Now it is to be told that the chieftains came into the hall that night
and sat down at the board on the dais, even as Hallblithe had seen them
do aforetime. And the chieftain of all, who was called the Erne of the
Sea-eagles, rose up according to custom and said: "Hearken, folk! this is
a night of the champions, whereon we may not eat till the pale blades
have clashed together, and one hath vanquished and another been overcome.
Now let them stand forth and give out the prize of victory which the
vanquished shall pay to the vanquisher. And let it be known, that,
whosoever may be the champion that winneth the battle, whether he be a
kinsman, or an alien, or a foeman declared; yea, though he have left the
head of my brother at the hall-door, he shall pass this night with us
safe from sword, safe from axe, safe from hand: he shall eat as we eat,
drink as we drink, sleep as we sleep, and depart safe from any hand or
weapon, and shall sail the sea at his pleasure in his own keel or in
ours, as to him and us may be meet. Blow up horns for the champions!"
So the horns blew a cheerful strain, and when they were done, there came
into the hall a tall man clad in black, and with black armour and weapons
saving the white blade of his sword. He had a vizard over his face, but
his hair came down from under his helm like the tail of a red horse.
So he stood amidst the floor and cried out: "I am the champion of the
Ravagers. But I swear by the Treasure of the Sea that I will cross no
blade to-night save with an alien, a foeman of the kindred. Hearest
thou, O chieftain, O Erne of the Sea-eagles?"
"Hear it I do," said the chieftain, "and I deem that thy meaning is that
we should go supperless to bed; and this cometh of thy perversity: for we
know thee despite thy vizard. Belike thou deemest that thou shalt not be
met this even, and that there is no free alien in the island to draw
sword against thee. But beware! For when we came aland this morning we
found a skiff of the aliens tied to a great spear stuck in the bank of
the haven; so that there will be one foeman at least abroad in the
island. But we said if we should come on the man, we would set his head
on the gable of the hall with the mouth open toward the North for a token
of reproach to the dwellers in the land over sea. But now give out the
prize of victory, and I swear by the Treasure of the Sea that we will
abide by thy word."
Said the champion: "These are the terms and conditions of the battle;
that whichso of us is vanquished, he shall either die, or serve the
vanquisher for twelve moons, to fare with him at his will, to go his
errands, and do according to his commandment in all wise. Hearest thou,
chieftain?"
"Yea," said he, "and by the Undying King, both thou and we shall abide by
this bargain. So look to it that thou smite great strokes, lest our hall
lack a gable-knop. Horns, blow up for the alien champion!"
So again the horns were winded; and ere their voice had died, in from the
buttery screens came a glittering image of war, and there stood the alien
champion over against the warrior of the sea; and he too had a vizard
over his face.
Now when the folk saw him, and how slim and light and small he looked
beside their champion, and they beheld the Raven painted on his white
shield, they hooted and laughed for scorn of him and his littleness. But
he tossed his sword up lightly and caught it by the hilts as it fell, and
drew nigher to the champion of the sea and stood facing him within reach
of his sword. Then the chieftain on the high-seat put his two hands to
his mouth and roared out: "Fall on, ye champions, fall on!"
But the folk in the hall were so eager that they stood on the benches and
the boards, and craned over each other's shoulders, so that they might
lose no whit of the hand-play. Now flashed the blades in the candle-lit
hall, and the red-haired champion hove up his sword and smote two great
strokes to right and to left; but the alien gave way before him, and the
folk cried out at him in scorn and in joy of their champion, who fell to
raining down great strokes like the hail amidst the lightning. But so
deft was the alien, that he stood amidst it unhurt, and laid many strokes
on his foeman, and did all so lightly and easily, that it seemed as if he
were dancing rather than fighting; and the folk held their peace and
began to doubt if their huge champion would prevail. Now the red-haired
fetched a mighty stroke at the alien, who leapt aside lightly and gat his
sword in his left hand and dealt a great stroke on the other's head, and
the red-haired staggered, for he had over-reached himself; and again the
alien smote him a left-handed stroke so that he fell full length on the
floor with a mighty clatter, and the sword flew out of his hand: and the
folk were dumb-founded.
