together till their breaths failed. Then Balin looked up to the
castle and saw the towers stand full of ladies. So they went
unto battle again, and wounded everych other dolefully, and then
they breathed ofttimes, and so went unto battle that all the
place there as they fought was blood red. And at that time there
was none of them both but they had either smitten other seven
great wounds, so that the least of them might have been the death
of the mightiest giant in this world.

Then they went to battle again so marvellously that doubt it was
to hear of that battle for the great blood-shedding, and their
hauberks unnailed that naked they were on every side. At last
Balan the younger brother withdrew him a little and laid him
down. Then said Balin le Savage, What knight art thou? for or
now I found never no knight that matched me. My name is, said
he, Balan, brother unto the good knight, Balin. Alas, said
Balin, that ever I should see this day, and therewith he fell
backward in a swoon. Then Balan yede on all four feet and hands,
and put off the helm off his brother, and might not know him by
the visage it was so ful hewn and bled; but when he awoke he
said, O Balan, my brother, thou hast slain me and I thee,
wherefore all the wide world shall speak of us both. Alas, said
Balan, that ever I saw this day, that through mishap I might not
know you, for I espied well your <76>two swords, but by cause ye
had another shield I deemed ye had been another knight. Alas,
said Balin, all that made an unhappy knight in the castle, for he
caused me to leave my own shield to our both's destruction, and
if I might live I would destroy that castle for ill customs.
That were well done, said Balan, for I had never grace to depart
from them since that I came hither, for here it happed me to slay