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sea anigh the shore？〃
〃Nay；〃 said Hallblithe； 〃if there be； it is all blended with the
meadows and the hills。〃
Said the Sea…eagle： 〃Abide the wearing of another hour； and come and
tell me again； and then I may have a gainful word for thee。〃 And he
fell asleep again。 But Hallblithe abided； and when the hour was
worn； he went forward and stood on the forecastle。 And this was the
third shift of the rowers； and the stoutest men in the ship now held
the oars in their hands； and the ship shook through all her length
and breadth as they drave her over the waters。
So Hallblithe came aft to the old man and found him asleep； so he
took him by the shoulder； and shook him and said： 〃Awake； faring…
fellow； for the land is a…nigh。〃
So the old man sat up and said： 〃What hast thou seen？〃
Said Hallblithe： 〃I have seen the peaks and cliffs of the far…off
mountains； and below them are hills green with grass and dark with
woods； and thence stretch soft green meadows down to the sea…strand；
which is fair and smooth； and yellow。〃
〃Sawest thou the skerry？〃 said the Sea…eagle。
〃Yea； I saw it；〃 said Hallblithe； 〃and it rises sheer from out the
sea about a mile from the yellow strand； but its rocks are black；
like the rocks of the Isle of Ransom。〃
〃Son；〃 said the elder； 〃give me thine hands and raise me up a
little。〃 So Hallblithe took him and raised him up； so that he sat
leaning against the pillows； and he looked not on Hallblithe； but on
the bows of the ship； which now pitched but a little up and down； for
the sea was laid quiet now。 Then he cried in his shrill； piping
voice： 〃It is the Land！ It is the Land！〃
But after a little while he turned to Hallblithe and spake： 〃Short
is the tale to tell： thou hast wished me youth； and thy wish hath
thriven； for to…day； ere the sun goes down； thou shalt see me as I
was in the days when I reaped the harvest of the sea with sharp sword
and hardy heart。 For this is the land of the Undying King； who is
our lord and our gift…giver； and to some he giveth the gift of youth
renewed； and life that shall abide here the Gloom of the Gods。 But
none of us all may come to the Glittering Plain and the King Undying
without turning the back for the last time on the Isle of Ransom：
nor may any men of the Isle come hither save those who are of the
House of the Sea…eagle； and few of those； save the chieftains of the
House； such as are they who sat by thee on the high…seat that even。
Of these once in a while is chosen one of us； who is old and spent
and past battle； and is borne to this land and the gift of the
Undying。 Forsooth some of us have no will to take the gift； for they
say they are liefer to go to where they shall meet more of our
kindred than dwell on the Glittering Plain and the Acre of the
Undying； but as for me I was ever an overbearing and masterful man；
and meseemeth it is well that I meet as few of our kindred as may be：
for they are a strifeful race。〃
Hereat Hallblithe marvelled exceedingly； and he said： 〃And what am I
in all this story？ Why am I come hither with thy furtherance？〃
Said the Sea…eagle： 〃We had a charge from the Undying King
concerning thee； that we should bring thee hither alive and well； if
so be thou camest to the Isle of Ransom。 For what cause we had the
charge； I know not； nor do I greatly heed。〃
Said Hallblithe： 〃And shall I also have that gift of undying youth；
and life while the world of men and gods endureth？〃
〃I must needs deem so；〃 said the Sea…eagle； 〃so long as thou abidest
on the Glittering Plain； and I see not how thou mayst ever escape
thence。〃
Now Hallblithe heard him； how he said 〃escape；〃 and thereat he was
somewhat ill at ease； and stood and pondered a little。 At last he
said： 〃Is this then all that thou hast to tell me concerning the
Glittering Plain？〃
〃By the Treasure of the Sea！〃 said the elder； 〃I know no more of it。
The living shall learn。 But I suppose that thou mayst seek thy
troth…plight maiden there all thou wilt。 Or thou mayst pray the
Undying King to have her thither to thee。 What know I？ At least； it
is like that there shall be no lack of fair women there： or else the
promise of youth renewed is nought and vain。 Shall this not be
enough for thee？〃
〃Nay；〃 said Hallblithe。
〃What；〃 said the elder； 〃must it be one woman only？〃
〃One only；〃 said Hallblithe。
