mc.eatersofthedead-第29章

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over　it；　sitting　propped　up　on　a　stone　couch　at　the　side　of　King　Rothgar；　and　he　drank　mead　and　he　was　merry。　I　was　near　to　him　when　he　said　to　King　Rothgar；　in　the　midst　of　the　festivities；　〃I　have　no　slaves。〃
　〃All　of　my　slaves　are　your　slaves；〃　Rothgar　said。
　Then　Buliwyf　said；　〃I　have　no　horses。〃
　〃All　of　my　horses　are　yours；〃　Rothgar　answered。　〃Think　no　more　on　these　matters。〃
　And　Buliwyf；　his　wounds　bound；　was　happy；　and　he　smiled；　and　the　color　returned　to　his　cheeks　that　evening；　and　indeed　he　seemed　to　grow　stronger　with　each　passing　minute　of　the　night。　And　although　I　would　not　have　thought　it　possible；　he　ravished　a　slave　girl；　and　afterward　he　said　to　me；　as　a　joke；　〃A　dead　man　is　no　use　to　anyone。〃
　And　then　Buliwyf　fell　into　a　sleep；　and　his　color　became　more　pale　and　his　breathing　more　shallow；　I　feared　he　should　never　awake　from　this　sleep。　He　may　also　have　thought　this；　for　as　he　slept　he　held　his　sword　gripped　tight　in　his　hand。
　
　THE　DEATH　THROES　OF　THE　WENDOL

　SO　ALSO　I　FELL　INTO　A　SLEEP。　HERGER　AWAKENED　ME　with　these　words：　〃You　are　to　e　quickly。〃　Now　I　heard　the　sound　of　distant　thunder。　I　looked　to　the　bladder　window44　and　it　was　not　yet　dawn；　but　I　grabbed　up　my　sword；　in　truth　I　had　fallen　asleep　in　my　armor；　not　caring　to　remove　it。　Then　I　hastened　outside。　It　was　the　hour　before　dawn；　and　the　air　was　misty　and　thick；　and　filled　with　the　thunder　of　distant　hoofbeats。
　Herger　said　to　me；　〃The　wendol　e。　They　know　of　the　mortal　wounds　of　Buliwyf；　and　they　seek　a　final　revenge　for　the　killing　of　their　mother。〃
　Each　of　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf；　myself　among　them；　took　a　place　at　the　perimeter　of　the　fortifications　that　we　had　drawn　up　against　the　wendol。　These　defenses　were　poor；　yet　we　had　none　else。　We　peered　into　the　mists　to　glimpse　the　horsemen　galloping　down　upon　us。　I　expected　great　fear；　but　I　did　not　feel　this；　for　I　had　seen　the　aspect　of　the　wendol　and　I　knew　them　to　be　creatures；　if　not　men；　then　like　enough　to　men　as　monkeys　are　also　like　men；　but　I　knew　them　to　be　mortal；　and　they　could　die。
　Thus　I　had　no　fear；　save　the　expectation　of　this　final　battle。　In　this　manner　was　I　alone；　for　I　saw　that　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　displayed　much　fear；　and　this　despite　their　pains　to　conceal　it。　Verily；　as　we　had　killed　the　mother　of　the　wendol；　who　was　their　leader；　so　also　had　we　lost　Buliwyf；　who　was　our　own　leader；　and　there　was　no　cheerfulness　while　we　waited　and　heard　the　thunder　approach。
　And　then　I　heard　a　motion　behind　me；　and　upon　my　turning；　I　saw　this：　Buliwyf；　pale　as　the　mist　itself；　garbed　in　white　and　bound　in　his　wounds；　stood　erect　upon　the　land　of　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar。　And　on　his　shoulders　sat　two　black　ravens；　one　to　each　side；　and　at　this　sight　the　Northmen　screamed　of　his　ing；　and　they　raised　their　weapons　into　the　air　and　howled　for　the　battle。45
　Now　Buliwyf　never　spoke；　nor　did　he　look　to　one　side　or　another；　nor　did　he　give　sign　of　recognition　to　any　man；　but　he　walked　with　measured　pace　forward；　beyond　the　line　of　the　fortifications；　and　there　he　awaited　the　onslaught　of　the　wendol。　The　ravens　flew　off；　and　he　gripped　his　sword　Runding　and　met　the　attack。
　No　words　can　describe　the　final　attack　of　the　wendol　in　the　dawn　of　the　mist。　No　words　will　say　what　blood　was　spilled；　what　screams　filled　the　thick　air；　what　horses　and　horsemen　died　in　hideous　agony。　With　my　own　eyes　I　saw　Ecthgow；　with　his　arms　of　steel：　verily　his　head　was　lopped　off　by　a　wendol　sword　and　the　head　bounced　upon　the　ground　as　a　bauble；　the　tongue　still　flicking　in　the　mouth。　Also　I　saw　Weath　take　a　spear　through　his　chest；　in　this　way　was　he　pinned　to　the　ground；　and　there　writhed　like　a　fish　taken　from　the　sea。　I　saw　a　girl　child　trampled　by　the　hooves　of　a　horse　and　her　body　crushed　flat　and　blood　pouring　from　her　ear。　Also　I　saw　a　woman；　a　slave　of　King　Rothgar：　her　body　was　cut　in　twain　cleanly　while　she　ran　from　a　pursuing　horseman。　I　saw　many　children　likewise　killed。　I　saw　horses　rear　and　plunge；　their　riders　dismounted；　to　be　fallen　upon　by　old　men　and　women；　who　slew　the　creatures　as　they　lay　stunned　on　their　backs。　Also　I　saw　Wiglif；　the　son　of　Rothgar；　run　from　the　fray　and　conceal　himself　in　cowardly　safety。　The　herald　I　did　not　see　that　day。
　I　myself　killed　three　of　the　wendol；　and　suffered　a　spear　in　the　shoulder；　which　pain　was　like　a　plunge　into　fire；　my　blood　boiled　the　length　of　my　arm　and　also　inside　my　chest；　I　thought　I　should　collapse；　and　yet　I　fought　on。
　Now　the　sun　burst　through　the　mist；　and　the　dawn　was　full　upon　us；　and　the　mist　slipped　away；　and　the　horsemen　disappeared。　In　the　broad　light　of　day；　I　saw　bodies　everywhere；　including　many　bodies　of　the　wendol；　for　they　had　not　collected　their　dead。　This　truly　was　the　sign　of　their　end；　for　they　were　in　disarray　and　could　not　again　attack　Rothgar；　and　all　the　people　of　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar　knew　this　meaning　and　rejoiced。
　Herger　bathed　my　wound；　and　was　elated；　until　they　carried　the　body　of　Buliwyf　into　the　great　hall　of　Rothgar。　Buliwyf　was　dead　a　score　over：　his　body　was　hacked　by　the　blades　of　a　dozen　adversaries；　his　visage　and　form　were　soaked　in　his　own　still…warm　blood。　Herger　saw　this　sight　and　burst　into　tears；　and　hid　his　face　from　me；　but　there　was　no　need；　for　I　myself　felt　tears　that　misted　my　sight。
　Buliwyf　was　laid　before　King　Rothgar；　whose　duty　it　was　to　make　a　speech。　But　the　old　man　was　not　able　to　do　such　a　thing。　He　said　only　this：　〃Here　is　a　warrior　and　a　hero　fit　for　the　gods。　Bury　him　as　a　great　king；〃　and　then　he　left　the　hall。　I　believe　he　was　ashamed；　for　he　himself　had　not　joined　in　the　battle。　Also　his　son　Wiglif　had　run　like　a　coward；　and　many　had　seen　this；　and　called　it　a　womanly　act；　this　also　may　have　abashed　the　father。　Or　there　may　be　some　reason　which　I　do　not　know。　In　truth；　he　was　a　very　old　man。
　Now　it　happened　that　in　a　low　voice　Wiglif　spoke　to　the　herald：　〃This　Buliwyf　has　done　us　much　service；　all　the　greater　for　his　death　at　the　concluding　of　it。〃　Thus　he　spoke　when　his　father　the　King　had　departed　the　hall。
　Herger　heard　these　words；　and　I　also　did；　and　I　was　the　first　to　draw　my　sword。　Herger　said　to　me；　〃Do　not　battle　this　man；　for　he　is　a　fox；　and　you　have　wounds。〃
　I　said　to　him；　〃Who　cares　for　that？〃　and　I　challenged　the　son　Wiglif；　and　upon　the　spot。　Wiglif　drew　his　sword。　Now　Herger　delivered　me　a　mighty　kick　or　manner　of　blow　from　behind；　and　as　I　was　unprepared　for　this　I　fell　sprawling；　then　Herger　joined　battle　with　the　son　Wiglif。　Also　the　herald　took　up　arms；　and　moved　slyly；　in　the　desire　to　stand　behind　Herger　and　slay　him　at　the　back。　This　herald　I　myself　killed　by　plunging　my　sword　deep　into　his　belly；　and　the　herald　screamed　at　the　instant　of　his　impalement。　The　son　Wiglif　heard　this；　and　although　he　had　battled　fearlessly　before；　now　he　showed　much　fear　in　his　contest　with　Herger。
　Then　it　happened　that　King　Rothgar　heard　of　the　clashing；　he　came　once　more　to　the　great　hall　and　begged　for　a　ceasing　of　the　matter。　In　this；　his　efforts　were　to　no　avail。　Herger　was　firm　in　his　purpose。　Verily　I　saw　him　stand　astride　the　body　of　Buliwyf　and　swing　his　sword　at　Wiglif；　and　Herger　slew　Wiglif；　who　fell　down　upon　the　table　of　Rothgar；　and　gripped　the　cup　of　the　King；　and　drew　it　toward　his　lips。　But　it　is　true　that　he　died　without　drinking；　and　so　the　matter　was　finished。
　Now　of　the　party　of　Buliwyf；　once　of　the　number　thirteen；　only　four　remained。　I　among　them；　we　set　out　Buliwyf　beneath　a　wooden　roof；　and　left　his　body　with　a　cup　of　mead　in　his　hands。　Then　Herger　said　to　the　assembled　people；　〃Who　shall　die　with　this　noble　man？〃　and　a　woman；　a　slave　of　King　Rothgar；　said　that　she　would　die　with　Buliwyf。　The　usual　preparations　of　the　Northmen　were　then　made。
　
　Although　Ibn　Fadlan　does　not　specify　any　passage　of　time；　several　days　probably　elapsed　before　the　funeral　ceremony。
　
　Now　a　ship　was　fitted　out　upon　the　shore　below　the　hall　of　Rothgar；　and　treasures　of　gold　and　silver　were　laid　upon　it；　and　the　carcasses　of　two　horses　also。　And　a　tent　was　erected；　and　Buliwyf；　now　stiff　in　death；　placed　inside。　His　body　was　the　black　color　of　death　in　this　cold　climate。　Then　the　slave　girl　was　taken　to　each　of　the　warrio