登陆注册
5390600000048

第48章 CHAPTER XXVIII: (1)

OF THE NEW GOD OF THE BEARS

At last the old man said: "My children, ye shall now come with me unto the Doom-ring of our folk, the Bears of the Southern Dales, and deliver to them your errand; and I beseech you to have pity upon your own bodies, as I have pity on them; on thine especially, Maiden, so fair and bright a creature as thou art; for so it is, that if ye deal us out light and lying words after the manner of dastards, ye shall miss the worship and glory of wending away amidst of the flames, a gift to the God and a hope to the people, and shall be passed by the rods of the folk, until ye faint and fail amongst them, and then shall ye be thrust down into the flow at the Dale's End, and a stone-laden hurdle cast upon you, that we may thenceforth forget your folly."

The Maid now looked full into his eyes, and Walter deemed that the old man shrank before her; but she said: "Thou art old and wise, O great man of the Bears, yet nought I need to learn of thee. Now lead us on our way to the Stead of the Errands."

So the elder brought them along to the Doom-ring at the eastern end of the Dale; and it was now all peopled with those huge men, weaponed after their fashion, and standing up, so that the grey stones thereof but showed a little over their heads. But amidmost of the said Ring was a big stone, fashioned as a chair, whereon sat a very old man, long-hoary and white-bearded, and on either side of him stood a great-limbed woman clad in war-gear, holding, each of them, a long spear, and with a flint-bladed knife in the girdle; and there were no other women in all the Mote.

Then the elder led those twain into the midst of the Mote, and there bade them go up on to a wide, flat-topped stone, six feet above the ground, just over against the ancient chieftain; and they mounted it by a rough stair, and stood there before that folk; Walter in his array of the outward world, which had been fair enough, of crimson cloth and silk, and white linen, but was now travel-stained and worn; and the Maid with nought upon her, save the smock wherein she had fled from the Golden House of the Wood beyond the World, decked with the faded flowers which she had wreathed about her yesterday.

Nevertheless, so it was, that those big men eyed her intently, and with somewhat of worship.

Now did Walter, according to her bidding, sink down on his knees beside her, and drawing his sword, hold it before him, as if to keep all interlopers aloof from the Maid. And there was silence in the Mote, and all eyes were fixed on those twain.

At last the old chief arose and spake: "Ye men, here are come a man and a woman, we know not whence; whereas they have given word to our folk who first met them, that they would tell their errand to none save the Mote of the People; which it was their due to do, if they were minded to risk it. For either they be aliens without an errand hither, save, it may be, to beguile us, in which case they shall presently die an evil death; or they have come amongst us that we may give them to the God with flint-edge and fire; or they have a message to us from some folk or other, on the issue of which lieth life or death. Now shall ye hear what they have to say concerning themselves and their faring hither. But, meseemeth, it shall be the woman who is the chief and hath the word in her mouth; for, lo you! the man kneeleth at her feet, as one who would serve and worship her. Speak out then, woman, and let our warriors hear thee."

Then the Maid lifted up her voice, and spake out clear and shrilling, like to a flute of the best of the minstrels: "Ye men of the Children of the Bear, I would ask you a question, and let the chieftain who sitteth before me answer it."

The old man nodded his head, and she went on: "Tell me, Children of the Bear, how long a time is worn since ye saw the God of your worship made manifest in the body of a woman!"

Said the elder: "Many winters have worn since my father's father was a child, and saw the very God in the bodily form of a woman."

Then she said again: "Did ye rejoice at her coming, and would ye rejoice if once more she came amongst you?"

"Yea," said the old chieftain, "for she gave us gifts, and learned us lore, and came to us in no terrible shape, but as a young woman as goodly as thou."

Then said the Maid: "Now, then, is the day of your gladness come; for the old body is dead, and I am the new body of your God, come amongst you for your welfare."

同类推荐
  • 古清凉传

    古清凉传

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 差摩婆帝授记经

    差摩婆帝授记经

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 寿世传真

    寿世传真

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 台湾资料清宣宗实录选辑

    台湾资料清宣宗实录选辑

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 仁王般若经陀罗尼念诵仪轨

    仁王般若经陀罗尼念诵仪轨

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 逆天废材腹黑如他

    逆天废材腹黑如他

    她是21世纪穿越的一个杀手,别人说她是废材,她逆天改命,丹药对她来说不值一提,神兽她不稀罕。他是她为珍宝,“王爷,太子跟你抢未来王妃”“通知皇帝叫他二废太子”=王爷,王妃把皇上的后宫烧了”,“影一去帮王妃”“主子,主母被人劫走成亲去了”一听他愤怒的说:“谁这么大胆?敢跟本君抢王妃,召集人马本君亲自去一趟”……
  • 总裁太腹黑,宝贝别闹了

