child christopher-第1节

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Child　Christopher　and　Goldilind　the　Fair
by　William　Morris
1895


CHAPTER　I。

OF　THE　KING　OF　OAKENREALM；　AND　HIS　WIFE　AND　HIS　CHILD。


Of　old　there　was　a　land　which　was　so　much　a　woodland；　that　a　minstrel　thereof　said　it　that　a　squirrel　might　go　from　end　to　end；　and　all　about；　from　tree　to　tree；　and　never　touch　the　earth：　　therefore　was　that　land　called　Oakenrealm。

The　lord　and　king　thereof　was　a　stark　man；　and　so　great　a　warrior　that　in　his　youth　he　took　no　delight　in　aught　else　save　battle　and　tourneys。　　But　when　he　was　hard　on　forty　years　old；　he　came　across　a　daughter　of　a　certain　lord；　whom　he　had　vanquished；　and　his　eyes　bewrayed　him　into　longing；　so　that　he　gave　back　to　the　said　lord　the　havings　he　had　conquered　of　him　that　he　might　lay　the　maiden　in　his　kingly　bed。　　So　he　brought　her　home　with　him　to　Oakenrealm　and　wedded　her。

Tells　the　tale　that　he　rued　not　his　bargain；　but　loved　her　so　dearly　that　for　a　year　round　he　wore　no　armour；　save　when　she　bade　him　play　in　the　tilt…yard　for　her　desport　and　pride。

So　wore　the　days　till　she　went　with　child　and　was　near　her　time；　and　then　it　betid　that　three　kings　who　marched　on　Oakenrealm　banded　them　together　against　him；　and　his　lords　and　thanes　cried　out　on　him　to　lead　them　to　battle；　and　it　behoved　him　to　do　as　they　would。

So　he　sent　out　the　tokens　and　bade　an　hosting　at　his　chief　city；　and　when　all　was　ready　he　said　farewell　to　his　wife　and　her　babe　unborn；　and　went　his　ways　to　battle　once　more：　but　fierce　was　his　heart　against　the　foemen；　that　they　had　dragged　him　away　from　his　love　and　his　joy。

Even　amidst　of　his　land　he　joined　battle　with　the　host　of　the　ravagers；　and　the　tale　of　them　is　short　to　tell；　for　they　were　as　the　wheat　before　the　hook。　　But　as　he　followed　up　the　chase；　a　mere　thrall　of　the　fleers　turned　on　him　and　cast　his　spear；　and　it　reached　him　whereas　his　hawberk　was　broken；　and　stood　deep　in；　so　that　he　fell　to　earth　unmighty：　　and　when　his　lords　and　chieftains　drew　about　him；　and　cunning　men　strove　to　heal　him；　it　was　of　no　avail；　and　he　knew　that　his　soul　was　departing。　　Then　he　sent　for　a　priest；　and　for　the　Marshal　of　the　host；　who　was　a　great　lord；　and　the　son　of　his　father's　brother；　and　in　few　words　bade　him　look　to　the　babe　whom　his　wife　bore　about；　and　if　it　were　a　man；　to　cherish　him　and　do　him　to　learn　all　that　a　king　ought　to　know；　and　if　it　were　a　maiden；　that　he　should　look　to　her　wedding　well　and　worthily：　　and　he　let　swear　him　on　his　sword；　on　the　edges　and　the　hilts；　that　he　would　do　even　so；　and　be　true　unto　his　child　if　child　there　were：　and　he　bade　him　have　rule；　if　so　be　the　lords　would；　and　all　the　people；　till　the　child　were　of　age　to　be　king：　　and　the　Marshal　swore；　and　all　the　lords　who　stood　around　bare　witness　to　his　swearing。　　Thereafter　the　priest　houselled　the　King；　and　he　received　his　Creator；　and　a　little　while　after　his　soul　departed。

But　the　Marshal　followed　up　the　fleeing　foe；　and　two　battles　more　he　fought　before　he　beat　them　flat　to　earth；　and　then　they　craved　for　peace；　and　he　went　back　to　the　city　in　mickle　honour。

