_In which our hero proves himself a wrestler and a swordsman._
After Theseus had killed the giant robber, he traveled to another
village where he thought he would rest awhile. He had hardly
entered the place when a band of soldiers arrested him and said,
“You are a prisoner.”
“What have I done to be treated this way?” asked Theseus. The
soldiers told him that every stranger in the village had to wrestle
with the king before he could leave it. If he threw the king he
could go free, but if the king threw him he would be put to death.
No one had as yet escaped with his life.
“Very well,” said Theseus, “lead me to the king’s garden where I
may wrestle with him.” But when he saw the king he knew he had
found a mighty antagonist. The king was of great height with broad
shoulders and muscles that stood out like ropes around his body.
Then they began to wrestle. The king tried to crush Theseus with
his great arms, but the young man slipped through every time, and
was so agile that the king could not hold him at all. Finally the
king made a great leap at his enemy, but Theseus jumped aside
and threw the king with his foot. He fell so heavily that he lay
with back broken. After that all passengers could go through that
village in safety, for there was no king to stop them.
Theseus went on until he came to a wild country, and wandered
through the woods until he reached a castle, and being very tired
he asked the lord of the castle if he might have a bed for the
night.
The lord was named Procrustes, and gladly invited Theseus in and
took him to the guest room where there were already two other
travelers waiting. “This is the guest bed,” said Procrustes. “I
hope it will fit you, for it is law of the castle that guests must
be made to fit the bed.”
Thereupon the lord made his servants seize one of the travelers and
stretch him over the bed. But the traveler was too long for the
bed, so they chopped off his feet to make him fit. Then they seized
the other traveler and stretched him over the bed, but he was too
short, so they brought ropes and pulleys and pulled him out until
he was the right length.
“Now for you,” said Procrustes to Theseus. “You may fit exactly,
but if not you must be made to fit. Come, get ready for bed.”
Theseus was in no humor for retiring at that moment, so he drew
his sword, and made at the king. “I have a mind that you are a
whole head too long for your own bed, so I am going to shorten you
by that much,” said he, and before the king could escape he cut
off his head and made the servants stretch him on the bed, and he
fitted exactly.
But after that travelers to that castle slept peacefully whether
they were long or short.