the path of the king-第2节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


th　the　spell　of　wonder　and　then　spurred　to　memories　of　their　own。　Tongues　would　be　loosened；　and　there　would　be　wild　recollections　of　battles　among　the　skerries　of　the　west；　of　huntings　in　the　hills　where　strange　sights　greeted　the　benighted　huntsman；　and　of　voyaging　far　south　into　the　lands　of　the　sun　where　the　poorest　thrall　wore　linen　and　the　cities　were　all　gold　and　jewels。　Biorn's　head　would　be　in　such　a　whirl　after　a　night　of　story…telling　that　he　could　get　no　sleep　for　picturing　his　own　deeds　when　he　was　man　enough　to　bear　a　sword　and　launch　his　ship。　And　sometimes　in　his　excitement　he　would　slip　outside　into　the　darkness；　and　hear　far　up　in　the　frosty　sky　the　whistle　of　the　swans　as　they　flew　southward；　and　fancy　them　the　shield…maids　of　Odin　on　their　way　to　some　lost　battle。

His　father；　Thorwald　Thorwaldson；　was　king　over　all　the　firths　and　wicks　between　Coldness　in　the　south　and　Flatness　and　the　mountain　Rauma　in　the　north；　and　inland　over　the　Uplanders　as　far　as　the　highest　springs　of　the　rivers。　He　was　king　by　more　than　blood；　for　he　was　the　tallest　and　strongest　man　in　all　the　land；　and　the　cunningest　in　battle。　He　was　for　ordinary　somewhat　grave　and　silent；　a　dark　man　with　hair　and　beard　the　colour　of　molten　iron；　whence　came　his　by…name。　Yet　in　a　fight　no　Bearsark　could　vie　with　him　for　fury；　and　his　sword　Tyrfing　was　famed　in　a　thousand　songs。　On　high　days　the　tale　of　his　descent　would　be　sung　in　the　hallnot　by　Leif；　who　was　low…born　and　of　no　account；　but　by　one　or　other　of　the　chiefs　of　the　Shield…ring。　Biorn　was　happy　on　such　occasions；　for　he　himself　came　into　the　songs；　since　it　was　right　to　honour　the　gentle　lady；　the　Queen。　He　heard　how　on　the　distaff　side　he　was　sprung　from　proud　western　earls；　Thorwolf　the　Black；　and　Halfdan　and　Hallward　Skullsplitter。　But　on　the　spear　side　he　was　of　still　loftier　kin；　for　Odin　was　first　in　his　pedigree；　and　after　him　the　Volsung　chiefs；　and　Gothfred　the　Proud；　andthat　no　magnificence　might　be　wantingone　Karlamagnus；　whom　Biorn　had　never　heard　of　before；　but　who　seemed　from　his　doings　to　have　been　a　puissant　king。

On　such　occasions　there　would　follow　a　braggingmatch　among　the　warriors；　for　a　recital　of　the　past　was　meant　as　an　augury　for　the　future。　The　time　was　towards　the　close　of　the　Wicking…tide；　and　the　world　was　becoming　hard　for　simple　folk。　There　were　endless　bickerings　with　the　Tronds　in　the　north　and　the　men　of　More　in　the　south；　and　a　certain　Shockhead；　an　upsetting　king　in　Norland；　was　making　trouble　with　his　neighbours。　Likewise　there　was　one　Kristni；　a　king　of　the　Romans；　who　sought　to　dispute　with　Odin　himself。　This　Kristni　was　a　magic…worker；　who　clad　his　followers　in　white　linen　instead　of　byrnies；　and　gave　them　runes　in　place　of　swords；　and　sprinkled　them　with　witch　water。　Biorn　did　not　like　what　he　heard　of　the　warlock；　and　longed　for　the　day　when　his　father　Ironbeard　would　make　an　end　of　him。

