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William and the Werewolf
William and Emelior ran through the garden disguised as bears.
The wolf carries the child on a journey that takes them into the forest outside Rome. For eight days, amongst the wild animals, the wolf provides for the infant, makes a den in the earth, lines it with grass and dry leaves, making a comfortable refuge so that the child wants for nothing. At night the wolf sleeps with the young prince, embracing this king's son with its four feet and the little infant becomes so used to the wolf that all seems quite normal to him and he is openly pleased at what the wolf brings and willingly obeys the animal. ...
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Alexandra began to dress Emelior first, fastened her in the skin with strong cords, all about her proper clothes, so that in all honesty, no man would think anything other than that she was a bear, so exactly did each piece join with another.
When they were both fully dressed in the skins, William and Emelior made their way quickly through the garden, fiercely on their four feet, as bears do, and happened to encounter one of the new arrivals from Greece, looking at the plants. Terrified out of his wits, he raced away from them as fast as feet can run!
So the cry went out for everybody to hunt for two white bears. Everyone joined in the search, on horseback and on foot, scouring the forests with bloodhounds until a group came to within a bowshot of where William and Emelior lay together. The werewolf placed himself in danger by running near to the hounds and trying to draw them away.
