Flemish Legends Part 22

"Ah," she said, kissing the head tenderly, stroking it, caressing it, and wiping away its tears, "poor Miserable, I will pray for thee to the very good G.o.d, who readily hears the prayers of children."

And the girl prayed in this wise:

"Dear Lord, see how much he is suffering! Is it not payment enough that he should die sixteen times? Ah, Lord, sweet Lord, and you, Madam Mary, who are so kind, deign to hear me and grant him forgiveness."

But the mannikin, starting up, pushed the child away and said harshly: "This head is mine, thy prayers avail nothing; be off, little ragam.u.f.fin, go back whence thou came."

And the child went away like the other maids into the depth of the wood.

Then he thrust his hand into the breast of the Miserable and pulled out a heart of stone: then, in his rasping voice, which hissed like a viper and sc.r.a.ped like a thousand pebbles under the iron sole of an armed man, he said: "Ambitious heart, heart of stone, thou wast in thy lifetime cruel and a coward; thou couldst not be content with such ample gifts as G.o.d in His bounty had given thee, thou hadst no desire towards goodness, courage, or just dealing, but towards gold, power, and vain honours; thou hadst no love for anything, neither father, mother, brother, nor sister; and so, to get more power and higher jurisdiction, thou killedst the people of the land of Flanders, without shame: and so also thou didst set thyself to hurt the weak, sucking thy life from their life, and thy blood from their blood. So have done and so shall always do this reptile order of ambitious ugly men. Blessed be G.o.d, who, by the hands of this frail and winsome maid, has cut off thine head from thy neck and taken thee from the world."

As he spoke he had thrown the heart down into the snow, and trampling over it with great despite, kicking it with his toe like a vile thing, and laughing bitterly, he spoke again in his rasping voice:

"Stone thou art, stone shalt thou be a thousand years, but a live stone, a suffering stone. And when men come and carve thee, cleave thee, grind thee to powder, thou shalt endure it all without being able to cry out. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.

"Thou hast starved poor folk, so shalt thou starve a thousand years; thou hast brought cold into their homes, thou shalt freeze in like manner. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.

"Thou shalt be a hearth-stone and burn with the heat; paving-stone, and let men walk over thee; stone of a church, and bear upon thee all the weight of the building; and thou shalt suffer every evil, pain, and anguish. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and endure, my cousin."

Having said this the Prince of the Stones, driving before him with his foot the Miserable's heart, disappeared among the trees of the forest.

Then Magtelt looked at the head, and saw that its eyes were open wide. She took it up and washed it with snow, then, carrying it with her, rode away on Schimmel, leaving near the body Halewyn's horse and hound, the one moaning softly, the other watching it with sorrowful wonderment.

As she took up the head, the hound growled, but did not dare touch her.

And while she rode away, horse and hound stayed by the body, downcast and sad, and covered with the snow which fell without ceasing.

And they seemed to be guarding their master.

x.x.xII. How father, mother, and sister sought everywhere their son and brother, and could not find him.

Singing and winding her horn rides the n.o.ble maid Magtelt.

And in her heart is joy, at the thought that Anne-Mie, the fifteen virgins, and Toon the Silent are avenged.

And her hand holds fast beneath her keirle the good sword and the head of Halewyn.

And Schimmel trots quickly, eager to be back in his stable.

While she was riding she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old man coming towards her on a black horse.

And the old man said:

"Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?"

And Magtelt:

"I left thy son Halewyn well placed, taking his diversion in the snow with sixteen maidens."

And the old man rode on.

When she had gone farther she saw, through the thick snow falling, a young and rosy-cheeked damosel coming towards her on a white palfrey.

And the damosel said:

"Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?"

But Magtelt:

"Go farther, to the Gallows-field, where thou shalt see thy brother in like guise to the sixteen maidens."

And the damosel rode on.

Farther still on her way, Magtelt saw, through the thick snow falling, a young man of haughty and stiff-necked countenance coming towards her on a roan charger.

And the young man said:

"Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?"

But Magtelt:

"Thy brother is a fair lord, so fair that round him sixteen maidens stand sentinel, unwilling to let him go."

And the young man rode on.

After travelling on her way still farther, she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old woman, high-coloured and of robust seeming, despite her great age, coming towards her.

And the old woman said:

"Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?"

But Magtelt:

"Thy son Siewert Halewyn is dead; see, here is his head beneath my keirle, and his blood running thick on my dress."

And the old woman cried out:

"If thou had spoken these words earlier thou shouldst not have ridden so far."

But Magtelt:

"Thou art fortunate, old woman, in that I have left thee thine own body and not slain thee as I have thy son."

And the old dame took fright and made off.

And night fell.