ding through to sport in the neighbouring forest.

Besides his own suite, he was attended by several servants of the Duke
of Burgundy, lent to do him honour and minister to his pleasure. The
Duke's tumbler rode before him with a grave, sedate majesty, that made
his more noble companions seem light, frivolous persons. But ever and
anon, when respect and awe neared the oppressive, he rolled off his
horse so ignobly and funnily, that even the ambassador was fain' to
burst out laughing. He also climbed up again by the tail in a way
provocative of mirth, and so he played his part. Towards the rear of the
pageant rode one that excited more attention still--the Duke's leopard.
A huntsman, mounted on a Flemish horse of giant prodigious size and
power, carried a long box fastened to the rider's loins by straps
curiously contrived, and on this box sat a bright leopard crouching.
She was chained to the huntsman. The people admired her glossy hide
and spots, and pressed near, and one or two were for feeling her,
and pulling her tail; then the huntsman shouted in a terrible voice,
"Beware! At Antwerp one did but throw a handful of dust at her, and the
Duke made dust of him."

"Gramercy!"

"I speak sooth. The good Duke shut him up in prison, in a cell under
ground, and the rats cleaned the flesh off his bones in a night. Served
him right for molesting the poor thing."

There was a murmur of fear, and the Tergovians shrank from tickling the
leopard of their sovereign.

But an incident followed that raised their spirits again. The Duke's
giant, a Hungarian seven feet four inches high, brought up the rear.
This enormous creature had, like some other giants, a treble, fluty
voice of little power. He was a vain fellow, and not conscious of this
nor any defect. Now it happened he caught sight of Giles sitting on the
top of the balcony; so he stopped and began to make fun of him.

"Hallo! brother!" squeaked he, "I had nearly passed without seeing
thee."

"You are plain enough to see," bellowed Giles in his bass tones.

"Come on my shoulder, brother," squeaked Titan, and held out a shoulder
of mutton fist to help him down.

"If I do I'll cuff your ears," roared the dwarf.

The giant saw the homuncule was irascible, and played upon him, being
encouraged thereto by the shouts of laughter. For he did not see
that the people were laughing not at his wit, but at the ridiculous
incongruity of the two voices--the gigantic feeble fife, a