th all the world, give thee short life and shameful death, and
may the devil have thy soul! Why hast thou slain those children and that
fair lady? Wherefore arise, and prepare thee to perish, thou glutton and
fiend, for this day thou shalt die by my hands."

Then the giant, mad with fury at these words, started up, and seizing a
great club, smote the king, and struck his crown from off his head. But
King Arthur smote him with his sword so mightily in return, that all his
blood gushed forth in streams.

At that the giant, howling in great anguish, threw away his club of iron,
and caught the king in both his arms and strove to crush his ribs
together. But King Arthur struggled and writhed, and twisted him about, so
that the giant could not hold him tightly; and as they fiercely wrestled,
they both fell, and rolling over one another, tumbled--wrestling, and
struggling, and fighting frantically--from rock to rock, till they came to
the sea.

And as they tore and strove and tumbled, the king ever and anon smote at
the giant with his dagger, till his arms stiffened in death around King
Arthur's body, and groaning horribly, he died. So presently the two
knights came and found the king locked fast in the giant's arms, and very
faint and weary, and loosed him from their hold.

Then the king bade Sir Key to "smite off the giant's head and set it on
the truncheon of a spear, and bear it to Sir Hoel, and tell him that his
enemy is slain; and afterwards let it be fastened to the castle gate, that
all the people may behold it. And go ye two up on the mountain and fetch
me my shield and sword, and also the great club of iron ye will see there;
and as for the treasure, ye shall find there wealth beyond counting, but
take as much as ye will, for if I have his kirtle and the club, I desire
no more."

Then the knights fetched the club and kirtle, as the king had ordered, and
took the treasure to themselves, as much as they could carry, and returned
to the army. But when this deed was noised abroad, all the people came in
multitudes to thank the king, who told them "to give thanks to God, and to
divide the giant's spoils amongst them equally." And King Arthur desired
Sir Hoel to build a church upon the mount, and dedicate it to the
Archangel Michael.

On the morrow, all the host moved onwards into the country of Champagne,
and Flollo, the Roman tribune, retired before them into Paris. But while
he was preparing to collect more forces