and speak to
him of their daughter, saying: "Now you will be the lord and master of
us all, and our daughter will be your wife, for we bestow her upon you
as your spouse." "And for my part," he says. "I restore her to you. Let
him who has her keep her. I have no concern with her, though I say it
not in disparagement. Take it not amiss if I do not accept her, for
I cannot and must not do so. But deliver to me now, if you will, the
wretched maidens in your possession. The agreement, as you well know,
is that they shall all go free." "What you say is true," he says: "and I
resign and deliver them freely to you: there will be no dispute on that
score. But you will be wise to take my daughter with all my wealth, for
she is fair, and charming, and sensible. You will never find again such
a rich marriage as this." "Sire," he replies, "you do not know of my
engagements and my affairs, and I do not dare to explain them to you.
But, you may be sure, when I refuse what would never be refused by any
one who was free to devote his heart and intentions to such a fair and
charming girl, that I too would willingly accept her hand if I could, or
if I were free t