But　in　the　King's　city　of　Oakenham　he　found　but　little　joy；　for　both　the　King　was　bemoaned；　whereas　he　had　been　no　hard　man　to　his　folk；　and　also；　when　the　tidings　and　the　King's　corpse　came　back　to　Oakenrealm；　his　Lady　and　Queen　took　sick　for　sorrow　and　fear；　and　fell　into　labour　of　her　child；　and　in　childing　of　a　man…bairn　she　died；　but　the　lad　lived；　and　was　like　to　do　well。

So　there　was　one　funeral　for　the　slain　King　and　for　her　whom　his　slaying　had　slain：　　and　when　that　was　done；　the　little　king　was　borne　to　the　font；　and　at　his　christening　he　gat　to　name　Christopher。

Thereafter　the　Marshal　summoned　all　them　that　were　due　thereto　to　come　and　give　homage　to　the　new　king；　and　even　so　did　they；　though　he　were　but　a　babe；　yea；　and　who　had　but　just　now　been　a　king　lying　in　his　mother's　womb。　　But　when　the　homage　was　done；　then　the　Marshal　called　together　the　wise　men；　and　told　them　how　the　King　that　was　had　given　him　in　charge　his　son　as　then　unborn；　and　the　ruling　of　the　realm　till　the　said　son　were　come　to　man's　estate：　　but　he　bade　them　seek　one　worthier　if　they　had　heart　to　gainsay　the　word　of　their　dying　lord。　　Then　all　they　said　that　he　was　worthy　and　mighty　and　the　choice　of　their　dear　lord；　and　that　they　would　have　none　but　he。

So　then　was　the　great　folk…mote　called；　and　the　same　matter　was　laid　before　all　the　people；　and　none　said　aught　against　it；　whereas　no　man　was　ready　to　name　another　to　that　charge　and　rule；　even　had　it　been　his　own　self。

Now　then　by　law　was　the　Marshal；　who　hight　Rolf；　lord　and　earl　of　the　land　of　Oakenrealm。　　He　ruled　well　and　strongly；　and　was　a　fell　warrior：　　he　was　well　befriended　by　many　of　the　great；　and　the　rest　of　them　feared　him　and　his　friends：　as　for　the　commonalty；　they　saw　that　he　held　the　realm　in　peace；　and　for　the　rest；　they　knew　little　and　saw　less　of　him；　and　they　paid　to　his　bailiffs　and　sheriffs　as　little　as　they　could；　and　more　than　they　would。　　But　whereas　that　left　them　somewhat　to　grind　their　teeth　on；　and　they　were　not　harried；　they　were　not　so　ill　content。　　So　the　Marshal　throve；　and　lacked　nothing　of　a　king's　place　save　the　bare　name。



CHAPTER　II。

OF　THE　KING'S　SON。


As　for　the　King's　son；　to　whom　the　folk　had　of　late　done　homage　as　king；　he　was　at　first　seen　about　a　corner　of　the　High　House　with　his　nurses；　and　then　in　a　while　it　was　said；　and　the　tale　noted；　but　not　much；　that　he　must　needs　go　for　his　health's　sake；　and　because　he　was　puny；　to　some　stead　amongst　the　fields；　and　folk　heard　say　that　he　was　gone　to　the　strong　house　of　a　knight　somewhat　stricken　in　years；　who　was　called　Lord　Richard　the　Lean。　　The　said　house　was　some　twelve　miles　from　Oakenham；　not　far　from　the　northern　edge　of　the　wild…wood。　　But　in　a　while；　scarce　more　than　a　year；　Lord　Richard　brake　up　house　at　the　said　castle；　and　went　southward　through　the　forest。　　Of　this　departure　was　little　said；　for　he　was　not　a　man　amongst　the　foremost。　　As　for　the　King's　little　son；　if　any　remembered　that　he　was　in　the　hands　of　the　said　Lord　Richard；　none　said　aught　about　it；　for　if　any　thought　of　the　little　babe　at　all；　they　said　to　themselves；　Never　will　he　come　to　be　king。

