'Neath the Hoof of the Tartar; Or, The Scourge of GodJósika, Miklós, báró
History
'Neath the Hoof of the Tartar; Or, The Scourge of God
Jósika, Miklós, báró
Hungary -- History -- Mongol Invasion, 1241-1242 -- Fiction
Seeing that all was lost, Béla himself thought it time to fly, and while
the Mongols were plundering the camp, he succeeded in reaching the open,
and made for the mountains, recognised by few in the on-coming darkness.
Immediately surrounding him were Paul Héderváry, in spite of his five
wounds, Peter and Stephen Szirmay, Akos, Detrö, Adam the Pole, the two
Forgács, and several others--a devoted band, while behind came a long
train of the bravest warriors, the last to think of flying, who followed
in any order or none.
Few, as we have said, had recognised the King, but there were some who
had, and these pressed hard after him.
"My horse is done for!" cried the King, as his famous charger began to
tremble beneath him. "Let us stand and die fighting like men!"
"No! for Heaven's sake, no!" cried Adam the Pole, leaping from his
horse as he spoke. "Mine is sound! take him! I hear the howl of the
Mongols."
One had indeed actually overtaken them, but, though on foot, Adam felled
him to the ground, leapt upon the Mongol's horse, and galloped on after
the King.
The handful of brave, true men guarded Béla as the very apple of their
eye. Not one thought of himself; their one anxiety was for the King.
For an hour they galloped on, always pursued by the Mongols. The foam
was dropping from the horses; the moon had risen and was shining
brightly down upon them, when the irregular force which had followed
them was overtaken, and engaged in a fierce battle with the relentless
and unwearied enemy.
Just at that moment down sank the horse which Adam had given to the
King; but one of the two Forgács, András (Andrew), who was known in the
army as Ivánka (Little John, _i.e._, John Baptist) gave up his. The King
was so worn out by this time that two of the nobles had to lift him upon
the horse; Ivánka himself followed on foot. A younger brother of his,
whose name has not come down to us, lost his life at the hands of the
Mongols, who were again approaching perilously near the fugitives.
Ivánka was threatened by the like danger, when Paul Héderváry and a few
of the others who were on in front chanced to see his peril, and turning
back, routed the Mongols. Ivánka mounted his brother's horse, which had
remained standing quietly by its master's body, and rode after the
little band.
Daybreak was once more at hand, and they were far, far away from the
field of blood, when again the King's horse failed him, and the Mongols
were hardly so much as a hundred paces behind.
They had recognised the King, and one of Batu Khan's sub-officers had
promised a large reward to anyone who could get Béla into his hands,
alive or dead.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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