20
THE HIGH HISTORY OF GOOD
With laughter rattling round the hall.
But Arthur first essays the deed,
And may not budge the dwarf at all.
Then Lancelot sware by Goddes reed,
And pulled so strong his muscle burst,
His nose and mouth brake out a-bleed ;
Nor moved he thus the dwarf. From first
To last the envious knights essayed,
And all their malice had the worst,
Till strong Sir Bors his prowess played—
And all his might availéd nought.
Now once Sir Bors had been betrayed
To Paynim ; him in traitrise caught,
They bound to four strong stallion steers,
To tear asunder, as they thought,
The paladin of Arthur's peers.
But he, a-bending, breaks the spine
Of three, and on the fourth he rears
His bulk, and rides away. Divine
The wonder when the giant fails
To stir the fatuous dwarf, malign
Who smiles! But Bors on Arthur rails
That never a knight is worth but one.
“ By Goddes death ” (quod he), “ what ails