Happily they walked on, but ere they had gone far the fay cried, “Now
turn you, my love, Jehan!” and after them came a great white bear, his
teeth agleam and paws outstretched. Again the good sword flashed in the
sun and the bear lay dead on the greensward. Then on and on they fled.
“Turn ye, Jehan, my love,” again cried the fay. And behold, a great
green dragon with long scaly body lashed at them, and only after a
mighty battle was he chopped into pieces.
Then they went across a wide plain. It was now evening, and so weary
and footsore were they, that they fain would have rested, but ere the
stars came out a red mist rolled along the ground towards them and the
fay cried aloud in fear:
“Now we are lost indeed, for this is the poison flood.”
On they sped toward a forest with the great red waves rolling after
them. And where they passed, grasses lay sear and the flowers withered
and died. Then cried the nut-brown fay, stretching out her hands
towards the tall trees:
“O my woodland folk, save us.” As she spoke they entered the wood and
the venomous flood rolled to their feet; but the good tall trees sucked
down the flood into their strong roots, and where the vapor rolled, a
bright stream sprang up and Goldhair and the fay laved their hot faces
in its silvery coolness.
Now did Jehan rejoice for, said he, “Won are all our fights,” but the
fay answered him:
“Nay, for the night cometh down and I fall into sleep and thou must
carry me as I sleep, and whatever may betide, if you lay me down, you
lay me in my grave.”
So Jehan promised to obey her and took her in his arms. There she lay
against his breast and slept. The moon came up, round and golden, and
peered through the branches on Jehan walking with the sleeping fay
in his arms, his naked sword in his hand. By and by, the moon was
darkened by great batlike creatures which fluttered about them and
gnashed upon him with their sharp teeth; but Jehan waved his sword and
called upon the names of St. Gabriel and St. Michael for deliverance,
and they flew away shrieking.
Then there sounded a woeful cry. A woman ran towards them with a man
following at her heels, a long dagger in his hand.
“Save me! Save me! brave Jehan,” she cried, kneeling at his feet while
tears ran down her pallid face, and the man dressed in a sheepskin coat
came running quickly with his weapon gleaming in the moonlight.
Now was Jehan hard pressed, for to fight for her life he must lay
down his sleeping love and he could not see the woman die. Yet, as he
bent to lay the fay on the grass, under an oak, the leaves murmured
in his ear, “Beware! Beware!” and making the sign of the cross with
his drawn sword in the air Jehan heard a great wail and the two
figures disappeared in a puff of smoke. And thus he was free from the
enchantment. Then the sleeping fay awoke and slid from his arms to kiss
him right roundly. And the sun came up as they climbed the hill above
the Land of the Wheaten-shocks, and he saw the smoke from his father’s
house. And as they went down the green valley to the town, his kinfolk
came running forth to meet him and his bride. And thus entering his
home, amid rejoicing, he drew the fay after him, and forgetting all of
their trials Jehan the Goldhaired and the nut-brown fay dwelt happy
ever afterward.