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Brother Hidulf began thus: During the time of heathenism, there was a mighty grabia whose name was Walgierz, whom on account of his great beauty, they called Wdaly.
There was a tradition that the ghost of Walgierz appeared when the morals of the monastic lives became corrupted, and when the monks thought more about worldly riches and pleasures than was right. None of them, however, wished to tell this; but it was also said that the ghost's appearance portended war or some other calamity.
Hearing this, the ladies surrounded the princess and walked slowly, looking in the rays of the sun like moving flowers. "Let Brother Hidulf tell about Walgierz, who appeared to him on a certain night," said one of the monks, looking at one of the other monks who was an old man. "Pious father, have you seen him with your own eyes?" asked the princess.
He, while Walgierz Wdaly was absent, devastated the county around Tyniec. Walgierz when be returned overpowered Wislaw and imprisoned him in Tyniec. He did not take into consideration this fact: that every woman as soon as she saw Wislaw, was ready immediately to leave father, mother and even husband, if she could only satisfy her passion. This happened to Helgunda.
"Because I remember that it was on just such a fine morning when Zbyszko and I were on the road from Tyniec to Krakow we saw such a giant. They said then that it was Walgierz Wdaly. Bah! It was shown afterward that it was the lord of Taczew. Still, nothing good resulted from it. Let the evil charm be upon the dog."
Therefore the astonishment increased among the courtiers and some of them could scarcely believe their own eyes. In the meanwhile, the princess wishing to make the journey pleasant, and to interest the young ladies, begged one of the monks to relate the awful story about Walgierz Wdaly which had been told to her in Krakow, although not very correctly.
Danusia began to scream: "Zbyszko! Zbyszko!" But he went forward and rode swiftly, confident that even if he did meet the true Walgierz, he could pierce him through and through with his spear. Macko who had sharp sight, said: "He appears like a giant because he is on the hill. It is some big man, but an ordinary one, nothing else! Owa!
"You crazy man, what are you doing?" said a deep, threatening voice; "you are attacking an envoy, you are insulting the king!" Zbyszko glanced around and recognized the same gigantic man, whom he had taken for Walgierz, and who had frightened the princess and her court. "Let me go against the German! Who are you?" he cried, seizing his axe. "Away with the axe! for God's sake!
She immediately devised such fetters for Walgierz, that that giant, although he could pluck an oak up by its roots, was unable to break them. She gave him to Wislaw, who took and imprisoned him in Wislica. There Rynga, Wislaw's sister, having heard Walgierz singing in his underground cell, soon fell in love with him and set him at liberty.
The men tried to laugh, but there was fear in their eyes; the young girls were pale; only Mikolaj of Dlugolas maintained his composure and wishing to tranquilize the princess, said: "Don't be frightened, gracious lady. The sun has not yet set; and even if it were night, Saint Ptolomeus will manage Walgierz."
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