Hateful and horrid were his hair and the rest\nHe was bow-legged and bristly and brutishly ugly,\nWith foully matted fell and [[foaming|figure]] lips

He [[dreamed|dragon]]

He sprang about, scowled and snarled with menace,\nAnd turned to attack with his terrible claws,\nRoaring with a rage that [[rocked|savagely]] all the ground

With tremendous tongues his tail was dagged;\nAny contact would quickly kill a man!\nHis feet were flourished in finest black\nAnd tipped with talons entirely of gold.\nSuch venomous flames flared from his lips\nThat the flood seemed [[on fire|flying flecks]]

His crown and neck were completely covered\nWith undulating azure in high enamel;\nScales of pure silver sheathed his shoulders,\nMaking the monster as if mantled with mail;\nHis wings and wide belly were wonderfully coloured,\nAnd thus [[marvellously mailed|tremendous tongues]] he mounted aloft.

But in battle the bear seemed the bigger one\nAnd [[boldly bit back|baleful]]

With tremendous tongues his tail was dagged;\nAny contact would quickly kill a man!\nHis feet were flourished in finest black\nAnd [[tipped with talons|entirely]]

He dreamed that a dragon dreadful to behold\nCame driving over the deep to drown his people,\nRanging directly from the realms of the west\nAnd soaring in [[spite|surging sea]]

From afar the dragon flew furiously at him,\nSending him staggering off under the [[sky|Hitting hawk]]

He dreamed that a dragon dreadful to behold\nCame driving over the deep to drown his people,\nRanging directly from the realms of the west\nAnd soaring in spite over the [[surging sea|crown neck covered]].

He dreamed that a dragon dreadful to behold\nCame [[driving over the deep|drown]]

With tremendous tongues his [[tail|would quickly kill a man]] was dagged

He ramped with such rage that he ripped open the ground,\nWhich ran with red blood like [[rain from heaven|done down]]!

Arthur's Dream of the Dragon and the Bear

He sprang about, scowled and snarled with menace,\nAnd turned to attack with his terrible claws,\nRoaring with a rage that rocked all the ground,\nSo savagely he [[struck|stormed]]

He sprang about, [[scowled|snarled]]

Then the [[serpent soared|zenith]]

Then the serpent soared to the zenith\nAnd dived down through the clouds with dreadful impact,\nAttacking the bear with his [[talons|tearing]]

Then issuing out of the east against him\nCame a [[bear|fierce and black]]

His crown and neck were completely covered\nWith [[undulating azure|pure silver sheathed his shoulders]] in [[high enamel|pure silver sheathed his shoulders]]

He [[sprang|scowled]] about

Then the serpent soared to the zenith\nAnd dived down through the clouds with dreadful impact,\nAttacking the bear with his talons and tearing his back\nFor ten feet between his tail and his crown,\nThus beating the bear down and battering out his life -\nLet him [[fall|float]] into the sea-flood

Then issuing out of the east against him\nCame a bear fierce and black above in the [[clouds|paw post]]

This [[bad|burdend]] dream

But in battle the bear seemed the bigger one\nAnd boldly bit back with baleful fangs.\nHe struck so savagely with his [[spiked|breast belly]] claws

[[King Arthur|completely equipped cabin]], on a huge vessel with a host of knights

With tremendous tongues his tail was dagged;\nAny contact would quickly kill a man!\nHis feet were flourished in finest black\nAnd tipped with talons entirely of gold.\nSuch venomous flames flared from his lips\nThat the flood seemed on fire with the [[flying flecks|against him]].

He sprang about, scowled and snarled with menace,\nAnd turned to attack with his terrible claws,\n[[Roaring|rocked]] with a [[rage|rocked]]

Hateful and horrid were [[his hair|bow-legged]] and the rest

His [[crown|undulating azure high enamel]] and [[neck|undulating azure high enamel]] were completely [[covered|undulating azure high enamel]]

He sprang about, scowled and [[snarled|claws]] with menace

This bad dream so burdened the King aboard ship\nHe nearly [[burst|bitter]]

King Arthur, on a huge vessel with a host of knights,\nWas enclosed in a completely equipped cabin,\nResting on a [[richly|sent him to sleep]] arrayed bed

Then the serpent soared to the zenith\nAnd dived down through the clouds with [[dreadful|talons]] impact

This bad dream so [[burdened|burst]] the King aboard ship

Then issuing out of the east against him\nCame a bear fierce and black above in the clouds,\nEach [[paw|prodigious pads]] like a [[post|prodigious pads]]

[[About The Authors]]\n\n

Then the serpent soared to the zenith\nAnd dived down through the clouds with dreadful impact,\nAttacking the bear with his talons and tearing his back\nFor ten feet between his tail and his crown,\nThus [[beating|battering]] the bear down

He ramped with such rage that he ripped open the ground,\nWhich ran with [[red|rain from heaven]] blood

