登陆注册
15463500000020

第20章 CHAPTER VI(3)

"How then if ye come not back, nor Wolfkettle, nor the Welsh Guest, nor I myself? Meseemeth no one of these Southland Cities shall we behold, and no more of the Southlanders than their war-array.""These are evil words," said Wolfkettle, "though such an outcome must be thought on. But why deemest thou this?"Said the Beaming: "There is no Hall-Sun sitting under our Roof at home to tell true tales concerning the Kindred every day. Yet forsooth from time to time is a word said in our Folk-hall for good or for evil; and who can choose but hearken thereto? And yestereve was a woeful word spoken, and that by a man-child of ten winters."Said the Elking: "Now that thou hast told us thus much, thou must tell us more, yea, all the word which was spoken; else belike we shall deem of it as worse than it was."Said the Beaming: "Thus it was; this little lad brake out weeping yestereve, when the Hall was full and feasting; and he wailed, and roared out, as children do, and would not be pacified, and when he was asked why he made that to do, he said: 'Well away! Raven hath promised to make me a clay horse and to bake it in the kiln with the pots next week; and now he goeth to the war, and he shall never come back, and never shall my horse be made.' Thereat we all laughed as ye may well deem. But the lad made a sour countenance on us and said, 'why do ye laugh? look yonder, what see ye?' 'Nay,' said one, 'nought but the Feast-hall wall and the hangings of the High-tide thereon.' Then said the lad sobbing: 'Ye see ill: further afield see I: I see a little plain, on a hill top, and fells beyond it far bigger than our speech-hill: and there on the plain lieth Raven as white as parchment; and none hath such hue save the dead.' Then said Raven, (and he was a young man, and was standing thereby). 'And well is that, swain, to die in harness! Yet hold up thine heart; here is Gunbert who shall come back and bake thine horse for thee.' 'Nay never more,' quoth the child, 'For I see his pale head lying at Raven's feet; but his body with the green gold-broidered kirtle I see not.' Then was the laughter stilled, and man after man drew near to the child, and questioned him, and asked, 'dost thou see me?' 'dost thou see me?' And he failed to see but few of those that asked him.

Therefore now meseemeth that not many of us shall see the cities of the South, and those few belike shall look on their own shackles therewithal.""Nay," said Hiarandi, "What is all this? heard ye ever of a company of fighting men that fared afield, and found the foe, and came back home leaving none behind them?"Said the Beaming: "Yet seldom have I heard a child foretell the death of warriors. I tell thee that hadst thou been there, thou wouldst have thought of it as if the world were coming to an end.""Well," said Wolfkettle, "let it be as it may! Yet at least I will not be led away from the field by the foemen. Oft may a man be hindered of victory, but never of death if he willeth it."Therewith he handled a knife that hung about his neck, and went on to say: "But indeed, I do much marvel that no word came into the mouth of the Hall-Sun yestereven or this morning, but such as any woman of the kindred might say."Therewith fell their talk awhile, and as they rode they came to where the wood drew nigher to the river, and thus the Mid-mark had an end;for there was no House had a dwelling in the Mid-mark higher up the water than the Elkings, save one only, not right great, who mostly fared to war along with the Elkings: and this was the Oselings, whose banner bore the image of the Wood-ousel, the black bird with the yellow neb; and they had just fallen into the company of the greater House.

So now Mid-mark was over and past, and the serried trees of the wood came down like a wall but a little way from the lip of the water; and scattered trees, mostly quicken-trees grew here and there on the very water side. But Mirkwood-water ran deep swift and narrow between high clean-cloven banks, so that none could dream of fording, and not so many of swimming its dark green dangerous waters. And the day wore on towards evening and the glory of the western sky was unseen because of the wall of high trees. And still the host made on, and because of the narrowness of the space between river and wood it was strung out longer and looked a very great company of men. And moreover the men of the eastern-lying part of Mid-mark, were now marching thick and close on the other side of the river but a little way from the Wolfings and their fellows; for nothing but the narrow river sundered them.

So night fell, and the stars shone, and the moon rose, and yet the Wolfings and their fellows stayed not, since they wotted that behind them followed a many of the men of the Mark, both the Mid and the Nether, and they would by no means hinder their march.

So wended the Markmen between wood and stream on either side of Mirkwood-water, till now at last the night grew deep and the moon set, and it was hard on midnight, and they had kindled many torches to light them on either side of the water. So whereas they had come to a place where the trees gave back somewhat from the river, which was well-grassed for their horses and neat, and was called Baitmead, the companies on the western side made stay there till morning. And they drew the wains right up to the thick of the wood, and all men turned aside into the mead from the beaten road, so that those who were following after might hold on their way if so they would. There then they appointed watchers of the night, while the rest of them lay upon the sward by the side of the trees, and slept through the short summer night.

The tale tells not that any man dreamed of the fight to come in such wise that there was much to tell of his dream on the morrow; many dreamed of no fight or faring to war, but of matters little, and often laughable, mere mingled memories of bygone time that had no waking wits to marshal them.

