the story of the glittering plain-第32章

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against　him。　　Then　he　said：　　〃Will　ye　hearken　to　the　word　of　an　evil

man；　a　robber　of　the　folks？〃



Spake　the　chieftain　from　the　dais：　　〃Words　will　not　hurt　us；　sea…

warrior；　and　thou　art　but　one　among　many；　wherefore　thy　might　this

eve　is　but　as　the　might　of　a　new…born　baby。　　Speak；　and　afterwards

eat　and　drink；　and　depart　safe　from　amongst　us！〃



Spake　the　Puny　Fox：　　〃What　is　gone　with　Hallblithe；　a　fair　young　man

of　your　kindred；　and　with　the　Hostage　of　the　Rose；　his　troth…plight

maiden？〃



Then　was　the　hush　yet　greater　in　the　hall；　so　that　you　might　have

heard　a　pin　drop；　and　the　chieftain　said：　　〃It　is　a　grief　of　ours

that　they　are　gone；　and　that　none　hath　brought　us　back　their　dead

bodies　that　we　might　lay　them　in　the　Acre　of　the　Fathers。〃



Then　leapt　up　a　man　from　the　end…long　table　nigh　to　Fox；　and　cried

out：　　〃Yea；　folk！　they　are　gone；　and　we　deem　that　runagates　of　thy

kindred；　O　new…come　man；　have　stolen　them　from　us；　wherefor　they

shall　one　day　pay　us。〃



Then　laughed　the　Puny　Fox　and　said：　　〃Some　would　say　that　stealing

Hallblithe　was　like　stealing　a　lion；　and　that　he　might　take　care　of

himself；　though　he　was　not　as　big　as　I　am。〃



Said　the　last　speaker：　　〃Did　thy　kin　or　didst　thou　steal　him；　O　evil

man？〃



〃Yea；　I　stole　him；〃　quoth　Fox；　〃but　by　sleight；　and　not　by　might。〃



Then　uprose　great　uproar　in　the　hall；　but　the　chieftain　on　the　high…

seat　cried　out：　　〃Peace；　peace！〃　and　the　noise　abated；　and　the

chieftain　said：　　〃Dost　thou　mean　that　thou　comest　hither　to　give　us

thine　head　for　making　away　with　Hallblithe　and　the　Hostage？〃



〃I　mean　to　ask　rather；〃　said　the　Fox；　〃what　thou　wilt　give　me　for　the

bodies　of　these　twain？〃



Said　the　chieftain：　　〃A　boat…load　of　gold　were　not　too　much　if　thou

shouldst　live　a　little　longer。〃



Quoth　the　Puny　Fox：　　〃Well；　in　anywise　I　will　go　and　bring　in　the

bodies　aforesaid；　and　leave　my　reward　to　the　goodwill　of　the　Ravens。〃



Therewith　he　turned　about　to　go；　but　lo！　there　already　in　the　door

stood　Hallblithe　holding　the　Hostage　by　the　hand；　and　many　in　the

hall　saw　them；　for　the　door　was　wide。　　Then　they　came　in　and　stood　by

the　side　of　the　Puny　Fox；　and　all　men　in　the　hall　arose　and　shouted

for　joy。　　But　when　the　tumult　was　a　little　abated；　the　Puny　Fox　cried

out：　　〃O　chieftain；　and　all　ye　folk！　if　a　boat…load　of　gold　were　not

too　much　reward　for　the　bringing　back　the　dead　bodies　of　your

friends；　what　reward　shall　he　have　who　hath　brought　back　their　bodies

and　the　souls　therein？〃



Said　the　chieftain：　　〃The　man　shall　choose　his　own　reward。〃　　And　the

men　in　the　hall　shouted　their　yeasay。



Then　said　the　Puny　Fox：　　〃Well；　then；　this　I　choose；　that　ye　make　me

one　of　your　kindred　before　the　fathers　of　old　time。〃



They　all　cried　out　that　he　had　chosen　wisely　and　manfully；　but

Hallblithe　said：　　〃I　bid　you　do　for　him　no　less　than　this；　and　ye

shall　wot　that　he　is　already　my　sworn　brother…in…arms。〃



Now　the　chieftain　cried　out：　　〃O　Wanderers　from　over　the　sea；　come　up

hither　and　sit　with　us　and　be　merry　at　last！〃



So　they　went　up　to　the　dais；　Hallblithe　and　the　Hostage；　and　the　Puny

Fox　and　the　six　maidens　withal。　　And　since　the　night　was　yet　young；

the　supper　of　the　men　of　the　Ravens　was　turned　into　the　wedding…feast

of　Hallblithe　and　the　Hostage；　and　that　very　night　she　became　a　wife

of　the　Ravens；　that　she　might　bear　to　the　House　the　best　of　men　and

the　fairest　of　women。



But　on　the　morrow　they　brought　the　Puny　Fox　to　the　mote…stead　of　the

kindreds　that　he　might　stand　before　the　fathers　and　be　made　a　son　of

the　kindred；　and　this　they　did　because　of　the　word　of　Hallblithe；　and

because　they　believed　in　the　tale　which　he　told　them　of　the

Glittering　Plain　and　the　Acre　of　the　Undying。　　The　four　maidens　also

were　made　sisters　of　the　House；　and　the　other　twain　were　sent　home　to

their　own　kindred　in　all　honour。



Of　the　Puny　Fox　it　is　said　that　he　soon　lost　and　forgot　all　the　lore

which　he　had　learned　of　the　ancient　men；　living　and　dead；　and　became

as　other　men　and　was　no　wizard。　　Yet　he　was　exceeding　valiant　and

doughty；　and　he　ceased　not　to　go　with　Hallblithe　wheresoever　he　went；

and　many　deeds　they　did　together；　whereof　the　memory　of　men　hath

failed：　　but　neither　they　nor　any　man　of　the　Ravens　came　any　more　to

the　Glittering　Plain；　or　heard　any　tidings　of　the　folk　that　dwell

there。



HEREWITH　ENDETH　THE　TALE。









End