Orlando in Love, episode 32: The Giant Balisarrto Come, listen to my song, the praise~and boast of errant knights of old. Draw yourselves forward, listen to~the brave deeds of fit cavaliers, so daring, so great-hearted, who~when peril prompted grew more fierce. Tonight, I speak of bold Rinaldo. He's barely left one hazard, when~he grows still hotter for the next. Enchantments do not frighten him. Rinaldo, with many other knights, has just been rescued from a trap. Rinaldo now heads back tow'rds France, to aid King Charles against his foes. Three knights are traveling with him, Irold, Prasildo, and Dudon, all known for strength and courtesy. -- The fifth day had elapsed since they'd~escaped from that enchanted place, when from afar they heard a horn. Its sound came from a castle, tall,~well-walled, built on a mountainside, ringed by a large and level meadow. Around the meadow flowed a stream; no fairer thing was ever seen. The stream was fair and wondrous~clear -- but so swift that they could not cross. -- A maid was on the other shore,~dressed all in white. She smiled at them. On a small sailboat's deck, she stood and called out, "O knights! Gentlemen! (R) Board the boat, if you'd like to cross. There's nowhere you can _ford_ this stream!" Those cavaliers, who greatly wished~to cross and then be on their way, thanked her for what she offered and~boarded her ferryboat. As they~cast off, the damsel said to them, "You pay toll on the other side, (R) You can't leave here until you do. The reason is that this stream flows from _two_ springs on that lofty slope, {point} and it descends down _either_ side, so that it circles round this plain. "You can't depart until you first~have spoken to the Castellan: (R) There you must show your confidence: That's him there. He's out out on the field!" {point} Her finger pointed as she spoke toward a large group on the plain. Not one of our knights was dismayed, as those armed men rode tow-ards them. Rinaldo, baron bold, goes first~to meet them, and the others follow. -- A nice old man was with those troops, and he came forth before the rest, unarmed, and on a large old nag. With quiet words and honest looks~he said, "I tell you, gentlemen, (L) this is King Manodante's realm~you've entered, {old man} and you cannot leave unless you _serve_ him for one day! "And you will serve him in this manner. (L) Where this stream flows to meet the sea two castles and a bridge are built. A wicked wizard's living there: He has killed many cavaliers. This necromancer is a giant, and Balisarrto is his name. "King Manodante wants him caught (L) since he's done damage to the realm, and he has ordered every knight~who wants to cross this lovely stream to swear he'll fight with Balisarrt till he is captured or he wins. Now _you_ must go down there as well, or in this meadow starve to _death!"_ -- Rinaldo said, "We *want* to go! (R) War is the only thing we search for. {rude knight} I would like catching this big man. I think that he's worth less than straw! Let him chant his enchanted charms, since he won't find a verse that works! Now show me where, and hurry, so~that I can fight this Balisarrt!" The castellan called the damsel~and he said to her, "No loitering! Ferry these bold men to the bridge!" (L) She asked the barons to come aboard. They jumped on, and she sailed downstream. -- At last, they curved round to the sea, where they could see a lofty bridge between two castle's towering walls: Above the stream, upon that arch, stands the fierce pagan Balisarrt, just like a _turret_ on the bridge. Nothing can be compared to him No giant ever was so large. His face was bearded, his looks cruel, and his voice like a {thunderclap}. He screams out with a strident voice {brandish arms} that shakes the river and the shore. -- Each of the knights who witnessed this desired to have a go at him, though he was tall and brawny and~malevolent and arrogant. About a bow-shot from one castle those daring knights get off the boat. Our barons, fierce of heart and soul, each sought to be the first to duel. They chose lots, and _Iroldo_ won. The giant struck him down and seized him. _Prasildo_ briefly battled next, but Balisarrto knocked /him/ down. Dauntless Rinaldo burned like flame, lit by an angry, raging heart as off the bridge the giant hauled~those two bold knights, his prisoners. Shaking his club and threatening, demanding battle, he returned. Rinaldo Montalbano moved, precipitous, prepared to charge, but in his way /Dudon/ had kneeled to ask him for one favor, please: to go before him on the bridge, to fight against the giant first. Rinaldo grudged, but he agreed. How could he tell Dudone no? -- This brawl will show a difference, will prove unlike the other two, with different swings, and it won't end~as /easily,/ I promise you. The cavalier Dudone was~most highly praised at Charles' court. Dudone's fame, old Turpin writes, ranked him among the court's first knights. He was of overwhelming size, agile, quick, of surpassing strength, and with his hard and heavy sledge he had slain many