Sir Halewyn

Sir HalewynI.Of the two castles.Sir Halewyn lifted up his voice in a song.And whatever maid heard that song must needs go to him straight away.And now to all good Flemings will I tell the tale of this Halewyn and his song, and of the brave maid Magtelt.There were two proud castles in the province of Flanders. In one dwelt Sir Roel de Heurne, with the lady Gonde, his good wife; Toon the Silent, his son; Magtelt, his fair daughter, and a host of pages, grooms, varlets, men-at-arms, and all the other members of the household, among whom an especial favourite was Anne-Mie, a girl of gentle blood, maid to the lady Magtelt.Of everything that was made by his peasants, Sir Roel took naught but what was the best.And the peasants said of him that it was a good master who took only as much as he needed, when he might have left them with nothing.In the other castle lived Sir Halewyn the Miserable, with his father, brother, mother, and sister, and a large following of rascals and brigands.And these were an ill-favoured crew, I can tell you, past masters of robbery, pillage, and murder, such as it is not good to meet at too close quarters.II.Of Dirk, called the Crow.This family were issue by direct line of Dirk, the first of the Halewyns, to whom was given the name of the Crow, because he was as greedy of booty as a crow is of carrion.And also because he was clad all in black, and his men with him.This Dirk, who lived in the time of the great wars, was like a thunderbolt in battle, where, with his only weapon,a heavy club, furnished with a beak at one side, he broke javelins, splintered lances, and tore away mail as if it had been cloth; and no one could well resist his onslaught. And in this manner he so frightened his enemies that when they saw Dirk and his black soldiers bearing down upon them, shouting, yelling, without fear of any one, and in great number, they gave themselves up for dead before ever battle was joined.When victory was won and the more important booty divided (whereof Dirk always secured the lion’s share and never came off badly), the other barons and their knights would leave the rest of the field to him and his followers, and would go off, saying: “The pieces are for the crow.”No other man-at-arms would dare to stay behind then, or he would have been quickly taken and slain without waiting. And thereafter Dirk’s men would begin to play the crow in earnest; cutting off fingers to get the rings on them, even of those not yet dead, who cried out to them for succour; chopping off heads and arms so that they might pull away clothes the more easily. And they even fought amongst themselves, and sometimes killed one another, over the bodies of the dead, for the sake of neck-pieces, straps of hide, or more paltry stuff still.And stayed sometimes on the battlefield over this business three days and three nights.When all the dead were stark naked they piled up their gains into carts which they brought for this purpose.And with these they returned to Dirk’s castle, there to hold high revel and have good cheer. On the way they fought the peasants, taking whatever women and girls were at all comely, and did with them what they pleased. In this way they passed their lives fighting, pillaging, robbing the helpless, and caring nothing at all for either God or devil.Dirk the Crow became exceedingly powerful and got very much worship, both by reason of his prowess in battle andfrom the fact that My Lord the Count gave him after his victories the demesne of Halewyn, with powers of seigneury, both of the higher and the lower order.And he had a fine escutcheon made for himself, wherein was a crowsableon a fieldor, with this device:The pieces are for the Crow.III.Of Sir Halewyn and how he carried himself in his youth.But to this strong Crow were born children of a quite other kind.For they were all, strangely enough, men of the quill and writing-desk, caring nothing for the fine arts of war, and despising all arms.These great clerks lost a good half of their heritage. For each year some stronger neighbour would rob them of a piece of it.And they begot puny and miserable children, with pale faces, who passed their time, as clerks are wont, lurking in corners, sitting huddled on stools, and whining chants and litanies in a melancholy fashion.Thus came to an end the good men of the line.Siewert Halewyn, who was the wretch of whom I am to tell you this tale, was as ugly, puny, woebegone, and sour-faced as the others, or even worse than they.And like them he was always lurking and hiding in corners, and shirking company, hated the sound of laughter, sweated ill-humour, and, moreover, was never seen to lift his head skywards like an honest man, but was all the while looking down at his boots, wept without reason, grumbled without cause, and never had any satisfaction in anything. For the rest he was a coward and cruel, delighting during his childhood in teasing, frightening and hurting puppies and kittens, sparrows, thrushes, finches, nightingales, and all small beasts.And even when he was older, he hardly dared to attack so large a thing as a wolf, though he were armed with hisgreat sword. But as soon as the beast was brought down he would rain blows on it with high valour.So he went on until he was old enough to marry.IV.How Sir Halewyn wished to take himself a wife, and what the ladies and gentlewomen said to it.Then, since he was the oldest of the family, he was sent off to the court of the Count, there to find himself a wife. But every one laughed at him, on account of his marvellous ugliness, more particularly the ladies and gentlewomen, who made fun of him among themselves, saying:“Look at this fine knight! What is he doing here? He has come to marry us, I suppose.—Who would have him, for four castles, as many manors, ten thousand peasants and half the gold in the province? None.—And that is a pity, for between them they would get fine children, if they were to be like their father!—Ho, what fine hair he has, the devil must have limned it with an old nail; what a fine nose, ’tis like a withered plum, and what fair blue eyes, so marvellously ringed round with red.—See, he is going to cry! That will be pretty music.”And Sir Halewyn, hearing the ladies talk after this fashion, could not find a word to answer them with, for between anger, shame, and sorrow his tongue was fast stuck to the roof of his mouth.Nevertheless he would take a lance at every tournament, and every time would be shamefully overcome, and the ladies, seeing him fall, would applaud loudly, crying out: “Worship to the ill-favoured one! The old crow has lost his beak.” Thus they compared him, for his shame, with Dirk, the old stock of the Halewyns, who had been so mighty in his day. And, acclaimed in this fashion every time he jousted, Sir Halewyn would go back from the field in sorrow to his pavilion.V.How it came about that Sir Halewyn, after a certain tournament, called upon the devil for aid.At the third tournament wherein he was beaten there were on the field his father, mother, brother, and sister.And his father said:“Well, look at my fine son, Siewert the soft, Siewert the overthrown, Siewert the faint-heart, coming back from jousting with his tail between his legs, like a dog thrashed with a great stick.”And his mother said:“I suppose for certain that My Lord the Count has put a gold chain round thy neck, and acclaimed thee publicly, for having so valiantly in this jousting jousted on thy back, as in the old days my lord of Beaufort was wont to make thee do. Holy God! that was a fine tumble.”And his sister said:“Welcome, my fair brother, what news do you bring? Thou wert the victor for certain, as I see from thy triumphant mien. But where is the wreath of the ladies?”And his brother said:“Where is your lordly bearing, My Lord Siewert Halewyn the elder, descendant of the Crow with the great beak? For such a Crow vanquishes without much trouble eagles, goshawks, shrikes, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks. Are you not thirsty, my brother, with the thirst of a baron, of a victor, I will not say of a villein? We have here some fine frog’s wine, which will cool the fires of victory in your belly.”“Ha,” answered the Sire, grinding his teeth, “if God gave me strength, I would make thee sing a different song Sir Brother.”And saying this, he pulled out his sword to do so, but the younger, parrying his thrust, cried out:“Bravo, uncrowlike Crow! Bravo, capon! Raise up our house, I beg of thee, Siewert the victorious!”“Ha,” said the Sire, “and why does this chatterer not go and joust as well as I? But he would not dare, beingthat kind of coward who looks on at others, folding his arms and making fun of those who strive.”Then he dismounted from his horse, went off and hid himself in his chamber, cried out to the four walls in a rage, prayed to the devil to give him strength and beauty, and promised him, on the oath of a knight, that he would give him his soul in exchange.So he called on him all through the night, crying out, weeping, bewailing his lot, minded at times even to kill himself. But the devil did not come, being busy elsewhere.VI.Of the rovings and wanderings of Sir Halewyn.Every day after this, whether it were fair or foul, light sky or dark, storm or gentle breeze, rain, snow, or hail, Sir Halewyn wandered alone through the fields and woods.And children, seeing him, ran away in fear.“Ah,” said he, “I must be very ugly!” And he went on with his wandering.But if on his way he met some common man who had strength and beauty, he would bear down on him and oftentimes kill him with his sword.And every one grew to shun him, and to pray to God that he would soon remove their Lord from this world.And every night, Sir Halewyn called on the devil.But the devil would not come.“Ah,” said the Sire sorrowfully, “if thou wilt only give me strength and beauty in this life, I will give thee my soul in the other. ’Tis a good bargain.”But the devil never came.And he, restless, always in anguish and melancholy, was soon like an old man to look at, and was given the name throughout the country of the Ill-favoured Lord.And his heart was swollen with hatred and anger. And he cursed God.VII.Of the Prince of the Stones and of the song.One day in the season of plum-picking, having roved over the whole countryside, and even as far as Lille, on the way back to his castle he passed through a wood. Ambling along he saw among the undergrowth, alongside an oak, a stone which was of great length and broad in proportion.And he said: “That will make me a good seat, comfortable enough to rest on for a little while.” And sitting down on the stone he once again prayed to the devil to let him have health and beauty.By and by, although it was still daylight, and the small birds, warblers and finches, sang in the woods joyously, and there was a bright sun and a soft wind, Sir Halewyn went off to sleep, for he was very tired.Having slept until it was night, he was suddenly awakened by a strange sound. And he saw, by the light of the high moon and the clear stars, as it were a little animal, with a coat like a mossy stone, who was scratching up the earth beneath the rock, now and again thrusting his head into the hole he had made, as a dog does hunting moles.Sir Halewyn, thinking it was some wild thing, hit at it with his sword.But the sword was broken at its touch, and a little mannikin of stone leapt up on to his shoulders, and smote his cheeks sharply with his hard hands, and said, wheezing and laughing:“Seek, Siewert Halewyn; seek song and sickle, sickle and song; seek, seek, ill-favoured one!”And so saying he hopped about like a flea on the back of the Miserable, who bent forward as he was bid, and with a piece of his sword dug in the hole. And the stony cheek of the little mannikin was alongside his own, and his two eyes lit up the hole better than lanterns would have done.And biting Halewyn’s flesh with his sharp teeth, striking him with his little fists, and with his nails pinching and pulling him, and laughing harshly, the little mannikin said:“I am the Prince of the Stones, I have fine treasures; seek, seek, Miserable!”And saying this, he pommelled him beyond endurance. “He wants,” he screamed, mocking him, “Siewert Halewyn wants strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek then, Miserable.”And he pulled out his hair in handfuls, and tore his dress with his nails until he was all in rags, and kept saying, with great bursts of laughter: “Strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek, seek, Miserable!” And he hung from his ears with his two hands, and kicked his stone feet in his face, notwithstanding that the Sire cried out with pain.And the little mannikin said: “To get strength and beauty, seek, Halewyn, a song and a sickle, seek, Sir Miserable!” And the Miserable went on scratching out the earth with his piece of sword.Suddenly the earth fell away under the stone, leaving a great hole open, and Halewyn, by the light of the mannikin’s eyes, saw a sepulchre, and within the sepulchre a man lying, who was of marvellous beauty and had none of the appearance of death.This man was clad all in white, and in his hands held a sickle, whereof both handle and blade were of gold.The Man in WhiteThe Man in White“Take the sickle,” quoth the little mannikin, thumping his head with his fists.Sir Halewyn did as he was bid, and straightway the man in the tomb became dust, and from the dust came a white flame, tall and spreading, and from the white flame a wonderfully sweet song.And suddenly all about the wood was spread a perfume of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.