The Poniard's Hilt Part 2

"Indeed? Tell me how--"

"When the time for mowing and haymaking came around, the Korrigans arrived and camped on the crests of the rocks around the valley to watch over the meadow. If during the day the sun parched the gra.s.s too much, the Korrigans caused a plentiful dew to drop. When the gra.s.s was mowed, they scattered the clouds that might have interfered with the making of hay. A foolish and wicked bishop wanted to chase away the pretty and kind fairies. He caused a large heather fire to be kindled early one night all over the rocks; when these were sufficiently hot, the ashes, were all carefully removed. At their regular hour, and suspecting nothing, the dear Korrigans came to hold watch over the meadow, but they instantly burned their feet on the hot rocks. They then wept and cried: 'Oh! Wicked world! Oh! Wicked world!' Since then they never more returned to the place, and as a consequence, ever since, the hay has been either rotted by the rain, or burned by the sun in the valley of h.e.l.le. That is what comes of being unkind to the Korrigans. No, I shall not die happy if I do not see at least one of them--"

"Children, children, put no faith in such witcheries; above all never wish to witness any. It brings bad luck--"

"What, mother, simply because I desire to see a Korrigan, some misfortune will befall me? What kind of misfortune?"

"Hesus only knows, wild boy! I wish you would keep still; your talk frightens me."

"What a tempest! The house shakes!"

"And it is on such a night that Karadeucq dared to say he would give his life to see a Korrigan."

"Come, dear wife, your fears only show weakness."

"Mothers are weak and timid, Jocelyn. We must not tempt G.o.d--"

Old Araim stops working for a moment at his net; his head drops on his chest.

"What is the matter, folks? You seem to be in a brown study! Do you fear, like Madalen, that danger may threaten Karadeucq just because, on such a tempestuous night as this, he wishes to see a Korrigan?"

"I am not thinking of the fairies; I am thinking of this frightful storm, Jocelyn. I read to you and your children the narrative of our ancestor Joel, who lived about five hundred and odd years ago, if not in this very house, at least in the neighborhood of where we now are. I was thinking that on a somewhat similar stormy night, Joel and his son, both greedy after stories like the inquisitive Gauls that they were--"

"Did the trick of stopping a traveler at the pa.s.s of Craig'h, binding him fast, and carrying him home to tell stories--"

"And the traveler happened to be the Chief of the Hundred Valleys--a hero!"

"Oh! Oh! How your eyes sparkle as you speak, Karadeucq."

"If they sparkle, grandfather, it is because they are moist. Whenever I hear you speak of the Chief of the Hundred Valleys tears come to my eyes."

"What is the matter with Erer, father? The dog growls between his teeth and p.r.i.c.ks up his ears."

"Grandfather, do you hear the watchdog bark?"

"Something must be going on outside of the house--"

"Alas! If it is the G.o.ds who wish to punish my son for his audacious wishes, their anger is swift--Karadeucq, come near me."

"What! Madalen--there you are weeping and embracing the boy, as if really misfortune threatened him. Come, be more sensible!"

"Do you not hear the dogs barking louder and louder? And there is Erer now running to the door. There is something wrong going on outside--"

"Fear not, mother; it is some wolf prowling about. Where is my bow?"

"Karadeucq, you stay here--"

"Dear Madalen, be not in such fear for your son, nor you my sweet Roselyk for your brother. Perhaps it is better not to challenge the hobgoblins and fairies on a stormy night, but your fears are idle. There is no wolf prowling about here; if there were, Erer would long ago have bitten off the panel of the door and rushed to the encounter of the unwelcome guest--"

"Father is right--it may be a stranger who lost his way."

"Come, Kervan, come brother, let's to the gate of the yard."

"My son, you stay here by my side--"

"But, mother, I cannot allow my brother Kervan to go out alone."

"Hark! Hark! It seems to me I hear a voice calling--"

"Alas! mother, some misfortune threatens our house--you said it--"

"Roselyk, my child, do not add fuel to your mother's fright. What is there astonis.h.i.+ng in a traveler calling from without to have the door opened to him--"

"His cries are not human--I am frozen with fear--"

"You come with me, Kervan, seeing that your mother wishes to keep Karadeucq near her. Although this is a quiet neighborhood, hand me my 'pen-bas,' and take yours along, my boy."

"My husband, my son, I conjure you, do not go out--"

"Dear wife, suppose some stranger is outside in such weather as this!

Come Kervan!"

"Alas! I tell you the cries that I heard are not human. Kervan! Jocelyn!

They will not listen--they are gone--Alas! Alas!"

"My father and brother go out to face danger, and I remain here--"

"Do not stamp your feet that way, bad boy! You are the cause of all this evil with your impious wishes--"

"Calm yourself, Madalen--and you, my pet, do not put on, if you please, the air of a wild colt that seeks to snap his reins; just obey your mother."

"I hear steps--they are drawing near--Oh! grandfather!"

"Well, my dear Roselyk, why tremble? What is there frightful in the steps that are approaching? Good--do you hear them laughing aloud? Are you now at ease?"

"Laughing!--on such a night!"

"It is frightful to hear, is it not, my sweet Roselyk, especially when the laughers are your own father and brother? Well--here they are. Well, my children?"

"The misfortune that threatened our house--"

"The cries that were not human--"

"Will you be done laughing? Just look at them! The father is as crazy as the son! Will you speak?"

"The great misfortune is a poor peddler who lost his way--"

"The voice that was not human was his voice--"