thee in hiding behind this thicket, and should
they slay me, do thou make thy way homeward to my father Erbin, and bid
him avenge my death.'

'O my dear Geraint!' said Enid, sobbing, for all her bravery, as she
thought that he would surely be slain, and that, after all their
trouble, they were not to be allowed to enjoy the happiness of their
reconciliation. 'I would liefer die with thee, my dear, dear lord. Let
them kill us both, if it is to be.'

'Nay, dear wife,' said Geraint, 'I would not have thee slain. Revenge
my death if they slay me.'

So, with many lingering kisses, he set her down upon the road, and saw
her hide in the thickets.

By now the gloom of evening had settled upon them, and the sound of
trampling horses had rapidly approached. And painfully, by reason of
his stiff wounds, Geraint dressed his armour as best he could, and laid
spear in rest, and drew his shield before him, and so waited in the
dark road.

He heard a single knight riding before the others, and soon saw his
figure issue from the gloom with couched lance. And Sir Geraint made
him ready also, resolved to sell his life dearly at the last.

But as they began to spur their horses, there came the voice of Enid
from the hedgerow beside them. And she cried out piteously in the dark:

'O chieftain, whoever thou art, what renown wilt thou gain by slaying a
dead man?'

The stranger stopped his horse, and called out:

'O Heaven, is it my lord, Sir Geraint?'

'Yes, in truth,' said Enid, 'and who art thou?'

'I am the little king!' said the other, and rode swiftly towards Sir
Geraint. Then he leaped from his horse and came to the stirrup of his
chief.

'My lord,' he said, 'I learned that thou wert in trouble, and came to
see if I could aid thee.'

And Enid ran forward with joy at hearing this, and welcomed the little
king, and told him in what a hard pass was Sir Geraint.

'My lord and my lady,' said Griffith, 'I thank Heaven sincerely for the
favour that I come to you in your need. I learned of thy fight with the
trolls and of thy slaying of Earl Madoc, and that thou wert wounded.
Therefore I rode on to find thee.'

'I thank thee heartily,' said Sir Geraint, 'and my dear wife also
thanks thee. For of a truth I am spent, and must needs get me rest and
a leech for my wounds.'

'Then come at once with me,' said the little king, and after he had
helped Enid to her place before Geraint, he leaped on his own horse.

'Now thou shalt