Then the alien threw himself on the sea-champion, and knelt upon him, and
shortened his sword as if to slay him with a thrust. But thereon the man
overthrown cried out: "Hold thine hand, for I am vanquished! Now give me
peace according to the bargain struck between us, that I shall serve thee
year-long, and follow thee wheresoever thou goest."
Therewith the alien champion arose and stood off from him, and the man of
the sea gat to his feet, and did off his helm, so that all men could see
that he was the Puny Fox.
Then the victorious champion unhelmed himself, and lo, it was Hallblithe!
And a shout arose in the hall, part of wonder, part of wrath.
Then cried out the Puny Fox: "I call on all men here to bear witness that
by reason of this battle, Hallblithe of the Ravens is free to come and go
as he will in the Isle of Ransom, and to take help of any man that will
help him, and to depart from the isle when he will and how he will,
taking me with him if so he will."
Said the chieftain: "Yea, this is right and due, and so shall it be. But
now, since no freeman, who is not a foe of the passing hour, may abide in
our hall without eating of our meat, come up here, Hallblithe, and sit by
me, and eat and drink of the best we have, since the Norns would not give
us thine head for a gable-knop. But what wilt thou do with thy thrall
the Puny Fox; and whereto in the hall wilt thou have him shown? Or wilt
thou that he sit fasting in the darkness to-night, laid in gyves and
fetters? Or shall he have the cheer of whipping and stripes, as
befitteth a thrall to whom the master oweth a grudge? What is thy will
with him?"
Said Hallblithe: "My will is that thou give him a seat next to me,
whether that be high or low, or the bench of thy prison-house. That he
eat of my dish, and drink of my cup, whatsoever the meat and drink may
be. For to-morrow I mean that we twain shall go under the earth-collar
together, and that our blood shall run together and that we shall be
brothers in arms henceforward." Then Hallblithe did on his helm again
and drew his sword, and looked aside to the Puny Fox to bid him do the
like, and he did so, and Hallblithe said: "Chieftain, thou hast bidden me
to table, and I thank thee; but I will not set my teeth in meat, out of
our own house and land, which hath not been truly given to me by one who
wotteth of me, unless I have conquered it as a prey of battle; neither
will I cast a lie into the loving-cup which shall pass from thy lips to
mine: therefore I will tell thee, that though I laid a stroke or two on
the Puny Fox, and those no light ones, yet was this battle nought true
and real, but a mere beguiling, even as that which I saw foughten in this
hall aforetime, when meseemeth the slain men rose up in time to drink the
good-night cup. Therefore, O men of the Ravagers, and thou, O Puny Fox,
there is nought to bind your hands and refrain your hearts, and ye may
slay me if ye will without murder or dishonour, and may make the head of
Hallblithe a knop for your feast-hall. Yet shall one or two fall to
earth before I fall."
Therewith he shook his sword aloft, and a great roar arose, and weapons
came down from the wall, and the candles shone on naked steel. But the
Puny Fox came and stood by Hallblithe, and spake in his ear amidst the
uproar: "Well now, brother-in-arms, I have been trying to learn thee the
lore of lies, and surely thou art the worst scholar who was ever smitten
by master. And the outcome of it is that I, who have lied so long and
well, must now pay for all, and die for a barren truth."
Said Hallblithe: "Let all be as it will! I love thee, lies and all; but
as for me I cannot handle them. Lo you! great and grim shall be the
slaying, and we shall not fall unavenged."
Said the Puny Fox: "Hearken! for still they hang back. Belike it is I
that have drawn this death on thee and me. My last lie was a fool's lie
and we die for it: for what wouldst thou have done hadst thou wotted that
thy beloved, the Hostage of the Rose--" He broke off perforce; for
Hallblithe was looking to right and left and handling his sword, and
heard not that last word of his; and from both sides of the hall the
throng was drawing round about those twain, weapon in hand. Then
Hallblithe set his eyes on a big man in front who was heaving up a heavy
short-sword and thought that he would at least slay this one. But or
ever he might smite, the great horn blared out over the tumult, and men
forbore a while and fell somewhat silent.