Now　as　for　Lord　Richard　the　Lean；　he　went　far　through　the　wood；　and　until　he　was　come　to　another　house　of　his；　that　stood　in　a　clearing　somewhat　near　to　where　Oakenrealm　marched　on　another　country；　which　hight　Meadham；　though　the　said　wild…wood　ended　not　where　Oakenrealm　ended；　but　stretched　a　good　way　into　Meadham；　and　betwixt　one　and　the　other　much　rough　country　there　was。

It　is　to　be　said　that　amongst　those　who　went　to　this　stronghold　of　the　woods　was　the　little　King　Christopher；　no　longer　puny；　but　a　stout　babe　enough：　　so　he　was　borne　amongst　the　serving　men　and　thralls　to　the　castle　of　the　Outer　March；　and　he　was　in　no　wise　treated　as　a　great　man's　son；　but　there　was　more　than　one　woman　who　was　kind　to　him；　and　as　he　waxed　in　strength　and　beauty　month　by　month；　both　carle　and　quean　fell　to　noting　him；　and；　for　as　little　as　he　was；　he　began　to　be　well…beloved。

As　to　the　stead　where　he　was　nourished；　though　it　were　far　away　amongst　the　woods；　it　was　no　such　lonely　or　savage　place：　　besides　the　castle　and　the　houses　of　it；　there　was　a　merry　thorpe　in　the　clearing；　the　houses　whereof　were　set　down　by　the　side　of　a　clear　and　pleasant　little　stream。　Moreover　the　goodmen　and　swains　of　the　said　township　were　no　ill　folk；　but　bold　of　heart；　free　of　speech；　and　goodly　of　favour；　and　the　women　of　them　fair；　kind；　and　trusty。　Whiles　came　folk　journeying　in　to　Oakenrealm　or　out　to　Meadham；　and　of　these　some　were　minstrels；　who　had　with　them　tidings　of　what　was　astir　whereas　folk　were　thicker　in　the　world；　and　some　chapmen；　who　chaffered　with　the　thorpe…dwellers；　and　took　of　them　the　woodland　spoil　for　such　outland　goods　as　those　woodmen　needed。

So　wore　the　years；　and　in　Oakenham　King　Christopher　was　well　nigh　forgotten；　and　in　the　wild…wood　had　never　been　known　clearly　for　King's　son。　　At　first；　by　command　of　Rolf　the　Marshal；　a　messenger　came　every　year　from　Lord　Richard　with　a　letter　that　told　of　how　the　lad　Christopher　did。　　But　when　five　years　were　worn；　the　Marshal　bade　send　him　tidings　thereof　every　three　years；　and　by　then　it　was　come　to　the　twelfth　year；　and　still　the　tidings　were　that　the　lad　throve　ever；　and　meanwhile　the　Marshal　sat　fast　in　his　seat　with　none　to　gainsay；　the　word　went　to　Lord　Richard　that　he　should　send　no　more；　for　that　he；　the　Marshal；　had　heard　enough　of　the　boy；　and　if　he　throve　it　were　well；　and　if　not；　it　was　no　worse。　　So　wore　the　days　and　the　years。



CHAPTER　III。

OF　THE　KING　OF　MEADHAM　AND　HIS　DAUGHTER。


Tells　the　tale　that　in　the　country　which　lay　south　of　Oakenrealm；　and　was　called　Meadham；　there　was　in　these　days　a　king　whose　wife　was　dead；　but　had　left　him　a　fair　daughter；　who　was　born　some　four　years　after　King　Christopher。　　A　good　man　was　this　King　Roland；　mild；　bounteous；　and　no　regarder　of　persons　in　his　justice；　and　well…beloved　he　was　of　his　folk：　　yet　could　not　their　love　keep　him　alive；　for；　whenas　his　daughter　was　of　the　age　of　twelve　years；　he　sickened　unto　death；　and　so；　when　he　knew　that　his　end　drew　near