Holding the cudgel high in his two hands, he charged the dragon (which was the least he could do). The dragon lurched at him first and the claws of its two feet pierced Lancelot's hauberk. Had they penetrated his flesh, it would have defeated and eaten him; but they did not even touch his skin since God, Who was watching over Lancelot, was not pleased that they should. But the dragon did rip away Lancelot's hauberk and managed shred it to pieces.

Before it could disengage its claws, Lancelot hit the dragon between the eyes with his sturdy cudgel. The dragon foolishly did not flee, and Lancelot redoubled his assault, wildly striking the beast a second and a third time. Now the third blow I am describing to you knocked the dragon down and stunned it completely. When Lancelot saw it lying there, he remembered his intention of crossing over the bridge and passed by the beast. He got himself away from there safely in a wise and prudent fashion and without acting like a coward or a drunkard in the least.

When he finally did cross over the bridge, the dragon who had hardly allowed anyone to cross the distance of even half an arpent completely recovered its bearings. It jumped up and bolted to the other end of the bridge, right to the spot Lancelot had reached, and strained to get as close to place as its chain allowed.

Lancelot swung around to fight it again, and the battle was joined right there unlike any ever conceived by man! But only he who strives more eagerly after prowess than after wealth may win it. So, just like a battering machine, Lancelot raised his cudgel up high and smashed it into the dragon, which he did not fear or esteem in the least. Although the blow expended most of his strength, the fight was over because he saw the cudgel had done its job well.

But when he realized that his prized and trusted cudgel had shattered, he was astonished, and he prayed to the Heavenly King, "Ah, God! What does it mean when this cudgel of mine, in which I had placed so much trust, is ruined here on me? Shall I never at all kill this dragon now?"

Marvels of Rigomer