command of the Red Foliot and blew three blasts. Therewith came forth
from their booths the lords of Demonland and their men-at-arms, Juss,
Goldry, Spitfire, and Brandoch Daha, all armed as for battle save
Goldry, who was muffled in a cloak of cloth of gold with great hearts
worked thereon in red silk thread. And from their booths in turn came
the lords of Witchland all armed, and their fighting men, and little
love there was in the glances they and the Demons cast upon each other.
In the midst stalked the King, his great limbs muffled, like Goldry’s,
in a cloak: and it was of black silk lined with black bearskin, and
ornamented with crabs worked in diamonds. The crown of Witchland,
fashioned like a hideous crab and encrusted with jewels so thickly
that none might discern the iron whereof it was framed, weighed on
his beetling brow. His beard was black and bristly, spade-shaped and
thick: his hair close cropped. His upper lip was shaved, displaying his
sneering mouth, and from the darkness below his eyebrows looked forth
eyes that showed a green light, like those of a wolf. Corund walked at
the King’s left elbow, his giant frame an inch less in stature than
the King. Corinius went on the right, wearing a rich cloak of sky-blue
tissue over his shining armour. Tall and soldier-like was Corinius, and
young and goodly to look upon, with swaggering gait and insolent eye,
thick-lipped withal and somewhat heavy of feature, and the sun shone
brightly on his shaven jowl.
Now the Red Foliot let sound the horn again, and standing in his ebony
car he read out the conditions, as thus:
“O Gorice XI., most glorious King of Witchland, and O Lord Goldry
Bluszco, captain of the hosts of Demonland, it is compact betwixt you,
and made fast by mighty oaths whereof I, the Red Foliot, am keeper,
that ye shall wrastle three falls together on these conditions, namely,
that if Gorice the King be victorious, then hath he that glory and
withal full liberty to enforce with the sword his claims of lordship
over many-mountained Demonland: but if victory fall to the Lord Goldry
Bluszco, then shall the Demons let the Witches abide in peace, and they
them, and the Witches shall forswear for ever their claims of lordship
over the Demons. And you, O King, and you, O Goldry Bluszco, are
likewise bound by oath to wrastle fairly and to abide by the ruling of
me, the Red Foliot, whom ye are content to choose as your umpire. And
I do swear to judge justly between you. And the laws of your wrastling
are that neither shall strangle his adversary with his hands, nor bite
him, nor claw nor scratch his flesh, nor poach out his eyes, nor smite
him with his fists, nor do any other unfair thing against him, but in
all other respects ye shall wrastle freely together. And he that shall
be brought to earth with hip or shoulder shall be accounted fallen.”
The Red Foliot said, “Have I spoken well, O King, and do you swear to
these conditions?”
The King said, “I swear.”
The Red Foliot asked in like manner, “Dost thou swear to these
conditions, O Lord Goldry Bluszco?”
And Goldry answered him, “I swear.”
Without more ado the King stepped into the wrastling ground on his
side, and Goldry Bluszco on his, and they cast aside their rich mantles
and stood forth naked for the wrastling. And folk stood silent for
admiration of the thews and sinews of those twain, doubting which were
mightier of build and likelier to gain the victory. The King stood
taller by a little, and was longer in the arm than Goldry. But the
great frame of Goldry showed excellent proportions, each part wedded to
each as in the body of a God, and if either were brawnier of chest it
was he, and he was thicker of neck than the King.
Now the King mocked Goldry, saying, “Rebellious hound, it is fit that
I make demonstration unto thee, and unto these Foliots and Demons that
witness our meeting, that I am thy King and Lord not by virtue only
of this my crown of Witchland, which I thus put by for an hour, but
even by the power of my body over thine and by my might and main. Be
satisfied that I will not have done with thee until I have taken away
thy life, and sent thy soul squealing bodiless into the unknown. And
thy skull and thy marrow-bones will I have away to Carcë, to my palace,
to be a token unto all the world that I have been the bane of an
hundredth great champion by my wrastling, and thou not least among them
that I have slain in that exercise. Thereafter, when I have eaten and
drunken and made merry in my royal palace at Carcë, I will sail with my
armies over the teeming deep to many-mountained Demonland. And it shall
be my footstool, and these other Demons the slaves of me, yea, and the
slaves of my slaves.”