Then issuing out of the east against him\nCame a bear fierce and black above in the clouds,\nEach paw like a post, with [[prodigious pads|cruel curling claws]]

He sprang about, scowled and snarled with menace,\nAnd turned to attack with his [[terrible|Roaring rage]] claws

He ramped with such rage that he [[ripped|red]] open the ground

His crown and neck were completely covered\nWith undulating azure in high enamel;\nScales of pure silver sheathed his shoulders,\nMaking the [[monster|mantled]]

He dreamed that a dragon [[dreadful|driving over the deep]] to behold

With [[tremendous tongues|tail]]

He ramped with such rage that he ripped open the ground,\nWhich ran with red blood like rain from heaven!\nHe'd have done down the dragon by dint of sheer strength\nBut for the wild fire the dragon [[wielded|serpent soared]] in defence.

But in battle the bear seemed the bigger one\nAnd boldly bit back with [[baleful|struck so savagely]] fangs

With tremendous tongues his tail was dagged;\nAny contact would quickly kill a man!\nHis feet were flourished in finest black\nAnd tipped with talons [[entirely|flames flared]] of gold

His crown and neck were completely covered\nWith undulating azure in high enamel;\nScales of [[pure silver|monster]] [[sheathed his shoulders|monster]]

[[From|furiously]] afar the dragon [[flew|furiously]]

From afar the dragon flew furiously at him,\nSending him staggering off under the sky,\n[[Hitting|high]] him like a [[hawk|high]]

Unknown, Brian Stone, mno\s\n<<set document.title to passage()>>\s\n<<if passage() eq "Start">>\s\n<<set document.title to "King Arthur">>\s\n<<endif>>

King Arthur, on a huge vessel with a host of knights,\nWas enclosed in a [[completely equipped cabin|richly]]

Then the serpent soared to the zenith\nAnd dived down through the clouds with dreadful impact,\nAttacking the bear with his talons and tearing his back\nFor ten feet between his tail and his crown,\nThus beating the bear down and battering out his life -\nLet him fall into the sea-flood and [[float|likes]]

This bad dream so burdened the King aboard ship\nHe nearly burst with bitter pain on his bed there lying[[...|end]]

But in battle the bear seemed the bigger one\nAnd boldly bit back with baleful fangs.\nHe struck so savagely with his spiked claws\nThat the dragon's breast and belly were [[bloody|ramped rage]] all over.

<<display "King Arthur">>

Then the serpent soared to the zenith\nAnd dived down through the clouds with dreadful impact,\nAttacking the bear with his talons and tearing his back\nFor ten feet between his tail and his crown,\nThus beating the bear down and battering out his life -\nLet him fall into the sea-flood and float where he [[likes|bad]]!

His crown and neck were completely covered\nWith undulating azure in high enamel;\nScales of pure silver sheathed his shoulders,\nMaking the monster as if [[mantled|wonderfully]] with mail

Hateful and horrid were his hair and the rest\nHe was bow-legged and bristly and brutishly ugly,\nWith foully matted fell and foaming lips -\nThe vilest [[figure|formed]]

[[But|bear bigger]] in [[battle|bear bigger]]

This bad dream so burdened the King aboard ship\nHe nearly burst with bitter pain on his bed [[there|lying]]

With tremendous tongues his tail was dagged;\nAny contact would quickly kill a man!\nHis feet were flourished in finest black\nAnd tipped with talons entirely of gold.\nSuch venomous [[flames|on fire]] [[flared|on fire]] from his lips

With tremendous tongues his tail was dagged;\nAny contact would quickly kill a man!\nHis [[feet were flourished|tipped with talons]] in finest black

His crown and neck were completely covered\nWith undulating azure in high enamel;\nScales of pure silver sheathed his shoulders,\nMaking the monster as if mantled with mail;\nHis wings and wide belly were [[wonderfully|marvellously mailed]] coloured

This bad dream so burdened the King aboard ship\nHe nearly burst with [[bitter|bed]] pain

From afar the dragon flew furiously at him,\nSending him [[staggering|sky]]

Hateful and horrid were his hair and the rest\nHe was bow-legged and bristly and brutishly ugly,\nWith foully matted fell and foaming lips -\nThe vilest figure ever to be [[formed|sprang]]!

He dreamed that a dragon dreadful to behold\nCame driving over the deep to [[drown|realms]] his people

He dreamed that a dragon dreadful to behold\nCame driving over the deep to drown his people,\nRanging directly from the [[realms|spite]] of the west

Then issuing out of the east against him\nCame a bear fierce and black above in the clouds,\nEach paw like a post, with prodigious pads\nCulminating in [[cruel curling claws|Hateful horrid]].

King Arthur, on a huge vessel with a host of knights,\nWas enclosed in a completely equipped cabin,\nResting on a richly arrayed bed.\nAnd the swaying on the sea [[sent him to sleep|dreamed]].

