"
"If this be so indeed," said Kenric thoughtfully, never doubting that
the explanation was the truth of the matter, "then I would have you be
very careful in your adventures, Allan. Spare that white-breasted wolf;
for we know not what strange ill would befall you were you to slay Aasta
by mistake. Say naught of this to any man. Duncan Graham, who knows more
than others of Aasta the Fair, shall one day tell us what all this
mystery means."
But for the rest of that winter, no more was heard of the wolf maid's
wanderings, either by day or by night, and when the glad springtime
came, there was no more thought of wolves.
In that springtime Earl Kenric, now well able to get about, busied
himself upon his farm lands, and did all manner of hard and manly toil,
so that by healthy exercise of his limbs he might regain his strength.
In the early mornings he would sally out to the fields of Ardbeg, and
there with the ponderous plough of those times, that was drawn by twelve
shaggy, long-horned oxen -- each with a wreath of rowan leaves round its
neck as a charm against the spells of witchcraft -- he would plough the
stubborn ground for many hours together until the sweat bedewed his
brow. And from the fields he would perhaps walk over to Ascog to sit in
his seat of assize, and there, with the clods of earth yet upon his feet
and his arms yet tingling from their work at the heavy plough, he would
administer the simple laws before his people.
Pages:
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187