But the Lord Goldry Bluszco laughed lightly and said to the Red Foliot,
“O Red Foliot, I am not come hither to contend with the King of
Witchland in windy railing, but to match my strength against his, sinew
against sinew.”
• • • • •
Now they stood ready, and the Red Foliot made a sign with his hand, and
the cymbals clashed for the first bout.
At the clash the two champions advanced and clasped one another with
their strong arms, each with his right arm below and left arm above
the other’s shoulder, until the flesh shrank beneath the might of
their arms that were as brazen bands. They swayed a little this way
and that, as great trees swaying in a storm, their legs planted firmly
so that they seemed to grow out of the ground like the trunks of oak
trees. Nor did either yield ground to other, nor might either win a
master hold upon his enemy. So swayed they back and forth for a long
time, breathing heavily. And now Goldry, gathering his strength, gat
the King lifted a little from the ground, and was minded to swing him
round and so dash him to earth. But the King, in that moment when
he found himself lifted, leaned forward mightily and smote his heel
swiftly round Goldry’s leg on the outside, striking him behind and a
little above the ankle, in such wise that Goldry was fain to loosen his
hold on the King; and greatly folk marvelled that he was able in that
plight to save himself from being thrown backward by the King. So they
gripped again until red wheals rose on their backs and shoulders by
reason of the grievous clasping of their arms. And the King on a sudden
twisted his body sideways, with his left side turned from Goldry; and
catching with his leg Goldry’s leg on the inside below the great muscle
of the calf, and hugging him yet closer, he lurched mightily against
him, striving to pull Goldry backward and so fall upon him and crush
him as they fell to earth. But Goldry leaned violently forward, ever
tightening his hold on the King, and so violently bare he forward in
his strength that the King was baulked of his design; and clutched
together they fell both to earth side by side with a heavy crash, and
lay bemused while one might count half a score.
The Red Foliot proclaimed them even in this bout, and each returned to
his fellows to take breath and rest for a space.
Now while they rested, a flittermouse flew forth from the Witchland
booths and went widdershins round the wrastling ground and so returned
silently whence she came. Lord Gro saw her, and his heart waxed heavy
within him. He spake to Corund and said, “Needs must that I make trial
even at this late hour if there be not any means to turn the King from
further adventuring of himself, ere all be lost.”
Corund said, “Be it as thou wilt, but it will be in vain.”
So Gro stood by the King and said, “Lord, give over this wrastling.
Great of growth and mightier of limb than any that you did overcome
aforetime is this Demon, yet have you vanquished him. For you did throw
him, as we plainly saw, and wrongfully hath the Red Foliot adjudged
you evenly matched because in the throwing of him your majesty’s self
did fall to earth. Tempt not the fates by another bout. Yours is the
victory in this wrastling: and now we, your servants, wait but your
nod to make a sudden onslaught on these Demons and slay them, as we
may lightly overcome them taken at unawares. And for the Foliots, they
be peaceful and sheep-like folk, and will be held in awe when we have
smitten the Demons with the edge of the sword. So may you depart, O
King, with pleasure and great honour, and afterward fare to Demonland
and bring it into subjection.”
The King looked sourly upon Lord Gro, and said, “Thy counsel is
unacceptable and unseasonable. What lieth behind it?”
Gro answered, “There have been omens, O King.”
And the King said, “What omens?”
Gro answered and said, “I will not hide it from you, O my Lord the
King, that in my sleep about the darkest hour a dream of the night
came to my bed and beheld me with a glance so fell that the hairs of
my head stood up and pale terror gat hold upon me. And methought the
dream smote up the roof above my bed, and the roof yawned to the naked
air of the midnight, that laboured with fiery signs, and a bearded
star travelling in the houseless dark. And I beheld the roof and the
walls one gore of blood. And the dream screeched like the screech-owl,
crying, _Witchland from thy hand, O King!_ And therewith the whole
world seemed lighted in one flame, and with a shout I awoke sweating
from the dream.”
But the King rolled his eyes in anger upon Lord Gro and said, “Well am
I served and faithfully by such false scheming foxes as thou. It ill
fits your turn that I should carry this deed to the end with mine own
hand only, and in the blindness of your impudent folly ye come to me
with tales made for scaring of babes, praying me gently to forgo my
glory that thou and thy fellows may make yourselves big in the world’s
eyes by deeds of arms.”
