" Whereunto the churl made answer: "I will not let
go thy horse's rein, and thou shalt not cross this bridge."
[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot slays the huge churl] At this Sir Launcelot waxed
very angry, and he drew his sword and struck the churl a blow with the flat
thereof upon the shoulder, so that he dropped the rein very quickly.
Therewith that churl drew back and took his great iron-shod club in both
hands and struck at Sir Launcelot a blow that would have split a millstone.
But Sir Launcelot put by the blow with his sword so that it did him no
harm. But therewith he waxed so wroth that he ground his teeth together
with anger, and, rising in his stirrups, he lashed that churl so woeful a
blow that he cleft through his iron cap and his head and his breast even to
the paps.
[Sidenote: The folk warn Sir Launcelot] Now when the people of the town
beheld that terrible blow they lifted up their voices in a great outcry,
crying out: "Turn back, Sir Knight! Turn back! For this is a very woful
thing for thee that thou hast done!" and some cried out: "Thou hast killed
the giants' warder of the bridge!" And others cried: "Thou art a dead man
unless thou make haste away from this.
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