the story of the glittering plain-第28部分

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stood　up　against　the　snowy　peaks；　and　I　thought　of　all　our　deeds　on

the　deep　sea；　and　the　merry　nights；　in　yonder　abode　of　men：　　then　I

thought　that　I　would　not　leave　the　kindred；　were　it　but　for　a　while；

unless　war　and　lifting　called　me。　　So　now　I　will　ride　with　thee　to

the　ship；　and　then　farewell　to　thee。〃



〃It　is　good；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃though　not　as　good　as　it　might　be。

Glad　had　we　been　with　thee　in　the　hall　of　the　Ravens。〃



As　he　spoke　drew　anigh　the　carles　leading　the　horses；　and　with　them

came　six　of　those　damsels　whom　the　Erne　had　given　to　Hallblithe　the

night　before；　two　of　whom　asked　to　be　brought　to　their　kindred　over

sea；　but　the　other　four　were　fain　to　go　with　Hallblithe　and　the

Hostage；　and　become　their　sisters　at　Cleveland　by　the　Sea。



So　then　they　got　to　horse　and　rode　down　the　dale　toward　the　haven；

and　the　carles　rode　with　them；　so　that　of　weaponed　men　they　were　a

score　in　company。　　But　when　they　were　half…way　to　the　haven　they　saw

where　hard　by　three　knolls　on　the　way…side　were　men　standing　with

their　weapons　and　war…gear　glittering　in　the　sun。　　So　the　Erne

laughed　and　said：　　〃Shall　we　have　a　word　with　War…brand　then？〃



But　they　rode　steadily　on　their　way；　and　when　they　came　up　to　the

knolls　they　saw　that　it　was　War…brand　indeed　with　a　score　of　men　at

his　back；　but　they　stirred　not　when　they　saw　Erne's　company　that　it

was　great。　　Then　Erne　laughed　aloud　and　cried　out　in　a　big　voice；

〃What；　lads！　ye　ride　early　this　morning；　are　there　foemen　abroad　in

the　Isle？〃



They　shrank　back　before　him；　but　a　carle　of　those　who　was　hindermost

cried　out：　　〃Art　thou　coming　back　to　us；　Erne；　or　have　thy　new

friends　bought　thee　to　lead　them　in　battle？〃



〃Fear　it　nought；〃　quoth　Erne；　〃I　shall　be　back　before　the　shepherd's

noon。〃



So　they　went　their　ways　and　came　to　the　haven；　and　there　lay　the

Flaming　Sword；　and　beside　her　a　trim　bark；　not　right　great；　all　ready

for　sea：　　and　Hallblithe's　skiff　was　made　fast　to　her　for　an　after…

boat。



Then　the　Hostage　and　Hallblithe　and　the　six　damsels　went　aboard　her；

and　when　the　Erne　had　bidden　them　farewell；　they　cast　off　the　hawsers

and　thrust　her　out　through　the　haven…mouth；　but　ere　they　had　got

midmost　of　the　haven；　they　saw　the　Erne；　that　he　had　turned　about；

and　was　riding　up　the　dale　with　his　house…carles；　and　each　man's

weapon　was　shining　in　his　hand：　　and　they　wondered　if　he　were　riding

to　battle　with　War…brand；　and　Fox　said：　　〃Meseemeth　our　brother…in…

arms　hath　in　his　mind　to　give　those　waylayers　an　evil　minute；　and

verily　he　is　the　man　to　do　the　same。〃



So　they　gat　them　out　of　the　haven；　and　the　ebb…tide　drave　out　seaward

strongly；　and　the　wind　was　fair　for　Cleveland　by　the　Sea；　and　they

ran　speedily　past　the　black　cliffs　of　the　Isle　of　Ransom；　and　soon

were　they　hull　down　behind　them。　　But　on　the　afternoon　of　the　next

day　they　hove　up　the　land　of　the　kindreds；　and　by　sunset　they　beached

their　ship　on　the　sand　by　the　Rollers　of　the　Raven；　and　went　ashore

without　more　ado。　　And　the　strand　was　empty　of　all　men；　even　as　on

the　day　when　Hallblithe　first　met　the　Puny　Fox。　　So　then　in　the　cool

of　the　evening　they　went　up　toward　the　House　of　the　Raven。　　Those

damsels　went　together　hand　in　hand　two　by　two；　and　Hallblithe　held

the　Hostage　by　the　hand；　but　the　Puny　Fox　went　along　beside　them；

gleeful　and　of　many　words；　telling　them　tales　of　his　wiles　and　his

craft；　and　his　skin…changing。



〃But　now；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　have　left　all　that　behind　me　in　the　Isle　of

Ransom；　and　have　but　one　shape；　and　I　would　for　your　behoof　that　it

were　a　goodlier　one：　　and　but　one　wisdom　have　I；　even　that　which

dwelleth　in　mine　own　head…bone。　　Yet　it　may　be　that　this　may　avail

you　one　time　or　other。　　But　lo　you！　though　I　am　thy　thrall；　have　I

not　the　look　of　a　thrall…huckster　from　over　sea　leading　up　my　wares

to　the　cheaping…stead？〃　　They　laughed　at　his　words　and　were　merry；

and　much　love　there　was　amongst　them　as　they　went　up　to　the　House　of

the　Raven。



But　when　they　came　thither　they　went　into　the　garth；　and　there　was　no

man　therein；　for　it　was　now　dusk；　and　the　windows　of　the　long　hall

were　yellow　with　candle…light。　　Then　said　Fox：　　〃Abide　ye　here　a

little；　for　I　would　go　into　the　hall　alone　and　see　the　conditions　of

thy　people；　O　Hallblithe。〃



〃Go　thou；　then；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃but　be　not　rash。　　I　counsel　thee；

for　our　folk　are　not　over…patient　when　they　deem　they　have　a　foe

before　them。〃



The　Puny　Fox　laughed；　and　said：　　〃So　it　is　then　the　world　over；　that

happy　men　are　wilful　and　masterful。〃



Then　he　drew　his　sword　and　smote　on　the　door　with　the　pommel；　and　the

door　opened　to　him　and　in　he　went：　　and　he　found　that　fair　hall　full

of　folk　and　bright　with　candles；　and　he　stood　amidst　the　floor；　all

men　looked　on　him；　and　many　knew　him　at　once　to　be　a　man　of　the

Ravagers；　and　silence　fell　upon　the　hall；　but　no　man　stirred　hand

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