“Sing,” said the mannikin, and the Miserable repeated the song. While he was singing his harsh voice was changed to a voice sweeter than an angel’s, and he saw coming out of the depths of the wood a virgin of heavenly beauty and wholly naked; and she came and stood before him.“Ah,” she said, weeping, “master of the golden sickle. I come, for I must obey; do not make me suffer too much in the taking of my heart, master of the golden sickle.”Then the virgin went away into the depths of the wood; and the mannikin, bursting out into laughter, threw Sir Halewyn down on to the ground, and said:“Hast song and sickle; so shalt thou have strength and beauty; I am the Prince of the Stones; farewell, cousin.”And Halewyn, picking himself up, saw no more of either the mannikin or the naked maid; and studying well the golden sickle, and pondering in his mind what could be the meaning of the man in the tomb and the naked virgin, and inquiring within himself in perplexity what use he could make of the sickle and the sweet song, he saw suddenly on the blade a fair inscription, written in letters of fire.But he could not read the writing, for he was ignorant of all the arts; and, weeping with rage, he threw himself into the bushes, crying out: “Help me, Prince of the Stones. Leave me not to die of despair.”Thereupon the mannikin reappeared, leapt upon his shoulder, and, giving him a stout rap on the nose, read on one side of the blade of the sickle this inscription which follows:Song calls,Sickle reaps.In the heart of a maid shalt thou find:Strength, beauty, honour, riches,From the hands of a dead virgin.And upon the other side of the blade the mannikin read further:Whoso thou art shalt do this thing,Writing read and song sing:Seek well, hark and go;No man shall lay thee low.Song calls,Sickle reaps.And having read this the mannikin went away once more.Suddenly the Miserable heard a sad voice saying:“Wilt thou seek strength and beauty in death, blood, and tears?”“Yes,” said he.“Ambitious heart, heart of stone,” answered the voice. Then he heard nothing more.And he gazed at the sickle with its flaming letters until such time as My Lord Chanticleer called his hens awake.VIII.What Halewyn did to the little girl cutting faggots.The Miserable was overjoyed at what had come about, and inquired within himself whether it would be in the heart of a virgin child or of a marriageable virgin that he would find what was promised him, and so satisfy his great desire for worship and power.Pondering this he went a little way through the wood and stationed himself near to some cottages where he knew there were maids of divers ages, and there waited until morning.Soon after the sun was up, a little girl came out, nine years old, or rather less, and began collecting and cutting up faggots.Going up to her, he sang the song and showed her the sickle.Whereupon she cried out in fear, and ran away as fast as she could.But Halewyn, having quickly overtaken her, dragged her off by force to his castle.Going in, he met on the bridge his lady mother, who said to him: “Where goest thou, Miserable, with this child?”He answered:“To bring honour to our house.”And his lady mother let him pass, thinking him mad.He went into his room, opened the side of the girl beneath a breast just budding, cut out the heart with the sickle, and drank the blood.But he got no more strength from it than he had before.And weeping bitter tears, he cried: “The sickle has played me false.” And he threw down into the moat both the heart and the body.And the lady Halewyn seeing this poor heart and body dropping into the water, ordered that they should be taken out and brought to her.Seeing the body rent open under the breast, and the heart taken out, she became afraid lest Siewert her first-born was following dark practices.And she put the girl’s heart back in her breast, and gave her a very fine and Christian burial, and had a fair great cross made on her winding-sheet, and afterwards she was put in the ground and a fair mass said for the quiet of her soul.IX.Of the heart of a maid and of the great strength which came to Sir Halewyn.Sorely troubled, and falling on his knees, Halewyn said: “Alas, is the spell then impotent? I sang, and she would not come to my singing! What would you have me do now, Lord Prince of the Stones? If it is that I must wait until nightfall, that I will do. Then, without doubt, having no sun to hinder your powers, you will give me strength and beauty, and all prowess, and you will send me the virgin I need.”And he went at night to wander in the woods round about the cottages, and there, singing his song, and looking out to see if any were coming.He saw by the light of the bright moon the daughter of Claes, a poor mad man, nicknamed the Dog-beater, because he used to thump and pommel grievously whomever he met, saying that these accursed dogs had robbed him of his coat, and must give it him back again.This girl took care of Claes very well, and would not marry, though she was a beautiful maid, saying: “Since he is simple, I cannot leave him to look to himself.”And every one, seeing her so stout-hearted, gave her, one some of his cheese, another some beans, another some flour, and so they lived together without wanting for food.The Miserable stood still at the edge of the wood and sang. And the maid walked straight towards the singing and fell on her knees before him.He went home to his castle, and she followed him, and entered in with him, saying no word.On the stair he met his brother, just returned from boar-hunting, who said, in mocking wise:“Ah, is the Miserable about to get us a bastard?” And to the girl: “Well, mistress, thy heart must be fast set on my ugly brother that thou must needs follow him in this wise, without a word spoken.”But Halewyn, in a rage, hit out at his brother’s face with his sword.Then, passing him by, went up into his own room.And there, having shut fast the door, from fear of his brother, he stripped the girl quite naked, as he had seen the virgin in his vision. And the girl said that she was cold.Quickly he opened her breast with the golden blade, under the left pap.And as the maid gave the death-cry, the heart came out of itself on the blade.And the Miserable saw before his eyes the little mannikin coming out of the stones of the wall, who said to him, grinning:“Heart on heart gives strength and beauty. Halewyn shall hang the maid in the Gallows-field. And the body shall hang until the hour of God.” Then he went back into the wall.Halewyn put the heart on his breast, and felt it beating firmly and taking root in his skin. And suddenly his bent back was straightened; and his arm found such strength that he broke easily in two a heavy oaken bench; and lookingat himself in a mirror-glass he saw an image so beautiful that he could scarce tell it for his own.And he felt in his veins the fire of youth burning.Going down into the great hall he found there at supper his father, mother, brother, and sister.None of them would have known him but for his voice, which was unchanged.And his mother rose and peered into his face to see him better.And he said to her: “Woman, I am thine own son, Siewert Halewyn, the Invincible.”But his brother, whom he had but lately smitten in the face, ran towards him hotly, saying: “Cursed be the Invincible!” and struck him with his knife. But the blade snapped off like glass against the body of the Miserable; whereupon the younger brother seized him in his arms, but the Miserable tore him off and threw him to one side as if he had been a caterpillar.Then he rushed at him with his head down, like a battering-ram, but as soon as his head touched the Miserable it was cut open, and the blood ran down over his face.And his father and mother, his sister and the wounded brother, threw themselves on their knees and asked his forgiveness, begging him, since he had become so powerful, to bring them riches and honour.“That I will,” said he.X.How the Miserable robbed a Lombard goldsmith, and of the pleasant speech of the ladies and gentlewomen.On the morrow, armed only with the sickle, for he despised other arms on account of the strength which the spell gave him, Halewyn took the body of the maid to the Gallows-field and there hanged it on the tree.Then he rode off to the city of Ghent.And the ladies, gentlewomen and maidens of the town,seeing him pass by on his black horse, said among themselves: “Who is this fair horseman?”“’Tis,” he cried right proudly, “Siewert Halewyn, who was called the Ill-favoured one.”“Nay, nay,” said the bolder among them, “you are making fun of us, My Lord, or else you have been changed by a fairy.”“Yes,” said he, “and, moreover, I had fleshly knowledge of her; and so shall have of you, if I please.”At these words the ladies and gentlewomen were not at all put out.And he went to the shop of a Lombard goldsmith in that town, who had at one time and another lent him six-and-twenty florins. But the goldsmith did not know him for himself.He told him that he was Sir Halewyn.“Ah,” said the goldsmith, “then I pray, My Lord, that you will repay me my six-and-twenty florins.”But Halewyn, laughing: “Take me,” he said, “to the room where thou keepest thy gold.”“My Lord,” said the goldsmith, “that I will not, for all that I hold you in high esteem.”“Dog,” said he, “if thou dost not obey me I will strike thee dead instantly.”“Ha!” said the goldsmith, “do not come blustering here, My Lord, for I am neither serf nor peasant, but a free burgess of this town. And if you are so minded as to lay your hands on me, I shall know how to get redress, I promise you.”Then Halewyn struck him, and the burgess called for help.Hearing this cry, apprentices to the number of six came down into the shop, and, seeing Halewyn, ran to seize him.But he beat them off likewise and bade them show him where the gold was kept.Which they did, saying one to another: “This is the Devil.”And the goldsmith, weeping: “My Lord,” said he, “do not take it all.”“I shall take what I will,” said Halewyn; and he filled his money-bag.And in this way he took from the goldsmith more than seven hundred goldenbezants.Then, seeing the poor man lamenting his lot, he struck him two or three hard blows, telling him not to whine so loud, and that before the month was out he would take from him double the amount.XI.Of the arrogant arms of Sir Halewyn.And the Miserable became the richest, most powerful, and most feared baron in the whole province.And blasphemously he compared himself to God.And considering that the old arms of Dirk, and his device, were too mean for his new magnificence:He sent to Bruges for painters in heraldry to fashion them afresh.These painters put the old crow away in one quarter, and on a fieldargentandsableblazoned a heartgulesand a sickleor, with this device:None can stand against me.Moreover, he had this same blazon fashioned into a great standard which was flown from his castle keep. And also had it cut in stone over the gate. And on his shield, which he caused to be made larger so that the arrogant device might be seen to better advantage. And on his arms, his clothes, and wherever it could be put, there he had it as well.XII.How Sir Halewyn jousted with a knight of England.It so happened that at about this time My Lord of Flanders let call a tournament.And sent out to all his lords and barons to come to Ghent for that purpose.Halewyn went thither and set up his shield among the others.But the barons and lords, seeing the arrogant device and the great size of the shield, were greatly put to offence thereat.And all of them jousted with him, but each was overthrown in turn.Among them was present an English knight of much prowess, who rode out to the middle of the tourney-field and stood straight and proud before Sir Halewyn.“Well,” quoth he, “My Lord the Invincible, it displeases me to see thee planted there so arrogantly and unhorsing us all in this fashion. Wilt thou fight with me?”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“If I overcome thee, thou shalt be my servant and I shall take thee with me into Cornwall.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“And cause thee to grease my horses’ hooves, and empty the dung from the stable; and find out whether thou art invincible at such work also.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“And if thou art not invincible, the invincible stick shall thrash thee invincibly.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“But if thou overcome me, this shall be thy guerdon:“Five-and-twentybezantswhich are in the house of thy Lord, the noble Count of Flanders; all the accoutrement of my horse, which is of fine mail; his fair saddle of pear-wood, covered with leather, and saddle-bows richly figured with ten horsemen lustily fighting and with Our Lord driving out the devil from one possessed; furthermore my helm of fine wrought steel, and on it a crest of silver, gilt over, with spread wings, which may very well, notwithstanding thy device, stand against thy bleeding heart, thy gaping sickle, and thy miserable crow. Well, My Lord the Invincible, dost think thou shalt win invincibly the five-and-twentybezants, the helm of my head, and the trappings of my horse?”