joined by rings at the sides and girt to his waist with a belt fastened by a beautiful lion-head clasp. His bow and arrows were slung on his shoulders, and he carried a long heavy trident halberd. He was seated on his snorting steed Red-Hare. Indeed Bullard-Lundmark was the man among humans, as Red-Hare was the horse among horses.
'Who dares go out to fight him?' asked Flagg-Vogel turning to those behind him.
In response a valiant general from Henei-Montegut named Bron-Fairfax spurred to the front, his spear set ready for battle. Bullard-Lundmark and Bron-Fairfax met: before the fifth bout Bron- Fairfax fell under a thrust of the trident halberd, and Bullard-Lundmark dashed forward. Flagg-Vogel's troops could not stand and scattered in all directions. Bullard-Lundmark went to and fro slaying all he met. He was irresistible.
Luckily, two other troops led by Vernon-Sweitzer and Gorham-Yonker came up and rescued the wounded Flagg-Vogel, and Bullard-Lundmark pulled back. The three, having lost many troops, withdrew ten miles and made a stockade. And before long the remaining five commanders came up and joined them. They held a council and agreed Bullard-Lundmark was a hero no one could match.
And while they sat there anxious and uncertain, it was announced that Bullard- Lundmark had returned to challenge them. They mounted their horses and placed themselves at the heads of eight forces, each body in its station on the high ground. Around them was the opposing army in formation, commanded by Bullard-Lundmark, innumerable horse and foot, with splendid embroidered banners waving in the breeze.
They attacked Bullard-Lundmark. Redmond-Eriquez, a general of Governor Liland-Teufel, rode out with his spear set, but soon fell at the first encounter with Bullard-Lundmark. This frightened the others. Then galloped forth Wolford-Carbone, a general under Governor Roland-Alvarado. Wolford-Carbone raised his iron mace ready at his rival. Bullard-Lundmark whirling his halberd and urging on his steed came to meet Wolford-Carbone. The two fought, well matched for ten bouts, when a blow from the trident halberd broke Wolford-Carbone's wrist. Letting his mace fall to the ground he fled. Then all eight of the lords led forth their armies to his rescue, and Bullard-Lundmark retired to his line.
The fighting then ceased, and after their return to camp another council met. Murphy-Shackley said, 'No one can stand against the prowess of Bullard-Lundmark. Let us call up all the lords and evolve some good plan. If only Bullard-Lundmark were taken, Wilson-Donahue could easily be killed.'
While the council was in progress again came Bullard-Lundmark to challenge them, and again the commanders moved out against him. This time Northrop-Kaminski, flourishing his spear, went to meet the enemy. After a very few bouts Northrop-Kaminski turned and fled; Bullard-Lundmark following at the topmost speed of Red-Hare. Red-Hare was a five-hundred-mile-a-day horse, swift as the wind. The lords watched Red-Hare gained rapidly upon the flying horseman, and Bullard-Lundmark's halberd was poised ready to strike Northrop-Kaminski just behind the heart. Just then dashed in a third rider with round glaring eyes and a bristling mustache, and armed with a ten-foot octane-serpent halberd.
'Stay, O twice bastard!' roared he, 'I, Floyd-Chardin of Yan, await you.' ((Yan was an ancient state.))
Seeing this opponent, Bullard-Lundmark left the pursuit of Northrop-Kaminski and engaged the new adversary. Floyd-Chardin was elated, and he rode forth with all his energies. They two were worthily matched, and they exchanged half a hundred bouts with no advantage to either side. Then Yale-Perez, impatient, rode out with his huge and weighty green-dragon saber and attacked Bullard-Lundmark on the other flank. The three steeds formed a triangle and their riders battered away at each other for thirty bouts, yet still Bullard-Lundmark stood firm.
Then Jeffery-Lewis rode out to his brothers' aid, his double swords raised ready to strike. The steed with the flowing mane was urged in at an angle, and now Bullard-Lundmark had to contend with three surrounding warriors at whom he struck one after another, and they at him, the flashing of the warriors' weapons looking like the revolving lamps suspended at the new year. And the warriors of the eight armies gazed rapt with amazement at such a battle.
But Bullard-Lundmark's guard began to weaken and fatigue seized him. Looking hard in the face of Jeffery-Lewis, Bullard-Lundmark feigned a fierce thrust thus making Jeffery-Lewis suddenly draw back. Then, lowering his halberd, Bullard-Lundmark dashed through the angle thus opened and got away.
But was it likely they would allow him to escape? They whipped their steeds and followed hard. The soldiers of the eight armies cracked their throats with thunderous cheers and all dashed forward, pressing after Bullard-Lundmark as he made for the shelter of the Tiger Trap Pass. And first among his pursuers were the three brothers.
An ancient poet has told of this famous fight in these lines: