" So she went toward
the winged steed and stretched out her hand to take him by the bridle;
but the Hippogrif darted up into the air, and flew a hundred yards or so
away before he settled again upon the ground. Again and again she tried
to catch him, but he always flew off before she could touch him, and
then came down to earth a little distance away, where he waited for her
to get near him again, just as you may see a butterfly flit from one
cabbage-row to another, and always manage to keep a yard or two ahead of
the boy who chases it. At last, however, he alighted close by the side
of Roger, whereupon the Prince cried to his lady: "I will catch him and
give him a ride to break him in for you;" and, seizing hold of the
bridle in his left hand, he vaulted on to the back of the Hippogrif, who
stood still without attempting to escape, as if to acknowledge that here
he had found his proper master. But the Prince was no sooner fairly in
the saddle than his strange steed shot up fifty feet straight into the
air, and, taking the bit between his teeth, with a dozen flaps of his
mighty wings carried his unwilling rider far away over the mountains and
out of sight of the unfortunate Bradamante.
You must know that though Roger was quite unable to hold his Hippogrif,
and soon gave up the attempt in despair, the winged monster was really
guided by something stronger than bit or bridle, and every motion of his
headlong flight was controlled by the will of an invisible master.
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