d by Oberon, King of the Fairies, who made captive such knights
as were rash enough to penetrate into it, and transformed them into
Hobgoblins. It was possible to avoid this district at the expense of
somewhat lengthening their route; but no dangers could deter Huon of
Bordeaux; and the brave Sherasmin, who had now resumed the armor of a
knight, reluctantly consented to share with him the dangers of the
shorter route.

They entered a wood, and arrived at a spot whence alleys branched off
in various directions. One of them seemed to be terminated by a superb
palace, whose gilded roofs were adorned with brilliant weathercocks
covered with diamonds. A superb chariot issued from the gate of the
palace, and drove toward Huon and his companion, as if to meet them
half-way. The prince saw no one in the chariot but a child apparently
about five years old, very beautiful, and clad in a robe which
glittered with precious stones. At the sight of him, Sherasmin's terror
was extreme. He seized the reins of Huon's horse, and turned him about,
hurrying the prince away, and assuring him that they were lost if they
stopped to parley with the mischievous dwarf, who, though he appeared a
child, was full of years and of treachery. Huon was sorry to lose sight
of the beautiful dwarf, whose aspect had nothing in it to alarm; yet he
followed his friend, who urged on his horse with all possible speed.
Presently a storm began to roar through the forest, the daylight grew
dim, and they found their way with difficulty. From time to time they
seemed to hear an infantine voice, which said, "Stop, Duke Huon; listen
to me: it is in vain you fly me!"

Sherasmin only fled the faster, and stopped not until he had reached
the gate of a monastery of monks and nuns, the two communities of which
were assembled at that time in a religious procession. Sherasmin,
feeling safe from the malice of the dwarf in the presence of so many
holy persons and the sacred banners, stopped to ask an asylum, and made
Huon dismount also. But at that moment they were joined by the dwarf,
who blew a blast upon an ivory horn which hung from his neck.
Immediately the good Sherasmin, in spite of himself, began to dance
like a young collegian, and seizing the hand of an aged nun, who felt
as if it would be her death, they footed it briskly over the grass, and
were imitated by all the other monks and nuns, mingled together,
forming the strangest dancing-party ever beheld. Huron alon