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.Then, after My Lord himself had given the signal, they ran together with a great clatter.And the English knight was overthrown like the rest.Then all the ladies acclaimed and applauded the Miserable, crying out: “Worship to Siewert Halewyn the noble, Siewert Halewyn the Fleming, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible.”And on his way back to the house of My Lord, there to feast with him, he was by these ladies kissed, fondled, and made much of without stint.And, putting on the gear of the English knight, he went off to the towns of Bruges, Lille, and Ghent, thieving and ravishing everywhere.And came back from each expedition with much booty.And felt the heart all the while pouring live strength into his breast and beating against his skin.Then he went back to his own castle with the five-and-twentybezantsand the arms of the knight of England.When he sounded the horn there came to him his mother, who, seeing him so gilt over, was overcome with joy, and cried: “He brings us riches, as he promised.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.And she fell at his feet and kissed them.As also did the younger brother, saying: “Sir Brother thou hast lifted us up from poverty, I will willingly serve thee.”“So shouldst thou, indeed,” said Halewyn. Then, going into the hall: “I would sup,” he said, “thou, woman, fetch me meat, and thou, fellow, drink.”And on the morrow, and every day thereafter, he made to serve him at table, as if they had been his private servants, his father, mother, brother, and sister, turn by turn.XIII.Of the heart dried up and of the dame Halewyn.But one morning while he was at meat in his castle, when his father and sister were gone to Bruges to buy corn-coloured cloth-of-scarlet for their clothes,And he was being served, with all humility, by his mother and brother,He became suddenly quite cold, for the heart had ceased to beat.Putting his hand to his breast, he touched dried-up skin.Then he felt his face go back as it was before, his shoulders shrink down, his back hump up, and all his body lessen in stature.Looking at his mother and brother in turn, he saw them laughing and saying to each other: “See, here is our master back in his old ugly skin, and with his old ugly face.”“Ha, My Lord,” said his brother, coming boldly up to him and speaking insolently, “will you not take some of thisclauwaertto hearten yourself? You have no longer, it seems, your former strength.”“Wilt try it?” said the Miserable, and struck him with his fist, but did him no more hurt than if he had been a fly.Seeing this the younger brother grew bolder, and seating himself close to Halewyn on the seat:“My lord,” said he, “you have had pudding enough, I think, ’tis my turn to eat.”And he took the pudding from off his platter.“My lord son,” said his mother, “now you shall give to me, who am old, some of this old wine you have kept for yourself.”And she took the cup out of his hand.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “methinks you have too much of this roast of lamb with sweet chestnuts; I will take it, if you please.”And he put the roast of lamb before his own place.“My lord son,” said his mother, “you do not much like, it seems, this fair cheese and barley tart, give it to me, I pray you.”And the Miserable, dumbfounded, gave it to her.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “you havebeen sitting there long enough like an emperor, will you be pleased to stir your limbs now and serve us?”And the Miserable, getting up, served them as he was bidden.“My lord son,” said his mother, “I see you now submissive to our orders, will you be pleased to ask my pardon for having so long kept me standing like a private servant, fetching you food and drink, though I am your mother?”And the Miserable fell at her feet.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “wilt thou be pleased to fall at my feet likewise, and kiss them, for that thou hast made me do the work of a serf?”“That I will not,” said the Miserable.“Thou wilt not?”“I will not,” said the Miserable, and stepped back a pace.“Come hither,” said his brother.“I will not,” said the Miserable.Then the younger ran at him, and, bearing him to the ground without difficulty, began thumping and pommelling him, and striking him in the face with his golden spurs, saying: “Avenge thyself, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible. None can stand against thee, save I. Thou hast long treated us as serfs in thy house, now I will treat thee as a cheese and crush thee underfoot. Why dost thou not now caper as a kid, or fly away as a bird, Siewert the enchanted?” and, going into a frenzy of rage, he drew his knife, saying: “I will cut thee off thy head unless thou cry mercy.”“I will not,” said the Miserable.But his mother, hearing these words, took quickly from the fire a handful of embers, and notwithstanding their heat, threw them into the eyes and mouth of the younger brother, saying: “Thou shalt not kill my first-born, wicked son.”And while the younger brother was howling by reason of the pain from the embers, which blinded him, his mother took the knife from him, and while he was twisting this wayand that, swinging up his arms to strike whomever he could, she threw him down, shut him up in the room, and went out dragging her first-born after her. Then, although she was feeble with age, she carried Halewyn up into the tower on her back, as a shepherd carries a lamb (for he had quite lost his senses), and there tended him and bathed his face and breast, which were torn and bleeding, and there at nightfall left him and went away.XIV.Of the great weakness of Sir Halewyn and of the days and nights which he spent in the forest.The Miserable, alone and somewhat comforted, rose to his feet, and was right glad to feel the sickle still at his belt; opened the door, listened to make sure that he could hear nothing, and that his brother was not there.And when the night was fully dark, went down the stair slowly, sitting-wise.For he was so weakened by the blows and wounds he had received that he could not hold himself upright by any means; and in this fashion he went on until he reached the bridge, and, finding that still down, crossed over it.And very wearily he made his way to the forest.But he could not, on account of his weakness, go so far as the cottages, which were a good two leagues distant to the northward.So, lying down among the leaves, he sang.But no maid came, for the song could not be heard from so far away.And so passed the first day.When night came again, cold rain began to fall, which sent him into a fever. But notwithstanding this he would not go back to his castle, for fear of his brother. Shivering, and with his teeth a-chatter, he dragged himself northward through the brake, and saw in a clearing a fair pretty maid, rosy-cheeked, fresh, slender, and neat, and he sang his song. But the girl did not come to him.Sir Halewyn in the WoodSir Halewyn in the WoodAnd so passed the second day.That night the rain fell anew, and he could not move, so stiff was he from the cold, and he sang, but no maid came. At dawn the rain continued, and while he was lying there among the leaves a wolf came and sniffed at him, thinking him dead, but on seeing it draw near he cried out in a terrible fashion, and the wolf took fright and went off. Then he grew hungry, but could find himself nothing to eat. At vespers he sang anew, but no maid came.And so passed the third day.Towards midnight the sky cleared, and the wind grew warmer. But the Miserable, though he was suffering greatly from hunger, thirst, and weariness, dared not sleep. On the morning of the fourth day he saw a girl coming towards him who seemed to be a burgess’s daughter. The girl would have run away on seeing him, but he cried out loudly: “Help me! I am worn out with hunger and sickness.” Then she drew near to him and said: “I also am hungry.” “Art thou,” he said, “a maid? “ “Ah,” said she, “I have had to flee from Bruges, because the priests would have burnt me alive, on account of a brown mole which I have on my neck, of the size of a pea, coming, they say, from my having had fleshly commerce with the devil. But I have never seen the devil, and do not know what he is like.”He, without listening to her, asked again if she were a virgin, and, as the girl said nothing, he sang his song.But she did not move from where she stood, only saying: “You have a very sweet and strong voice for one so wasted with sickness and hunger.”Then he said to her: “I am the lord Siewert Halewyn. Go to my castle and ask to be taken to my lady mother, and without speaking to any one else, whosoever he be, tell her that her son is hard put to it in the forest with hunger, fever, and weariness, and will die before long if none bring him help.”The girl went off as he bid her, but coming out of the wood she saw in the Gallows-field the body of the maid hanging, and ran away in a fright. Passing into the territory of Sir Roel de Heurne she craved food and drink at the cottage of one of his peasants. And there she told how she had found Sir Halewyn dying of hunger. But she was told in reply that the said lord was crueller and more wicked than the devil himself, and should be left to be eaten by the wolves and other beasts of the forest.And the Miserable waited, lying in the leaves in great anguish.And so passed the fourth day.And at dawn of the fifth, having seen no more of the girl, he supposed that she had been caught by the priests and taken back to Bruges to be burnt.Quite disheartened, and chilled with the cold, and saying that he would soon die, he cursed the Prince of the Stones.Nevertheless, at vespers he sang once more.And he was then by the side of a forest way.And he saw coming through the trees a fair maid, who fell on her knees before him.And he did to her as he had done to the others.Then rose full of fresh strength, vigour, and beauty, and with the heart resting against his own went off to the Gallows-field, carrying the body, and there hanged it by that of the first virgin.XV.How the Miserable, having hanged fifteen virgins in the Gallows-field, held wicked revels and cruel orgies.Sir Halewyn became most powerful and greatly feared, and killed up to fifteen virgins, whom he hanged in the Gallows-field.And he led a riotous life, eating, drinking, and carousing continually.All those ladies who had made fun of him in the days of his impotence and ugliness were brought to his castle.And having had his will of them he turned them out of doors like bitches, so wreaking upon them his evil vengeance.And from Lille, Ghent, and Bruges came the most beautiful courtesans, with their badge on their arms, and they ministered to his pleasure and to that of his friends, among whom the more evil wereDiederich Pater-noster, so called because he was a great frequenter of churches;Nellin the Wolf, who in battle attacked only the fallen, as wolves do; andBaudouin Sans Ears, who in his court of justice always cried: “Death, death,” without waiting to hear any defence whatever.In company with the fair courtesans these same lords held revels and orgies without end, and took from their poor peasants all they had, corn, cheese, jewels, cocks, oxen, calves, and swine.Then, having stuffed themselves as full as they could hold, threw to their dogs choice viands and rich cakes.Gave to be broken and pounded up for their hawks and falcons, the meat of fowls, cockerels, and doves; had the hooves of their horses bathed in wine.Oftentimes until midnight, or even until cock-crow, there would be beating of drums, trilling of pipes, squeaking of viols, skirling of bagpipes, and winding of horns, for their entertainment.

Sir HalewynI.Of the two castles.Sir Halewyn lifted up his voice in a song.And whatever maid heard that song must needs go to him straight away.And now to all good Flemings will I tell the tale of this Halewyn and his song, and of the brave maid Magtelt.There were two proud castles in the province of Flanders. In one dwelt Sir Roel de Heurne, with the lady Gonde, his good wife; Toon the Silent, his son; Magtelt, his fair daughter, and a host of pages, grooms, varlets, men-at-arms, and all the other members of the household, among whom an especial favourite was Anne-Mie, a girl of gentle blood, maid to the lady Magtelt.Of everything that was made by his peasants, Sir Roel took naught but what was the best.And the peasants said of him that it was a good master who took only as much as he needed, when he might have left them with nothing.In the other castle lived Sir Halewyn the Miserable, with his father, brother, mother, and sister, and a large following of rascals and brigands.And these were an ill-favoured crew, I can tell you, past masters of robbery, pillage, and murder, such as it is not good to meet at too close quarters.II.Of Dirk, called the Crow.This family were issue by direct line of Dirk, the first of the Halewyns, to whom was given the name of the Crow, because he was as greedy of booty as a crow is of carrion.And also because he was clad all in black, and his men with him.This Dirk, who lived in the time of the great wars, was like a thunderbolt in battle, where, with his only weapon,a heavy club, furnished with a beak at one side, he broke javelins, splintered lances, and tore away mail as if it had been cloth; and no one could well resist his onslaught. And in this manner he so frightened his enemies that when they saw Dirk and his black soldiers bearing down upon them, shouting, yelling, without fear of any one, and in great number, they gave themselves up for dead before ever battle was joined.When victory was won and the more important booty divided (whereof Dirk always secured the lion’s share and never came off badly), the other barons and their knights would leave the rest of the field to him and his followers, and would go off, saying: “The pieces are for the crow.”No other man-at-arms would dare to stay behind then, or he would have been quickly taken and