The man was
ugly and fierce of aspect. His hair was thick and black; he was
bull-necked and large-eared. His mantle was black, bordered with
dark red; his tunic, a dirty yellow, was splashed with recent
blood. There were great shoes on his feet soled with wood and
iron. In his hand he bore a staff of quick-beam, as it were a
full-grown tree without its branches. He being thus, strode
forward in an ungainly manner to Laeg, and with a surly voice bade
him drive the horses off the lawn.
"Drive them off thyself," said Laeg.
He sought to do that, but owing to the behaviour of the steeds, he
desisted right soon, and turned again to Laeg.
"Who is the sleeping youth?" said he, "and wherefore hath he come
hither in an evil hour?"
"He is a certain mild and gentle youth of the Ultonians," replied
Laeg, "who yester morning prosperously assumed his arms of
chivalry for the first time, and hath come hither to prove his
valour upon the sons of Nectan."
"Many youths of his nation have come hither with the same intent,"
said the giant, "but they did not return.
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