Then came down to them the voice of the chieftain, a loud voice, but
clear and with mirth mingled with anger in it, and he said: "What do
these fools of the Ravagers cumbering the floor of the feast-hall, and
shaking weapons when there is no foeman anigh? Are they dreaming-drunk
before the wine is poured? Why do they not sit down in their places, and
abide the bringing in of the meat? And ye women, where are ye, why do ye
delay our meat, when ye may well wot that our hearts are drooping for
hunger; and all hath been duly done, the battle of the champions fought
and won, and the prize of war given forth and taken? How long, O folk,
shall your chieftains sit fasting?"
Then there arose great laughter in the hall, and men withdrew them from
those twain and went and sat them down in their places.
Then the chieftain said: "Come up hither, I say, O Hallblithe, and bring
thy war-thrall with thee if thou wilt. But delay not, unless it be so
that thou art neither hungry nor thirsty; and good sooth thou shouldst be
both; for men say that the ravens are hard to satisfy. Come then and
make good cheer with us!"
So Hallblithe thrust his sword into the sheath, and the Puny Fox did the
like, and they went both together up the hall to the high-seat. And
Hallblithe sat down on the chieftain's right hand, and the Puny Fox next
to him; and the chieftain, the Erne, said: "O Hallblithe, dost thou need
thine armour at table; or dost thou find it handy to take thy meat clad
in thy byrny and girt with a sword?"
Then laughed Hallblithe and said: "Nay, meseemeth to-night I shall need
war-gear no more." And he stood up and did off all his armour and gave
it, sword and all, into the hands of a woman, who bore it off, he knew
not whither. And the Erne looked on him and said: "Well is that! and now
I see that thou art a fair young man, and it is no marvel though maidens
desire thee."
As he spake came in the damsels with the victual and the cheer was
exceeding good, and Hallblithe grew light-hearted.
But when the healths had been drunk as aforetime, and men had drunk a cup
or two thereafter, there rose a warrior from one of the endlong benches,
a big young man, black-haired and black-bearded, ruddy of visage, and he
said in a voice that was rough and fat: "O Erne, and ye other chieftains,
we have been talking here at our table concerning this guest of thine who
hath beguiled us, and we are not wholly at one with thee as to thy
dealings with him. True it is, now that the man hath our meat in his
belly, that he must depart from amongst us with a whole skin, unless of
his own will he stand up to 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 to-day. 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 screen-doors opened, and there came in two weaponed men,
leading between them a woman clad in gold and garlanded with roses. So
fair was the fashion of her face and all her body, that her coming seemed
to make a change in the hall, as though the sun had shone into it
suddenly. She trod the hall-floor with firm feet, and sat down on the
ivory chair. But even before she was seated therein Hallblithe knew that
the Hostage was under that roof and coming toward him. And the heart
rose in his breast and fluttered therein, so sore he yearned toward the
Daughter of the Rose, and his very speech-friend. Then he heard the Erne
saying, "How now, Raven-son, wilt thou have the throne and the sitter
therein, or wilt thou gainsay me once more?"
Thereafter he himself spake, and the sound of his voice was strange to
him and as if he knew it not: "Chieftain, I will not gainsay thee, but
will take thy gift, and thy friendship therewith, whatsoever hath
betided. Yet would I say a word or two unto the woman that sitteth
yonder. For I have been straying amongst wiles and images, and mayhappen
I shall yet find this to be but a dream of the night, or a beguilement of
the day." Therewith he arose from the table, and walked slowly down the
hall; but it was a near thing that he did not fall a-weeping before all
those aliens, so full his heart was.
He came and stood before the Hostage, and their eyes were upon each
other, and for a little while they had no words. Then Hallblithe began,
wondering at his voice as he spake: "Art thou a woman and my
speech-friend? For many images have mocked me, and I have been
encompassed with lies, and led astray by behests that have not been
fulfilled. And the world hath become strange to me, and empty of
friends."
