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never to wound a seal, русалки, knife, A great brown seal's son, Roane
The Elfin Knight
There is a lone moor[15] in Scotland. Once in every seven years, people saw Elfin Knight there. Everyone was scared of him. Sometimes someone crossed the moor and disappeared.
Men searched every inch of the ground. But they found no trace of him. With a thrill of horror the searching party went home again. They shook their heads and whispered to one another the terrible stories about the dreaded Knight.
So the moor was deserted. Nobody dared pass that way. It became the haunt of wild animals. They made their lairs there. Mortal huntsmen never disturbed them.
In that same region lived two young earls, Earl St. Clair and Earl Gregory. They were very good friends. They rode, and hunted, and fought together.
Both were very fond of the chase. One day Earl Gregory offered to go a-hunting[16] on the moor.
“I hardly believe in the Elfin Knight at all,” cried the young man, with a laugh. “I think it is just an old wife's tale for the bairns[17]. We – two bearded men – will pay no heed to such talk.”
But Earl St. Clair looked grave.
“It is not a tale for the bairns,” he answered, “the travellers vanished there. That Elfin Knight claimed the land as his. I know, however, how to be safe from the Knight's power. It's necessary to wear the Sign of the Blessed Trinity. So let us bind that on our arm and ride forth without fear.”
Sir Gregory burst into a loud laugh at these words.
“Do you think that I am a bairn?” he said. “To be frightened by an idle tale? And then to think that a leaf of clover will protect me? No, no, carry that Sign if you want. I will trust to my good bow and arrow.”
Earl St. Clair did not heed his companion's words. When he was a little lad, his mother warned him. Whoso carried the Sign of the Blessed Trinity will never fear any spell by Warlock or Witch, Elf or Demon.
So he went out to the meadow. He plucked a leaf of clover. He bound it on his arm with a silken scarf. Then he mounted his horse and rode with Earl Gregory to the desolate and lonely moorland.
For some hours all went well. The young men forgot their fears. Then suddenly both of them reined in their steeds and became silent. A horseman crossed their track. They both did not know who he was and whence he came.
“He rides in haste, whoever he may be,” said Earl Gregory at last. “Look! For every league that my horse goes, his goes seven. Let us follow him! Let us see from what part of the world he comes.”
“Don't follow him,” said Earl St. Clair devoutly. “Why, man, it is the Elfin Knight! Can't you see that he does not ride on the solid ground? He flies through the air. It will be an evil day for you when you follow him.”
But Earl St. Clair forgot that he carried a Talisman which his companion lacked. That Talisman enabled him to see things as they really were. So he was startled and amazed when Earl Gregory said sharply,
“You are mad over this Elfin King. I tell you:he is a Knight in a green vesture. I want to know his name and degree. I will follow him till I find him.”
Without another word he put spurs to his horse and galloped off. He left Earl St. Clair alone upon the moorland. Earl St. Clair's fingers touched the sacred Sign. His lips muttered prayers for protection. He knew that his friend was bewitched. But Earl St. Clair was a brave gentleman and decided to follow his friend and save him.
Meanwhile Earl Gregory rode on and on, over moor, and burn, and moss. At last, he came to the desolate region. The wind blew cold. The hoar-frost lay thick and white on the withered grass at his feet.
And there, in front of him, he saw a terrible thing. He saw an enormous Ring on the ground. The grass inside was lush, and rank, and green. Hundreds of shadowy Elfin figures danced there. They were clad in loose transparent robes of dull blue. Their robes curled and twisted round their wearers like snaky wreaths of smoke.
These weird Goblins shouted and sang songs, and waved their arms above their heads. They threw themselves about on the ground. Suddenly they saw Earl Gregory outside the Ring. They beckoned to him with their skinny fingers.
“Come hither, come hither,” they shouted; “we will drink to you out of our Monarch's cup!”
The spell over the young Earl was powerful. In spite of his fear, he felt that he must obey the eldritch summons. He threw his bridle on his horse's neck. He prepared to join them. An old Goblin stepped out from among his companions. The Goblin approached him. Apparently he dared not leave the charmed Circle. He stopped at the edge of it. Then he whispered in a hoarse whisper:
“I don't know who you are. I don't know from whence you come, Sir Knight. But if you love your life, don't come within this Ring. Don't join us.”
But Earl Gregory only laughed.
“I will follow the Green Knight. That's my promise,” he replied.
With these words he stepped over the edge of the Circle. He came to the ghostly dancers.
They shouted louder than ever. They danced more madly. They sang more lustily. Then a silence fell upon them. They parted into two companies, and left a way through their midst. They signed to the Earl to pass it.
He walked through their ranks. He came to the middle of the Circle. There the Knight sat at a table of red marble. He was clad in his grass-green robes. Before him, on the table, stood a wondrous emerald goblet. It was decorated with blood-red rubies.
This cup was filled with heather ale. That ale foamed up over the brim. The Knight saw Sir Gregory, and he lifted it from the table. He handed it to him with a bow. Sir Gregory was very thirsty, and drank.
He noticed that the ale in the goblet never grew less. It foamed up to the edge again. For the first time his heart misgave him. But, alas! No time for regrets. Strange numbness caught his limbs. Chill pallor crept over his face. The goblet dropped from his fingers. He fell down before the Elfin King like a dead man.
A great shout of triumph went up from all the company. That adventure filled their hearts with joy. They liked to entice some unwary mortal into their Ring and throw their uncanny spell over him. Now he will spend long years in their company.
But soon their shouts of triumphs began to die away. Their keen ears heard a sound. That sound filled their hearts with dread. It was the sound of human footsteps. The footsteps were so free that they knew at once that the stranger was untouched by any charm.
It was the brave Earl St. Clair who approached. He was fearless and strong because of the Holy Sign. He saw the charmed Ring and the eldritch dancers. He wanted to step over its magic border. But the little grizzled Goblin came and whispered to him also.
“Alas! alas!” he exclaimed, with a look of sorrow on his wrinkled face, “you come here, as your companion, to pay your toll of years to the Elfin King. Oh! if you have wife or child, I beseech you to turn back.”
“Who
moor – болото
to go a-hunting – пойти поохотиться
bairn –