saracens. -- Dudone charges on the bridge, completely armed in plate and mail, and Balisarrto hefts his shield, like one experienced in war. Each of those barons bears a club, so certainly they'll have good sport. They *strike* with so much violence, the river _echoes_ to its depths. Dudone hit the giant's head and broke his shining helm apart: He had loosed such a stormy swing that Balisarrto fell down, stunned. Daring Dudone whirled both hands, @ pressing close to the Saracen, striking his costly silver shield and _splitting_ it, that baron bold! But just as if that second swing~/roused/ him from sleep, the insolent~Saracen leaped straight up and he~was quick to recommence the fight. He swings, he hits Dudone in~the ribs, and his club is not light. Dudone falls stretched out on earth. -- That huge blow knocked Dudone down and he could hardly draw a breath but did not stop the duel for that -- his power was superior. Quickly he rose and gripped his club, swinging at Balisarrto's helmet smashing his head on every side, @ @ and making his ears loudly ring. Now Balisarrto smashed /his/ club~upon Dudone's neck and arms. That cruel encounter sounds to heaven, and the world seems to be on fire because, when one club blocks the other, rapid sparks fly between those irons. Dudone swings both hands and hits~the villain's visor, breaking his~massive nose with a single swing. He knocked three teeth out of his mouth and _shaved his chin_ /sans any soap:/ He slid that club so easily~and smoothly, he /removed/ his beard! -- After false Balisarrto saw~such damage from a _single_ swing -- saw that Dudone was too strong for him to carry on for long -- he looked at his high castle and~a second later, turned and _ran._ Dudone follows him inside~the castle; he is unconcerned -~ unfearful that he'll be deterred. The youth sees nobody except~the giant, now disarmed, undressed. That wizard had doffed arms and clothes: his naked body stood exposed. -- He had a _serpent's_ head and neck and gradually transformed the rest. His arms turned into open wings. His two legs joined together then~and formed a tail, while from his hips~there came long-nailed and scaly claws. That guileful giant, as I said, changed to a *dragon* gradually. _Flames_ flew out of his ears and mouth~with such a roar, so many sparks, that all the ramparts round the yard appeared to have been set on fire. Anyone would be terrified, he was so loathsome, of such size. But bold Dudone does not fear, and he deserves outstanding praise. -- The dragon claws Dudone's shield and wraps its tail around his legs, winding it down that baron's hips and binding him from thighs to feet. Dudone's not afraid of this, flings his club down, and *grabs* the beast. @ He grabs its neck close to its head~with both hands and he wrings so hard -- despite the dragon's violence -- that he almost chokes out its soul. He frees himself, whirls the beast round, @ and in a fury _slams_ it down~upon the courtyard's marble floor. -- The courtyard _opened_ where it hit -- on that spot all of the marble cracked -- and the beast fell beneath the earth. Instantly, though, it re-emerged. Its body and its face were changed -- it was _amazingly_ transformed -- its trunk a bear's, its head a boar's. No creature in the world was worse. He who could live in any form, who'd make his head a savage boar's -- no poet, no grammarian~could properly describe his looks. I'll tell you all I /can/ of him, though I'm not equal to the task. Each tusk extended two palms long, and each eye burned with scarlet light. Its hairy torso was a bear's, as were its powerful, sharp claws; But then it had a serpent's tail, coiling and thick, six yards in length. It wore huge wings. Its head had horns. This animal was _singular._ -- It {bellowed} and then charged the knight, who -- fearless -- would not turn his back but raised his shield for cover @ and~held his club ready in his hand. The evil sorcerer attacked. His horns pierced through Dudone's shield. Both shield and plated hauberk cracked; Dudon fell on the pavement, flat, but.in.an.instant that bold youth~picked himself up, soon as he'd hit. Now the much-changed enchanter charged~him from the side and struck his flank. One long tusk caught Dudone's ribs and knocked the wind right out of him. Dudon's breath waned, his anger waxed; club raised in both hands, he attacks. That splendid baron swings his sledge @ at the outlandish monster's head and loudly _knocks_ one horn to earth. -- Now Balisarrto knows he'll lose, and he flees down the colonnade, hurrying from the courtyard as~Dudone, ever bold, pursues. The evil Balisarrto flaps his wings as he flies towards the shore, but that large giant weighs so much that his feet don't /quite/ leave the ground. Now, speeding from the castle, he came to the shore and, at that moment,~into the port a tall ship sailed. The false magician quickly jumped and in an instant boarded, while~Dudone followed close behind. On board the vessel, looped around~its prow, there was a _net._ The knight~Dudone ran afoul of it -- it