the story of the glittering plain-第29章

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fight　some　man　of　us　here。　　Yet　some　of　us　think　that　he　is　not　so

much　our　friend　that　we　should　help　him　to　a　keel　whereon　to　fare

home　to　those　that　hate　us：　　and　we　say　that　it　would　not　be　unlawful

to　let　the　man　abide　in　the　isle；　and　proclaim　him　a　wolf's…head

within　a　half…moon　of　today。　　Or　what　sayest　thou？〃



Said　the　Erne：　　〃Wait　for　my　word　a　while；　and　hearken　to　another！

Is　the　Grey…goose　of　the　Ravagers　in　the　hall？　　Let　him　give　out　his

word　on　this　matter。〃



Then　arose　a　white…headed　carle　from　a　table　nigh　to　the　dais；　whose

black　raiment　was　well　adorned　with　gold。　　Despite　his　years　his　face

was　fair　and　little　wrinkled；　a　man　with　a　straight　nose　and　a　well…

fashioned　mouth；　and　with　eyes　still　bright　and　grey。　　He　spake：　　〃O

folk；　I　find　that　the　Erne　hath　done　well　in　cherishing　this　guest。

For　first；　if　he　hath　beguiled　us；　he　did　it　not　save　by　the

furtherance　and　sleight　of　our　own　kinsman；　therefore　if　any　one　is

to　die　for　beguiling　us；　let　it　be　the　Puny　Fox。　　Secondly；　we　may

well　wot　that　heavy　need　hath　driven　the　man　to　this　beguilement；　and

I　say　that　it　was　no　unmanly　deed　for　him　to　enter　our　hall　and

beguile　us　with　his　sleight；　and　that　he　hath　played　out　the　play

right　well　and　cunningly　with　the　wisdom　of　a　warrior。　　Thirdly；　the

manliness　of　him　is　well　proven；　in　that　having　overcome　us　in

sleight；　he　hath　spoken　out　the　sooth　concerning　our　beguilement　and

hath　made　himself　our　foeman　and　captive；　when　he　might　have　sat　down

by　us　as　our　guest；　freely　and　in　all　honour。　　And　this　he　did；　not

as　contemning　the　Puny　Fox　and　his　lies　and　crafty　wiles　（for　he　hath

told　us　that　he　loveth　him）；　but　so　that　he　might　show　himself　a　man

in　that　which　trieth　manhood。　　Moreover；　ye　shall　not　forget　that　he

is　the　rebel　of　the　Undying　King；　who　is　our　lord　and　master；

therefore　in　cherishing　him　we　show　ourselves　great…hearted；　in　that

we　fear　not　the　wrath　of　our　master。　　Therefore　I　naysay　the　word　of

the　War…brand　that　we　should　make　this　man　a　wolf's…head；　for　in　so

doing　we　shall　show　ourselves　lesser…hearted　than　he　is；　and　of　no

account　beside　of　him；　and　his　head　on　our　hall…gable　should　be　to　us

a　nithing…stake；　and　a　tree　of　reproach。　　So　I　bid　thee；　O　Erne；　to

make　much　of　this　man；　and　thou　shalt　do　well　to　give　him　worthy

gifts；　such　as　warriors　may　take；　so　that　he　may　show　them　at　home　in

the　House　of　the　Raven；　that　it　may　be　the　beginning　of　peace　betwixt

us　and　his　noble　kindred。　　This　is　my　say；　and　later　on　I　shall　wax

no　wiser。〃



Therewith　he　sat　down；　and　there　arose　a　murmur　and　stir　in　the　hall；

but　the　more　part　said　that　the　Grey…goose　had　spoken　well；　and　that

it　was　good　to　be　at　peace　with　such　manly　fellows　as　the　new　guest

was。



But　the　Erne　said：　　〃One　word　will　I　lay　hereto；　to　wit；　that　he　who

desireth　mine　enmity　let　him　do　scathe　to　Hallblithe　of　the　Ravens

and　hinder　him。〃



Then　he　bade　fill　round　the　cups；　and　called　a　health　to　Hallblithe；

and　all　men　drank　to　him；　and　there　was　much　joyance　and　merriment。



But　when　the　night　was　well　worn；　the　Erne　turned　to　Hallblithe　and

said：　　〃That　was　a　good　word　of　the　Grey…goose　which　he　spake

concerning　the　giving　of　gifts：　　Raven…son；　wilt　thou　take　a　gift　of

me　and　be　my　friend？〃



〃Thy　friend　will　I　be；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃but　no　gift　will　I　take　of