slain without waiting. And thereafter Dirk’s men would begin to play the crow in earnest; cutting off fingers to get the rings on them, even of those not yet dead, who cried out to them for succour; chopping off heads and arms so that they might pull away clothes the more easily. And they even fought amongst themselves, and sometimes killed one another, over the bodies of the dead, for the sake of neck-pieces, straps of hide, or more paltry stuff still.And stayed sometimes on the battlefield over this business three days and three nights.When all the dead were stark naked they piled up their gains into carts which they brought for this purpose.And with these they returned to Dirk’s castle, there to hold high revel and have good cheer. On the way they fought the peasants, taking whatever women and girls were at all comely, and did with them what they pleased. In this way they passed their lives fighting, pillaging, robbing the helpless, and caring nothing at all for either God or devil.Dirk the Crow became exceedingly powerful and got very much worship, both by reason of his prowess in battle andfrom the fact that My Lord the Count gave him after his victories the demesne of Halewyn, with powers of seigneury, both of the higher and the lower order.And he had a fine escutcheon made for himself, wherein was a crowsableon a fieldor, with this device:The pieces are for the Crow.III.Of Sir Halewyn and how he carried himself in his youth.But to this strong Crow were born children of a quite other kind.For they were all, strangely enough, men of the quill and writing-desk, caring nothing for the fine arts of war, and despising all arms.These great clerks lost a good half of their heritage. For each year some stronger neighbour would rob them of a piece of it.And they begot puny and miserable children, with pale faces, who passed their time, as clerks are wont, lurking in corners, sitting huddled on stools, and whining chants and litanies in a melancholy fashion.Thus came to an end the good men of the line.Siewert Halewyn, who was the wretch of whom I am to tell you this tale, was as ugly, puny, woebegone, and sour-faced as the others, or even worse than they.And like them he was always lurking and hiding in corners, and shirking company, hated the sound of laughter, sweated ill-humour, and, moreover, was never seen to lift his head skywards like an honest man, but was all the while looking down at his boots, wept without reason, grumbled without cause, and never had any satisfaction in anything. For the rest he was a coward and cruel, delighting during his childhood in teasing, frightening and hurting puppies and kittens, sparrows, thrushes, finches, nightingales, and all small beasts.And even when he was older, he hardly dared to attack so large a thing as a wolf, though he were armed with hisgreat sword. But as soon as the beast was brought down he would rain blows on it with high valour.So he went on until he was old enough to marry.IV.How Sir Halewyn wished to take himself a wife, and what the ladies and gentlewomen said to it.Then, since he was the oldest of the family, he was sent off to the court of the Count, there to find himself a wife. But every one laughed at him, on account of his marvellous ugliness, more particularly the ladies and gentlewomen, who made fun of him among themselves, saying:“Look at this fine knight! What is he doing here? He has come to marry us, I suppose.—Who would have him, for four castles, as many manors, ten thousand peasants and half the gold in the province? None.—And that is a pity, for between them they would get fine children, if they were to be like their father!—Ho, what fine hair he has, the devil must have limned it with an old nail; what a fine nose, ’tis like a withered plum, and what fair blue eyes, so marvellously ringed round with red.—See, he is going to cry! That will be pretty music.”And Sir Halewyn, hearing the ladies talk after this fashion, could not find a word to answer them with, for between anger, shame, and sorrow his tongue was fast stuck to the roof of his mouth.Nevertheless he would take a lance at every tournament, and every time would be shamefully overcome, and the ladies, seeing him fall, would applaud loudly, crying out: “Worship to the ill-favoured one! The old crow has lost his beak.” Thus they compared him, for his shame, with Dirk, the old stock of the Halewyns, who had been so mighty in his day. And, acclaimed in this fashion every time he jousted, Sir Halewyn would go back from the field in sorrow to his pavilion.V.How it came about that Sir Halewyn, after a certain tournament, called upon the devil for aid.At the third tournament wherein he was beaten there were on the field his father, mother, brother, and sister.And his father said:“Well, look at my fine son, Siewert the soft, Siewert the overthrown, Siewert the faint-heart, coming back from jousting with his tail between his legs, like a dog thrashed with a great stick.”And his mother said:“I suppose for certain that My Lord the Count has put a gold chain round thy neck, and acclaimed thee publicly, for having so valiantly in this jousting jousted on thy back, as in the old days my lord of Beaufort was wont to make thee do. Holy God! that was a fine tumble.”And his sister said:“Welcome, my fair brother, what news do you bring? Thou wert the victor for certain, as I see from thy triumphant mien. But where is the wreath of the ladies?”And his brother said:“Where is your lordly bearing, My Lord Siewert Halewyn the elder, descendant of the Crow with the great beak? For such a Crow vanquishes without much trouble eagles, goshawks, shrikes, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks. Are you not thirsty, my brother, with the thirst of a baron, of a victor, I will not say of a villein? We have here some fine frog’s wine, which will cool the fires of victory in your belly.”“Ha,” answered the Sire, grinding his teeth, “if God gave me strength, I would make thee sing a different song Sir Brother.”And saying this, he pulled out his sword to do so, but the younger, parrying his thrust, cried out:“Bravo, uncrowlike Crow! Bravo, capon! Raise up our house, I beg of thee, Siewert the victorious!”“Ha,” said the Sire, “and why does this chatterer not go and joust as well as I? But he would not dare, beingthat kind of coward who looks on at others, folding his arms and making fun of those who strive.”Then he dismounted from his horse, went off and hid himself in his chamber, cried out to the four walls in a rage, prayed to the devil to give him strength and beauty, and promised him, on the oath of a knight, that he would give him his soul in exchange.So he called on him all through the night, crying out, weeping, bewailing his lot, minded at times even to kill himself. But the devil did not come, being busy elsewhere.VI.Of the rovings and wanderings of Sir Halewyn.Every day after this, whether it were fair or foul, light sky or dark, storm or gentle breeze, rain, snow, or hail, Sir Halewyn wandered alone through the fields and woods.And children, seeing him, ran away in fear.“Ah,” said he, “I must be very ugly!” And he went on with his wandering.But if on his way he met some common man who had strength and beauty, he would bear down on him and oftentimes kill him with his sword.And every one grew to shun him, and to pray to God that he would soon remove their Lord from this world.And every night, Sir Halewyn called on the devil.But the devil would not come.“Ah,” said the Sire sorrowfully, “if thou wilt only give me strength and beauty in this life, I will give thee my soul in the other. ’Tis a good bargain.”But the devil never came.And he, restless, always in anguish and melancholy, was soon like an old man to look at, and was given the name throughout the country of the Ill-favoured Lord.And his heart was swollen with hatred and anger. And he cursed God.VII.Of the Prince of the Stones and of the song.One day in the season of plum-picking, having roved over the whole countryside, and even as far as Lille, on the way back to his castle he passed through a wood. Ambling along he saw among the undergrowth, alongside an oak, a stone which was of great length and broad in proportion.And he said: “That will make me a good seat, comfortable enough to rest on for a little while.” And sitting down on the stone he once again prayed to the devil to let him have health and beauty.By and by, although it was still daylight, and the small birds, warblers and finches, sang in the woods joyously, and there was a bright sun and a soft wind, Sir Halewyn went off to sleep, for he was very tired.Having slept until it was night, he was suddenly awakened by a strange sound. And he saw, by the light of the high moon and the clear stars, as it were a little animal, with a coat like a mossy stone, who was scratching up the earth beneath the rock, now and again thrusting his head into the hole he had made, as a dog does hunting moles.Sir Halewyn, thinking it was some wild thing, hit at it with his sword.But the sword was broken at its touch, and a little mannikin of stone leapt up on to his shoulders, and smote his cheeks sharply with his hard hands, and said, wheezing and laughing:“Seek, Siewert Halewyn; seek song and sickle, sickle and song; seek, seek, ill-favoured one!”And so saying he hopped about like a flea on the back of the Miserable, who bent forward as he was bid, and with a piece of his sword dug in the hole. And the stony cheek of the little mannikin was alongside his own, and his two eyes lit up the hole better than lanterns would have done.And biting Halewyn’s flesh with his sharp teeth, striking him with his little fists, and with his nails pinching and pulling him, and laughing harshly, the little mannikin said:“I am the Prince of the Stones, I have fine treasures; seek, seek, Miserable!”And saying this, he pommelled him beyond endurance. “He wants,” he screamed, mocking him, “Siewert Halewyn wants strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek then, Miserable.”And he pulled out his hair in handfuls, and tore his dress with his nails until he was all in rags, and kept saying, with great bursts of laughter: “Strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek, seek, Miserable!” And he hung from his ears with his two hands, and kicked his stone feet in his face, notwithstanding that the Sire cried out with pain.And the little mannikin said: “To get strength and beauty, seek, Halewyn, a song and a sickle, seek, Sir Miserable!” And the Miserable went on scratching out the earth with his piece of sword.Suddenly the earth fell away under the stone, leaving a great hole open, and Halewyn, by the light of the mannikin’s eyes, saw a sepulchre, and within the sepulchre a man lying, who was of marvellous beauty and had none of the appearance of death.This man was clad all in white, and in his hands held a sickle, whereof both handle and blade were of gold.The Man in WhiteThe Man in White“Take the sickle,” quoth the little mannikin, thumping his head with his fists.Sir Halewyn did as he was bid, and straightway the man in the tomb became dust, and from the dust came a white flame, tall and spreading, and from the white flame a wonderfully sweet song.And suddenly all about the wood was spread a perfume of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.“Sing,” said the mannikin, and the Miserable repeated the song. While he was singing his harsh voice was changed to a voice sweeter than an angel’s, and he saw coming out of the depths of the wood a virgin of heavenly beauty and wholly naked; and she came and stood before him.“Ah,” she said, weeping, “master of the golden sickle. I come, for I must obey; do not make me suffer too much in the taking of my heart, master of the golden sickle.”Then the virgin went away into the depths of the wood; and the mannikin, bursting out into laughter, threw Sir Halewyn down on to the ground, and said:“Hast song and sickle; so shalt thou have strength and beauty; I am the Prince of the Stones; farewell, cousin.”And Halewyn, picking himself up, saw no more of either the mannikin or the naked maid; and studying well the golden sickle, and pondering in his mind what could be the meaning of the man in the tomb and the naked virgin, and inquiring within himself in perplexity what use he could make of the sickle and the sweet song, he saw suddenly on the blade a fair inscription, written in letters of fire.But he could not read the writing, for he was ignorant of all the arts; and, weeping with rage, he threw himself into the bushes, crying out: “Help me, Prince of the Stones. Leave me not to die of despair.”Thereupon the mannikin reappeared, leapt upon his shoulder, and, giving him a stout rap on the nose, read on one side of the blade of the sickle this inscription which follows:Song calls,Sickle reaps.In the heart of a maid shalt thou find:Strength, beauty, honour, riches,From the hands of a dead virgin.And upon the other side of the blade the mannikin read further:Whoso thou art shalt do this thing,Writing read and song sing:Seek well, hark and go;No man shall lay thee low.Song calls,Sickle reaps.And having read this the mannikin went away once more.Suddenly the Miserable heard a sad voice saying:“Wilt thou seek strength and beauty in death, blood, and tears?”“Yes,” said he.