happened fast, I don't know how. Dudone's arms were bound in chains and sailors, headed by their chief, lugged him beneath the deck and stowed~him in the brig, and there... I'll leave him. I want to tell of Balisarrt, who soon took on a different form. He stripped that youthful paladin~of his arms, and put them on himself. He took the sledge, left his own club, and changed his manner, form, and tone, so men would say, "That's him! Dudon!" The villain, in that fashion, from~one castle to the other crossed, and by the bridge he found Rinaldo waiting for him, and raging mad. Rinaldo quickly asked /Dudon/ if he'd sent Balisarrto~out of this world (R) (he _thought_ him Dudon, for his arms, his looks, leave no doubt.) -- /Dudone/ said, "That giant raced~away, (L) and for three miles I chased. {young knight} But, before /that/, I _broke_ his nose, I clubbed his head, I bashed his face. I tracked him from his castle to~a stream a hundred yards across, and there that evil man jumped in -- where anybody else would sink. But I saw _him_ emerge upon~the far bank -- I can't tell you how. Iroldo is imprisoned there, and close to him Prasildo's bound. I could see them beneath a tent where Balisarrto stopped at last. I.. didn't.. have the _nerve_ to cross~that river -- {mild shame} it flowed much too fast!" -- Rinaldo let him speak no more, but rapidly /he/ crossed the bridge, saying to him, "I'd rather die (R) than live in such disgrace as yours! {rude knight} No one will ever hear it said that _I_ *abandoned* my companions, as you have done, you _wretch!_ If you~fear /water,/ _how_ can you face fire?" The giant in Dudone's guise, seemingly angered by these words,~replied, "You're mad! You should be beaten! (L) You've been a fool all your life long! {young knight} "You /think/ you are a champion! You just _talk_ big! (L) It takes more than~_declaring_ that you're valiant, more than tearing down some other man! Go on now! I don't care to join. _You_ ford the river -- *you* can swim!" -- Rinaldo, paying him no mind, has made his way across the bridge. Balisarrt let him go ahead, pretending that /he'd/ stay behind, then secretly that false magician snuck 'round behind to _murder_ him. Another route brought him behind~Rinaldo, and then, by surprise,~(not in a _fair_ fight, eye to eye) that double-dealing pagan strikes. @ -- He's certain that he'll beat him, that~this single blow will lay him flat. But Rinaldo, his force measureless, does not go down beneath that sledge. Rather, he turned, and kindly asked, "What do you think you're _doing,_ lad? (R) If I did not have great respect for your father, Ogier the Dane, then I would bury you, right now! Go on now! _Leave!_ Good riddance, too!" {shake head} Rinaldo spoke and turned his back,~but as he did, the two-faced heathen~brought down the bludgeon on his neck. @ Rinaldo raged, his face was flame. He said, "Let heaven witness this! (RU) He _forces_ me, against my will, to kill him for his foolishness!" So saying, he in sorrow sighed: Love restrained him, and courtesy -- but right and his defensive needs were heating him to _deadly_ deeds. He drew his sword to fight~against Dudon the Dane -- or so he thought. -- Now, if I should describe this match, the sword's collision with the club, and all their swings, all their attacks (this battle for _five_ hours lasts), I'd have so much to do, I'd end~this chapter and another one. But to conclude, I'll briefly say, although the giant burned in rage and though he bore a massive club -- no other ever weighed as much -- he might have been a man of snow. -- Now Balisarrt a hundred times transformed himself by sorcery. He was a panther with cruel eyes and other beasts that terrify: hyena, elephant, [giraffe, actually] and next~he was a tiger, fierce and striped. He battled in a gryphon's form, a crocodile's, and thousands more. Then he appears to burst in flames. He sparkles as an oven does. Rinaldo never hesitates~but jumps into that fire, he dares. He does not mind the glowing flames and with his sword, he _snuffs_ the blaze. That pagan soon has thirty wounds, although he often shifts his shape. He sees defeat as his blood pours, and he starts out the castle door, now a bird, now a beast with hair; I can't relate all of his forms. -- Rinaldo still pursues, enraged, determined to exterminate~Balisarrt, who, when they reach the port, jumps on his ship without delay. Rinaldo bold, who fears no harm, jumps after him, completely armed, but as he does, falls in the net~that caught Dudone earlier. While struggling, he was hefted by~two sailors, foul and full of lice, who hauled him down below the deck~into a sunless prison cell. -- They sailed to the Islands Far Away, King Manodante's distant realm, and, there, one dungeon housed Irold, Prasild, Rinaldo, and Dudon. Other knights are held captive here, more cavaliers than I can say, and it will be some time, I fear, until a rescue comes their way. Until that time, I'll leave them there for I have said enough today, and I have well and truly learned a story overlong is spurned.