the wood beyond the world-第27章

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and　a　woman；　we　know　not　whence；　whereas　they　have　given　word　to　our
folk　who　first　met　them；　that　they　would　tell　their　errand　to　none
save　the　Mote　of　the　People；　which　it　was　their　due　to　do；　if　they
were　minded　to　risk　it。　　For　either　they　be　aliens　without　an　errand
hither；　save；　it　may　be；　to　beguile　us；　in　which　case　they　shall
presently　die　an　evil　death；　or　they　have　come　amongst　us　that　we
may　give　them　to　the　God　with　flint…edge　and　fire；　or　they　have　a
message　to　us　from　some　folk　or　other；　on　the　issue　of　which　lieth
life　or　death。　　Now　shall　ye　hear　what　they　have　to　say　concerning
themselves　and　their　faring　hither。　　But；　meseemeth；　it　shall　be　the
woman　who　is　the　chief　and　hath　the　word　in　her　mouth；　for；　lo　you！
the　man　kneeleth　at　her　feet；　as　one　who　would　serve　and　worship
her。　　Speak　out　then；　woman；　and　let　our　warriors　hear　thee。〃

Then　the　Maid　lifted　up　her　voice；　and　spake　out　clear　and
shrilling；　like　to　a　flute　of　the　best　of　the　minstrels：　　〃Ye　men　of
the　Children　of　the　Bear；　I　would　ask　you　a　question；　and　let　the
chieftain　who　sitteth　before　me　answer　it。〃

The　old　man　nodded　his　head；　and　she　went　on：　　〃Tell　me；　Children　of
the　Bear；　how　long　a　time　is　worn　since　ye　saw　the　God　of　your
worship　made　manifest　in　the　body　of　a　woman！〃

Said　the　elder：　　〃Many　winters　have　worn　since　my　father's　father
was　a　child；　and　saw　the　very　God　in　the　bodily　form　of　a　woman。〃

Then　she　said　again：　　〃Did　ye　rejoice　at　her　coming；　and　would　ye
rejoice　if　once　more　she　came　amongst　you？〃

〃Yea；〃　said　the　old　chieftain；　〃for　she　gave　us　gifts；　and　learned
us　lore；　and　came　to　us　in　no　terrible　shape；　but　as　a　young　woman
as　goodly　as　thou。〃

Then　said　the　Maid：　　〃Now；　then；　is　the　day　of　your　gladness　come；
for　the　old　body　is　dead；　and　I　am　the　new　body　of　your　God；　come
amongst　you　for　your　welfare。〃

Then　fell　a　great　silence　on　the　Mote；　till　the　old　man　spake　and
said：　　〃What　shall　I　say　and　live？　　For　if　thou　be　verily　the　God；
and　I　threaten　thee；　wilt　thou　not　destroy　me？　　But　thou　hast　spoken
a　great　word　with　a　sweet　mouth；　and　hast　taken　the　burden　of　blood
on　thy　lily　hands；　and　if　the　Children　of　the　Bear　be　befooled　of
light　liars；　how　shall　they　put　the　shame　off　them？　　Therefore　I
say；　show　to　us　a　token；　and　if　thou　be　the　God；　this　shall　be　easy
to　thee；　and　if　thou　show　it　not；　then　is　thy　falsehood　manifest；
and　thou　shalt　dree　the　weird。　　For　we　shall　deliver　thee　into　the
hands　of　these　women　here；　who　shall　thrust　thee　down　into　the　flow
which　is　hereby；　after　they　have　wearied　themselves　with　whipping
thee。　　But　thy　man　that　kneeleth　at　thy　feet　shall　we　give　to　the
true　God；　and　he　shall　go　to　her　by　the　road　of　the　flint　and　the
fire。　　Hast　thou　heard？　　Then　give　to　us　the　sign　and　the　token。〃

She　changed　countenance　no　whit　at　his　word；　but　her　eyes　were　the
brighter；　and　her　cheek　the　fresher　and　her　feet　moved　a　little；　as
if　they　were　growing　glad　before　the　dance；　and　she　looked　out　over
the　Mote；　and　spake　in　her　clear　voice：　　〃Old　man；　thou　needest　not
to　fear　for　thy　words。　　Forsooth　it　is　not　me　whom　thou　threatenest
with　stripes　and　a　foul　death；　but　some　light　fool　and　liar；　who　is
not　here。　　Now　hearken！　　I　wot　well　that　ye　would　have　somewhat　of
me；　to　wit；　that　I　should　send　you　rain　to　end　this　drought；　which
otherwise　seemeth　like　to　lie　long　upon　you：　　but　this　rain；　I　must
go　into　the　mountains　of　the　south　to　fetch　it　you；　therefore　shall
certain　of　your　warriors　bring　me　on　my　way；　with　this　my　man；　up　to
the　great　pass　of　the　said　mountains；　and　we　shall　set　out
thitherward　this　very　day。〃

She　was　silent　a　while；　and　all　looked　on　her；　but　none　spake　or
moved；　so　that　they　seemed　as　images　of　stone　amongst　the　stones。

