And when King Hurlame saw this sword
so carving, he turned again to fetch the scabbard, and so came into
this ship and entered, and put up the sword in the sheath. And as soon
as he had done it he fell down dead afore the bed. Thus was the sword
proved, that none ne drew it but he were dead or maimed. So lay he
there till a maiden came into the ship and cast him out, for there was
no man so hardy of the world to enter into that ship for the defence.
CHAPTER IV
OF THE MARVELS OF THE SWORD AND OF THE SCABBARD
And then beheld they the scabbard, it seemed to be of a serpent's
skin, and thereon were letters of gold and silver. And the girdle was
but poorly to come to, and not able to sustain such a rich sword. And
the letters said: He which shall wield me ought to be more harder than
any other, if he bear me as truly as me ought to be borne. For the
body of him which I ought to hang by, he shall not be shamed in no
place while he is girt with this girdle, nor never none be so hardy to
do away this girdle; for it ought not to be done away but by the hands
of a maid, and that she be a king's daughter and queen's, and she must
be a maid all the days of her life, both in will and in deed.
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