And when he saw her come out of the cave in form of a
dragon, so hideous and so horrible, he had so great dread, that he
fled again to the ship, and she followed him. And when she saw
that he turned not again, she began to cry, as a thing that had
much sorrow; and then she turned again into her cave. And anon the
knight died. And sithen hitherward might no knight see her, but
that he died anon. But when a knight cometh, that is so hardy to
kiss her, he shall not die; but he shall turn the damosel into her
right form and kindly shape, and he shall be lord of all the
countries and isles abovesaid.
And from thence men come to the isle of Rhodes, the which isle
Hospitallers holden and govern; and that took they some-time from
the emperor. And it was wont to be clept Collos; and so call it
the Turks yet. And Saint Paul in his epistle writeth to them of
that isle AD COLOSSENSES. This isle is nigh eight hundred mile
long from Constantinople.
CHAPTER V
[Of diversities in Cyprus; of the Road from Cyprus to Jerusalem,
and of the Marvel of a Fosse full of Sand]
AND from this isle of Rhodes men go to Cyprus, where be many vines,
that first be red and after one year they become white; and those
wines that be most white, be most clear and best of smell.
And men pass by that way, by a place that was wont to be a great
city, and a great land; and the city was clept Cathailye, the which
city and land was lost through folly of a young man. For he had a
fair damosel, that he loved well to his paramour; and she died
suddenly, and was done in a tomb of marble. And for the great lust
that he had to her, he went in the night unto her tomb and opened
it, and went in and lay by her, and went his way. And when it came
to the end of nine months, there came a voice to him and said, Go
to the tomb of that woman, and open it and behold what thou hast
begotten on her; and if thou let to go, thou shalt have a great
harm. And he yede and opened the tomb, and there flew out an adder
right hideous to see; the which as swithe flew about the city and
the country, and soon after the city sank down. And there be many
perilous passages without fail.
From Rhodes to Cyprus be five hundred mile and more. But men may
go to Cyprus, and come not at Rhodes.
