And I was finished drinking water and telling lies and was getting ready to go back into the woods to gather more material to lie about, when I passed a knight, sitting under a tree drinking water. So I greeted the knight, who was surpassing blond and tall, even while seated, and asked him how fared his battle.

And this tall, blond knight said to me, “Hector, I killed Bedford.” And this was a great accomplishment well worthy of celebration, for Duke Michael of Bedford is a hard fighter, said to be right difficult to kill.

And I cheered this noble knight, fair and lofty as he was, for defeating Bedford of Atlantia. And then I asked this Nordic man-mountain how I could reward such a legendary deed.

And this golden giant of a knight said, “Hector, just tell people I killed Bedford in the woods.” Then he thought about it and added, “And every time you tell the story, make me a little bit taller and a little bit blonder.”

And that is how Viscount Sir Menken Brechen, Master of the Pelican, became the tallest, blondest knight in all Ealdormere.