Read "Stories of Charlemagne and the Twelve Peers of France" by Alfred John Church online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
The Saracens that had charge of Oliver and the other knights did not / halt till they came to a rich city, Aygremore by name. Being arrived / there they made a great braying of trumpets at the gate. Balan, who / was father to Fierabras, hearing this came to the gate, and seeing / there Brullant, said to him, "Tell me, Brullant, my friend, how you / have fared. Have you taken King Charles, and put his Peers to / flight? " Brullant answered, "I have no such tidings for you, Sir / Admiral. We have been discomfited by King Charles, and Fierabras / your son was overcome in single fight by one of the King's Barons, / and has been made a Christian man."
When the Admiral heard this, he was greatly troubled, and fell into a / swoon. Being recovered from this, he made a great complaint of his / ill-fortune, and lamented over his son, as one who never having been / vanquished before had now suffered defeat. And at last, so great was / his rage, he cried, "Now if this be true, and Fierabras my son is / lost to me, verily I will strike out the brains of this false god / Mahomet, who having promised me so much has fulfilled so little. " / And he threw himself in an agony upon the ground.