Ande Trembath: A Tale of Old Cornwall EnglandKemp, Matthew Stanley
General
Ande Trembath: A Tale of Old Cornwall England
Kemp, Matthew Stanley
Cornwall (England : County) -- Fiction
"Another case of Corineus and the giant Gog-ma-gog,"[8] said Captain Tom
Lanyan to his friend, the Major.
[8] Wrestling match of Corineus, the Trojan, and Gog-ma-gog on
Plymouth Hoe--"Polyolbion," Michael Drayton, 1563-1631.
"Aye, possibly," said the Major.
On went the wrestling match, with the advantage at one moment to Glaze,
at another to the young opponent. Glaze seemed the better in agility and
wrestling tricks, but his skill in these things were offset by the
giant's strength and wariness. The crowd from a wildly shouting mass
became silent, and were alertly watching every movement of the straining
figures. They were at last becoming aware of what Glaze knew for quite a
time. The champion had met his match. He knew it, for with all of his
skill he was unable to overcome his opponent. But what was still more
manifest was that the young Lizard giant, with all of his strength,
could not conquer the old, wrestling hero.
The time was up at last, and there were stout huzzas for both as they
shook hands. The decision went to Glaze, not on falls, but on points, as
he showed the greater skill.
Then Glaze held up his hand for silence and began to speak.
"I want to congratulate my opponent on his stout defence, and say 'e's
the hardest man I ever met in a wrastling match."
There was a roar of cheers, and then when silence came, he continued:
"Men, you knaw the decision is just as to points. My opponent could not
thraw me, as 'ee have seen, and I couldn't thraw 'im. Now, I'm getting
old for the ring, and am about going to quit wrastling. This is my last
battle. I 'ave only waited until I could find the man I couldn't thraw,
and now I've found un, I give to him the championship and all the
honours of the position. What do 'ee say? Is it right?"
There was silence for a moment, and then, after the import of Glaze's
generous offer became more fully understood, there was a resounding
cheer that went up again and again. The people knew that, next to Glaze,
there was none more capable or worthy of defending the championship of
Cornwall than the young Lizard giant.
"Do ye know, lad, who the young Lizard chap was?" asked the Major of
Ande,--but Ande was gone. Both wrestlers had been taken up on the
shoulders of the crowd and carried, with various shoutings, to the Angel
Inn. Ande followed, pushing and shoving his way through the crowd. When
he entered the Inn, he shouted, "Where's the champion?"
"He's up in his room, changing his clothes," said the landlord.
Ande pushed his way up the stairs and opened the door of the room
indicated.
"Dick, Dick, Dick, old fellow!"
"Ande,--why bless----"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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