"My lord," said the knight, "this glen is so full of savage beasts that no man passes through here without gaining himself some wounds or even getting killed. As you can see, I have so many wounds all over me that I can scarcely move. So take up these clubs and those sharply honed axes, for they will come in handy when you need them. You cannot rely on your swords and lances because the beasts do not stay far enough away."

Lancelot exclaimed, "Name these beasts for me if you know their names!"

"Of course," he said. "I know how to name some of them, and I shall gladly tell you what they are: there are bears and lions, pigs and leopards: all around in great numbers. There are also an abundance of monkeys and toads who bite people on their backs and the napes of their necks quickly infecting many with evil poison. There are also turtles and snakes, who do many bad things, and snails and crested serpents; of these last, many remain still and poised. And there are also scorpions and vipers, from which may God deliver us all! But worse than all these, there is the panther who stalks all through this ancient forest and who roars flaming fire from its maw and from each of its nostrils, as it is a beast of evil origins. The creature I am describing to you spares neither king nor count and if, at any time, it can catch one of these, it quickly devours him on the spot."

Marvels of Rigomer