Each　year　before　the　coming　of　spring　there　was　a　lean　season　in　Hightown。　Fish　were　scarce　in　the　ice…holes；　the　stock　of　meal　in　the　meal…ark　grew　low；　and　the　deep　snow　made　poor　hunting　in　wood　or　on　fell…side。　Belts　were　tightened；　and　there　were　hollow　cheeks　among　the　thralls。　And　then　one　morning　the　wind　would　blow　from　the　south；　and　a　strange　smell　come　into　the　air。　The　dogs　left　their　lair　by　the　fire　and；　led　by　the　Garm　the　old　blind　patriarch；　made　a　tour　of　inspection　among　the　outhouses　to　the　edge　of　the　birch　woods。　Presently　would　come　a　rending　of　the　ice　on　the　firth；　and　patches　of　inky　water　would　show　between　the　floes。　The　snow　would　slip　from　the　fell…side；　and　leave　dripping　rock　and　clammy　bent；　and　the　river　would　break　its　frosty　silence　and　pour　a　mighty　grey…green　flood　to　the　sea。　The　swans　and　geese　began　to　fly　northward；　and　the　pipits　woke　among　the　birches。　And　at　last　one　day　the　world　put　on　a　new　dress；　all　steel…blue　and　misty　green；　and　a　thousand　voices　woke　of　flashing　streams　and　nesting　birds　and　tossing　pines；　and　the　dwellers　in　Hightown　knew　that　spring　had　fairly　come。

Then　was　Biorn　the　happy　child。　All　through　the　long　day；　and　through　much　of　that　twilight　which　is　the　darkness　of　a　Norland　summer；　he　was　abroad　on　his　own　errands。　With　Grim　the　Hunter　he　adventured　far　up　on　the　fells　and　ate　cheese　and　bannocks　in　the　tents　of　the　wandering　Skridfinns；　or　stalked　the　cailzie…cock　with　his　arrows　in　the　great　pine　forest；　which　in　his　own　mind　he　called　Mirkwood　and　feared　exceedingly。　Or　he　would　go　fishing　with　Egil　the　Fisherman；　spearing　salmon　in　the　tails　of　the　river　pools。　But　best　he　loved　to　go　up　the　firth　in　the　boat　which　Leif　had　made　hima　finished；　clinker…built　little　model　of　a　war　galley；　christened　the　Joy…makerand　catch　the　big　sea　fish。　Monsters　he　caught　sometimes　in　the　deep　water　under　the　cliffs；　till　he　thought　he　was　destined　to　repeat　the　exploit　of　Thor　when　he　went　fishing　with　the　giant　Hymi；　and　hooked　the　Midgard　Serpent；　the　brother　of　Fenris…wolf；　whose　coils　encircle　the　earth。

Nor　was　his　education　neglected。　Arnwulf　the　Bearsark　taught　him　axe…play　and　sword…play；　and　he　had　a　small　buckler　of　his　own；　not　of　linden…wood　like　those　of　the　Wick　folk；　but　of　wickerwork　after　the　fashion　of　his　mother's　people。　He　learned　to　wrestle　toughly　with　the　lads　of　his　own　age；　and　to　throw　a　light　spear　truly　at　a　mark。　He　was　fleet　of　foot　and　scoured　the　fells　like　a　goat；　and　he　could　breast　the　tide　in　the　pool　of　the　great　foss　up　to　the　very　edge　of　the　white　water　where　the　trolls　lived。

There　was　a　wise　woman　dwelt　on　the　bay　of　Sigg。　Katla　was　her　name；　a　woman　still　black…browed　though　she　was　very　old；　and　clever　at　mending　hunters'　scars。　To　her　house　Biorn　went　with　Leif；　and　when　they　had　made　a　meal　of　her　barley…cakes　and　sour　milk；　and　passed　the　news　of　the　coast；　Leif　would　fall　to　probing　her　craft　and　get　but　surly　answers。　To　the　boy's　question　she　was　kinder。　〃Let　the　dead　things　be；　prince；〃　she　said。　〃There's　small　profit　from　foreknowledge。　Better　to　take　fates　as　they　come　sudden　round　a　turn　of　the　road　than　be　watching　them　with　an　anxious　heart　all　the　way　down　the　hill。　The　time　will　come　soon　enough　when　you　must　stand　by　the　Howe　of　the　Dead　and　call　on　the　ghost…folk。〃