“Ambitious heart, heart of stone,” answered the voice. Then he heard nothing more.And he gazed at the sickle with its flaming letters until such time as My Lord Chanticleer called his hens awake.VIII.What Halewyn did to the little girl cutting faggots.The Miserable was overjoyed at what had come about, and inquired within himself whether it would be in the heart of a virgin child or of a marriageable virgin that he would find what was promised him, and so satisfy his great desire for worship and power.Pondering this he went a little way through the wood and stationed himself near to some cottages where he knew there were maids of divers ages, and there waited until morning.Soon after the sun was up, a little girl came out, nine years old, or rather less, and began collecting and cutting up faggots.Going up to her, he sang the song and showed her the sickle.Whereupon she cried out in fear, and ran away as fast as she could.But Halewyn, having quickly overtaken her, dragged her off by force to his castle.Going in, he met on the bridge his lady mother, who said to him: “Where goest thou, Miserable, with this child?”He answered:“To bring honour to our house.”And his lady mother let him pass, thinking him mad.He went into his room, opened the side of the girl beneath a breast just budding, cut out the heart with the sickle, and drank the blood.But he got no more strength from it than he had before.And weeping bitter tears, he cried: “The sickle has played me false.” And he threw down into the moat both the heart and the body.And the lady Halewyn seeing this poor heart and body dropping into the water, ordered that they should be taken out and brought to her.Seeing the body rent open under the breast, and the heart taken out, she became afraid lest Siewert her first-born was following dark practices.And she put the girl’s heart back in her breast, and gave her a very fine and Christian burial, and had a fair great cross made on her winding-sheet, and afterwards she was put in the ground and a fair mass said for the quiet of her soul.IX.Of the heart of a maid and of the great strength which came to Sir Halewyn.Sorely troubled, and falling on his knees, Halewyn said: “Alas, is the spell then impotent? I sang, and she would not come to my singing! What would you have me do now, Lord Prince of the Stones? If it is that I must wait until nightfall, that I will do. Then, without doubt, having no sun to hinder your powers, you will give me strength and beauty, and all prowess, and you will send me the virgin I need.”And he went at night to wander in the woods round about the cottages, and there, singing his song, and looking out to see if any were coming.He saw by the light of the bright moon the daughter of Claes, a poor mad man, nicknamed the Dog-beater, because he used to thump and pommel grievously whomever he met, saying that these accursed dogs had robbed him of his coat, and must give it him back again.This girl took care of Claes very well, and would not marry, though she was a beautiful maid, saying: “Since he is simple, I cannot leave him to look to himself.”And every one, seeing her so stout-hearted, gave her, one some of his cheese, another some beans, another some flour, and so they lived together without wanting for food.The Miserable stood still at the edge of the wood and sang. And the maid walked straight towards the singing and fell on her knees before him.He went home to his castle, and she followed him, and entered in with him, saying no word.On the stair he met his brother, just returned from boar-hunting, who said, in mocking wise:“Ah, is the Miserable about to get us a bastard?” And to the girl: “Well, mistress, thy heart must be fast set on my ugly brother that thou must needs follow him in this wise, without a word spoken.”But Halewyn, in a rage, hit out at his brother’s face with his sword.Then, passing him by, went up into his own room.And there, having shut fast the door, from fear of his brother, he stripped the girl quite naked, as he had seen the virgin in his vision. And the girl said that she was cold.Quickly he opened her breast with the golden blade, under the left pap.And as the maid gave the death-cry, the heart came out of itself on the blade.And the Miserable saw before his eyes the little mannikin coming out of the stones of the wall, who said to him, grinning:“Heart on heart gives strength and beauty. Halewyn shall hang the maid in the Gallows-field. And the body shall hang until the hour of God.” Then he went back into the wall.Halewyn put the heart on his breast, and felt it beating firmly and taking root in his skin. And suddenly his bent back was straightened; and his arm found such strength that he broke easily in two a heavy oaken bench; and lookingat himself in a mirror-glass he saw an image so beautiful that he could scarce tell it for his own.And he felt in his veins the fire of youth burning.Going down into the great hall he found there at supper his father, mother, brother, and sister.None of them would have known him but for his voice, which was unchanged.And his mother rose and peered into his face to see him better.And he said to her: “Woman, I am thine own son, Siewert Halewyn, the Invincible.”But his brother, whom he had but lately smitten in the face, ran towards him hotly, saying: “Cursed be the Invincible!” and struck him with his knife. But the blade snapped off like glass against the body of the Miserable; whereupon the younger brother seized him in his arms, but the Miserable tore him off and threw him to one side as if he had been a caterpillar.Then he rushed at him with his head down, like a battering-ram, but as soon as his head touched the Miserable it was cut open, and the blood ran down over his face.And his father and mother, his sister and the wounded brother, threw themselves on their knees and asked his forgiveness, begging him, since he had become so powerful, to bring them riches and honour.“That I will,” said he.X.How the Miserable robbed a Lombard goldsmith, and of the pleasant speech of the ladies and gentlewomen.On the morrow, armed only with the sickle, for he despised other arms on account of the strength which the spell gave him, Halewyn took the body of the maid to the Gallows-field and there hanged it on the tree.Then he rode off to the city of Ghent.And the ladies, gentlewomen and maidens of the town,seeing him pass by on his black horse, said among themselves: “Who is this fair horseman?”“’Tis,” he cried right proudly, “Siewert Halewyn, who was called the Ill-favoured one.”“Nay, nay,” said the bolder among them, “you are making fun of us, My Lord, or else you have been changed by a fairy.”“Yes,” said he, “and, moreover, I had fleshly knowledge of her; and so shall have of you, if I please.”At these words the ladies and gentlewomen were not at all put out.And he went to the shop of a Lombard goldsmith in that town, who had at one time and another lent him six-and-twenty florins. But the goldsmith did not know him for himself.He told him that he was Sir Halewyn.“Ah,” said the goldsmith, “then I pray, My Lord, that you will repay me my six-and-twenty florins.”But Halewyn, laughing: “Take me,” he said, “to the room where thou keepest thy gold.”“My Lord,” said the goldsmith, “that I will not, for all that I hold you in high esteem.”“Dog,” said he, “if thou dost not obey me I will strike thee dead instantly.”“Ha!” said the goldsmith, “do not come blustering here, My Lord, for I am neither serf nor peasant, but a free burgess of this town. And if you are so minded as to lay your hands on me, I shall know how to get redress, I promise you.”Then Halewyn struck him, and the burgess called for help.Hearing this cry, apprentices to the number of six came down into the shop, and, seeing Halewyn, ran to seize him.But he beat them off likewise and bade them show him where the gold was kept.Which they did, saying one to another: “This is the Devil.”And the goldsmith, weeping: “My Lord,” said he, “do not take it all.”“I shall take what I will,” said Halewyn; and he filled his money-bag.And in this way he took from the goldsmith more than seven hundred goldenbezants.Then, seeing the poor man lamenting his lot, he struck him two or three hard blows, telling him not to whine so loud, and that before the month was out he would take from him double the amount.XI.Of the arrogant arms of Sir Halewyn.And the Miserable became the richest, most powerful, and most feared baron in the whole province.And blasphemously he compared himself to God.And considering that the old arms of Dirk, and his device, were too mean for his new magnificence:He sent to Bruges for painters in heraldry to fashion them afresh.These painters put the old crow away in one quarter, and on a fieldargentandsableblazoned a heartgulesand a sickleor, with this device:None can stand against me.Moreover, he had this same blazon fashioned into a great standard which was flown from his castle keep. And also had it cut in stone over the gate. And on his shield, which he caused to be made larger so that the arrogant device might be seen to better advantage. And on his arms, his clothes, and wherever it could be put, there he had it as well.XII.How Sir Halewyn jousted with a knight of England.It so happened that at about this time My Lord of Flanders let call a tournament.And sent out to all his lords and barons to come to Ghent for that purpose.Halewyn went thither and set up his shield among the others.But the barons and lords, seeing the arrogant device and the great size of the shield, were greatly put to offence thereat.And all of them jousted with him, but each was overthrown in turn.Among them was present an English knight of much prowess, who rode out to the middle of the tourney-field and stood straight and proud before Sir Halewyn.“Well,” quoth he, “My Lord the Invincible, it displeases me to see thee planted there so arrogantly and unhorsing us all in this fashion. Wilt thou fight with me?”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“If I overcome thee, thou shalt be my servant and I shall take thee with me into Cornwall.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“And cause thee to grease my horses’ hooves, and empty the dung from the stable; and find out whether thou art invincible at such work also.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“And if thou art not invincible, the invincible stick shall thrash thee invincibly.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“But if thou overcome me, this shall be thy guerdon:“Five-and-twentybezantswhich are in the house of thy Lord, the noble Count of Flanders; all the accoutrement of my horse, which is of fine mail; his fair saddle of pear-wood, covered with leather, and saddle-bows richly figured with ten horsemen lustily fighting and with Our Lord driving out the devil from one possessed; furthermore my helm of fine wrought steel, and on it a crest of silver, gilt over, with spread wings, which may very well, notwithstanding thy device, stand against thy bleeding heart, thy gaping sickle, and thy miserable crow. Well, My Lord the Invincible, dost think thou shalt win invincibly the five-and-twentybezants, the helm of my head, and the trappings of my horse?”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.Then, after My Lord himself had given the signal, they ran together with a great clatter.And the English knight was overthrown like the rest.Then all the ladies acclaimed and applauded the Miserable, crying out: “Worship to Siewert Halewyn the noble, Siewert Halewyn the Fleming, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible.”And on his way back to the house of My Lord, there to feast with him, he was by these ladies kissed, fondled, and made much of without stint.And, putting on the gear of the English knight, he went off to the towns of Bruges, Lille, and Ghent, thieving and ravishing everywhere.And came back from each expedition with much booty.And felt the heart all the while pouring live strength into his breast and beating against his skin.Then he went back to his own castle with the five-and-twentybezantsand the arms of the knight of England.When he sounded the horn there came to him his mother, who, seeing him so gilt over, was overcome with joy, and cried: “He brings us riches, as he promised.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.And she fell at his feet and kissed them.As also did the younger brother, saying: “Sir Brother thou hast lifted us up from poverty, I will willingly serve thee.”“So shouldst thou, indeed,” said Halewyn. Then, going into the hall: “I would sup,” he said, “thou, woman, fetch me meat, and thou, fellow, drink.”And on the morrow, and every day thereafter, he made to serve him at table, as if they had been his private servants, his father, mother, brother, and sister, turn by turn.XIII.Of the heart dried up and of the dame Halewyn.But one morning while he was at meat in his castle, when his father and sister were gone to Bruges to buy corn-coloured cloth-of-scarlet for their clothes,And he was being served, with all humility, by his mother and brother,He became suddenly quite cold, for the heart had ceased to beat.Putting his hand to his breast, he touched dried-up skin.Then he felt his face go back as it was before, his shoulders shrink down, his back hump up, and all his body lessen in stature.Looking at his mother and brother in turn, he saw them laughing and saying to each other: “See, here is our master back in his old ugly skin, and with his old ugly face.”“Ha, My Lord,” said his brother, coming boldly up to him and speaking insolently, “will you not take some of thisclauwaertto hearten yourself? You have no longer, it seems, your former strength.”“Wilt try it?” said the Miserable, and struck him with his fist, but did him no more hurt than if he had been a fly.Seeing this the younger brother grew bolder, and seating himself close to Halewyn on the seat:“My lord,” said he, “you have had pudding enough, I think, ’tis my turn to eat.”And he took the pudding from off his platter.