Brewer's: Clorinda

(in Jerusalem Delivered) A female knight who came from Persia to oppose the Crusaders, and was appointed by Aladine leader of all the Pagan forces. Tancred fell in love with her, but not knowing her in a night attack slew her after a most dreadful combat. Before she died she received Christian baptism at the hands of Tancred, who mourned her death with great sorrow of heart. (Book xii.)

Senapus of Ethiopia (a Christian) was her father but her being born white alarmed her mother, who changed her babe for a black child. Arse'tës, the eunuch, was entrusted with the infant Clorinda, and as he was going through a forest he saw a tiger, dropped the child, and sought safety in a tree. The tiger took the babe and suckled, it after which Arsetes left Ethiopia with the child for Egypt.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
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