mc.eatersofthedead-第13部分

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e　a　fountain；　and　then　plunged　down；　raising　a　tail　that　was　cleft　in　two；　like　the　forked　tongue　of　a　snake。　Yet　it　was　enormous；　each　section　of　the　tail　being　broader　than　the　largest　palm　frond。
　Now　I　saw　another　monster；　and　another；　and　another　after　that；　there　appeared　to　be　four　and　perhaps　six　or　seven。　Each　behaved　as　his　fellows；　curving　through　the　water；　spitting　à　fountain；　and　raising　a　giant　tail　split　in　two。　At　the　sight；　the　Northmen　shouted　to　Odin　for　aid；　and　not　a　few　of　their　number　fell　to　their　knees　on　the　deck　trembling。
　Verily　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　the　sea　monsters　all　about　us　in　the　ocean；　and　then；　after　some　time　had　passed；　they　were　gone　and　we　did　not　see　them　again。　The　warriors　of　Buliwyf　resumed　their　sailing　efforts；　and　no　man　spoke　of　the　monsters；　but　I　was　much　afraid　long　afterward；　and　Herger　told　me　that　my　face　was　white　as　the　face　of　a　North　person；　and　he　laughed。　〃What　does　Allah　say　to　this？〃　he　asked　of　me；　and　to　that　I　had　no　answer。16
　In　the　evening；　we　beached　and　made　a　fire；　and　I　inquired　of　Herger　if　the　sea　monsters　ever　attacked　a　ship　on　the　sea；　and　if　so；　what　was　the　manner　of　it；　for　I　had　seen　the　heads　of　none　of　these　monsters。
　Herger　answered　by　calling　Ecthgow；　one　of　the　nobles　and　the　lieutenant　of　Buliwyf。　Ecthgow　was　a　solemn　warrior　who　was　not　merry　except　when　drunk。　Herger　said　that　he　had　been　on　a　ship　that　was　attacked。　Ecthgow　said　this　to　me：　that　the　sea　monsters　are　larger　than　anything　on　the　surface　of　the　land；　and　larger　than　any　ship　on　the　sea；　and　when　they　attack　they　ride　under　a　ship　and　lift　it　in　the　air；　and　toss　it　aside　like　a　bit　of　wood；　and　crush　it　with　their　forked　tongue。　Ecthgow　said　that　there　had　been　thirty　men　on　his　ship；　and　only　he　and　two　others　beside　had　survived；　by　the　graciousness　of　the　gods。　Ecthgow　spoke　in　an　ordinary　manner　of　talking；　which　for　him　was　very　serious；　and　I　believed　him　to　be　speaking　the　truth。
　Also　Ecthgow　told　me　that　the　Northmen　know　that　the　monsters　attack　ships　because　they　desire　to　mate　with　the　ship；　mistaking　it　for　one　of　their　own。　For　this　reason；　the　Northmen　do　not　build　their　ships　over…large。
　Herger　said　to　me　that　Ecthgow　is　a　great　warrior　renowned　in　battle；　and　that　he　is　to　be　believed　in　all　things。
　For　the　next　two　days；　we　sailed　among　the　islands　of　the　Dan　country；　and　then　on　the　third　day　we　crossed　a　passage　of　open　water。　Here　I　was　afraid　to　see　more　of　the　sea　monsters；　but　we　did　not；　and　eventually　arrived　at　the　territory　called　Venden。　These　lands　of　Venden　are　mountainous　and　forbidding；　and　the　men　of　Buliwyf　in　his　boat　approached　with　some　trepidation　and　the　killing　of　a　hen；　which　was　thrown　into　the　ocean　thus：　the　head　was　thrown　from　the　bow　of　the　ship；　and　the　body　of　the　hen　was　thrown　from　the　stern；　near　the　helmsman。
　We　did　not　beach　directly　on　this　new　land　of　Venden；　but　sailed　along　the　coast；　ing　at　last　to　the　kingdom　of　Rothgar。　I　first　saw　it　thus。　High　upon　a　cliff；　manding　a　view　of　the　raging　gray　sea；　was　a　huge　great　hall　of　wood；　strong　and　imposing。　I　said　to　Herger　it　was　a　magnificent　sight；　but　Herger　and　all　his　pany；　led　by　Buliwyf；　were　groaning　and　shaking　their　heads。　I　inquired　of　Herger　why　this　was　so。　He　said；　〃Rothgar　is　called　Rothgar　the　Vain；　and　his　great　hall　is　the　mark　of　a　vain　man。〃
　I　said；　〃Why　do　you　speak　thus？　Because　of　its　size　and　splendor？〃　For　verily；　as　we　came　closer；　I　saw　that　the　hall　was　richly　ornamented　with　carvings　and　silver　chasing；　which　sparkled　from　a　distance。
　〃No；〃　said　Herger。　〃I　say　that　Rothgar　is　vain　because　of　the　way　he　has　placed　his　settlement。　He　dares　the　gods　to　strike　him　down；　and　he　pretends　he　is　more　than　a　man；　and　so　he　is　punished。〃
　Never　have　I　seen　a　more　impregnable　great　hall；　and　I　said　to　Herger；　〃This　hall　cannot　be　attacked；　how　can　Rothgar　be　struck　down？〃
　Herger　laughed　at　me；　and　said　thus：　〃You　Arabs　are　stupid　beyond　counting；　and　know　nothing　of　the　ways　of　the　world。　Rothgar　deserves　the　misfortune　that　has　e　to　him；　and　it　is　only　we　who　shall　save　him；　and　perhaps　not　even　so。〃
