Finally he began to tire, but the Bohemian struck on constantly more powerfully. Just as from a tall pine-tree great chips fly under the peasant’s axe, so under the Bohemian’s strokes fragments began to scale off and fly from the German warrior’s armor. The upper edge of the shield was bent and shattered, the mail from the right shoulder rolled to the ground, together with the cut and already bloody strap of leather. This made van Krist’s hair stand on end—and a deadly fear seized him. He struck with all the force of his arm once and again at the Bohemian’s shield; finally, seeing that he had no chance against his adversary’s terrible strength and that only some extraordinary exertion could save him, he threw himself suddenly with all the weight of his armor and body against Hlawa’s legs.
