skill and activity, it was not long before he laid him dead upon
the field.

Orlando then made all haste to return to the upper air, and,
passing through the water, which opened a way before him (such was
the power of the magic sword), he soon regained the shore, and
found himself in a field as thickly covered with precious stones
as the sky is with stars.

Orlando crossed the field, not tempted to delay his enterprise by
gathering any of the brilliant gems spread all around him. He next
passed into a flowery meadow planted with trees, covered with
fruit and flowers, and full of all imaginable delights.

In the middle of this meadow was a fountain, and fast by it lay
Morgana asleep; a lady of a lovely aspect, dressed in white and
vermilion garments, her forehead well furnished with hair, while
she had scarcely any behind.

While Orlando stood in silence contemplating her beauty he heard a
voice exclaim: "Seize the fairy by the forelock, if thou hopest
fair success." But his attention was arrested by another object,
and he heeded not the warning. He saw on a sudden an array of
towers, pinnacles and columns, palaces with balconies and windows,
extended alleys with trees, in short a scene of architectural
magnificence surpassing all he had ever beheld. While he stood
gazing in silent astonishment the scene slowly melted away and
disappeared. [Footnote: This is a poetical description of a
phenomenon which is said to be really exhibited in the strait of
Messina, between Sicily and Calabria. It is called Fata Morgana,