    总裁太腹黑,宝贝别闹了

    “告诉我,他到底哪里好!值得让你红了眼眶,却还笑着原谅?!”昏暗的卧室内,他冷沉着俊颜,怒视着面前被他牢牢桎梏着的女人。“他是我的未婚夫,你什么都不是!请问顾总是以什么立场来问我这个问题?”顾衍深伸手紧捏她的下颚,冷笑勾唇,“韩梨洛,在你和集团之间,你猜他的选择是什么?”她乍见那隐藏在他假意笑颜之下的诡谲神情,她脸色苍白……“顾衍深,我讨厌你,更讨厌这样爱你的自己!”他将她紧紧搂在怀里,唇角扬起似有若无的笑:“讨厌?昨晚不是还很喜欢?”
  • 无量寿佛赞注

    无量寿佛赞注

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 系统三国之领主

    系统三国之领主

    “年轻人!吾乃曹操曹孟德,你可否有兴趣和我共同征战天下?”“不!不!不!我是有理想的,不和你合作!”龙宇高傲的摇了摇头。“这位小兄弟,我叫刘玄德,能否……”“不行,不行。都说了这座城至少五百万银两,少一分不卖!”龙宇伸出五个指头在刘备面前晃来晃去。“龙领主,末将赵云听闻您的大名,特来投效!”“不行…嗯?你说什么?行!行!行!快来快来!”坐看三国风云,侧看龙宇傲娇。躺看戏耍诸侯,卧看怀抱美人。横批:没毛病
  • 侠行天下

    侠行天下

    新书洪荒历已发,字数挺多的了,可以开始食用,味道估计还不错。
  • 我有一座炼妖塔

    我有一座炼妖塔

    林远发现在炼妖祭坛上,万物皆可妖(niang)!于是,他身边的物品就一个个被妖(niang)化……阅读提示(并不重要):本书是纯洁的轻玄幻都市轻松文,不需要老司机带路即可观看!
  • 厉青歌

    厉青歌

    二十三岁的厉青歌在她最美好的年纪嫁给了十七岁的恋人,却不料,所有的一切不过是所谓的恋人和自己的父亲编织的谎言,为的不过是她那些微不足道的财产。最终的结果是被杀,尸体被抛入冰冷的普罗河。那一天,A市下了一整夜的雪,像是为了这个可怜的姑娘。如果可以重来一次,厉青歌誓要为自己讨回一个公道!上天似是怜悯,真的让厉青歌重生在了十七岁的骗局初始。这一次,厉青歌要为自己而活!
  • 心灵小语(少男少女文摘修订)

    心灵小语(少男少女文摘修订)

    《少男少女文摘丛书》汇集的是近年来写得最优美真切、生动感人的少男少女作品。这里有少男少女们初涉爱河的惊喜、迷惘、痛苦和走出“误区”挽手无怨的历程,有对五彩纷呈的世界特殊的感受和选择,有在升学压力之下压弯了腰的哀怨和对父辈们关于人生关于命运关于社会的认从与反叛。
  • 名家教子书:母亲的榜样(中国篇)

    名家教子书:母亲的榜样(中国篇)

    本书让您迅速了解大师教育智慧的核心内容,从而能够轻而易举地亲近和理解世界教育大师的智慧,感受世界经典教育方法的巨大魅力。对于那些渴望获得成功的教子经验的中国父亲和母亲来说,本书是一部有很大参考价值的家庭教育读本,甚至可以说是一套权威而完善的教育宝典。汲取榜样母亲科学的教育理念,成就优秀孩子辉煌的发展轨迹。本书介绍了近现代中外36位成功母亲的教子经验,这些“榜样母亲”的教子经验包含了丰富而深刻的教育哲理,在中外家庭教育的历史上有着广泛的影响,意义深远,而且她们的教育智慧在今天的实践中依然不断地被运用。
  • 世界残酷待你,你要温柔待自己

    世界残酷待你,你要温柔待自己

    这是一本写给把最美好的年华献给理想的年轻人的书。以温柔如水的文字陪你走过坎坷,走过逆境,给灵魂安定,给前行者信念。愿所有的负担都变成礼物,所受过的苦都照亮前方的路。勇气和自信,都来源于爱。唯有温柔,能抵御世间所有的坚硬。