Gro said, “Lord, it is not so.”
But the King would not hear him, but said, “Methinks it is for loyal
subjects to seek greatness in the greatness of their King, nor desire
to shine of their own brightness. As for this Demon, when thou sayest
that I have overcome him thou speakest a gross and impudent lie. In
this bout I did but measure myself with him. But thereby know I of a
surety that when I put forth my might he will not be able to withstand
me; and all ye shall shortly behold how, as one shattereth a stalk of
angelica, I will break and shatter the limbs of this Goldry Bluszco.
As for thee, false friend, subtle fox, unfaithful servant, this long
time am I grown weary of thee slinking up and down my palace devising
darkly things I know not: thou, that art nought akin to Witchland, but
an outlander, a Goblin exile, a serpent warmed in my bosom to my hurt.
But these things shall have an end. When I have put down this Goldry
Bluszco, then shall I have leisure to put down thee also.”
And Gro bowed in sorrow of heart before the anger of the King, and held
his peace.
Now was the horn blown for the second bout, and they stepped into the
wrastling ground. At the clashing of the cymbals the King sprang at
Goldry as the panther springeth, and with the rush bare him backward
and well nigh forth of the wrastling ground. But when they were carried
almost among the Demons where they stood to behold the contest, Goldry
swung to the left and strove as before to get the King lifted off
his feet; but the King foiled him and bent his ponderous weight upon
him, so that Goldry’s spine was like to have been crushed beneath
the murthering violence of the King’s arms. Then did the Lord Goldry
Bluszco show forth his great power as a wrastler, for, even under the
murthering clasp of the King, he by the might that was in the muscles
of his brawny chest shook the King first to the right and then to the
left; and the King’s hold was loosened, and all his skill and mastery
but narrowly saved him from a grievous fall. Nor did Goldry delay nor
ponder how next to make trial of the King, but sudden as the lightning
he slackened his hold and turned, and with his back under the King’s
belly gave a mighty lift; and they that witnessed it stood amazed in
expectancy to see the King thrown over Goldry’s head. Yet for all his
striving might not Goldry get the King lifted clean off the ground.
Twice and three times he strove, and at each trial he seemed further
from his aim, and the King bettered his hold. And at the fourth essay
that Goldry made to lift the King over his back and fling him headlong,
the King thrust him forward and tripped him from behind, so that Goldry
was crawled on his hands and knees. And the King clung to him from
behind and passed his arms round his body beneath the armpits and so
back over the shoulders, being minded to clasp his two hands at the
back of Goldry’s neck.
Then said Corund, “The Demon is sped already. By this hold hath the
King brought to their bane more than three score famous champions. He
delayeth only till his fingers be knit together behind the neck of the
accursed Demon to draw the head of him forward until the bones of the
neck or the breastbone be bursten asunder.”
“He delayeth over long for my peace,” said Gro.
The King’s breath came out of him in great puffs and grunts as he
strained to bring his fingers to meet behind Goldry’s neck. Nor was it
aught else than the hugeness of his neck and burly chest that saved the
Lord Goldry Bluszco in that hour from utter destruction. Crawled on
his hands and knees he could nowise escape from the hold of the King,
neither lay hold on him in turn; howbeit because of the bigness of
Goldry’s neck and chest it was impossible for the King to fasten that
hold upon him, for all his striving.
When the King perceived that this was so, and that he but wasted his
strength, he said, “I will loose my hold on thee and let thee up, and
we will stand again face to face. For I deem it unworthy to grapple on
the ground like dogs.”
So they stood up, and wrastled another while in silence. Soon the King
made trial once again of the fall whereby he had sought to throw him
in the first bout, twisting suddenly his right side against Goldry,
and catching with his leg Goldry’s leg, and therewith leaning against
him with main force. And when, as before, Goldry bare forward with
great violence, tightening his grip, the King lurched mightily against
him, and, being still ill content to have missed his hold that never
heretofore had failed him, he thrust his fingers up Goldry’s nose in
his cruel anger, scratching and clawing at the delicate inner parts
of the nostrils in such wise that Goldry was fain to draw back his
head. Therewith the King, lurching against him yet more heavily, gat
him thrown a grievous fall on his back, and himself fell atop of him,
crushing him and stunning him on the earth.
