Towards the Knight, so weak that he could scarcely hold his
sword, this Giant came stalking.  Weak as he was, the Knight made
ready to fight.  But
    “The Giant strake so mainly merciless,
    That could have overthrown a stony tower;
    And were not heavenly grace that did him bless,
    He had been powdered all as thin as flour.”

As the Giant struck at him, the Knight leapt aside and the blow fell harmless.  But so mighty was it that the wind of it threw him to the ground, where he lay senseless.  And ere he woke out of his swoon the Giant took him up, and

    “Him to his castle brought with hasty force
    And in a dungeon deep him threw without remorse.”

Duessa then became the Giant’s lady.  “He gave her gold and purple pall to wear,” and set a triple crown upon her head.  For steed he gave her a fearsome dragon with fiery eyes and seven heads, so that all who saw her went in dread and awe.

The Dwarf, seeing his master thus overthrown and made prisoner, gathered his armor and set forth to tell his evil tidings and find help.  He had not gone far before he met the Lady Una.  To her he told his sad news, and she with grief in her heart turned with him to find the dark dungeon in which her Knight lay.  On her way she met another knight.  This was Prince Arthur.  And he, learning of her sorrow, went with her promising aid.  Guided by the Dwarf they reached the castle of the Giant, and here a fearful fight took place in which Prince Arthur conquered Duessa’s Dragon and killed the Giant.  Then he entered the castle.

    “Where living creature none he did espy. 
    Then gan he loudly through the house to call;
    But no man cared to answer to his cry;
    There reigned a solemn silence over all,
    Nor voice was heard, nor wight was seen in bower or hall.

    At last, with creeping crooked pace forth came
    An old, old man with beard as white as snow;
    That on a staff his feeble steps did frame,
    And guide his weary gate both to and fro,
    For his eyesight him failed long ago;
    And on his arm a bunch of keys he bore,
    The which unused rust did overgrow;
    Those were the keys of every inner door,
    But he could not them use, but kept them still in store.”

And what was strange and terrible about this old man was that his head was twisted upon his shoulders, so that although he walked towards the knight his face looked backward.

Seeing his gray hairs and venerable look Prince Arthur asked him gently where all the folk of the castle were.

“I cannot tell,” answered the old man.  And to every question he replied, “I cannot tell,” until the knight, impatient of delay, seized the keys from his arm.  Door after door the Prince Arthur opened, seeing many strange, sad sights.  But nowhere could he find the captive Knight.

    “At last he came unto an iron door,
    That fast was locked, but key found not at all,
    Amongst that bunch to open it withal.”