d laid meat beside him. Here he remained ten days, and
afterwards departed and returned to the herdsmen.

And now another adventure happened. There was in that country a giant
named Tauleas, brother to that Taulard whom Sir Marhaus had killed. For
fear of Tristram he had for seven years kept close in his castle, daring
not to go at large and commit depredations as of old. But now, hearing
the rumor that Tristram was dead, he resumed his old evil courses. And
one day he came to where the herdsmen were engaged, and seated himself
to rest among them. By chance there passed along the road near by a
Cornish knight named Sir Dinant, with whom rode a lady.

When the giant saw them coming, he left the herdsmen and hid himself
under a tree near a well, deeming that the knight would stop there to
drink. This he did, but no sooner had he sought the well than the giant
slipped from his covert and leaped upon the horse. Then he rode upon Sir
Dinant, took him by the collar, and pulled him before him upon the
horse, reaching for his dagger to strike off his head.

At this moment the herdsmen called to Tristram, who had just come from
the forest depths: "Help the knight."

"Help him yourselves," said Tristram.

"We dare not," they replied.

Then Tristram ran up and seized the sword of the knight, which had
fallen to the ground, and with one broad sweep struck off the head of
Tauleas clean from the shoulders. This done he dropped the sword as if
he had done but a trifle and went back to the herdsmen.

Shortly after this, Sir Dinant appeared at Tintagil, bearing with him
the giant's head, and there told what had happened to him and how he had
been rescued.

"Where had you this adventure?" asked the king.

"At the herdsmen's fountain in the forest," said Dinant. "There where so
many knights-errant meet. They say this madman haunts that spot."

"He cannot be Matto le Breune, as I fancied," said the king. "It was a
man of no small might who made that stroke. I shall seek this wild man
myself."

On the next day King Mark, with a following of knights and hunters, rode
into the forest, where they continued their course till they came to the
well. Lying beside it they saw a gaunt, naked man, with a sword beside
him. Who he was they knew not, for madness and exposure had so changed
Tristram's face that no one knew it.

By the king's command he was picked up slumbering and covered with
mantles, and thus borne in a litter to Tintagil