But that man of the Beamings dreamed that he was at home watching a potter, a man of the thralls of the House working at his wheel, and fashioning bowls and ewers: and he had a mind to take of his clay and fashion a horse for the lad that had bemoaned the promise of his toy. And he tried long and failed to fashion anything; for the clay fell to pieces in his hands; till at last it held together and grew suddenly, not into an image of a horse, but of the Great Yule Boar, the similitude of the Holy Beast of Frey. So he laughed in his sleep and was glad, and leaped up and drew his sword with his clay-stained hands that he might wave it over the Earth Boar, and swear a great oath of a doughty deed. And therewith he found himself standing on his feet indeed, just awakened in the cold dawn, and holding by his right hand to an ash-sapling that grew beside him. So he laughed again, and laid him down, and leaned back and slept his sleep out till the sun and the voices of his fellows stirring awakened him.

同类推荐
  • 十住毗婆沙论

    十住毗婆沙论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 耳新

    耳新

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 石药尔雅

    石药尔雅

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 先觉集

    先觉集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 经稗

    经稗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 剑极天下

    剑极天下

    一世人,一把剑,仗剑走天下。资质平庸的方天南,自三年前来到青云镇,就开始了他的漫漫武道生涯。
  • 画个世界

    画个世界

    这是一个喜欢画画的人,得到了一本能将画实体化的画册的故事。(这本小说包含了都市,校园,玄幻,二次元等众多题材,入坑需谨慎啊……)
  • 相濡以沫相思意

    相濡以沫相思意

    12岁,年幼的他遇见了稚嫩的她。11岁,她离开了他,他以为她还回来,却不然,一等就是十年。我愿用十年岁月,换你一生岁月无忧。
  • 我曾深深爱过你

    我曾深深爱过你

    如果有一天,你暗恋的人说要娶你,你嫁还是不嫁?苏浅暗恋顾璟琛五年,明知这是一场她卑微到骨子里才得到的婚姻,但是她甘之如饴。新婚之夜,她独守空房。他却被爆出绯闻:顾少新婚夜会嫩模,举止暧昧共处一室。情不知所起,一往情深,一场豪门恩怨情仇,一段爱恋刻骨铭心
  • 莫离殇

    莫离殇

    用我的血,染你的衣。用你的怀,许我一生温暖。那年柔然战乱,颠沛流离只为再相遇你,那年天佑灯红酒绿,浮生寻找只为一探你的身影。慕容雪只记得那个许她一座城的上宫泽,而南宫佑会记得那个曾让他倾尽天下的慕容雪。血泊里,他躺在她的怀里“雪儿,朕终究输了天下输了你。”而她曾说'宁负天下不负卿,宁赴黄泉不负你”她终究做到了。
  • 神奇宝贝之小红

    神奇宝贝之小红

    一个人被穿越神看重而穿越到了神奇宝贝的世界,迎接小红的是光明还是黑暗
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 末世·2012

    末世·2012

    这是一个“谜”一般的世界,或许你会将信将疑,但实际上是,人类的知识远没有达到无所不知、洞悉天地的地步。2011年日本大地震,全球灾难频繁爆发,古玛雅人预言“2012·世界末日”是否真会到来?本书以中国人的心理和视角全面解读“2012”末日预言,告诉我们关于“世界末日”一些不可忽视的真相,也许数千年来成长的观念世界,即将面临崩溃……
  • 糊里糊涂爱上你

    糊里糊涂爱上你

    什么?你是医生?是医生了不起啊。什么?你是我姑妈的主治医生,那可不得了。什么?不过是撞了你一下,就要我卖身?这买卖真好赚。一个浪漫的爱情故事,不管怎样,有爱就行了
  • 爱火燎原,霸道总裁驯娇妻

    爱火燎原,霸道总裁驯娇妻

    初见是在富丽堂皇的包厢,一屋子的衣冠禽兽,她是他的人肉贡品。进贡的人说了:婊.子无情,戏子无义,今天这个女人你随便玩,出了人命算我的。他坐在一堆人里,默不作声,却是最起眼的一个,孤傲又冷峻。两根手指夹着烟,吞云吐雾,散漫不羁地眯着眼睛打量她,叫她心头一凛。☆★萧邦,家世显赫的指挥官,久别江湖江湖却有他的传说。临危受命接管家族企业,遇神杀神遇佛杀佛,连眉头都不皱一皱,却在和一个女人的猫鼠游戏里炸了毛。三十六计七十二兵法都用尽,逼得她跳脚骂人。——伊顿公学不是专培养绅士么?怎么出了你这么个王八犊子!☆★插曲:“萧爷!”她义正言辞,“请你不要再在我身上浪费时间,你不是我喜欢的类型!”他的身子探过去,挑着一边眉毛,朝她脸上吹气。“那你喜欢什么类型?”“暖男!”“软男?”他扯了扯嘴角,长臂一伸将她带入怀里,出其不意地吻了她。“你给我说说,什么叫软男?”大手落在她腰上温柔又轻佻地揉捏,热辣辣的。“这样?”唇舌缠着她白皙的耳垂,惹得她涨红了脸,“又或者是这样?”“萧爷……”不等她说完,人已被他扛起穿过走廊扔到chuang上,健硕的身子压了下来,狼一般抽着热气。“我不知道什么叫软男是什么玩意儿,但我倒可以给你解释解释,啥叫‘硬、汉’!”☆★他们的故事,一个追一个逃,一个强取豪夺,一个个步步为营。直到最后一刻她才知道,从她遇到他萧邦的那一刻起,早就没有退路。“你是我萧邦的女人,你要什么我都能给你,所以你不需要其他男人!”☆★四大家族第三部:萧邦V秦妤,霸气萧爷VS傲娇小妖精。