And the Red Foliot proclaimed Gorice the King victorious in this bout.
Therewithal the King turned him back to his Witches, that loudly
acclaimed his mastery over Goldry. He said unto Lord Gro, “It is as I
have spoken: the testing first, next the bruising, and in the last
bout the breaking and killing.” And the King looked evilly on Gro.
Gro answered him not a word, for his soul was grieved to see blood on
the nails and fingers of the King’s left hand, and he thought he knew
that the King must have been sore bested in this bout, seeing that he
must do this beastly deed or ever he might overcome the might of his
adversary.
But the Lord Goldry Bluszco when he was come to his senses and had
gotten him up from that great fall, spake to the Red Foliot in mickle
wrath, saying, “This devil hath overcome me by craft, doing that which
it is a shame to do, in that he clawed me with his fingers up my nose.”
The sons of Corund raised an uproar at the words of Goldry, loudly
crying that he was the greatest liar and dastard; and all they of
Witchland shouted and cursed in like manner. But Goldry shouted in a
voice like a brazen trumpet that was plain to hear above the clamour
of the Witches, “O Red Foliot, judge now fairly betwixt me and King
Gorice, as thou art sworn to do. Let him show his finger nails, if
there be not blood on them. This fall is void, and I claim that we
wrastle it anew.” And the lords of Demonland in like manner shouted
that this fall should be wrastled anew.
Now the Red Foliot had seen somewhat of what was done, and well was
he minded to call the bout void. Yet had he forborne to do this out
of fear of King Gorice that had looked upon him with a basilisk’s
eye, threatening him. And now, while the Red Foliot was troubled in
his mind, uncertain between the angry shouts of the Witches and the
Demons whether safety lay rather with his honour or with truckling to
King Gorice, the King spake a word to Corinius, who went straightway
and standing by the Red Foliot spake privily in his ear. And Corinius
menaced the Red Foliot, and said, “Beware lest thy mind be swayed by
the brow-beating of the Demons. Rightfully hast thou adjudged the
victory in this bout unto our Lord the King, and this talk of thrusting
of fingers in the nose is but a pretext and a vile imagination of this
Goldry Bluszco, who, being thrown fairly before thine eyes and before
us all, and perceiving himself unable to stand against the King, now
thinketh with his swaggering he can bear it away, and thinketh by
cheats and subtleties to avoid defeat. If, against thine own beholding
and the witness of us and the plighted word of the King, thou art
so hardy as to harken to the guileful persuading of these Demons,
yet bethink thee that the King hath overborne ninety and nine great
champions in this exercise, and this shall be the hundredth; and
bethink thee, too, that Witchland lieth nearer to thine Isles than
Demonland by many days’ sailing. Hard shall it be for thee to abide the
avenging sword of Witchland if thou do him despite, and against thy
sworn oath as umpire incline wrongfully to his enemies in this dispute.”
So spake Corinius; and the Red Foliot was cowed. Albeit he believed in
his heart that the King had done that whereof Goldry accused him, yet
for terror of the King and of Corinius that stood by and threatened him
he durst not speak his thought, but in sore perplexity gave order for
the horn to be blown for the third bout.
And it came to pass at the blowing of the horn that the flittermouse
fared forth again from the booths of the Witches, and going widdershins
round about the wrastling ground returned on silent wing whence she
came.
When the Lord Goldry Bluszco understood that the Red Foliot would pay
no heed to his accusation, he grew red as blood. A fearsome sight it
was to behold how he swelled in his wrath, and his eyes blazed like
disastrous stars at midnight, and being wood with anger he gnashed his
teeth till the froth stood at his lips and slavered down his chin.
Now the cymbals clashed for the onset. Therewith ran Goldry upon the
King as one straught of his wits, bellowing as he ran, and gripped him
by the right arm with both his hands, one at the wrist and one near
the shoulder. And so it was that, before the King might move, Goldry
spun round with his back to the King and by his mickle strength and
the strength of the anger that was in him he heaved the King over his
head, hurling him as one hurleth a ponderous spear, head-foremost to
the earth. And the King smote the ground with his head, and the bones
of his head and his spine were driven together and smashed, and blood
flowed from his ears and nose. With the might of that throw Goldry’s
wrath departed from him and left him strengthless, in such sort that
he reeled as he went from the wrastling ground. His brethren, Juss and
Spitfire, bare him up on either side, and put his cloak of cloth of
gold worked with red hearts about his mighty limbs.