“My lord son,” said his mother, “now you shall give to me, who am old, some of this old wine you have kept for yourself.”And she took the cup out of his hand.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “methinks you have too much of this roast of lamb with sweet chestnuts; I will take it, if you please.”And he put the roast of lamb before his own place.“My lord son,” said his mother, “you do not much like, it seems, this fair cheese and barley tart, give it to me, I pray you.”And the Miserable, dumbfounded, gave it to her.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “you havebeen sitting there long enough like an emperor, will you be pleased to stir your limbs now and serve us?”And the Miserable, getting up, served them as he was bidden.“My lord son,” said his mother, “I see you now submissive to our orders, will you be pleased to ask my pardon for having so long kept me standing like a private servant, fetching you food and drink, though I am your mother?”And the Miserable fell at her feet.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “wilt thou be pleased to fall at my feet likewise, and kiss them, for that thou hast made me do the work of a serf?”“That I will not,” said the Miserable.“Thou wilt not?”“I will not,” said the Miserable, and stepped back a pace.“Come hither,” said his brother.“I will not,” said the Miserable.Then the younger ran at him, and, bearing him to the ground without difficulty, began thumping and pommelling him, and striking him in the face with his golden spurs, saying: “Avenge thyself, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible. None can stand against thee, save I. Thou hast long treated us as serfs in thy house, now I will treat thee as a cheese and crush thee underfoot. Why dost thou not now caper as a kid, or fly away as a bird, Siewert the enchanted?” and, going into a frenzy of rage, he drew his knife, saying: “I will cut thee off thy head unless thou cry mercy.”“I will not,” said the Miserable.But his mother, hearing these words, took quickly from the fire a handful of embers, and notwithstanding their heat, threw them into the eyes and mouth of the younger brother, saying: “Thou shalt not kill my first-born, wicked son.”And while the younger brother was howling by reason of the pain from the embers, which blinded him, his mother took the knife from him, and while he was twisting this wayand that, swinging up his arms to strike whomever he could, she threw him down, shut him up in the room, and went out dragging her first-born after her. Then, although she was feeble with age, she carried Halewyn up into the tower on her back, as a shepherd carries a lamb (for he had quite lost his senses), and there tended him and bathed his face and breast, which were torn and bleeding, and there at nightfall left him and went away.XIV.Of the great weakness of Sir Halewyn and of the days and nights which he spent in the forest.The Miserable, alone and somewhat comforted, rose to his feet, and was right glad to feel the sickle still at his belt; opened the door, listened to make sure that he could hear nothing, and that his brother was not there.And when the night was fully dark, went down the stair slowly, sitting-wise.For he was so weakened by the blows and wounds he had received that he could not hold himself upright by any means; and in this fashion he went on until he reached the bridge, and, finding that still down, crossed over it.And very wearily he made his way to the forest.But he could not, on account of his weakness, go so far as the cottages, which were a good two leagues distant to the northward.So, lying down among the leaves, he sang.But no maid came, for the song could not be heard from so far away.And so passed the first day.When night came again, cold rain began to fall, which sent him into a fever. But notwithstanding this he would not go back to his castle, for fear of his brother. Shivering, and with his teeth a-chatter, he dragged himself northward through the brake, and saw in a clearing a fair pretty maid, rosy-cheeked, fresh, slender, and neat, and he sang his song. But the girl did not come to him.Sir Halewyn in the WoodSir Halewyn in the WoodAnd so passed the second day.That night the rain fell anew, and he could not move, so stiff was he from the cold, and he sang, but no maid came. At dawn the rain continued, and while he was lying there among the leaves a wolf came and sniffed at him, thinking him dead, but on seeing it draw near he cried out in a terrible fashion, and the wolf took fright and went off. Then he grew hungry, but could find himself nothing to eat. At vespers he sang anew, but no maid came.And so passed the third day.Towards midnight the sky cleared, and the wind grew warmer. But the Miserable, though he was suffering greatly from hunger, thirst, and weariness, dared not sleep. On the morning of the fourth day he saw a girl coming towards him who seemed to be a burgess’s daughter. The girl would have run away on seeing him, but he cried out loudly: “Help me! I am worn out with hunger and sickness.” Then she drew near to him and said: “I also am hungry.” “Art thou,” he said, “a maid? “ “Ah,” said she, “I have had to flee from Bruges, because the priests would have burnt me alive, on account of a brown mole which I have on my neck, of the size of a pea, coming, they say, from my having had fleshly commerce with the devil. But I have never seen the devil, and do not know what he is like.”He, without listening to her, asked again if she were a virgin, and, as the girl said nothing, he sang his song.But she did not move from where she stood, only saying: “You have a very sweet and strong voice for one so wasted with sickness and hunger.”Then he said to her: “I am the lord Siewert Halewyn. Go to my castle and ask to be taken to my lady mother, and without speaking to any one else, whosoever he be, tell her that her son is hard put to it in the forest with hunger, fever, and weariness, and will die before long if none bring him help.”The girl went off as he bid her, but coming out of the wood she saw in the Gallows-field the body of the maid hanging, and ran away in a fright. Passing into the territory of Sir Roel de Heurne she craved food and drink at the cottage of one of his peasants. And there she told how she had found Sir Halewyn dying of hunger. But she was told in reply that the said lord was crueller and more wicked than the devil himself, and should be left to be eaten by the wolves and other beasts of the forest.And the Miserable waited, lying in the leaves in great anguish.And so passed the fourth day.And at dawn of the fifth, having seen no more of the girl, he supposed that she had been caught by the priests and taken back to Bruges to be burnt.Quite disheartened, and chilled with the cold, and saying that he would soon die, he cursed the Prince of the Stones.Nevertheless, at vespers he sang once more.And he was then by the side of a forest way.And he saw coming through the trees a fair maid, who fell on her knees before him.And he did to her as he had done to the others.Then rose full of fresh strength, vigour, and beauty, and with the heart resting against his own went off to the Gallows-field, carrying the body, and there hanged it by that of the first virgin.XV.How the Miserable, having hanged fifteen virgins in the Gallows-field, held wicked revels and cruel orgies.Sir Halewyn became most powerful and greatly feared, and killed up to fifteen virgins, whom he hanged in the Gallows-field.And he led a riotous life, eating, drinking, and carousing continually.All those ladies who had made fun of him in the days of his impotence and ugliness were brought to his castle.And having had his will of them he turned them out of doors like bitches, so wreaking upon them his evil vengeance.And from Lille, Ghent, and Bruges came the most beautiful courtesans, with their badge on their arms, and they ministered to his pleasure and to that of his friends, among whom the more evil wereDiederich Pater-noster, so called because he was a great frequenter of churches;Nellin the Wolf, who in battle attacked only the fallen, as wolves do; andBaudouin Sans Ears, who in his court of justice always cried: “Death, death,” without waiting to hear any defence whatever.In company with the fair courtesans these same lords held revels and orgies without end, and took from their poor peasants all they had, corn, cheese, jewels, cocks, oxen, calves, and swine.Then, having stuffed themselves as full as they could hold, threw to their dogs choice viands and rich cakes.Gave to be broken and pounded up for their hawks and falcons, the meat of fowls, cockerels, and doves; had the hooves of their horses bathed in wine.Oftentimes until midnight, or even until cock-crow, there would be beating of drums, trilling of pipes, squeaking of viols, skirling of bagpipes, and winding of horns, for their entertainment.

Sir HalewynI.Of the two castles.Sir Halewyn lifted up his voice in a song.And whatever maid heard that song must needs go to him straight away.And now to all good Flemings will I tell the tale of this Halewyn and his song, and of the brave maid Magtelt.There were two proud castles in the province of Flanders. In one dwelt Sir Roel de Heurne, with the lady Gonde, his good wife; Toon the Silent, his son; Magtelt, his fair daughter, and a host of pages, grooms, varlets, men-at-arms, and all the other members of the household, among whom an especial favourite was Anne-Mie, a girl of gentle blood, maid to the lady Magtelt.Of everything that was made by his peasants, Sir Roel took naught but what was the best.And the peasants said of him that it was a good master who took only as much as he needed, when he might have left them with nothing.In the other castle lived Sir Halewyn the Miserable, with his father, brother, mother, and sister, and a large following of rascals and brigands.And these were an ill-favoured crew, I can tell you, past masters of robbery, pillage, and murder, such as it is not good to meet at too close quarters.II.Of Dirk, called the Crow.This family were issue by direct line of Dirk, the first of the Halewyns, to whom was given the name of the Crow, because he was as greedy of booty as a crow is of carrion.And also because he was clad all in black, and his men with him.This Dirk, who lived in the time of the great wars, was like a thunderbolt in battle, where, with his only weapon,a heavy club, furnished with a beak at one side, he broke javelins, splintered lances, and tore away mail as if it had been cloth; and no one could well resist his onslaught. And in this manner he so frightened his enemies that when they saw Dirk and his black soldiers bearing down upon them, shouting, yelling, without fear of any one, and in great number, they gave themselves up for dead before ever battle was joined.When victory was won and the more important booty divided (whereof Dirk always secured the lion’s share and never came off badly), the other barons and their knights would leave the rest of the field to him and his followers, and would go off, saying: “The pieces are for the crow.”No other man-at-arms would dare to stay behind then, or he would have been quickly taken and slain without waiting. And thereafter Dirk’s men would begin to play the crow in earnest; cutting off fingers to get the rings on them, even of those not yet dead, who cried out to them for succour; chopping off heads and arms so that they might pull away clothes the more easily. And they even fought amongst themselves, and sometimes killed one another, over the bodies of the dead, for the sake of neck-pieces, straps of hide, or more paltry stuff still.And stayed sometimes on the battlefield over this business three days and three nights.When all the dead were stark naked they piled up their gains into carts which they brought for this purpose.And with these they returned to Dirk’s castle, there to hold high revel and have good cheer. On the way they fought the peasants, taking whatever women and girls were at all comely, and did with them what they pleased. In this way they passed their lives fighting, pillaging, robbing the helpless, and caring nothing at all for either God or devil.Dirk the Crow became exceedingly powerful and got very much worship, both by reason of his prowess in battle andfrom the fact that My Lord the Count gave him after his victories the demesne of Halewyn, with powers of seigneury, both of the higher and the lower order.And he had a fine escutcheon made for himself, wherein was a crowsableon a fieldor, with this device:The pieces are for the Crow.III.Of Sir Halewyn and how he carried himself in his youth.But to this strong Crow were born children of a quite other kind.For they were all, strangely enough, men of the quill and writing-desk, caring nothing for the fine arts of war, and despising all arms.These great clerks lost a good half of their heritage. For each year some stronger neighbour would rob them of a piece of it.And they begot puny and miserable children, with pale faces, who passed their time, as clerks are wont, lurking in corners, sitting huddled on stools, and whining chants and litanies in a melancholy fashion.Thus came to an end the good men of the line.Siewert Halewyn, who was the wretch of whom I am to tell you this tale, was as ugly, puny, woebegone, and sour-faced as the others, or even worse than they.And like them he was always lurking and hiding in corners, and shirking company, hated the sound of laughter, sweated ill-humour, and, moreover, was never seen to lift his head skywards like an honest man, but was all the while looking down at his boots, wept without reason, grumbled without cause, and never had any satisfaction in anything. For the rest he was a coward and cruel, delighting during his childhood in teasing, frightening and hurting puppies and kittens, sparrows, thrushes, finches, nightingales, and all small beasts.And even when he was older, he hardly dared to attack so large a thing as a wolf, though he were armed with hisgreat sword. But as soon as the beast was brought down he would rain blows on it with high valour.So he went on until he was old enough to marry.IV.How Sir Halewyn wished to take himself a wife, and what the ladies and gentlewomen said to it.Then, since he was the oldest of the family, he was sent off to the court of the Count, there to find himself a wife. But every one laughed at him, on account of his marvellous ugliness, more particularly the ladies and gentlewomen, who made fun of him among themselves, saying:“Look at this fine knight! What is he doing here? He has come to marry us, I suppose.