(原版)澳大利亞語文第六冊 LESSON 30

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LESSON 30 MERDHIN AND THE WOLVES

MERDHIN AND THE WOLVES

II

Merdhin made his way through the woods towards the sheepfolds of the neighbouring abbey [1] , which were on a small island in the river, in order to be safe from the wolves. The river was now frozen, and the shepherds broke the ice morning and evening, so that the famished [2] beasts of prey might not cross over and attack the sheep. When the shepherds saw Merdhin approaching, they pushed a plank across the channel, and gave him a hearty welcome.

Friends, said Merdhin, "give me no welcome. I am condemned by the Dane to collect wolves' tongues. Where are the wolves?"

They came hither in troops last night, said a shepherd. "Better wait for them here, and in the meantime help us to make wolf-pits."

Ay, that I will, replied Merdhin eagerly. "I will do the work of a dozen."

Tools were produced, and broad spaces were cut in the ice and covered over with osiers [3] . Between the sheep fold and the ice a deep pit was dug, and sharp stakes were fixed in it point upwards. In the midst of this pit tall poles were erected, each with a piece of flesh hanging from the top. The trap was concealed by means of osiers and rushes.

When night came on, Merdhin, with his weapon in readiness, stood on the watch, heedless of the cold. At last a faint, dull sound floated up on the night wind. "That was a wolf's bark," said Merdhin. "They are coming."

Louder and louder grew the sound, and Merdhin saw a dark mass issue from the wood and dash towards the river. Now they were on the ice and speeding towards the island, their tongues lolling out, and their white fangs gleaming in the moonlight. Ere long three wolves which had leaped the chasm [4] , or scrambled out of it, lay dead beside him.

Again and again the wolves came trooping towards the islet, and at each onset Merdhin couched [5] his spear, and struck down with unerring thrusts the beasts that cleared the pit. When morning dawned, he descended into the pit and slew the animals that were in it. Then he sought the ice-holes, and fished up those which had been drowned. When the victims were carefully reckoned up, he saw to his joy that he had a score.

Merdhin knew that after this repulse [6] the wolves would not be likely to visit the islet for some time. "I must be off to the forest," he said. "They will not come to me to-night, but I shall go to them."

By midday he reached the heart of the forest, and there he began to make preparations for his night's work. As he did so he saw a wild sow, with her litter of young pigs, busy under the trees rooting out the beechnuts and acorns.

Surely, said Mardhin to himself, "no one would begrudge me a little pig out of this litter of fifteen." Thus speaking, he cast his javelin, and struck down a plump young grunter.

Next minute he heard a terrific rushing through the thicket, and knew at once that a wild boar was about to attack him. Snatching up his spear, he awaited the onset of the fierce beast, and smote him on the neck. In a few minutes the animal lay dead before him. "So much the more bait for the wolves," said Merdhin to himself.

THE WOLVES CAME TROOPING TOWARDS THE ISLET.

Then he gathered sufficient wood to make a glowing fire, and broiled [7] some of the tender joints of his pig.

Ere his meal was well begun, a distant bark came on the wind. "Already!" thought he. "The wolves grudge me my supper. I must carry my feast up into a tree, and eat it on a safe perch."

He scattered the fire with his foot, and made haste to climb a tree. Presently he sat comfortably in the branches, forty feet from the ground, waiting for the enemy to appear. When the enemy appeared, however, it was in the shape, not of wolves, but of a man with a dog. The man gazed around, stirred the embers, examined the slain boar, cast a sharp glance into the neighbouring bushes, and then lifted his cowhorn to his lips and blew his loudest blast. A response came from a distance, and soon three or four keepers appeared from the thicket.

It was not long before the dog discovered Merdhin in his hiding-place, and the leader of the party ordered him to come down.

Do you not know, said the keeper sternly, "that you are in a royal forest, and that you have helped yourself to a king's pig and slain a king's boar?"

Then Merdhin knew that he had committed a grave crime, in slaying the king's game in the royal forest; so he refused to come down.

The keepers presently began to climb the tree, in order to secure their prisoner. Meanwhile Merdhin quietly climbed a little higher, and then crept along a branch to a point where the stout limb of a neighbouring oak extended itself within his grasp. Upon this he sprang, the oak yielding so little to his spring and weight that it gave no alarm to his foes; and Merdhin dropped down into the thicket, leaped out into a glade on the other side, and fled a considerable distance before the keepers perceived that he had eluded [8] them.

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[1] abbey: Monastery or convent.

[2] famished: Very hungry.

[3] osier: A kind of willow.

[4] chasm: Gap; wide opening.

[5] couched: Fixed in readiness.

[6] repulse: Defeat; setback.

[7] broiled: Cooked over an open fire.

[8] eluded: Avoided, baffled, escaped.