Page:The Enchanted Knights; or The Chronicle of the Three Sisters.djvu/37

whilst one of a larger size was gambolling around—now standing upright, then again throwing a summersault—a performance which the young lady seemed very much to enjoy. Reginald, from the description his mother had given him of his sister Wulfield, at once recognized her, sprang quickly from the thicket to make himself known; but as soon as the young lady saw the youth, she screamed aloud, threw the young bear upon the grass, and running towards the new comer, addressed him in a melancholy voice, thus:—“O youth—what unfortunate star brings you hither? Here dwells a savage bear which devours every human being that approaches his abode—fly and save yourself!” He inclined himself modestly towards the beauteous lady, and answered:—“Fear nought, beautiful mistress! I know this forest and all the events connected with it, and came to break the spell that keeps you here a captive.” “Young fool,” said she, “who are you, to pretend to untie this powerful enchantment—how can you accomplish this?” “With this arm and sword,” said he. “I am Reginald, the Child of Wonder, the son of the count whom this enchanted forest has deprived of three most beautiful daughters. Are you not Wulfield, his first born?” At these words the lady