But　Leif　coaxed　and　Biorn　harped　on　the　thing；　as　boys　do；　and　one　night　about　the　midsummer　time　her　hour　came　upon　Katla　and　she　spoke　without　their　seeking。　There　in　the　dim　hut　with　the　apple…green　twilight　dimming　the　fells　Biorn　stood　trembling　on　the　brink　of　the　half…world；　the　woman　huddled　on　the　floor；　her　hand　shading　her　eyes　as　if　she　were　looking　to　a　far　horizon。　Her　body　shook　with　gusts　of　passion；　and　the　voice　that　came　from　her　was　not　her　own。　Never　so　long　as　he　lived　did　Biorn　forget　the　terrible　hour　when　that　voice　from　beyond　the　world　spoke　things　he　could　not　understand。　〃I　have　been　snowed　on　with　snow；〃　it　said；　〃I　have　been　beaten　with　the　rain；　I　have　been　drenched　with　the　dew；　long　have　I　been　dead。〃　It　spoke　of　kings　whose　names　he　had　never　heard；　and　of　the　darkness　gathering　about　the　Norland；　and　famine　and　awe　stalking　upon　the　earth。

Then　came　a　whisper　from　Leif　asking　the　fortune　of　the　young　prince　of　Hightown。

〃Death；〃　said　the　weird…wife；　〃deathbut　not　yet。　The　shears　of　the　Norns　are　still　blunt　for　him；　and　Skuld　has　him　in　keeping。〃

There　was　silence　for　a　space；　for　the　fit　was　passing　from　Katla。　But　the　voice　came　again　in　broken　syllables。　〃His　thread　runs　westwardbeyond　the　Far　Isles　。　。　。　not　he　but　the　seed　of　his　loins　shall　win　great　kingdoms　。。。　beyond　the　sea…walls。。。。　The　All…Father　dreams。。。。　Nay；　he　wakes　。。。　he　wakes　。　。　。〃

There　was　a　horrible　choking　sound；　and　the　next　Biorn　knew　was　that　Leif　had　fetched　water　and　was　dashing　it　on　Katla's　face。

It　was　nearly　a　week　before　Biorn　recovered　his　spirits　after　this　adventure；　and　it　was　noticeable　that　neither　Leif　nor　he　spoke　a　word　to　each　other　on　the　matter。　But　the　boy　thought　much；　and　from　that　night　he　had　a　new　purpose。　It　seemed　that　he　was　fated　to　travel　far；　and　his　fancy　forsook　the　homely　life　of　his　own　wicks　and　fells　and　reached　to　that　outworld　of　which　he　had　heard　in　the　winter's　talk　by　the　hall　fire。

There　were　plenty　of　folk　in　Hightown　to　satisfy　his　curiosity。　There　were　the　Bearsarks；　who　would　spin　tales　of　the　rich　Frankish　lands　and　the　green　isles　of　the　Gael。　From　the　Skridfinns　he　heard　of　the　bitter　country　in　the　north　where　the　Jotuns　dwelt；　and　the　sun　was　not　and　the　frost　split　the　rocks　to　dust；　while　far　underground　before　great　fires　the　dwarves　were　hammering　gold。　But　these　were　only　old　wives'　tales；　and　he　liked　better　the　talk　of　the　sea…going　franklins；　who　would　sail　in　the　summer　time　on　trading　ventures　and　pushed　farther　than　any　galleys　of　war。　The　old　sailor；　Othere　Cranesfoot；　was　but　now　back　from　a　voyage　which　had　taken　him　to　Snowland；　or；　as　we　say；　Iceland。　He　could　tell　of　the　Curdled　Sea；　like　milk　set　apart　for　cheese…making；　which　flowed　as　fast　as　a　river；　and　brought　down　ghoulish　beasts　and　great　dragons　in　its　tide。　He　told；　too；　of　the　Sea…walls　which　were　the　end　of　the　world；　waves　higher　than　any　mountain；　which　ringed　the　whole　ocean。　He　had　seen　them；　blue　and　terr