Then came there westward, winding with the
clouds, a burning dragon; burghs he swallowed, with his fire he
lighted all this land's realm; methought in my sight that the sea gan
to burn of light and of fire, that the dragon carried. This dragon and
the bear, both together, quickly soon together they came; they smote
them together with fierce assaults, flames flew from their eyes as
firebrands! Oft was the dragon above, and eftsoons beneath;
nevertheless at the end high he gan rise, and he flew down right with
fierce assault, and the bear he smote, so that he fell to the earth;
and he there the bear slew, and limbmeal him tore. When the fight was
done, the dragon back went. This dream I dreamt, where I lay and
slept."
The bishops heard this, and book-learned men; this heard earls, this
heard barons; each by his wit said wisdom, and this dream they
interpreted, as to them best seemed. There durst no knight to evil
expound no whit, lest he should lose his limbs that were dear to him.
Forth they gan to voyage exceeding quickly; the wind stood to them at
will, weather best of all; they had all that to them was need; to land
they came at Barbefleot.
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