When Duessa found that the Red Cross Knight had left the palace of Queen
Lucifera, she immediately set out in search of him. It was not long
before she found him where he sat wearily by the side of a fountain to
rest himself. He had taken off all his armour, and his steed was
cropping the grass close by. It was pleasant in the cool shade, and the
soft wind blew refreshingly upon his forehead, while, in the trees
above, numbers of singing birds delighted him with their sweet music.
[Illustration: Woman standing near a tree and a man on the ground as a
figure approaches in the distance.]
Duessa at first pretended to be angry with the Knight for leaving her so
unkindly, but they were soon good friends again. They stayed for some
time beside the fountain, where the green boughs sheltered them from the
scorching heat.
But although it looked so lovely and tempting, the fountain near which
they sat was an enchanted one. Whoever tasted its waters grew faint and
feeble.
The Knight, not knowing this, stooped down to drink of the stream, which
was as clear as crystal. Then all his strength turned to weakness, his
courage melted away, and a deadly chill crept over him.
At first he scarcely noticed the change, for he had grown careless both
of himself and of his fame. But suddenly he heard a dreadful sound—a
loud bellowing which echoed through the wood. The earth seemed to shake
with terror, and all the trees trembled. The Knight, astounded, started
up, and tried to seize his weapons. But before he could put on his
armour, or get his shield, his monstrous enemy came stalking into sight.
It was a hideous Giant, great and horrible. The ground groaned under
him. He was taller than three of the tallest men put together. His name
was Orgoglio, or _Pride_, and his father’s name was _Ignorance_. He was
puffed up with arrogance and conceit, and because he was so big and
strong he despised every one else. He leant upon a gnarled oak, which he
had torn up by its roots from the earth; it also served him as a weapon
to dismay his foemen.
When he saw the Knight he advanced to him with dreadful fury. The
latter, quite helpless, all in vain tried to prepare for battle.
Disarmed, disgraced, inwardly dismayed, and faint in every limb, he
could scarcely wield even his useless blade. The Giant aimed such a
merciless stroke at him, that if it had touched him it would have
crushed him to powder. But the Knight leapt lightly to one side, and
thus escaped the blow. So great, however, was the wind that the club
made in whirling through the air that the Knight was overthrown, and lay
on the ground stunned.
When Giant Pride saw his enemy lying helpless, he lifted up his club to
kill him, but Duessa called to him to stay his hand.
“O great Orgoglio,” she cried, “spare him for my sake, and do not kill
him. Now that he is vanquished make him your bond-slave, and, if you
like, I will be your wife!”
Giant Pride was quite pleased with this arrangement, and, taking up the
Red Cross Knight before he could awake from his swoon, he carried him
hastily to his castle, and flung him, without pity, into a deep dungeon.
As for Duessa, from that day forth she was treated with the greatest
honour. She was given gold and purple to wear, and a triple crown was
placed upon her head, and every one had to obey her as if she were a
queen. To make her more dreaded, Orgoglio gave her a hideous dragon to
ride. This dragon had seven heads, with gleaming eyes, and its body
seemed made of iron and brass. Everything good that came within its
reach it swept away with a great long tail, and then trampled under
foot.
All the people’s hearts were filled with terror when they saw Duessa
riding on her dragon.