　These　words　puzzled　me　further。　I　looked　at　Ecthgow；　the　lieutenant　of　Buliwyf；　and　saw　that　he　stood　in　the　boat　and　made　a　brave　face；　and　yet　his　knees　trembled；　and　it　was　not　the　stiffness　of　the　wind　that　made　them　tremble　so。　He　was　afraid；　they　were　all　afraid；　and　I　did　not　know　why。
　
　THE　KINGDOM　OF　ROTHGAR　IN　THE　LAND　OF　VENDEN

　THE　SHIP　WAS　BEACHED　AT　THE　TIME　OF　THE　afternoon　prayer；　and　I　begged　the　forgiveness　of　Allah　for　not　making　supplication。　Yet　I　had　not　been　able　to　do　so　in　the　presence　of　the　Northmen；　who　thought　my　prayers　to　be　a　curse　upon　them；　and　threatened　to　kill　me　if　I　prayed　in　their　sight。
　Each　warrior　in　the　boat　dressed　in　the　garments　of　battle；　which　were　thus：　first；　boots　and　leggings　of　rough　wool；　and　over　this　a　coat　of　heavy　fur；　which　reached　to　the　knees。　Over　this　they　placed　coats　of　mail；　which　all　had　save　me。　Then　each　man　took　his　sword　and　clasped　it　to　his　belt；　each　man　took　up　his　white　shield　of　hide；　and　his　spear；　each　man　placed　a　helmet　of　metal　or　leather　upon　his　head；17　in　this　all　the　men　were　the　same　except　for　Buliwyf；　who　alone　carried　his　sword　in　his　hand；　so　large　was　it。　The　warriors　looked　up　to　the　great　hall　of　Rothgar；　and　marveled　at　its　gleaming　roof　and　skilled　workmanship；　and　agreed　that　there　was　none　like　it　in　the　world；　with　its　lofty　gables　and　rich　carving。　Yet　there　was　no　respect　in　their　speech。
　At　length　we　decamped　from　the　ship；　and　traveled　a　road　paved　in　stone　up　to　the　great　hall。　The　clanking　of　swords　and　the　clatter　of　mail　raised　a　goodly　noise。　After　we　had　gone　some　short　distance；　we　saw　by　the　roadway　the　severed　head　of　an　ox；　set　upon　a　stick。　This　animal　was　freshly　killed。
　All　the　Northmen　sighed　and　made　sad　faces　at　this　portent；　though　it　had　no　meaning　to　me。　I　was　by　now　adjusted　to　their　custom　of　killing　some　beast　at　the　slightest　nervousness　or　provocation。　Yet　this　oxhead　had　especial　significance。
　Buliwyf　looked　away；　across　the　fields　of　the　lands　of　Rothgar；　and　saw　there　an　isolated　farming　house；　of　the　sort　that　is　mon　in　Rothgar　lands。　The　walls　of　this　house　were　of　wood；　and　sealed　with　a　paste　of　mud　and　straw；　which　must　be　replenished　after　the　frequent　rains。　The　roof　is　thatched　material　and　wood　also。　Inside　the　houses　there　is　only　an　earthen　floor　and　a　hearth；　and　the　dung　of　animals；　for　the　farm　people　sleep　with　their　animals　indoors　for　the　warmth　afforded　by　their　bodies；　and　then　they　burn　the　dung　for　fires。
　Buliwyf　gave　an　order　that　we　should　go　to　this　farmhouse；　and　so　we　set　out　across　the　fields；　which　were　verdant　but　soggy　with　dampness　underfoot。　Once　or　twice　the　pany　halted　to　examine　the　ground　before　continuing　on；　but　they　never　saw　anything　that　mattered　to　them。　I　myself　saw　nothing。
　Yet　again　Buliwyf　halted　his　pany；　and　pointed　to　the　dark　earth。　Verily；　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　the　bare　imprint　of　a　foot…indeed；　of　many　feet。　They　were　flat　and　uglier　than　anything　known　to　creation。　At　each　toe；　there　was　the　sharp　digging　mark　of　a　horned　nail　or　claw；　thus　the　shape　appeared　human；　but　yet　not　human。　This　I　saw　with　my　own　eyes；　and　could　scarcely　believe　the　witness　of　my　sight。
　Buliwyf　and　his　warriors　shook　their　heads　at　the　sight；　and　I　heard　them　repeat　one　word　over　and　over：　〃wendol〃　or　〃wendlon；〃　or　some　such。　The　meaning　of　the　name　was　not　known　to　me；　and　I　sensed　that　Herger　should　not　be　asked　at　this　moment；　for　he　was　as　apprehensive　as　all　the　rest。　We　pressed　on　to　the　farmhouse；　now　and　again　seeing　more　of　these　horned　footprints　in　the　earth。　Buliwyf　and　his　warriors　walked　slowly；　but　it　was　not　caution；　no　man　drew　his　weapon；　rather　it　was　some　dread　that　I　did　not　prehend　and　yet　felt　with　them。
　At　length　we　came　to　the　farming　dwelling　and　entered　it。　In　the　farmhouse　I　saw；　with　my　own　eyes；　this　sight：　there　was　a　man；　of　young　age　and　graceful　proportion；　whose　body　had　been　torn　limb　from　limb。　The　torso　was　here；　an　arm　there；　a　leg　there。　Blood　lay　in　thick　pools　upon　the　floor；　and　on　the　walls；