He saw the dragon dead, with his conqueror lifeless beside him, and quickly resolved to take advantage of this fortunate chance to secure the hand of the fair princess.

He therefore cut off the dragon's head, and, going to court, boasted of having slain the monster just as it had killed a strange knight.

Iseult and her mother, well aware that the man was a coward, refused to believe his story, and hastened off to the scene of the conflict, where they found the fainting Tristan with the dragon's tongue in his pocket.
To remove the poisonous substance, (which they, however, preserved,) convey the knight to the palace, and restore him by tender care, was the next impulse of these brave women.

Then, while Iseult the younger sat beside her patient, watching his slumbers, she idly drew his sword from the scabbard.
Suddenly her eye was caught by a dint in the blade, which she soon discovered was of exactly the same shape and size as the fragment of steel which she had found in her uncle's skull.
"Then all at once her heart grew cold In thinking of that deed of old.
Her color changed through grief and ire From deadly pale to glowing fire.
With sorrow she exclaimed: 'Alas! Oh, woe! what has now come to pass?
Who carried here this weapon dread, By which mine uncle was struck dead?
And he who slew him, Tristan hight.
Who gave it to this minstrel knight ?'" GOTTFRIED VON STRASSBURG (Dippold's tr.).
Morold's murderer lay helpless before her, and Iseult, animated by the spirit of vengeance, which was considered a sacred duty among the people of the time, was about to slay Tristan, when he opened his eyes and disarmed her by a glance.

Her mother further hindered her carrying out her hostile intentions by telling her that Tristan had atoned for his crime by delivering the people from the power of the dragon.
As soon as Tristan had quite recovered, he appeared at court, where he offered to prove at the point of his sword that the butler had no claim to the princess's hand.