"Aha! such a gay young sea-cock does not come hither for naught. Drink
first, man, and tell us thy business after," and he reached the horn to
Hereward.
Hereward took it, and sang,--
"In this Braga-beaker,
Brave Ranald I pledge;
In good liquor, which lightens
Long labor on oar-bench;
Good liquor, which sweetens
The song of the scald."
"Thy voice is as fine as thy feathers, man. Nay, drink it all. We
ourselves drink here by the peg at midday; but a stranger is welcome to
fill his inside all hours of the day."
Whereon Hereward finished the horn duly; and at Ranald's bidding, sat him
down on the high settle. He did not remark, that as he sat down two
handsome youths rose and stood behind him.
"Now then, Sir Priest," quoth the king, "go on with your story."
A priest, Irish by his face and dress, who sat on the high bench, rose,
and renewed an oration which Hereward's entrance had interrupted.
"So, O great King, as says Homerus, this wise king called his earls,
knights, sea-captains, and housecarles, and said unto them, 'Which of
these two kings is in the right, who can tell? But mind you, that this
king of the Enchanters lives far away in India, and we never heard of him
more than his name; but this king Ulixes and his Greeks live hard by; and
which of the two is it wiser to quarrel with, him that lives hard by or
him that lives far off? Therefore, King Ranald, says, by the mouth of my
humility, the great O'Brodar, Lord of Ivark, 'Take example by Alcinous,
the wise king of Fairy, and listen not to the ambassadors of those lying
villains, O'Dea Lord of Slievardagh, Maccarthy King of Cashel, and
O'Sullivan Lord of Knockraffin, who all three between them could not raise
kernes enough to drive off one old widow's cow.
Pages:
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126