—Who would have him, for four castles, as many manors, ten thousand peasants and half the gold in the province? None.—And that is a pity, for between them they would get fine children, if they were to be like their father!—Ho, what fine hair he has, the devil must have limned it with an old nail; what a fine nose, ’tis like a withered plum, and what fair blue eyes, so marvellously ringed round with red.—See, he is going to cry! That will be pretty music.”And Sir Halewyn, hearing the ladies talk after this fashion, could not find a word to answer them with, for between anger, shame, and sorrow his tongue was fast stuck to the roof of his mouth.Nevertheless he would take a lance at every tournament, and every time would be shamefully overcome, and the ladies, seeing him fall, would applaud loudly, crying out: “Worship to the ill-favoured one! The old crow has lost his beak.” Thus they compared him, for his shame, with Dirk, the old stock of the Halewyns, who had been so mighty in his day. And, acclaimed in this fashion every time he jousted, Sir Halewyn would go back from the field in sorrow to his pavilion.V.How it came about that Sir Halewyn, after a certain tournament, called upon the devil for aid.At the third tournament wherein he was beaten there were on the field his father, mother, brother, and sister.And his father said:“Well, look at my fine son, Siewert the soft, Siewert the overthrown, Siewert the faint-heart, coming back from jousting with his tail between his legs, like a dog thrashed with a great stick.”And his mother said:“I suppose for certain that My Lord the Count has put a gold chain round thy neck, and acclaimed thee publicly, for having so valiantly in this jousting jousted on thy back, as in the old days my lord of Beaufort was wont to make thee do. Holy God! that was a fine tumble.”And his sister said:“Welcome, my fair brother, what news do you bring? Thou wert the victor for certain, as I see from thy triumphant mien. But where is the wreath of the ladies?”And his brother said:“Where is your lordly bearing, My Lord Siewert Halewyn the elder, descendant of the Crow with the great beak? For such a Crow vanquishes without much trouble eagles, goshawks, shrikes, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks. Are you not thirsty, my brother, with the thirst of a baron, of a victor, I will not say of a villein? We have here some fine frog’s wine, which will cool the fires of victory in your belly.”“Ha,” answered the Sire, grinding his teeth, “if God gave me strength, I would make thee sing a different song Sir Brother.”And saying this, he pulled out his sword to do so, but the younger, parrying his thrust, cried out:“Bravo, uncrowlike Crow! Bravo, capon! Raise up our house, I beg of thee, Siewert the victorious!”“Ha,” said the Sire, “and why does this chatterer not go and joust as well as I? But he would not dare, beingthat kind of coward who looks on at others, folding his arms and making fun of those who strive.”Then he dismounted from his horse, went off and hid himself in his chamber, cried out to the four walls in a rage, prayed to the devil to give him strength and beauty, and promised him, on the oath of a knight, that he would give him his soul in exchange.So he called on him all through the night, crying out, weeping, bewailing his lot, minded at times even to kill himself. But the devil did not come, being busy elsewhere.VI.Of the rovings and wanderings of Sir Halewyn.Every day after this, whether it were fair or foul, light sky or dark, storm or gentle breeze, rain, snow, or hail, Sir Halewyn wandered alone through the fields and woods.And children, seeing him, ran away in fear.“Ah,” said he, “I must be very ugly!” And he went on with his wandering.But if on his way he met some common man who had strength and beauty, he would bear down on him and oftentimes kill him with his sword.And every one grew to shun him, and to pray to God that he would soon remove their Lord from this world.And every night, Sir Halewyn called on the devil.But the devil would not come.“Ah,” said the Sire sorrowfully, “if thou wilt only give me strength and beauty in this life, I will give thee my soul in the other. ’Tis a good bargain.”But the devil never came.And he, restless, always in anguish and melancholy, was soon like an old man to look at, and was given the name throughout the country of the Ill-favoured Lord.And his heart was swollen with hatred and anger. And he cursed God.VII.Of the Prince of the Stones and of the song.One day in the season of plum-picking, having roved over the whole countryside, and even as far as Lille, on the way back to his castle he passed through a wood. Ambling along he saw among the undergrowth, alongside an oak, a stone which was of great length and broad in proportion.And he said: “That will make me a good seat, comfortable enough to rest on for a little while.” And sitting down on the stone he once again prayed to the devil to let him have health and beauty.By and by, although it was still daylight, and the small birds, warblers and finches, sang in the woods joyously, and there was a bright sun and a soft wind, Sir Halewyn went off to sleep, for he was very tired.Having slept until it was night, he was suddenly awakened by a strange sound. And he saw, by the light of the high moon and the clear stars, as it were a little animal, with a coat like a mossy stone, who was scratching up the earth beneath the rock, now and again thrusting his head into the hole he had made, as a dog does hunting moles.Sir Halewyn, thinking it was some wild thing, hit at it with his sword.But the sword was broken at its touch, and a little mannikin of stone leapt up on to his shoulders, and smote his cheeks sharply with his hard hands, and said, wheezing and laughing:“Seek, Siewert Halewyn; seek song and sickle, sickle and song; seek, seek, ill-favoured one!”And so saying he hopped about like a flea on the back of the Miserable, who bent forward as he was bid, and with a piece of his sword dug in the hole. And the stony cheek of the little mannikin was alongside his own, and his two eyes lit up the hole better than lanterns would have done.And biting Halewyn’s flesh with his sharp teeth, striking him with his little fists, and with his nails pinching and pulling him, and laughing harshly, the little mannikin said:“I am the Prince of the Stones, I have fine treasures; seek, seek, Miserable!”And saying this, he pommelled him beyond endurance. “He wants,” he screamed, mocking him, “Siewert Halewyn wants strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek then, Miserable.”And he pulled out his hair in handfuls, and tore his dress with his nails until he was all in rags, and kept saying, with great bursts of laughter: “Strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek, seek, Miserable!” And he hung from his ears with his two hands, and kicked his stone feet in his face, notwithstanding that the Sire cried out with pain.And the little mannikin said: “To get strength and beauty, seek, Halewyn, a song and a sickle, seek, Sir Miserable!” And the Miserable went on scratching out the earth with his piece of sword.Suddenly the earth fell away under the stone, leaving a great hole open, and Halewyn, by the light of the mannikin’s eyes, saw a sepulchre, and within the sepulchre a man lying, who was of marvellous beauty and had none of the appearance of death.This man was clad all in white, and in his hands held a sickle, whereof both handle and blade were of gold.The Man in WhiteThe Man in White“Take the sickle,” quoth the little mannikin, thumping his head with his fists.Sir Halewyn did as he was bid, and straightway the man in the tomb became dust, and from the dust came a white flame, tall and spreading, and from the white flame a wonderfully sweet song.And suddenly all about the wood was spread a perfume of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.“Sing,” said the mannikin, and the Miserable repeated the song. While he was singing his harsh voice was changed to a voice sweeter than an angel’s, and he saw coming out of the depths of the wood a virgin of heavenly beauty and wholly naked; and she came and stood before him.“Ah,” she said, weeping, “master of the golden sickle. I come, for I must obey; do not make me suffer too much in the taking of my heart, master of the golden sickle.”Then the virgin went away into the depths of the wood; and the mannikin, bursting out into laughter, threw Sir Halewyn down on to the ground, and said:“Hast song and sickle; so shalt thou have strength and beauty; I am the Prince of the Stones; farewell, cousin.”And Halewyn, picking himself up, saw no more of either the mannikin or the naked maid; and studying well the golden sickle, and pondering in his mind what could be the meaning of the man in the tomb and the naked virgin, and inquiring within himself in perplexity what use he could make of the sickle and the sweet song, he saw suddenly on the blade a fair inscription, written in letters of fire.But he could not read the writing, for he was ignorant of all the arts; and, weeping with rage, he threw himself into the bushes, crying out: “Help me, Prince of the Stones. Leave me not to die of despair.”Thereupon the mannikin reappeared, leapt upon his shoulder, and, giving him a stout rap on the nose, read on one side of the blade of the sickle this inscription which follows:Song calls,Sickle reaps.In the heart of a maid shalt thou find:Strength, beauty, honour, riches,From the hands of a dead virgin.And upon the other side of the blade the mannikin read further:Whoso thou art shalt do this thing,Writing read and song sing:Seek well, hark and go;No man shall lay thee low.Song calls,Sickle reaps.And having read this the mannikin went away once more.Suddenly the Miserable heard a sad voice saying:“Wilt thou seek strength and beauty in death, blood, and tears?”“Yes,” said he.“Ambitious heart, heart of stone,” answered the voice. Then he heard nothing more.And he gazed at the sickle with its flaming letters until such time as My Lord Chanticleer called his hens awake.VIII.What Halewyn did to the little girl cutting faggots.The Miserable was overjoyed at what had come about, and inquired within himself whether it would be in the heart of a virgin child or of a marriageable virgin that he would find what was promised him, and so satisfy his great desire for worship and power.Pondering this he went a little way through the wood and stationed himself near to some cottages where he knew there were maids of divers ages, and there waited until morning.Soon after the sun was up, a little girl came out, nine years old, or rather less, and began collecting and cutting up faggots.Going up to her, he sang the song and showed her the sickle.Whereupon she cried out in fear, and ran away as fast as she could.But Halewyn, having quickly overtaken her, dragged her off by force to his castle.Going in, he met on the bridge his lady mother, who said to him: “Where goest thou, Miserable, with this child?”He answered:“To bring honour to our house.”And his lady mother let him pass, thinking him mad.He went into his room, opened the side of the girl beneath a breast just budding, cut out the heart with the sickle, and drank the blood.But he got no more strength from it than he had before.And weeping bitter tears, he cried: “The sickle has played me false.” And he threw down into the moat both the heart and the body.And the lady Halewyn seeing this poor heart and body dropping into the water, ordered that they should be taken out and brought to her.Seeing the body rent open under the breast, and the heart taken out, she became afraid lest Siewert her first-born was following dark practices.And she put the girl’s heart back in her breast, and gave her a very fine and Christian burial, and had a fair great cross made on her winding-sheet, and afterwards she was put in the ground and a fair mass said for the quiet of her soul.IX.Of the heart of a maid and of the great strength which came to Sir Halewyn.Sorely troubled, and falling on his knees, Halewyn said: “Alas, is the spell then impotent? I sang, and she would not come to my singing! What would you have me do now, Lord Prince of the Stones? If it is that I must wait until nightfall, that I will do. Then, without doubt, having no sun to hinder your powers, you will give me strength and beauty, and all prowess, and you will send me the virgin I need.”And he went at night to wander in the woods round about the cottages, and there, singing his song, and