for I perceived that I had no
hope to slay this thing; save that I should come at it in the body. And
I put everything to the chance, and made not to escape any more; but ran
straight in among the legs; and there were great hairs like to spines
upon the legs, and these had pricked me to the death, but that the
armour saved me.

Now, I had done this thing with a wondrous quickness; so that I was
under the mighty arching of the legs before the Yellow Thing did wot of
my intent. And the body was bristled with the great hairs, and poison
did seem to come from them, and to ooze from them strangely in great and
shining drops. And the Monster heaved itself up to one side, that it
might bring certain of the legs inward to grasp me; yet in that moment
did I smite utter fierce with the Diskos--thrusting. And the Diskos did
spin, and hum, and roar, and sent out a wondrous blaze of flame, as that
it had been a devouring Death; and it sundered the body of the Yellow
Thing, and did seem as that it screamed to rage amid the entrails
thereof; so wondrous was the fury and energy of that trusted Weapon.

And I was covered with the muck of the thing; and the claws upon the
legs seized me, so that the grey armour did bend and crack to the might
thereof, and I grew sick unto death with the pain within; but smote with
the shining Diskos, using my left hand weakly; for my right was gript
dreadful fast to my body. And lo! I was sudden free, and a great blow
did knock me far across the hollow, so that I was like to have fallen
into the fire-hole; but fell instead upon the edge, and came backward
unto safety.

And I turned me about, and the Yellow Thing did throw the sand all ways,
as it did die; but had lost power to come upon me. And for my part, I
lay weak upon the earth, and was no more able to fight; nor could I do
more than breathe for a great while; but yet came presently to health,
and made to examine my hurts.

Then I saw there was no great wound anywhere upon me; but only an utter
bruising; and I found upon my right leg that there was a sharp and hairy
claw clipt about it; but the armour had saved me from harm of the horrid
thing; so that I did but kick it free with my left foot, and thence into
the fire-hole.

Now, by this time, that Monstrous Creature was dead; but I held off from
it, and went upon the other side of the fire; for I was yet surely in
horror of it. And I sat for a time, and did think upon all matters that
did co