Meanwhile dismay was fallen upon the Witches to behold their King so
caught up on a sudden and dashed upon the ground, where he lay crumpled
in an heap, shattered like the stalk of an hemlock that one breaketh
and shattereth. In great agitation the Red Foliot came down from his
car of ebony and made haste thither where the King was fallen; and the
lords of Witchland came likewise thither stricken at heart, and Corund
lifted the King in his burly arms. But the King was stone dead. So
those sons of Corund made a litter with their spears and laid the King
on the litter, and spread over him his royal mantle of black silk lined
with bearskin, and set the crown of Witchland on his head, and without
word spoken bare him away to the Witches’ booths. And the other lords
of Witchland without word spoken followed after.
III: THE RED FOLIOT
OF THE ENTERTAINMENT OF THE WITCHES IN THE PALACE OF THE RED
FOLIOT; AND OF THE WILES AND SUBTLETIES OF LORD GRO; AND HOW
THE WITCHES DEPARTED BY NIGHT OUT OF THE FOLIOT ISLES.
The Red Foliot gat him back into his palace and sat in his high seat.
And he sent unto the lords of Witchland and of Demonland that they
should come and see him. Nor did they delay, but came straightway and
sat on the long benches, the Witches on the eastern side of the hall
and the Demons on the west; and their fighting men stood in order on
either side behind them. So sat they in the shadowy hall, and the sun
declining to the western ocean shone through the high windows of the
hall on the polished armour and weapons of the Witches.
The Red Foliot spake among them and said, “A great champion hath been
strook to earth this day in fair and equal combat. And according to the
solemn oaths whereby ye are bound, and whereof I am the keeper, there
is here an end to all unpeace betwixt Witchland and Demonland, and ye
of Witchland are to forswear for ever your claims of lordship over
the Demons. Now for a sealing and making fast of this solemn covenant
between you I see no likelier rede than that ye all join with me here
this day in good friendship to forget your quarrels in drinking of the
arvale of King Gorice XI., than whom hath reigned none mightier nor
more worshipful in all this world, and thereafter depart in peace to
your native lands.”
So spake the Red Foliot, and the lords of Witchland assented thereto.
But Lord Juss answered and said, “O Red Foliot, as to the oaths sworn
between us and the King of Witchland, thou hast spoken well; nor shall
we depart one tittle from the article of our oaths, and the Witches
may abide in peace for ever as for us if, as is clean against their
use and nature, they forbear to devise evil against us. For the nature
of Witchland was ever as a flea, that attacketh a man in the dark. But
we will not eat nor drink with the lords of Witchland, who bewrayed
and forsook us their sworn confederates at the sea-fight against the
Ghouls. Nor we will not drink the arvale of King Gorice XI., who worked
a shameful and unlawful sleight against my kinsman this day when they
wrastled together.”
So spake Lord Juss, and Corund whispered Gro in the ear, saying,
“Were’t not for the privilege of this respected company, now were the
time to set upon them.” But Gro said, “I prithee yet have patience.
This were over hazardous, for the luck goeth against Witchland. Let us
rather take them in their beds to-night.”
Fain would the Red Foliot turn the Demons from their resolve, but
without avail; they courteously thanking him for his hospitality which
they said they would enjoy that night in their booths, being minded on
the morrow to take to their beaked ship and fare over the unvintaged
sea to Demonland.
Therewith stood up Lord Juss, and with him the Lord Goldry Bluszco,
that went in all his war gear, his horned helm of gold and his golden
byrny set with ruby hearts, and bare his two-handed sword forged by
the elves wherewith he slew the beast out of the sea in days gone by;
and Lord Spitfire that glared upon the lords of Witchland as a falcon
glareth, hungering for her prey; and the Lord Brandoch Daha that
looked on them, and chiefly on Corinius, with the eye of contemptuous
amusement, playing idly with the jewelled hilt of his sword, until
Corinius grew ill at ease beneath his gaze and shifted this way and
that in his seat, scowling back defiance. For all the rich array and
goodly port and countenance of Corinius, he seemed but a very boor
beside the Lord Brandoch Daha, and dearly did each hate the other. So
the lords of Demonland with their fighting men went forth from the hall.
• • • • •