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At this permission Huon turned to where the princess Esclaramonde was sitting by her father, and kissed her thrice. The emir was not altogether pleased at this fashion of Huon's, but he said nothing, and in a moment the knight told him how the emperor had sent him to pray the emir to become a Christian, otherwise he should proceed against him with a mighty host.
Meanwhile, the knowledge of Huon's plight had reached Oberon, and, angry though he was, he began to think how best to send help to him, when a monster of the sea, called Mallebron, who had before given him aid on his journey to Babylon, begged to be allowed to deliver him once more.
Huron alone felt no disposition to dance; but he came near dying of laughter at seeing the ridiculous postures and leaps of the others. The dwarf, approaching Huon, said, in a sweet voice, and in Huon's own language, "Duke of Guienne, why do you shun me? I conjure you, in Heaven's name, speak to me."
Weber expressed unbounded astonishment and contempt at this unartistic view of things, and with great reluctance at length consented to suppress, or rather transfer to the overture, the noble and pathetic melody designed for Huon's opening song, for which he submitted the fine warlike cantata beginning "Oh,'tis a glorious sight to see The charge of the Christian chivalry!"
The knight's horse lay dead, and it seemed as if another moment would end the combat, for terror and fatigue had quite disabled the knight for further resistance. He fell, and the lion's paw was raised over him, when a blow from Huon's sword turned the monster's rage upon a new enemy.
At the sound of this blasphemy Huon drew his sword and turned upon the miscreant, who, little disposed to encounter the prowess of which he had so lately seen proof, betook himself to flight. He ran to Huon's horse, and lightly vaulting on his back, clapped spurs to his side, and galloped out of sight. The adventure was vexatious, yet there was no remedy.
'Oh, sir, be not rash, I entreat you! cried Gerames, 'for he charged you straitly not to blow the horn save in your direst need. 'Ay, surely, answered Huon, 'but for all that I will try what power it has, and, raising it to his mouth, he blew a loud blast. At that all the company rose up, and sang and danced joyfully, and Garyn, Huon's uncle, begged him to blow the horn once more.
He seized the reins of Huon's horse, and turned him about, hurrying the prince away, and assuring him that they were lost if they stopped to parley with the mischievous dwarf, who, though he appeared a child, was full of years and of treachery.
It were long to tell of Huon's adventures after he had left the island. At one time he took service with a minstrel and was his varlet. At another time he was forced to play chess for the hand of a king's daughter, but refused to marry her when he had won the game. Unknowingly, he once fought with Gerames, and only found out who he was in the course of the battle.
The jubilee that ensued exceeds all description. The whole population of Otdia and the neighbouring islands assembled round our tent, and the music acted upon them like Huon's horn in Oberon. They danced and leaped about, sometimes hurrying the sailors into similar antics, and forming altogether a scene which would have provoked the most solemn philosopher to laughter.
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