第39章 The Story of Manus(2)

A year passed by, and found them still in that wild land, hunting the reindeer, and digging pits for the mountain sheep to fall into.For a time Manus and his companions lived merrily, but at length Manus grew weary of the strange country, and they all took ship for the land of Lochlann.The wind was fierce and cold, and long was the voyage; but, one spring day, they sailed into the harbour that lay beneath the castle of Iarlaid.The queen looked from her window and beheld him mounting the hill, with the twelve foster brothers behind him.Then she said to her husband: 'Manus has returned with his twelve foster brothers.Would that I could put an end to him and his murdering and his slaying.'

'That were a great pity,' answered Iarlaid.'And it is not I that will do it.'

'If you will not do it I will,' said she.And she called the twelve foster brothers and made them vow fealty to herself.So Manus was left with no man, and sorrowful was he when he returned alone to Old Bergen.

It was late when his foot touched the shore, and took the path towards the forest.On his way there met him a man in a red tunic.

'Is it you, Manus, come back again?' asked he.

'It is I,' answered Manus; 'alone have I returned from the land of Lochlann.'

The man eyed him silently for a moment, and then he said:

'I dreamed that you were girt with a sword and became king of Lochlann.' But Manus answered:

'I have no sword and my bow is broken.'

'I will give you a new sword if you will make me a promise,' said the man once more.

'To be sure I will make it, if ever I am king,' answered Manus.'But speak, and tell me what promise I am to make.'

'I was your grandfather's armourer,' replied the man, 'and I wish to be your armourer also.'

'That I will promise readily,' said Manus; and followed the man into his house, which was at a little distance.But the house was not like other houses, for the walls of every room were hung so thick with arms that you could not see the boards.

'Choose what you will,' said the man; and Manus unhooked a sword and tried it across his knee, and it broke, and so did the next, and the next.

'Leave off breaking the swords,' cried the man, 'and look at this old sword and helmet and tunic that I wore in the wars of your grandfather.

Perhaps you may find them of stouter steel.' And Manus bent the sword thrice across his knee but he could not break it.So he girded it to his side, and put on the old helmet.As he fastened the strap his eye fell on a cloth flapping outside the window.

'What cloth is that?' asked he.

'It is a cloth that was woven by the Little People of the forest,' said the man; 'and when you are hungry it will give you food and drink, and if you meet a foe, he will not hurt you, but will stoop and kiss the back of your hand in token of submission.Take it, and use it well.'

Manus gladly wrapped the shawl round his arm, and was leaving the house, when he heard the rattling of a chain blown by the wind.

'What chain is that?' asked he.

'The creature who has that chain round his neck, need not fear a hundred enemies,' answered the armourer.And Manus wound it round him and passed on into the forest.

Suddenly there sprang out from the bushes two lions, and a lion cub with them.The fierce beasts bounded towards him, roaring loudly, and would fain have eaten him, but quickly Manus stooped and spread the cloth upon the ground.At that the lions stopped, and bowing their great heads, kissed the back of his wrist and went their ways.But the cub rolled itself up in the cloth; so Manus picked them both up, and carried them with him to Old Bergen.

Another year went by, and then he took the lion cub and set forth to the land of Lochlann.And the wife of Iarlaid came to meet him, and a brown dog, small but full of courage, came with her.When the dog beheld the lion cub he rushed towards him, thinking to eat him; but the cub caught the dog by the neck, and shook him, and he was dead.And the wife of Iarlaid mourned him sore, and her wrath was kindled, and many times she tried to slay Manus and his cub, but she could not.And at last they two went back to Old Bergen, and the twelve foster brothers went also.

'Let them go,' said the wife of Iarlaid, when she heard of it.'My brother the Red Gruagach will take the head off Manus as well in Old Bergen as elsewhere.'

Now these words were carried by a messenger to the wife of Oireal, and she made haste and sent a ship to Old Bergen to bear away her son before the Red Gruagach should take the head off him.And in the ship was a pilot.But the wife of Iarlaid made a thick fog to cover the face of the sea, and the rowers could not row, lest they should drive the ship on to a rock.And when night came, the lion cub, whose eyes were bright and keen, stole up to Manus, and Manus got on his back, and the lion cub sprang ashore and bade Manus rest on the rock and wait for him.So Manus slept, and by-and-by a voice sounded in his ears, saying: 'Arise!' And he saw a ship in the water beneath him, and in the ship sat the lion cup in the shape of the pilot.

Then they sailed away through the fog, and none saw them; and they reached the land of Lochlann, and the lion cub with the chain round his neck sprang from the ship and Manus followed after.And the lion cub killed all the men that guarded the castle, and Iarlaid and his wife also, so that, in the end, Manus son of Oireal was crowned king of Lochlann.

[Shortened from West Highland Tales.]