The first adventure happened in this way. Scarcely had the Red Cross
Knight and the Lady Una started on their journey when the sky suddenly
became overcast, and a great storm of rain beat down upon the earth.
Looking about for shelter, they saw, not far away, a shady grove, which
seemed just what they wanted. The trees here had great spreading
branches, which grew so thickly overhead that no light could pierce the
covering of leaves. Through this wood wide paths and alleys, well
trodden, led in all directions. It seemed a truly pleasant place, and a
safe shelter against the tempest, so they entered in at once.
At first, as they roamed along the winding paths they found nothing but
pleasure. Deeper and deeper into the heart of the wood they went,
hearing with joy the sweet singing of the birds, and filled with wonder
to see so many different kinds of beautiful trees clustered in one spot.
But by-and-by, when the storm was over and they wished to go forward on
their journey, they found, to their sorrow, that they had lost their
way. It was impossible to remember by which path they had come; every
way now seemed strange and unknown. Here and there they wandered,
backwards and forwards; there were so many turnings to be seen, so many
paths, they knew not which to take to lead them out of the wood.
In this perplexity, at last they determined to go straight forward until
they found some end, either in or out of the wood. Choosing for this
purpose one of the broadest and most trodden paths, they came presently,
in the thickest part of the wood, to a hollow cave. Then the Red Cross
Knight dismounted from his steed, and gave his spear to the dwarf to
hold.
“Take heed,” said the Lady Una, “lest you too rashly provoke mischief.
This is a wild and unknown place, and peril is often without show. Hold
back, therefore, till you know further if there is any danger hidden
there.”
“Ah, lady,” said the Knight, “it were shame to go backward for fear of a
hidden danger. Virtue herself gives light to lead through any darkness.”
“Yes,” said Una; “but I know better than you the peril of this place,
though now it is too late to bid you go back like a coward. Yet wisdom
warns you to stay your steps, before you are forced to retreat. This is
the Wandering Wood, and that is the den of Error, a horrible monster,
hated of all. Therefore, I advise you to be cautious.”
[Illustration: Knight fighting a dragon while a woman and dwarf watch
with horses.]
“Fly, fly! this is no place for living men!” cried timid Prudence.
But the young Knight was full of eagerness and fiery courage, and
nothing could stop him. Forth to the darksome hole he went, and looked
in. His glittering armour made a little light, by which he could plainly
see the ugly monster. Such a great, horrible thing it was, something
like a snake, with a long tail twisted in knots, with stings all over
it. And near this wicked big creature, whose other name was _Falsehood_,
there were a thousand little ones, all varying in shape, but every one
bad and ugly; for you may be quite sure that wherever one of this
horrible race is found, there will always be many others of the same
family lurking near.
When the light shone into the cave all the little creatures fled to hide
themselves, and the big parent Falsehood rushed out of her den in
terror. But when she saw the shining armour of the Knight she tried to
turn back, for she hated light as her deadliest foe, and she was always
accustomed to live in darkness, where she could neither see plainly nor
be seen.
When the Knight saw that she was trying to escape, he sprang after her
as fierce as a lion, and then the great fight began. Though he strove
valiantly, yet he was in sore peril, for suddenly the cunning creature
flung her huge tail round and round him, so that he could stir neither
hand nor foot.
Then the Lady Una cried out, to encourage him, “Now, now, Sir Knight,
show what you are! Add faith unto your force, and be not faint! Kill
her, or else she will surely kill you.”
With that, fresh strength and courage came to the Knight. Gathering all
his force, he got one hand free, and gripped the creature by the throat
with so much pain that she was soon compelled to loosen her wicked hold.
Then, seeing that she could not hope to conquer in this way, she
suddenly tried to stifle the Knight by flinging over him a flood of
poison. This made the Knight retreat a moment; then she called to her
aid all the horrid little creeping and crawling monsters that he had
seen before, and many others of the same kind, or worse. These came
swarming and buzzing round the Knight like a cloud of teasing gnats, and
tormented and confused him with their feeble stings. Enraged at this
fresh attack, he made up his mind to end the matter one way or another,
and, rushing at his foe, he killed her with one stroke of his sword.
Then Lady Una, who, from a distance, had watched all that passed, came
near in haste to greet his victory.
“Fair Knight,” she said, “born under happy star! You are well worthy of
that armour in which this day you have won great glory, and proved your
strength against a strong enemy. This is your first battle. I pray that
you will win many others in like manner.”