Then issuing out of the east [[against him|bear]]

He [[ramped|ripped]] with such [[rage|ripped]]

The text in this Twine story is an excerpt (lines 756 to 805) from Brian Stone's modern translation/adaptation of the Alliterative Morte Arthure, a poem dating from about 1400 by an unknown author. My source of the translation is from Penguin Classics' King Arthur's Death, published in 1988. The book also includes Brian Stone's translation of the Stanzic Le Morte Arthur. A copy of the original text of both poems, and great detail on each, can be <html><a href="http://d.lib.rochester.edu/teams/text/benson-and-foster-king-arthurs-death-introduction">read here</a></html>!\n\nBrian Stone was born in 1919, becoming in 1948 teacher as well as a director of plays. From 1959 he started translating Medieval stories and literature primarily for Penguin Classics, until his death in 1995.\n\nI (mno!) am a 21 year-old goofball who loves Twine, and a buncha other things too. I have a <html><a href="http://skirtdingo.neocities.org/">personal website</a></html> with more information on me and what I do, as well as ways to reach me for those interested in such.\n\n<<back>>

This bad dream so burdened the King aboard ship\nHe nearly burst with bitter pain on his [[bed|there]]

Then the serpent soared to the zenith\nAnd dived down through the clouds with dreadful impact,\nAttacking the bear with his talons and tearing his back\nFor ten feet between his tail and his crown,\nThus beating the bear down and [[battering|fall]] out his life

He ramped with such rage that he ripped open the ground,\nWhich ran with red blood like rain from heaven!\nHe'd have done down the dragon by dint of sheer strength\nBut for the [[wild|wielded]] fire

Then the serpent soared to the zenith\nAnd dived down through the clouds with dreadful impact,\nAttacking the bear with his talons and tearing his back\nFor ten feet between his [[tail|beating]] and his [[crown|beating]]

Then the serpent soared to the zenith\nAnd dived down through the clouds with dreadful impact,\nAttacking the bear with his talons and [[tearing|tail crown]] his back

But in battle the [[bear|boldly bit back]] seemed the [[bigger|boldly bit back]] one

Then the serpent soared to the [[zenith|dreadful ]]

From afar the dragon flew furiously at him,\nSending him staggering off under the sky,\nHitting him like a hawk with [[high|fighting]] courage

From afar the dragon flew furiously at him,\nSending him staggering off under the sky,\nHitting him like a hawk with high courage,\nand [[fighting|feet fiery]]

From afar the dragon flew furiously at him,\nSending him staggering off under the sky,\nHitting him like a hawk with high courage,\nand fighting with [[feet|together]] and [[fiery|together]] breath

But in battle the bear seemed the bigger one\nAnd boldly bit back with baleful fangs.\nHe struck so savagely with his spiked claws\nThat the dragon's [[breast|bloody]] and [[belly|bloody]]

.\n.\n.\n\n[[Re-read|Start]]?\n\nOr read [[about this poem and authors|About The Authors]]?

Hateful and horrid were his hair and the rest\nHe was bow-legged and [[bristly|brutishly]]

Hateful and horrid were his hair and the rest\nHe was [[bow-legged|bristly]]

He sprang about, scowled and snarled with menace,\nAnd turned to attack with his terrible claws,\nRoaring with a rage that rocked all the ground,\nSo [[savagely|struck]]

He ramped with such rage that he ripped open the ground,\nWhich ran with red blood like rain from heaven!\nHe'd have done down the dragon by dint of [[sheer strength|wild]]

From afar the dragon flew [[furiously|staggering]] at him

He ramped with such rage that he ripped open the ground,\nWhich ran with red blood like rain from heaven!\nHe'd have [[done down|sheer strength]] the dragon

Hateful and horrid were his hair and the rest\nHe was bow-legged and bristly and brutishly ugly,\nWith [[foully|foaming]] matted [[fell|foaming]]

He sprang about, scowled and snarled with menace,\nAnd turned to attack with his terrible claws,\nRoaring with a rage that rocked all the ground,\nSo savagely he struck as he [[stormed|From flew]] about.

With tremendous tongues his tail was dagged;\nAny contact [[would quickly kill a man|feet were flourished]]!

But in battle the bear seemed the bigger one\nAnd boldly bit back with baleful fangs.\nHe [[struck so savagely|spiked]]

Hateful and horrid were his hair and the rest\nHe was bow-legged and bristly and [[brutishly|fouly fell]] ugly

From afar the dragon flew furiously at him,\nSending him staggering off under the sky,\nHitting him like a hawk with high courage,\nand fighting with feet and fiery breath [[together|But battle]].

He dreamed that a [[dragon|dreadful]]

[[Hateful|his hair]] and [[horrid|his hair]]

Then issuing out of the east against him\nCame a bear [[fierce and black|clouds]]

This bad dream so burdened the King aboard ship\nHe nearly burst with bitter pain on his bed there [[lying|period]]