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Updated: May 14, 2025
The old man looked up, shook his head, and answered in Cornish. "Speak to him in Latin, Martin! May be he will understand that." Martin spoke. "My lord, here, wants a priest to shrive him, and that quickly. He is going to fight the great tyrant Ironhook, as you call him." "Ironhook?" answered the priest in good Latin enough. "And he so young! God help him, he is a dead man!
Was she in duress either from this Ironhook or from her father, or from both? Did she need Hereward's help? If so, she was so lovely that he could not refuse it. And on the chance, he swallowed down his high stomach, and answered blandly enough,
The Princess shuddered and turned pale; then looked at Hereward and smiled her thanks. Ironhook laughed a savage laugh. Hereward's jest being translated into Cornish for the benefit of the company, was highly approved by all; and good humor being restored, every man got drunk save Hereward, who found the mead too sweet and sickening. "What is it, Martin?
Nothing I have, and nothing I need, save to serve noble kings and earls, and win me a champion's fame. If you have battles to fight, tell me, that I may fight them for you. If you have none, thank God for his peace; and let me eat and drink, and go in peace." "King Alef needs neither man nor boy to fight his battle as long as Ironhook sits in his hall."
Alef shouted to the combatants to desist; but ere the party could reach them, Hereward's opportunity had come. Ironhook, after a fruitless lunge, stumbled forward. Hereward leapt aside, and spying an unguarded spot below the corslet, drove his sword deep into the giant's body, and rolled him over upon the sward. Then arose shouts of fury. "Foul play!" cried one.
"Were it not that my Lord Alef was here," shouted Ironhook, "I would kill you out of hand." "Promise to fight fair, and do your worst. The more fairly you fight, the more honor you will win," said Hereward. Whereupon the two were parted for the while.
Hereward had hoped to find giants in Cornwall: and behold he had found one at once; though rather, to judge from his looks, a Pictish than a Cornish giant; and, true to his reckless determination to defy and fight every man and beast who was willing to defy and fight him, he turned on his elbow and stared at Ironhook in scorn, meditating some speech which might provoke the hoped-for quarrel.
Hast thou had too much of that sweet mead last night that thou must come out to cool thy head too?" "I came out for two reasons, first, to see fair play, in case that Ironhook should come to wash his ugly visage, and find you on all fours over the brook you understand? And next, to tell you what I heard last night among the maids." "And what did you hear?"
Save him he would if he could but how to save him without mortally offending his tyrant Ironhook he could not see. At least he would exert what little power he had, and prevent, if possible, his men-at-arms from helping their darling leader against the hapless lad.
I saw how you kept the peace with Ironhook, and I owe you thanks for it; for though he is my good friend, and will be my son-in-law erelong, yet a quarrel with him is more than I can abide just now, and I should not like to have seen my guest and my kinsman slain in my house."
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