he were on the way to battle like them. But
after a little he put this out of his mind and tried to think of
pleasanter things. It was a long time before anything happened, or any
word came from the battle.

At last Sir Roland saw one of the knights come limping down the path to
the castle, and he went out on the bridge to meet him. Now this knight
was not a brave one, and he had been frightened away as soon as he was
wounded.

"I have been hurt," he said, "so that I can not fight any more. But I
could watch the gate for you, if you would like to go back in my place."

At first Sir Roland's heart leaped with joy at this, but then he
remembered what the commander had told him on going away, and he said:

"I should like to go, but a knight belongs where his commander has put
him. My place is here at the gate, and I can not open it even for you.
Your place is at the battle."

The knight was ashamed when he heard this, and he presently turned about
and went into the forest again.

So Sir Roland kept guard silently for another hour. Then there came an
old beggar woman down the path to the castle and asked Sir Roland if she
might come in and have some food. He told her that no one could enter
the castle that day, but that he would send a servant out to her with
food, and that she might sit and rest as long as she would.

"I have been past the hollow in the forest where the battle is going
on," said the old woman, while she was waiting for her food.

"And how do you think it is going?" asked Sir Roland.

"Badly for the knights, I am afraid," said the old woman. "The giants
are fighting as they have never fought before. I should think you had
better go and help your friends."

"I should like to, indeed," said Sir Roland. "But I am set to guard the
gateway of the castle and can not leave."

"One fresh knight would make a great difference when they are all weary
with fighting," said the old woman. "I should think that, while there
are no enemies about, you would be much more useful there."

"You may well think so," said Sir Roland, "and so may I; but it is
neither you nor I that is commander here."

"I suppose," said the old woman then, "that you are one of the kind of
knights who like to keep out of fighting. You are lucky to have so good
an excuse for staying at home." And she laughed a thin and taunting
laugh.

Then Sir Roland was very angry, and thought that if it were only a man
instead of a woman, he would