the path of the king-第3节

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world；　waves　higher　than　any　mountain；　which　ringed　the　whole　ocean。　He　had　seen　them；　blue　and　terrible　one　dawn；　before　he　had　swung　his　helm　round　and　fled　southwards。　And　in　Snowland　and　the　ports　of　the　Isles　this　Othere　had　heard　talk　from　others　of　a　fine　land　beyond　the　sunset；　where　corn　grew　unsown　like　grass；　and　the　capes　looked　like　crusted　cow…pats　they　were　so　thick　with　deer；　and　the　dew　of　the　night　was　honey…dew；　so　that　of　a　morning　a　man　might　breakfast　delicately　off　the　face　of　the　meadows。

Full　of　such　marvels；　Biorn　sought　Leif　and　poured　out　his　heart　to　him。　For　the　first　time　he　spoke　of　the　weird…wife's　spaeing。　If　his　fortune　lay　in　the　west；　there　was　the　goal　to　seek。　He　would　find　the　happy　country　and　reign　over　it。　But　Leif　shook　his　head；　for　he　had　heard　the　story　before。　〃To　get　there　you　will　have　to　ride　over　Bilrost；　the　Rainbow　Bridge；　like　the　Gods。　I　know　of　the　place。　It　is　called　Gundbiorn's　Reef　and　it　is　beyond　the　world。〃

All　this　befell　in　Biorn's　eleventh　summer。　The　winter　which　followed　brought　ill　luck　to　Hightown　and　notably　to　Ironbeard　the　King。　For　in　the　autumn　the　Queen；　that　gentle　lady；　fell　sick；　and；　though　leeches　were　sought　for　far　and　near；　and　spells　and　runes　were　prepared　by　all　who　had　skill　of　them；　her　life　ebbed　fast　and　ere　Yule　she　was　laid　in　the　Howe　of　the　Dead。　The　loss　of　her　made　Thorwald　grimmer　and　more　silent　than　before；　and　there　was　no　feasting　at　the　Yule　high…tide　and　but　little　at　the　spring　merry…making。　As　for　Biorn　he　sorrowed　bitterly　for　a　week；　and　then；　boylike；　forgot　his　grief　in　the　wonder　of　living。

But　that　winter　brought　death　in　another　form。　Storms　never　ceased；　and　in　the　New　Year　the　land　lay　in　the　stricture　of　a　black　frost　which　froze　the　beasts　in　the　byres　and　made　Biorn　shiver　all　the　night　through；　though　in　ordinary　winter　weather　he　was　hardy　enough　to　dive　in　the　ice…holes。　The　stock　of　meal　fell　low；　and　when　spring　tarried　famine　drew　very　near。　Such　a　spring　no　man　living　remembered。　The　snow　lay　deep　on　the　shore　till　far　into　May。　And　when　the　winds　broke　they　were　cold　sunless　gales　which　nipped　the　young　life　in　the　earth。　The　ploughing　was　backward；　and　the　seed…time　was　a　month　too　late。　The　new…born　lambs　died　on　the　fells　and　there　fell　a　wasting　sickness　among　the　cattle。　Few　salmon　ran　up　the　streams；　and　the　sea…fish　seemed　to　have　gone　on　a　journey。　Even　in　summer；　the　pleasant　time；　food　was　scarce；　for　the　grass　in　the　pastures　was　poor　and　the　cows　gave　little　milk；　and　the　children　died。　It　foreboded　a　black　harvest…time　and　a　blacker　winter。

With　these　misfortunes　a　fever　rose　in　the　blood　of　the　men　of　Hightown。　Such　things　had　happened　before　for　the　Norland　was　never　more　than　one　stage　distant　from　famine；　and　in　the　old　days　there　had　been　but　a　single　remedy。　Food　and　wealth　must　be　won　from　a　foray　overseas。　It　was　years　since　Ironbeard　had　ridden　Egir's　road　to　the　rich　lowlands；　and　the　Bearsarks　were　growing　soft　from　idleness。　Ironbeard　himself　was　willing；　for　his　hall　was　hateful　to　him　since　the　Queen's　death。　Moreover；　there　was　no　other　way。　Food　must　be　found　for　the　winter　or　the　folk　would　perish。

