Mesire Yvains pensis chemine

Tant qu’il vint en une gaudine;

Et lors oy en mi le gaut

Un cri mout dolereus et haut,

Si s’adrecha leus vers le cri

Chele part ou il l’ot oÿ.

Et quant il parvint chele part,

Vit .i. lion en .i. essart

Et .i. serpent qui le tenoit

Par le keue, si li ardoit

Toutes les rains de flambe ardant. (lines 3341–51)

(Absorbed in his thoughts, Sir Yvain rode until he entered a forest, and then he heard a loud cry of pain from the trees. He turned in the direction of the cry. When he reached a clearing, he saw a lion and a serpent, which was holding the lion by the tail and scorching his haunches with burning fire. [296–97])

He decides to save the lion (lines 3356–75; 297), but in order to do so he must cut off a small part of its tail even after he has killed the serpent:

A l’espee fourbie et blanche

Va le felon serpent requerre,

Si le trenche jusques en terre

Et les .ii. moitiez retronchonne;

Fiert et refiert et tant l’en donne

Que tout l’amenuse et depieche.

Mais de le keue une pieche