Then she said: "Art thou verily Hallblithe? For I also have been
encompassed by lies, and beset by images of things unhelpful."
"Yea," said he, "I am Hallblithe of the Ravens, wearied with desire for
my troth-plight maiden."
Then came the rosy colour into the fairness of her face, as the rising
sun lighteth the garden of flowers in the June morning; and she said: "If
thou art Hallblithe, tell me what befell to the finger-gold-ring that my
mother gave me when we were both but little."
Then his face grew happy, and he smiled, and he said: "I put it for thee
one autumntide in the snake's hole in the bank above the river, amidst
the roots of the old thorn-tree, that the snake might brood it, and make
the gold grow greater; but when winter was over and we came to look for
it, lo! there was neither ring nor snake, nor thorn-tree: for the flood
had washed it all away."
Thereat she smiled most sweetly, and whereas she had been looking on him
hitherto with strained and anxious eyes, she now beheld him simply and
friendly; and she said: "O Hallblithe, I am a woman indeed, and thy
speech-friend. This is the flesh that desireth thee, and the life that
is thine, and the heart which thou rejoicest. But now tell me, who are
these huge images around us, amongst whom I have sat thus, once in every
moon this year past, and afterwards I was taken back to the women's
bower? Are they men or mountain-giants? Will they slay us, or shut us
up from the light and air? Or hast thou made peace with them? Wilt thou
then dwell with me here, or shall we go back again to Cleveland by the
Sea? And when, oh when, shall we depart?"
He smiled and said: "Quick come thy questions, beloved. These are the
folks of the Ravagers and the Sea-eagles: they be men, though fierce and
wild they be. Our foes they have been, and have sundered us; but now are
they our friends, and have brought us together. And to-morrow, O friend,
shall we depart across the waters to Cleveland by the Sea."
She leaned forward, and was about to speak softly to him, but suddenly
started back, and said: "There is a big, red-haired man, as big as any
here, behind thy shoulder. Is he also a friend? What would he with us?"
So Hallblithe turned about, and beheld the Puny Fox beside him, who took
up the word and spoke, smiling as a man in great glee: "O maiden of the
Rose, I am Hallblithe's thrall, and his scholar, to unlearn the craft of
lying, whereby I have done amiss towards both him and thee. Whereof I
will tell thee all the tale soon. But now I will say that it is true
that we depart to-morrow for Cleveland by the Sea, thou and he, and I in
company. Now I would ask thee, Hallblithe, if thou wouldst have me
bestow this gift of thine in safe-keeping to-night, since there is an end
of her sitting in the hall like a graven image: and to-morrow the way
will be long and wearisome, What sayest thou?"
Said the Hostage: "Shall I trust this man and go with him?"
"Yea, thou shalt trust him," said Hallblithe, "for he is trusty. And
even were he not, it is meet for us of the Raven and the Rose to do as
our worth biddeth us, and not to fear this folk. And it behoveth us to
do after their customs since we are in their house."
"That is sooth," she said; "big man, lead me out of the hall to my place.
Farewell, Hallblithe, for a little while, and then shall there be no more
sundering for us."
Therewith she departed with the Puny Fox, and Hallblithe went back to the
high-seat and sat down by the Erne, who laughed on him and said: "Thou
hast taken my gift, and that is well: yet shall I tell thee that I would
not have given it to thee if I could have kept it for myself in such
plight as thou wilt have it. But all I could do, and the Puny Fox to
help withal, availed me nought. So good luck go with thine hands. Now
will we to bed, and to-morrow I will lead thee out on thy way; for to say
sooth, there be some here who are not well pleased with either thee or
me; and thou knowest that words are wasted on wilful men, but that deeds
may avail somewhat."
Therewith he cried out for the cup of good-night, and when it was
drunken, Hallblithe was shown to a fair shut-bed; even that wherein he
had lain aforetime; and there he went to sleep in joy, and in good liking
with all men.