The
ravenous animals were on their way to the bower, there to watch for the
captives, making great demonstrations all the while of their
bloodthirsty intent.
Bear and lion accordingly squatted down before it, making as though they
would gladly have been at supper on the fair carcases of those within.
Anon comes a mighty magician, with a long beard, and a wand of some ells
in extent, purposing to effect the deliverance of the captives; but the
beasts rushed upon him, and in a trice brought him to the ground. At
this juncture the Silver Knight--showing thereby the superiority of true
valour over false gramarye--should have issued from the bower, rescued
the magician, and slain the beasts, opening a way for the escape of
these imprisoned damsels, who were to come forth dancing, and
representing a fair masque before the king;--but the magician remained
unrescued, while bear and lion lay growling for a long space, not
knowing what else to do. They looked about wistfully, not choosing to
feast on their prostrate victim. At last, finding no change in the
posture of affairs, they fairly stood erect, much to the marvel and
amusement of the spectators, running off on their hind legs amid the
shouts and derision of the assembly.
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