abundance of flowers, which sprung all around, and filled his
helmet and his ears with them; then listened if he heard the birds
sing. Finding that, though he saw the gaping beak, the swelling
throat, and ruffled plumes, he could not catch a note, he felt
satisfied with his defence, and advanced toward the lake. It was
small but deep, and so clear and tranquil that the eye could
penetrate to the bottom.

He had no, sooner arrived upon the banks than the waters were seen
to gurgle, and the siren, rising midway out of the pool, sung so
sweetly that birds and beasts came trooping to the water-side to
listen. Of this Orlando heard nothing, but, feigning to yield to
the charm, sank down upon the bank. The siren issued from the
water with the intent to accomplish his destruction. Orlando
seized her by the hair, and while she sang yet louder (song being
her only defence) cut off her head. Then, following the directions
of the book, he stained himself all over with her blood.

Guarded by this talisman, he met successively all the monsters set
for defence of the enchantress and her garden, and at length found
himself again at the spot where he had made captive the
enchantress, who still continued fastened to the beech. But the
scene was changed. The garden had disappeared, and Falerina,
before so haughty, now begged for mercy, assuring him that many
lives depended upon the preservation of hers. Orlando promised her
life upon her pledging herself for the deliverance of her
captives.

This, however, was no easy task. They were not in her possession,
but in that of a much more powerful enchantress, Morgana, the Lady