The old man laughed his thin mocking laugh； and said： 〃I will not
assure thee but that the land of the Glittering Plain shall change
all that for thee so soon as it touches the soles of thy feet。〃
Hallblithe looked at him steadily and smiled； and said： 〃Well is it
then that I shall find the Hostage there； for then shall we be of one
mind； either to sunder or to cleave together。 It is well with me
this day。〃
〃And with me it shall be well ere long；〃 said the Sea…eagle。
But now the rowers ceased rowing and lay on their oars； and the
shipmen cast anchor； for they were but a bowshot from the shore； and
the ship swung with the tide and lay side…long to the shore。 Then
said the Sea…eagle： 〃Look forth； shipmate； and tell me of the land。〃
And Hallblithe looked and said： 〃The yellow beach is sandy and
shell…strewn； as I deem； and there is no great space of it betwixt
the sea and the flowery grass； and a bowshot from the strand I see a
little wood amidst which are fair trees blossoming。〃
〃Seest thou any folk on the shore？〃 said the old man。 〃Yea；〃 said
Hallblithe； 〃close to the edge of the sea go four； and by seeming
three are women； for their long gowns flutter in the wind。 And one
of these is clad in saffron colour； and another in white； and another
in watchet； but the carle is clad in dark red； and their raiment is
all glistening as with gold and gems； and by seeming they are looking
at our ship as though they expected somewhat。〃
Said the Sea…eagle： 〃Why now do the shipmen tarry and have not made
ready the skiff？ Swillers and belly…gods they be； slothful swine
that forget their chieftain。〃
But even as he spake came four of the shipmen； and without more ado
took him up； bed and all； and bore him down into the waist of the
ship； whereunder lay the skiff with four strong rowers lying on their
oars。 These men made no sign to Hallblithe； nor took any heed of
him； but he caught up his spear； and followed them and stood by as
they lowered the old man into the boat。 Then he set his foot on the
gunwale of the ship and leapt down lightly into the boat； and none
hindered or helped him； and he stood upright in the boat； a goodly
image of battle with the sun flashing back from his bright helm； his
spear in his hand； his white shield at his back； and thereon the
image of the Raven； but if he had been but a salt…boiling carle of
the sea…side none would have heeded him less。
CHAPTER X： THEY HOLD CONVERSE WITH FOLK OF THE GLITTERING PLAIN
Now the rowers lifted the ash…blades； and fell to rowing towards
shore： and almost with the first of their strokes； the Sea…eagle
moaned out：
〃Would we were there； oh； would we were there！ Cold groweth eld
about my heart。 Raven's Son； thou art standing up； tell me if thou
canst see what these folk of the land are doing； and if any others
have come thither？〃
Said Hallblithe： 〃There are none others come； but kine and horses
are feeding down the meadows。 As to what those four are doing； the
women are putting off their shoon； and girding up their raiment； as
if they would wade the water toward us； and the carle； who was
barefoot before； wendeth straight towards the sea； and there he
standeth； for very little are the waves become。〃
The old man answered nothing； and did but groan for lack of patience；
but presently when the water was yet waist deep the rowers stayed the
skiff； and two of them slipped over the gunwale into the sea； and
between them all they took up the chieftain on his bed and got him
forth from the boat and went toward the strand with him； and the
landsfolk met them where the water was shallower； and took him from
their hands and bore him forth on to the yellow sand； and laid him
down out of reach of the creeping ripple of the tide。 Hallblithe
withal slipped lightly out of the boat and waded the water after
them。 But the shipmen rowed back again to their ship； and presently
Hallblithe heard the hale and how； as they got up their anchor。
But when Hallblithe was come ashore； and was drawn near the folk of
the land； the women looked at him askance； and they laughed and said：
〃Welcome to thee also； O young man！〃 And he beheld them； and saw
that they were of the stature of the maidens of his own land； they
were exceeding fair of skin and shapely of fashion； so that the
nakedness of their limbs under their girded gowns； and all glistening
with the sea； was most lovely and dainty to behold。 But Hallblithe