Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair — John Shaqi
Child Christopher and Goldilind the FairMorris, William
Science
Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair
Morris, William
Fantasy fiction
For the rest, none entered the Castle from the world without, nay not so
much as a travelling monk, or a friar on his wanderings, save and except
some messenger of Earl Geoffrey who had errand with Dame Elinor or the
Burgreve.
So wore the days and the seasons, till it was now more than four years
since she had left Leashowe, and her eighteenth summer was beginning.
But now the tale leaves telling of Goldilind, and goes back to
the matters of Oakenrealm, and therein to what has to do with King
Christopher and Rolf the Marshal.
CHAPTER VI. HOW ROLF THE MARSHAL DREAMS A DREAM AND COMES TO THE CASTLE
OF THE UTTERMOST MARCH.
Now this same summer, when King Christopher was of twenty years and
two, Rolf the Marshal, sleeping one noontide in the King's garden at
Oakenham, dreamed a dream. For himseemed that there came through the
garth-gate a woman fair and tall, and clad in nought but oaken-leaves,
who led by the hand an exceeding goodly young man of twenty summers, and
his visage like to the last battle-dead King of Oakenrealm when he was a
young man. And the said woman led the swain up to the Marshal, who asked
in his mind what these two were: and the woman answered his thought and
said: "I am the Woman of the Woods, and the Landwight of Oakenrealm; and
this lovely lad whose hand I hold is my King and thy King and the King
of Oakenrealm. Wake, fool--wake! and look to it what thou wilt do!"
And therewith he woke up crying out, and drew forth his sword. But when
he was fully awakened, he was ashamed, and went into the hall, and sat
in his high-seat, and strove to think out of his troubled mind; but for
all he might do, he fell asleep again; and again in the hall he dreamed
as he had dreamed in the garden: and when he awoke from his dream he had
no thought in his head but how he might the speediest come to the house
of Lord Richard the Lean, and look to the matter of his lord's son and
see him with his eyes, and, if it might be, take some measure with the
threat which lay in the lad's life. Nought he tarried, but set off in an
hour's time with no more company than four men-at-arms and an old squire
of his, who was wont to do his bidding without question, whether it were
good or evil.
So they went by frith and fell, by wood and fair ways, till in two days'
time they were come by undern within sight of the Castle of the Outer
March, and entered into the street of the thorpe aforesaid; and they saw
that there were no folk therein and at the house-doors save old carles
and carlines scarce wayworthy, and little children who might not go
afoot. But from the field anigh the thorpe came the sound of shouting
and glad voices, and through the lanes of the houses they saw on the
field many people in gay raiment going to and fro, as though there were
games and sports toward.
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