And, answering the hissing witch's whim,
At once the log rose up into the sky.
Long stood Bearslayer at the courtyard's verge,
For Spidala's return he looked in vain;
To seek her out he felt a mighty urge,
To see the Devil with the witch in train.
But such a task beyond his strength would surge,
And so he went back to his room again.
By morning's light within the courtyard still,
He saw the log back in its former place;
And looking close he saw with firming will,
Within the log an empty hollow space,
A space a man could crawl in and not fill.-
At once a purpose formed for him apace.
Next evening Spidala set off to bed.
Bearslayer swiftly hastened to his room;
He put his cap of marten on his head,
With sword in hand sought out the courtyard's gloom,
And, watching out for Spidala's light tread,
Concealed himself within the log's dark womb.
Again at midnight hour she left her cell,
And in her garments black her body dressed.
Astride the log she spoke a magic spell,
Struck with her staff, and then at her behest,
The branch bore both to where he could not tell,
Above Aizkraukle's forests on her quest.
Pages:
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77