So　a　hosting　was　decreed　at　harvest…tide；　for　few　men　would　be　needed　to　win　the　blasted　crops；　and　there　began　a　jointing　of　shields　and　a　burnishing　of　weapons；　and　the　getting　ready　of　the　big　ships。　Also　there　was　a　great　sortilege…making。　Whither　to　steer；　that　was　the　question。　There　were　the　rich　coasts　of　England；　but　they　were　well　guarded；　and　many　of　the　Norland　race　were　along　the　wardens。　The　isles　of　the　Gael　were　in　like　case；　and；　though　they　were　the　easier　prey；　there　was　less　to　be　had　from　them。　There　were　soon　two　parties　in　the　hall；　one　urging　Ironbeard　to　follow　the　old　track　of　his　kin　westward；　another　looking　south　to　the　Frankish　shore。　The　King　himself；　after　the　sacrifice　of　a　black　heifer；　cast　the　sacred　twigs；　and　they　seemed　to　point　to　Frankland。　Old　Arnwulf　was　deputed　on　a　certain　day　to　hallow　three　ravens　and　take　their　guidance；　but；　though　he　said　three　times　the　Ravens'　spell；　he　got　no　clear　counsel　from　the　wise　birds。　Last　of　all；　the　weird…wife　Katla　came　from　Sigg；　and　for　the　space　of　three　days　sat　in　the　hall　with　her　head　shrouded；　taking　no　meat　or　drink。　When　at　last　she　spoke　she　prophesied　ill。　She　saw　a　red　cloud　and　it　descended　on　the　heads　of　the　warriors；　yea　of　the　King　himself。　As　for　Hightown　she　saw　it　frozen　deep　in　snow　like　Jotunheim；　and　rime　lay　on　it　like　a　place　long　dead。　But　she　bade　Ironbeard　go　to　Frankland；　for　it　was　so　written。　〃A　great　kingdom　waits；〃　she　said〃not　for　you；　but　for　the　seed　of　your　loins。〃　And　Biorn　shuddered；　for　they　were　the　words　spoken　in　her　hut　on　that　unforgotten　midsummer　night。

The　boy　was　in　an　agony　lest　he　should　be　left　behind。　But　his　father　decreed　that　he　should　go。　〃These　are　times　when　manhood　must　come　fast；〃　he　said。　〃He　can　bide　within　the　Shield…ring　when　blows　are　going。　He　will　be　safe　enough　if　it　holds。　If　it　breaks；　he　will　sup　like　the　rest　of　us　with　Odin。〃

Then　came　days　of　bustle　and　preparation。　Biorn　was　agog　with　excitement　and　yet　solemnised；　for　there　was　strange　work　afoot　in　Hightown。　The　King　made　a　great　festival　in　the　Gods'　House；　the　dark　hall　near　the　Howe　of　the　Dead；　where　no　one　ventured　except　in　high　noon。　Cattle　were　slain　in　honour　of　Thor；　the　God　who　watched　over　forays；　and　likewise　a　great　boar　for　Frey。　The　blood　was　caught　up　in　the　sacred　bowls；　from　which　the　people　were　sprinkled；　and　smeared　on　the　altar　of　blackened　fir。　Then　came　the　oath…taking；　when　Ironbeard　and　his　Bearsarks　swore　brotherhood　in　battle　upon　the　ship's　bulwarks；　and　the　shield's　rim；　and　the　horse's　shoulder；　and　the　brand's　edge。　There　followed　the　mixing　of　blood　in　the　same　footprint；　a　rite　to　which　Biorn　was　admitted；　and　a　lesser　oath　for　all　the　people　on　the　great　gold　ring　which　lay　on　the　altar。　But　most　solemn　of　all　was　the　vow　the　King　made　to　his　folk；　warriors　and　franklins　alike；　when　he　swore　by　the　dew；　the　eagle's　path；　and　the　valour　of　Thor。

Then　it　was　Biorn's　turn。　He　was　presented　to　the　High　Gods　as　the　prince　and　heir。