thee　or　any　other　till　I　have　the　gift　of　gifts；　and　that　is　my

troth…plight　maiden。　　I　will　not　be　glad　till　I　can　be　glad　with

her。〃



Then　laughed　the　Erne；　and　the　Puny　Fox　grinned　all　across　his　wide

face；　and　Hallblithe　looked　from　one　to　the　other　of　them　and

wondered　at　their　mirth；　and　when　they　saw　his　wondering　eyes；　they

did　but　laugh　the　more；　and　the　Erne　said：　　〃Nevertheless；　thou　shalt

see　the　gift　which　I　would　give　thee；　and　then　mayst　thou　take　it　or

leave　it　as　thou　wilt。　　Ho　ye！　bring　in　the　throne　of　the　Eastland

with　them　that　minister　to　it！〃



Certain　men　left　the　hall　as　he　spake；　and　came　back　bearing　with

them　a　throne　fashioned　most　goodly　of　ivory；　parcel…gilt　and

begemmed；　and　adorned　with　marvellous　craftsmanship：　　and　they　set　it

down　amidst　of　the　hall…floor　and　went　aback　to　their　places；　while

the　Erne　sat　and　smiled　kindly　on　the　folk　and　on　Hallblithe。　　Then

arose　the　sound　of　fiddles　and　the　lesser　harp；　and　the　doors　of　the

screen　were　opened；　and　there　flowed　into　the　hall　a　company　of　fair

damsels　not　less　than　a　score；　each　one　with　a　rose　on　her　bosom；　and

they　came　and　stood　in　order　behind　the　throne　of　the　Eastlands；　and

they　strewed　roses　on　the　ground　before　them：　　and　when　they　were

duly　ranged　they　fell　to　singing：





Now　waneth　spring；

While　all　birds　sing；

And　the　south　wind　blows

The　earliest　rose

To　and　fro

By　the　doors　we　know；

And　the　scented　gale

Fills　every　dale。

Slow　now　are　brooks　running　because　of　the　weed；

And　the　thrush　hath　no　cunning　to　hide　her　at　need；

So　swift　as　she　flieth　from　hedge…row　to　tree

As　one　that　toil　trieth；　and　deedful　must　be。



And　O！　that　at　last；

All　sorrows　past；

This　night　I　lay

'Neath　the　oak…beams　grey！

O；　to　wake　from　sleep；

To　see　dawn　creep

Through　the　fruitful　grove

Of　the　house　that　I　love！

O！　my　feet　to　be　treading　the　threshold　once　more；

O'er　which　once　went　the　leading　of　swords　to　the　war！

O！　my　feet　in　the　garden's　edge　under　the　sun；

Where　the　seeding　grass　hardens　for　haysel　begun！



Lo；　lo！　the　wind　blows

To　the　heart　of　the　Rose；

And　the　ship　lies　tied

To　the　haven　side！

But　O　for　the　keel

The　sails　to　feel！

And　the　alien　ness

Growing　less　and　less；

As　down　the　wind　driveth　and　thrusts　through　the　sea

The　sail…burg　that　striveth　to　turn　and　go　free；

But　the　lads　at　the　tiller　they　hold　her　in　hand；

And　the　wind　our　well…willer　drives　fierce　to　the　land。



We　shall　wend　it　yet；

The　highway　wet；

For　what　is　this

That　our　bosoms　kiss？

What　lieth　sweet

Before　our　feet？

What　token　hath　come

To　lead　us　home？

'Tis　the　Rose　of　the　garden　walled　round　from　the　croft

Where　the　grey　roof　its　warden　steep　riseth　aloft；

'Tis　the　Rose　'neath　the　oaken…beamed　hall；　where　they　bide；

The　pledges　unbroken；　the　hand　of　the　bride。





Hallblithe　heard　the　song；　and　half　thought　it　promised　him　somewhat；

but　then　he　had　been　so　misled　and　mocked　at；　that　he　scarce　knew　how

to　rejoice　at　it。



Now　the　Erne　spake：　　〃Wilt　thou　not　take　the　chair　and　these　dainty

song…birds　that　stand　about　it？　　Much　wealth　might　come　into　thine

hall　if　thou　wert　to　carry　them　over　sea　to　rich　men　who　have　no

kindred；　nor　affinity　wherein　to　wed；　but　who　love　women　as　well　as

other　men。〃



Said　Hallblithe：　　〃I　have　wealth　enow　were　I　once　home　again。　　As　to

these　maidens；　I　know　by　the　fashion　of　them　that　they　are　no　women

of　the　Rose；　as　by　their　song　they　should　be。　　Yet　will　I　take　any　of

these　maidens　that　have　will　to　go　with　me　and　be　made　sisters　of　my

sisters；　and　wed　with　the　warriors　of　the　Rose；　or　if　they　are　of　a

kindred；　and　long　to　sit　each　in　the　house　of　her　folk；　then　will　we

send　them　home　over　the　sea　with　warriors　to　guard　them　from　all

trouble。　　For　this　gift　I　thank　thee。　　As　to　thy　throne；　I　bid　thee

keep　it　till　a　keel　cometh　thy　way　from　our　land；　bringing　fair　gifts

for　thee　and　thine。　　For　we　are　not　so　unwealthy。〃



Those　that　sat　nearby　heard　his　words　and　praised　them；　but　the　Erne

said：　　〃All　this　is　free　to　thee；　and　thou　mayst　do　what　thou　wilt

with　the　gifts　given　to　thee。　　Yet　shalt　thou　have　the　throne；　and　I

have　thought　of　a　way　to　make　thee　take　it。　　Or　what　sayst　thou；　Puny

Fox？〃



Said　the　Puny　Fox：　　〃Yea　if　thou　wilt；　thou　mayst；　but　I　thought　it

not　of　thee　that　thou　wouldst。　　Now　is　all　well。〃



Again　Hallblithe　looked　from　one　to　the　other　and　wondered　what　they

meant。　　But　the　Erne　cried　out：　　〃Bring　in　now　the　sitter；　who　shall

fill　the　empty　throne！〃



Then　again　the　scr