Then　she　spake　again　and　said：　　〃Some　would　say；　men　of　the　Bear；
that　this　were　a　sign　and　a　token　great　enough；　but　I　know　you；　and
how　stubborn　and　perverse　of　heart　ye　be；　and　how　that　the　gift　not
yet　within　your　hand　is　no　gift　to　you；　and　the　wonder　ye　see　not；
your　hearts　trow　not。　　Therefore　look　ye　upon　me　as　here　I　stand；　I
who　have　come　from　the　fairer　country　and　the　greenwood　of　the
lands；　and　see　if　I　bear　not　the　summer　with　me；　and　the　heart　that
maketh　increase　and　the　hand　that　giveth。〃

Lo　then！　as　she　spake；　the　faded　flowers　that　hung　about　her
gathered　life　and　grew　fresh　again；　the　woodbine　round　her　neck　and
her　sleek　shoulders　knit　itself　together　and　embraced　her　freshly；
and　cast　its　scent　about　her　face。　　The　lilies　that　girded　her　loins
lifted　up　their　heads；　and　the　gold　of　their　tassels　fell　upon　her；
the　eyebright　grew　clean　blue　again　upon　her　smock；　the　eglantine
found　its　blooms　again；　and　then　began　to　shed　the　leaves　thereof
upon　her　feet；　the　meadow…sweet　wreathed　amongst　it　made　clear　the
sweetness　of　her　legs；　and　the　mouse…ear　studded　her　raiment　as　with
gems。　　There　she　stood　amidst　of　the　blossoms；　like　a　great　orient
pearl　against　the　fretwork　of　the　goldsmiths；　and　the　breeze　that
came　up　the　valley　from　behind　bore　the　sweetness　of　her　fragrance
all　over　the　Man…mote。

Then；　indeed；　the　Bears　stood　up；　and　shouted　and　cried；　and　smote
on　their　shields；　and　tossed　their　spears　aloft。　　Then　the　elder
rose　from　his　seat；　and　came　up　humbly　to　where　she　stood；　and
prayed　her　to　say　what　she　would　have　done；　while　the　others　drew
about　in　knots；　but　durst　not　come　very　nigh　to　her。　　She　answered
the　ancient　chief；　and　said；　that　she　would　depart　presently　toward
the　mountains；　whereby　she　might　send　them　the　rain　which　they
lacked；　and　that　thence　she　would　away　to　the　southward　for　a　while；
but　that　they　should　hear　of　her；　or；　it　might　be；　see　her；　before
they　who　were　now　of　middle　age　should　be　gone　to　their　fathers。

Then　the　old　man　besought　her　that　they　might　make　her　a　litter　of
fragrant　green　boughs；　and　so　bear　her　away　toward　the　mountain　pass
amidst　a　triumph　of　the　whole　folk。　　But　she　leapt　lightly　down　from
the　stone；　and　walked　to　and　fro　on　the　greensward；　while　it　seemed
of　her　that　her　feet　scarce　touched　the　grass；　and　she　spake　to　the
ancient　chief　where　he　still　kneeled　in　worship　of　her；　and　said
〃Nay；　deemest　thou　of　me　that　I　need　bearing　by　men's　hands；　or　that
I　shall　tire　at　all　when　I　am　doing　my　will；　and　I；　the　very　heart
of　the　year's　increase？　　So　it　is；　that　the　going　of　my　feet　over
your　pastures　shall　make　them　to　thrive；　both　this　year　and　the
coming　years：　　surely　will　I　go　afoot。〃

So　they　worshipped　her　the　more；　and　blessed　her；　and　then　first　of
all　they　brought　meat；　the　daintiest　they　might；　both　for　her　and
for　Walter。　　But　they　would　not　look　on　the　Maid　whiles　she　ate；　or
suffer　Walter　to　behold　her　the　while。　　Afterwards；　when　they　had
eaten；　some　twenty　men；　weaponed　after　their　fashion；　made　them
ready　to　wend　with　the　Maiden　up　into　the　mountains；　and　anon　they
set　out　thitherward　all　together。　　Howbeit；　the　huge　men　held　them
ever　somewhat　aloof　from　the　Maid；　and　when　they　came　to　the
resting…place　for　that　night；　where　was　no　house；　for　it　was　up
amongst　the　foot…hills　before　the　mountains；　then　it　was　a　wonder　to
see　how　carefully　they　built　up　a　sleeping…place　for　her；　and　tilted
it　over　with　their　skin…cloaks；　and　how　they　watched　nightlong　about
her。　　But　Walter　they　let　sleep　peacefully　on　the　grass；　a　little
way　aloof　from　the　watchers　round　the　Maid。



CHAPTER　XXIX：　　WALTER　STRAYS　IN　THE　PASS　AND　IS　SUNDERED　FROM　THE
MAID



Morning　came；　and　they　arose　and　went　on　their　ways；　and　went　all
day　till　the　sun　was　nigh　set；　and　they　were　come　up　into　the　very
pass；　and　in　the　jaws　thereof　was　an　earthen　howe。　　There　the　Maid
bade　them　stay；　and　she　went　up　on　to　the　howe；　and　stood　there　and
spake　to　them；　and　said：　　〃O　men　of　the　Bear；　I　give　you　thanks　for
your　following；　and　I　bless　you；　and　promise　you　the　increase　of　the
earth。　　But　now　ye　shall　turn　aback；　and　leave　me　to　go　my　ways；　and
my　man　with　the　iron　sword　shall　follow　me。　　Now；　maybe；　I　shall
come　amongst　the　Bear…folk　again　before　long；　and　yet　again；　and
learn　them　wisdom；　but　for　this　time　it　is　enough。　　And　I　shall　tell
you　that　ye　were　best　to