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Gunrig, the great chief whom she is to wed, is a proud and a stout man. Many chiefs have been courting the fair princess, and, in his pride of heart and strength, Gunrig has challenged any one to fight him in single combat, promising that the bride shall be given to the conqueror." "And does my does the king agree to such a base proposal?"
The excitement, therefore, became intense, and, as round after round of the course was completed the relative position of the various men changed considerably. At the seventh round some, who had been husbanding their strength, let out, and, passing others with great ease, came close upon the heels of Gunrig and Bladud. This was, of course, a signal for enthusiastic cheering.
It is true Gunrig found it very hard to hold his hand, but as Gadarn had been constituted commander-in-chief without a dissentient voice, in virtue of his superior intelligence and indomitable resolution, he felt bound to obey. Bladud and his friend Dromas, with their contingent, being at the lower end of the flat and far out of bow-shot, were not thus tempted to disobey orders.
"You can guide us in the dark, I suppose," said Gunrig, turning to Beniah. "Ay, as well almost as in the light," replied the Hebrew. "Let the men feed, then, and be ready for the signal to start," said the chief to his officers, "and see that no louder noise be heard than the crunching of their jaws." The night was favourable to their enterprise.
The palace was, we need scarcely say, very unlike our modern palaces, being merely a large hut or rude shanty of logs, surrounded by hundreds of similar but smaller huts, which composed this primitive town. The couch on which the chief lay was composed of brushwood and leaves. But Gunrig did not lie long upon it.
"I thought you a savage monster," said the invalid, on the occasion of the amateur doctor's third visit; "but I find you to be almost as tender as a woman. Yet your hand was heavy enough when it felled me at the games!" "Let not your mind dwell on that, Gunrig; and, truth to tell, if it had not been for that lucky or, if you choose, unlucky blow, I might have found you more than my match."
Gunrig burst into a loud laugh, and said, "Nay, truly, but death may take the girl, or death may take me for, as you know, there is plenty of fighting among the tribes, and my day will surely come, sooner or later. In either case love will be cured." "Can you guess why this girl has fled?" asked the woman.
Bladud was interested immediately; and for the moment forgot his own troubles as he gazed inquiringly into the fair countenance of the princess. "I am going to wed, brother." "Indeed! You do not surprise me, though you alarm me I know not why. Who is the man? not Gunrig, I hope." "Alas! no. Poor Gunrig is dead." "Dead! Ah, poor man! I am glad we met at the Swamp."
But Gunrig seized it again and hurled it a foot beyond that. "Well done," said the king. "Go on. It is the best in three heaves that wins." Bladud grasped the stone and hurled it back over his head with all his force. Up and up it went as if it had resolved to become an aerolite and visit the moon! Then down it came with a mighty thud ten yards beyond Gunrig's mark.
They found the Hebrew reading at his door. "Ho! Beniah, hast seen the girl Branwen pass this way to-day?" cried Gunrig as he came up. "I have not seen her pass," replied the Hebrew, in a tone so mild that the angry chief suspected him. "She's not in your hut, I suppose?" he added sharply.
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