Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/197

kingdom three knights, of whom the first was the bravest of all men; the second, the wisest; and the third, the most attached to the king. These knights were severally sent with large arnies to besiege the castle. The bravest knight conducted his troops through a forest, in which the king's enemies awaited him; but while he was performing prodigies of valour an arrow from a cross-bow struck him in the lower part of the body, and he died of the wound. In the mean time the wise knight brought up his forces and began to propose terms, hoping by these means to draw them to surrender the castle. But while he spoke, an arrow penetrated between the lungs and the stomach, and killed him. The third knight perceiving the death of his comrades, entered the forest, and spoke so eloquently and wittily to the insurgents, that they listened gladly, and at last permitted him to enter the castle. And he so ordered matters that the opposing armies confederated with his troops and gave him entire possession; so that he planted his standard on the top. When the king understood how prudently he had ob-