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Updated: May 31, 2025
Gunrig became so exasperated at this, that on commencing the ninth round, he made a sudden effort which carried him five or six yards ahead of his rival. The spectators could not avoid cheering him at this, but the cheer was feeble. "The tall man is losing wind," cried one in a disappointed tone. "I feared his legs were too long," observed another.
The poor girl did not speak, for when she looked at the great, thin, transparent hand which held hers, and thought of the day when it swayed the heavy sword so deftly, she could not control herself, and burst into tears. "Oh! poor, poor Gunrig! I'm so sorry to see you like this! so very, very sorry!" She could say no more, but covered her face with both hands and wept.
Thereupon the man was bound and put in the safe keeping of several men, whose lives were to be forfeited if he should escape. Then Gunrig, Dromas, Beniah, Arkal, Maikar, and several other chief men retired under a tree to hold a council of war. Their deliberations resulted in the following conclusions.
The chief held out his hand, which the doctor grasped. "I thought to kill you, Bladud; but when I get well, we shall be friends." Poor Gunrig, however, did not from that day show much evidence of getting well. His case was far beyond the skill of his amateur doctor. It was, therefore, resolved, a day or two later, to send him home under an escort led by Beniah.
"I will follow you ere long," said Gadarn, as he grasped the hand of the invalid at parting, "for I have business at the court of King Hudibras." Gunrig raised himself in the litter in which he was borne by four men, and looked the northern chief earnestly in the face. "You have not yet found your daughter?" he asked. "Well no. At least not exactly." "Not exactly!" repeated Gunrig in surprise.
"Nay, take not your hand from me," said the dying man, again grasping the hand which she had withdrawn; "its soft grip sends a rush of joy to my sinking soul." "Say not that you are sinking, Gunrig," returned the girl in pitying tones; "for it is in the power of the All-seeing One to restore you to health if it be His will."
Boiling over as he was with indignation, Gunrig felt as if he was endued with more than usual strength. He lifted the stone with ease, faced the platform, heeled the line, and hurled the stone violently over his head, so that it fell with a heavy thud far behind him. Then Bladud took it up. "Oh! what a stout man he is!" whispered Branwen to Hafrydda, "and what a handsome face!"
The king went to consult on the situation with the queen, the princess, and Bladud; while Gunrig sought advice and consolation from his mother. Of course neither of these men would for a moment have admitted that he needed advice. They only condescended to let their women-folk know what had occurred, and hear what they had to say!
Gunrig and the hunters returned to town crestfallen at being unable to discover the trail of a girl, and the chief went off in undiminished wrath to his own home which was distant about a day's journey on foot from the capital of King Hudibras. Even in those savage times warriors were not above taking counsel, occasionally, with women.
"Assuredly you are right, my child, for it is amazing folly in such a man as Gunrig to suppose he is a fitting mate for you, though it is no folly in him to wish to get you for a wife, and it is no folly in you to flee from such an undesirable union. But how to help you in this matter is more difficult to conceive than anything that has puzzled my brain since the day I left Tyre."
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