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turned and fought in the end, Tailbiter or no Tailbiter. In which
case Giles, if not slain himself, would have been obliged to
slaughter his transport and leave the best part of his gains in the
mountains.
Well, that was the end of it. The farmer stuffed his pockets with
jewels, just in case anything went wrong; and he gave the grey
mare a small load to carry. All the rest he bound on the back of
Chrysophylax in boxes and bags, till he looked like a royal
pantechnicon. There was no chance of his flying, for his load
was too great, and Giles had tied down his wings. .
`Mighty handy this rope has turned out in the end!' he thought,
and he remembered the parson with gratitude.
So off now the dragon trotted, puffing and blowing, with the
mare at his tail, and the farmer holding out Caudimordax very
bright and threatening. He dared try no tricks.
In spite of their burdens the mare and the dragon made better
speed going back than the cavalcade had made coming. For
Farmer Giles was in a hurry - not the least reason being that he
had little food in his bags. Also he had no trust in Chrysophylax
after his breaking of oaths so solemn and binding, and he
wondered much how to get through a night without death or
great loss. But before that night fell he ran again into luck; for
they overtook half a dozen of the servants and ponies that had
departed in haste and were now wandering at a loss in the Wild
Hills. They scattered in fear and amazement, but Giles shouted
after them.
`Hey, lads' said he. `Come back! I have a job for you, and good
wages while this packet lasts.'
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So they entered his service, being glad of a guide, and thinking
that their wages might indeed come more regular now than had
been usual. Then they rode on, seven men, six ponies, one mare,
and a dragon; and Giles began to feel like a lord and stuck out
his chest. They halted as
seldom as they could. At night Farmer Giles roped the dragon to
four pickets, one to each leg, with three men to watch him in turn.
But the grey mare kept half an eye open, in case the men should
try any tricks on their own account.
After three days they were back over the borders of their own
country; and their arrival caused such wonder and
uproar as had seldom been seen between the two seas before. In
the first village that they stopped at food and drink was
showered on them free, and half the young lads wanted to join in
the procession. Giles chose out a dozen likely young fellows. He
promised them good wages, and bought them such mounts as he
could get. He was beginning to have ideas.
After resting a day he rode on again, with his new escort at his
heels. They sang songs in his honour: rough and ready, but they
sounded good in his ears. Some folk cheered and others
laughed. It was a sight both merry and wonderful.
Soon Farmer Giles took a bend southward, and steered towards
his own home, and never went near the court of the King nor
sent any message. But the news of the return of Master
Aegidius spread like fire from the West; and there was great
astonishment and confusion. For he came hard on the heels of a
royal proclamation bidding all the towns and villages to go into
mourning for the fall of the brave knights in the pass of the
mountains.
Wherever Giles went the mourning was cast aside, and bells
were set ringing, and people thronged by the wayside shouting
and waving their caps and their scarves. But they booed the
poor dragon, till he began bitterly to regret the bargain he had
made. It was most humiliating for one of ancient and imperial
lineage. When they got back
to Ham all the dogs barked at him scornfully. All except Garm : he
had eyes, ears, and nose only :for his master. Indeed, he went
quite off his head, and turned somersaults , all along the street.
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Ham, of course, gave the farmer a wonderful welcome; but
probably nothing pleased him more than finding the miller at a
loss for a sneer and the blacksmith quite out of countenance.
`This is not the end of the affair, mark my words!' said he; but he
could not think of anything worse to say and hung his head
gloomily. Farmer Giles, with his six men and his dozen likely lads
and the dragon and all, went on up the hill, and there they stayed
quiet for a while. Only the parson was invited to the house.
The news soon reached the capital, and forgetting the official
mourning, and their business as well, people gathered in the
streets. There was much shouting and noise.
The King was in his great house, biting his nails and tugging his
beard. Between grief and rage (and financial anxiety) his mood
was so grim that no one dared speak to him. But at last the noise
of the town came to his ears; it did not sound like mourning or
weeping.
`What is all the noise about?' he demanded. `Tell the people to go
indoors and mourn decently! It sounds more like a goose-fair.'
`The dragon has come back, lord,' they answered.
`What!'said the King. `Summon our knights, or what is left of
them' [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]