cloak above her; and in a
moment to be stood over her, and to set down the visor of mine
head-gear, lest that the bird-monster strike me in the face.

And surely, the bird-thing did be scarce an hundred good paces off; and
to make two lumbering and monstrous bounds, and to come at me.

Yet, truly, it made sudden a pause, because that the Diskos did roar and
send out fire, as I made it to spin; but in an instant the great thing
to come in at me upon the left side, and to strike me very hard with the
bill, that did be so long as mine arm, and had surely gone through my
body, if that I had been naked. And the bill of the monster rang upon
mine armour; and it smote me twice thiswise, so that I staggered very
sick and shaken. But in a moment, as it made to draw off, that it should
come the more hard upon me, I swung the Diskos very sure and quick, and
I smote the Bird-thing above the place where the great seeming-leathern
wing did join upon the right side, as it should be the shoulder of the
Bird-monster. And, in verity, the monster gave out a mighty squarking,
and went backward this way and that, and beat all about upon the stones,
and did strike with the great bill at the place where it did be hurt.
And I heeded that I end it swiftly; and I ran in upon it, and the
creature to strike at me with the great bill, very savage. But I jumpt
speedy to this side, and again to that, and so in a moment to have
chance to come in surely. And truly I split the skull of the
Bird-thing, so that it died very quick and was gone from pain.

And the Bird-creature lay all spread upon the stones and the rock of
that place; and surely it did be as that it were leathern, and made
somewise as a bat doth be of this age, in that it did have no feathers.

And, truly, it lookt mighty, where it did be spread; and indeed the body
to be full so big as the body of a young horse; and the bill to be very
deadly and sharp and cumbrous, as you to have guessed. And I to be all
and utter thankful that it did be there, dead, in the stead of mine own
body. And the thing yet to twitch and stir a little, as the life did go
from it.

And surely I was back then very speedy to the Maid, and she to be
kneeled upward to watch me. And I took her into mine arms, and lookt
well about; and made then forward again.

And about the middle part of the sixth hour of crossing that rocky land,
I saw that we did draw near unto the shallow river, that you shall mind
I came ov