Old　Arnwulf　hammered　on　his　left　arm　a　torque　of　rough　gold；　which　he　must　wear　always；　in　life　and　in　death。

〃I　bring　ye　the　boy；　Biorn　Thorwaldson　When　the　Gods　call　for　Thorwald　it　will　be　his　part　to　lead　the　launchings　and　the　seafarings　and　be　first　when　blows　are　going。　Do　ye　accept　him；　people　of　Hightown？〃

There　was　a　swelling　cry　of　assent　and　a　beating　of　hafts　on　shields。　Biorn's　heart　was　lifted　with　pride；　but　out　of　a　corner　of　his　eye　he　saw　his　father's　face。　It　was　very　grave；　and　his　gaze　was　on　vacancy。

Though　it　was　a　time　of　bustle；　there　was　no　joy　in　it；　as　there　had　been　at　other　hostings。　The　folk　were　too　hungry；　the　need　was　too　desperate；　and　there　was　something　else；　a　shadow　of　fate；　which　lay　over　Hightown。　In　the　dark　of　night　men　had　seen　the　bale…fires　burning　on　the　Howe　of　the　Dead。　A　grey　seal　had　been　heard　speaking　with　tongues　off　Siggness；　and　speaking　ill　words；　said　the　fishermen　who　saw　the　beast。　A　white　reindeer　had　appeared　on　Sunfell；　and　the　hunter　who　followed　it　had　not　been　seen　again。　By　day；　too；　there　was　a　brooding　of　hawks　on　the　tide's　edge；　which　was　strange　at　that　season。　Worst　portent　of　all；　the　floods　of　August　were　followed　by　high　north…east　winds　that　swept　the　clouds　before　them；　so　that　all　day　the　sky　was　a　scurrying　sea　of　vapour；　and　at　night　the　moon　showed　wild　grey　shapes　moving　ever　to　the　west。　The　dullest　could　not　mistake　their　meaning；　these　were　the　dark　horses；　and　their　riders；　the　Helmed　Maidens；　mustering　for　the　battle　to　which　Hightown　was　faring。

As　Biorn　stared　one　night　at　the　thronged　heavens；　he　found　Leif　by　his　elbow。　In　front　of　the　dark　company　of　the　sky　a　white　cloud　was　scudding；　tinged　with　the　pale　moon。　Leif　quoted　from　the　speech　of　the　Giant…wife　Rimegerd　to　Helgi　in　the　song：

〃Three　nines　of　maiden；　ride；　But　one　rides　before　them；　A　white　maid　helmed：　》From　their　manes　the　steeds　shake　Dew　into　the　deep　dales；　Hail　upon　the　high　woods。〃

〃It　bodes　well；〃　said　Biorn。　〃They　ride　to　choose　those　whom　we　slay。　There　will　be　high　doings　ere　Yule。〃

〃Not　so　well；〃　said　Leif。　〃They　come　from　the　Norland；　and　it　is　our　folk　they　go　to　choose。　I　fear　me　Hightown　will　soon　be　full　of　widow　women。〃

At　last　came　the　day　of　sailing。　The　six　galleys　of　war　were　brought　down　from　their　sheds；　and　on　the　rollers　for　the　launching　he…goats　were　bound　so　that　the　keels　slid　blood…stained　into　the　sea。　This　was　the　'roller…reddening；'　a　custom　bequeathed　from　their　forefathers；　though　the　old　men　of　the　place　muttered　darkly　that　the　ritual　had　been　departed　from；　and　that　in　the　great　days　it　was　the　blood　not　of　goats；　but　of　captive　foemen　that　had　reddened　the　galleys　and　the　tide。

The　thralls　sat　at　the　thwarts；　for　there　was　no　breeze　that　day　in　the　narrow　firth。　Then　came　the　chief　warriors　in　short　fur　jackets；　splendid　in　glittering　helms　and　byrnies；　and　each　with　his　thrall　bearing　his　battle…axe。　Followed　the　fighting　commonalty　with　axe　and　spear。　Last　came　Ironbeard；　stern