THEY TRAVEL THROUGH THE FELLS.
Little farewell they made, and set out, some on horseback and some on
foot, these two-score men. The giant striding along led them through
wild woods up hill and down dale. In the midst of the valleys and fells,
they came upon the traces of an ancient path overgrown with brambles,
and washed away wherever the becks crossed it. For a good while it ran
along between hill and plain; and then it entered a narrow valley umbered
with ancient trees, and wholly uninhabited but for wild boars and such
like, whereupon they named that place Grisdale, from the boars they found
there. Then the path crossed the beck and crept up the side of a hill
to the right hand, until it got above the tops of the trees and out on
a heathy moor, where, after a while, they found traces of an ancient
village, but all by now in ruins, wall and cot and dike. From the brink
of this moor the travellers could see a delightful lake lying in the
valley beneath, among many little howes and hills, and all smothered up
in dark green forest. Between the hills on the farther side there came
peeps of blue water, here a little and there a little; to which the giant
pointed, making signs with his hands that these bits of blue were all one
great long winding mere. To which indeed they came, after travelling down
from the high place past an old ruin by a river side where Hawkshead Hall
stands now, and after toiling for more than a step through the overgrown
and deserted pathways. If it had not been for their guide one would never
have guessed that any pathway ran there at all, so hard to follow out was
that old track in the forest, and so lonely and uncouth it seemed.
They stayed that night at the water-head of this long mere, upon a holm
beside two rivers that joined and ran into it—Breithá, the broad water,
they called the one they first came to, and Reythá, that is Trout-stream,
the other, in which folk say trout alone do breed. Upon this holm was an
ancient stronghold, built foursquare, and well-nigh even with the water.
The walls were in ruin, and the roofs of the houses were fallen in. But
it could be seen that this had been a fine city once upon a time: for the
houses were strongly built of stone and tiles, and the defences were well
planned, and there were old docks and landing-places between sharp nabs
that ran into the lake. Among the ruins of the houses were carven pillars
and painted walls, so well done that it was a wonder. But the place was
overgrown with nettles, and the fairest chambers were choked with briars.
A few of the old houses were patched up, and a handful of Welsh dwelt in
them hugger-mugger. These Welsh our Northmen could understand a little,
for they were used to the talk of their Welsh neighbours and servants.
They got fire and a welcome, such as it was; for it seemed their coming
was known, and more about them than would have been guessed. So they
passed the night in the ruined burg by the water-head of the winding
mere, among the rocky fells and forests.
[Illustration: THE NORTHMEN IN THE FELLS]
Next morning their guide took them by a road along the valley until they
came to another mere, a little one, under a great nab’s scar: over whose
axle they climbed about to another lake, not much larger, and with an
island in the middle of it, and shores all overgrown with rushes and
grass. The mountains around seemed to rise higher and wilder, and on one
fell top was seen the likeness of a man crouching down, as if he would
roll great rocks upon the road below. They looked at him again and again,
but their guide took up a stone and pointed aloft, making signs that the
man on the helm of the crag was no living wight, but a man of stone. And
yet some of the Northmen were not sorry when they had passed to the other
side of his crag, and saw him again in the mist as if he were asleep on
his elbow. They were afraid of no mortal man, but they knew that this was
a land of wonders and warlocks, and it could be seen that yon stone giant
had heard them coming and had stirred in his sleep.
Not the least wonder was that road, running through wild forests, up
and down rocks and hills, always straight forward, and paved with
cobble-stones; no little broken path like the one that brought them to
the water-head. Swein likened it to the Manchester road, and wondered if
the Roman folk had been here too, where no churches were, and whether
they had made that stone image on the fell for their god. And in this
mood they climbed over a high hause where the mountains were at their
wildest and rough screes fell down from the rocks on either hand through
the ragged trees. And soon they had an adventure.
For on coming down from that pass, they found houses by the roadside
where it crept along the steep brink. A big man came out to meet them,
swaggering, and dressed in strange ancient armour of iron fitted to his
body like an iron skin. All the same he seemed very filthy, and sodden
with drink. He gave them to wit in Welsh that he was governor of this
borderland for the Cumbrian king, and seemingly a greater man than the
king himself. “For,” said he, “Owain and his father are no Romans, like
the Donal that went before them. But I,” said he, “am of right Roman
blood, and my name is Elphin map Rhydderch map Caradoc: and I let no man
nor woman pass without tribute.”
“Ah!” said Swein, “here we have one of the folk who made this road. I
guessed they were of the troll’s kin. Look you, friends, no iron will
bite upon him.”
And since the fellow would not let them pass, Swein with little ado smote
out his fist, as it might be to try what would happen: and the brainpan
of Elphin was cracked against his own stone door post. Their guide gazed
awhile upon him, and turned him over with his foot, saying nought but
“Aigh!” And so they passed on.
But here the houses thickened, and they came to a city of Welshmen that
was called the city of Helvellyn. It was built on a rock above the swampy
flats at the head of another lake, and fenced round about with a great
wall of huge stones. On one side was the mire, and on the other side
rough rocky ground and a waterfall running down from the high mountains.
The road came up to it, and turned sharp round to encompass it and to
come in at the gate; and then, after passing through the houses, ran
out again; and so to the cliffs overhanging the lake. At this city they
stayed awhile, and the people brought them honeymead to drink: and it
seemed as though Swein was made much of, and pointed out by the women and
children, who came thronging to the door of the house where he sat: and
at their departure a crowd followed them along the road, beckoning with
their hands and making merriment. Swein thought they were glad to be quit
of the long-named carle, Roman or no Roman.
Then the road took them on the edge of wonderful great cliffs by the
brink of a long mere, in the middle of which was a narrow place, and a
wath. Here there were houses, poor enough, of men who seemed to be the
giant’s kin, and there our travellers stayed for the night. Next morning
they crossed the wath, and at the foot of the lake they came to a place
where four dales met among high mountains and crags. And here there
was a sweet spot alone in the wilderness, with cleared meadow-land and
a little brook coming down from Helvellyn through the leas, to meet the
great river that ran from the lake, and turning sharply round went by a
deep valley. Afterwards they called this river Grit-á, which is as much
as to say the Stony water; and there is none indeed that has a rougher
bed. They took notice of this dale because of its sweetness in the midst
of wild rocks and forests, and because it is not often one sees four
dales meeting in one spot like the rays of the sign of Thor.
But their path led them onward through the deep valley of the Greta, with
crags on one hand and a roaring river or spreading swamps on the other,
until they came to a wide plain, and on the other side of it, at the foot
of the mountain Blencathra, their path struck a great road which led them
eastward. By nightfall they came to another of those ancient foursquare
strongholds: and hard by, across a little dell, the army of the Welsh lay
at Penrhydderch.
Owain the king received them well, and thanked them for their coming,
and promised them the foremost place when they should meet the Saxons.
In his tent they met Ketel Bolster as Swein had called him, and the
Northmen from the holm on Sölvi’s bay, as they named the Solway, and they
fell in talk together. But before they had spoken many words, men came
running in through the lanes of tents, crying out “They are here!” Owain
bade them have peace: and took Swein and his chief men, and went out to
the brow of the hill. There in the twilight they saw the valley beyond
thronged with a great multitude, and knew, by the lights that started up
from point to point, that Athelstan with all his power was camping in the
fields of Dacor.