The shield it had near torn from him, with the first grip its talons fierce 305 It drave thro' the wood, such hardness but seldom a beast may pierce. Yet Gawain did right well defend him, his sword-blade aloft he swung, And on three feet the beast must hold him, while the fourth from the shield yet hung. And the blood gushed forth on the pavement, and Gawain he firmer stood, And the fight raged hither and thither, as the lion, on the hero good, 310 Sprang ever with snorting nostrils, and gleaming fangs and white-- And if on such food they had reared it, that its meat was a gallant knight, _I_ had cared not to sit beside it! Nor such custom pleased Gawain well, Who for life or for death must fight it--and the strife ever fiercer fell. So sorely the beast was wounded, the chamber with blood ran o'er; 315 Fierce sprang the lion upon Gawain, and would bear him unto the floor, But Gawain a sword-thrust dealt him, thro' the heart the swift blade sped Till his hand smote full on the breast-bone, and the lion at his feet fell dead. And now all the deadly peril and the conflict was over-past-- In the same hour Gawain bethought him, 'Where now shall my lot be cast? 320 Since to sit in this blood I like not, and I must of the couch beware, For it runneth a race so frantic 'twere foolish to sit me there!' But yet was his head so deafened with the blows that upon him fell, And many his wounds, and the life-blood did forth from its fountains well, And his strength waxed faint, and it left him, and he fell on the chamber floor; 325 His head lay on the lion's body, and the shield might he hold no more. And if wisdom and power were his portion, of the twain was he reft I ween, And tho' fair was the Burg, yet within it full rough had his handling been. His senses forsook him wholly--no such pillow I ween was his As that which on Mount Ribbelé Gymele gave to Kahenis; 330 Both fair and wise was the maiden--and his honour he slept away-- But here honour ran swift-footed to Gawain as he prostrate lay. For in sooth ye shall well have hearkened, and shall know how such chance befell, That thus lay the hero lifeless, from the first have ye heard it well.