looking out to see if any were coming.He saw by the light of the bright moon the daughter of Claes, a poor mad man, nicknamed the Dog-beater, because he used to thump and pommel grievously whomever he met, saying that these accursed dogs had robbed him of his coat, and must give it him back again.This girl took care of Claes very well, and would not marry, though she was a beautiful maid, saying: “Since he is simple, I cannot leave him to look to himself.”And every one, seeing her so stout-hearted, gave her, one some of his cheese, another some beans, another some flour, and so they lived together without wanting for food.The Miserable stood still at the edge of the wood and sang. And the maid walked straight towards the singing and fell on her knees before him.He went home to his castle, and she followed him, and entered in with him, saying no word.On the stair he met his brother, just returned from boar-hunting, who said, in mocking wise:“Ah, is the Miserable about to get us a bastard?” And to the girl: “Well, mistress, thy heart must be fast set on my ugly brother that thou must needs follow him in this wise, without a word spoken.”But Halewyn, in a rage, hit out at his brother’s face with his sword.Then, passing him by, went up into his own room.And there, having shut fast the door, from fear of his brother, he stripped the girl quite naked, as he had seen the virgin in his vision. And the girl said that she was cold.Quickly he opened her breast with the golden blade, under the left pap.And as the maid gave the death-cry, the heart came out of itself on the blade.And the Miserable saw before his eyes the little mannikin coming out of the stones of the wall, who said to him, grinning:“Heart on heart gives strength and beauty. Halewyn shall hang the maid in the Gallows-field. And the body shall hang until the hour of God.” Then he went back into the wall.Halewyn put the heart on his breast, and felt it beating firmly and taking root in his skin. And suddenly his bent back was straightened; and his arm found such strength that he broke easily in two a heavy oaken bench; and lookingat himself in a mirror-glass he saw an image so beautiful that he could scarce tell it for his own.And he felt in his veins the fire of youth burning.Going down into the great hall he found there at supper his father, mother, brother, and sister.None of them would have known him but for his voice, which was unchanged.And his mother rose and peered into his face to see him better.And he said to her: “Woman, I am thine own son, Siewert Halewyn, the Invincible.”But his brother, whom he had but lately smitten in the face, ran towards him hotly, saying: “Cursed be the Invincible!” and struck him with his knife. But the blade snapped off like glass against the body of the Miserable; whereupon the younger brother seized him in his arms, but the Miserable tore him off and threw him to one side as if he had been a caterpillar.Then he rushed at him with his head down, like a battering-ram, but as soon as his head touched the Miserable it was cut open, and the blood ran down over his face.And his father and mother, his sister and the wounded brother, threw themselves on their knees and asked his forgiveness, begging him, since he had become so powerful, to bring them riches and honour.“That I will,” said he.X.How the Miserable robbed a Lombard goldsmith, and of the pleasant speech of the ladies and gentlewomen.On the morrow, armed only with the sickle, for he despised other arms on account of the strength which the spell gave him, Halewyn took the body of the maid to the Gallows-field and there hanged it on the tree.Then he rode off to the city of Ghent.And the ladies, gentlewomen and maidens of the town,seeing him pass by on his black horse, said among themselves: “Who is this fair horseman?”“’Tis,” he cried right proudly, “Siewert Halewyn, who was called the Ill-favoured one.”“Nay, nay,” said the bolder among them, “you are making fun of us, My Lord, or else you have been changed by a fairy.”“Yes,” said he, “and, moreover, I had fleshly knowledge of her; and so shall have of you, if I please.”At these words the ladies and gentlewomen were not at all put out.And he went to the shop of a Lombard goldsmith in that town, who had at one time and another lent him six-and-twenty florins. But the goldsmith did not know him for himself.He told him that he was Sir Halewyn.“Ah,” said the goldsmith, “then I pray, My Lord, that you will repay me my six-and-twenty florins.”But Halewyn, laughing: “Take me,” he said, “to the room where thou keepest thy gold.”“My Lord,” said the goldsmith, “that I will not, for all that I hold you in high esteem.”“Dog,” said he, “if thou dost not obey me I will strike thee dead instantly.”“Ha!” said the goldsmith, “do not come blustering here, My Lord, for I am neither serf nor peasant, but a free burgess of this town. And if you are so minded as to lay your hands on me, I shall know how to get redress, I promise you.”Then Halewyn struck him, and the burgess called for help.Hearing this cry, apprentices to the number of six came down into the shop, and, seeing Halewyn, ran to seize him.But he beat them off likewise and bade them show him where the gold was kept.Which they did, saying one to another: “This is the Devil.”And the goldsmith, weeping: “My Lord,” said he, “do not take it all.”“I shall take what I will,” said Halewyn; and he filled his money-bag.And in this way he took from the goldsmith more than seven hundred goldenbezants.Then, seeing the poor man lamenting his lot, he struck him two or three hard blows, telling him not to whine so loud, and that before the month was out he would take from him double the amount.XI.Of the arrogant arms of Sir Halewyn.And the Miserable became the richest, most powerful, and most feared baron in the whole province.And blasphemously he compared himself to God.And considering that the old arms of Dirk, and his device, were too mean for his new magnificence:He sent to Bruges for painters in heraldry to fashion them afresh.These painters put the old crow away in one quarter, and on a fieldargentandsableblazoned a heartgulesand a sickleor, with this device:None can stand against me.Moreover, he had this same blazon fashioned into a great standard which was flown from his castle keep. And also had it cut in stone over the gate. And on his shield, which he caused to be made larger so that the arrogant device might be seen to better advantage. And on his arms, his clothes, and wherever it could be put, there he had it as well.XII.How Sir Halewyn jousted with a knight of England.It so happened that at about this time My Lord of Flanders let call a tournament.And sent out to all his lords and barons to come to Ghent for that purpose.Halewyn went thither and set up his shield among the others.But the barons and lords, seeing the arrogant device and the great size of the shield, were greatly put to offence thereat.And all of them jousted with him, but each was overthrown in turn.Among them was present an English knight of much prowess, who rode out to the middle of the tourney-field and stood straight and proud before Sir Halewyn.“Well,” quoth he, “My Lord the Invincible, it displeases me to see thee planted there so arrogantly and unhorsing us all in this fashion. Wilt thou fight with me?”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“If I overcome thee, thou shalt be my servant and I shall take thee with me into Cornwall.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“And cause thee to grease my horses’ hooves, and empty the dung from the stable; and find out whether thou art invincible at such work also.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“And if thou art not invincible, the invincible stick shall thrash thee invincibly.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“But if thou overcome me, this shall be thy guerdon:“Five-and-twentybezantswhich are in the house of thy Lord, the noble Count of Flanders; all the accoutrement of my horse, which is of fine mail; his fair saddle of pear-wood, covered with leather, and saddle-bows richly figured with ten horsemen lustily fighting and with Our Lord driving out the devil from one possessed; furthermore my helm of fine wrought steel, and on it a crest of silver, gilt over, with spread wings, which may very well, notwithstanding thy device, stand against thy bleeding heart, thy gaping sickle, and thy miserable crow. Well, My Lord the Invincible, dost think thou shalt win invincibly the five-and-twentybezants, the helm of my head, and the trappings of my horse?”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.Then, after My Lord himself had given the signal, they ran together with a great clatter.And the English knight was overthrown like the rest.Then all the ladies acclaimed and applauded the Miserable, crying out: “Worship to Siewert Halewyn the noble, Siewert Halewyn the Fleming, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible.”And on his way back to the house of My Lord, there to feast with him, he was by these ladies kissed, fondled, and made much of without stint.And, putting on the gear of the English knight, he went off to the towns of Bruges, Lille, and Ghent, thieving and ravishing everywhere.And came back from each expedition with much booty.And felt the heart all the while pouring live strength into his breast and beating against his skin.Then he went back to his own castle with the five-and-twentybezantsand the arms of the knight of England.When he sounded the horn there came to him his mother, who, seeing him so gilt over, was overcome with joy, and cried: “He brings us riches, as he promised.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.And she fell at his feet and kissed them.As also did the younger brother, saying: “Sir Brother thou hast lifted us up from poverty, I will willingly serve thee.”“So shouldst thou, indeed,” said Halewyn. Then, going into the hall: “I would sup,” he said, “thou, woman, fetch me meat, and thou, fellow, drink.”And on the morrow, and every day thereafter, he made to serve him at table, as if they had been his private servants, his father, mother, brother, and sister, turn by turn.XIII.Of the heart dried up and of the dame Halewyn.But one morning while he was at meat in his castle, when his father and sister were gone to Bruges to buy corn-coloured cloth-of-scarlet for their clothes,And he was being served, with all humility, by his mother and brother,He became suddenly quite cold, for the heart had ceased to beat.Putting his hand to his breast, he touched dried-up skin.Then he felt his face go back as it was before, his shoulders shrink down, his back hump up, and all his body lessen in stature.Looking at his mother and brother in turn, he saw them laughing and saying to each other: “See, here is our master back in his old ugly skin, and with his old ugly face.”“Ha, My Lord,” said his brother, coming boldly up to him and speaking insolently, “will you not take some of thisclauwaertto hearten yourself? You have no longer, it seems, your former strength.”“Wilt try it?” said the Miserable, and struck him with his fist, but did him no more hurt than if he had been a fly.Seeing this the younger brother grew bolder, and seating himself close to Halewyn on the seat:“My lord,” said he, “you have had pudding enough, I think, ’tis my turn to eat.”And he took the pudding from off his platter.“My lord son,” said his mother, “now you shall give to me, who am old, some of this old wine you have kept for yourself.”And she took the cup out of his hand.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “methinks you have too much of this roast of lamb with sweet chestnuts; I will take it, if you please.”And he put the roast of lamb before his own place.“My lord son,” said his mother, “you do not much like, it seems, this fair cheese and barley tart, give it to me, I pray you.”And the Miserable, dumbfounded, gave it to her.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “you havebeen sitting there long enough like an emperor, will you be pleased to stir your limbs now and serve us?”And the Miserable, getting up, served them as he was bidden.“My lord son,” said his mother, “I see you now submissive to our orders, will you be pleased to ask my pardon for having so long kept me standing like a private servant, fetching you food and drink, though I am your mother?”And the Miserable fell at her feet.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “wilt thou be pleased to fall at my feet likewise, and kiss them, for that thou hast made me do the work of a serf?”“That I will not,” said the Miserable.“Thou wilt not?”“I will not,” said the Miserable, and stepped back a pace.“Come hither,” said his brother.“I will not,” said the Miserable.Then the younger ran at him, and, bearing him to the ground without difficulty, began thumping and pommelling him, and striking him in the face with his golden spurs, saying: “Avenge thyself, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible. None can stand against thee, save I. Thou hast long treated us as serfs in thy house, now I will treat thee as a cheese and crush thee underfoot. Why dost thou not now caper as a kid, or fly away as a bird, Siewert the enchanted?” and, going into a frenzy of rage, he drew his knife, saying: “I will cut thee off thy head unless thou cry mercy.”“I will not,” said the Miserable.But his mother, hearing these words, took quickly from the fire a handful of embers, and notwithstanding their heat, threw them into the eyes and mouth of the younger brother, saying: “Thou shalt not kill my first-born, wicked son.”And while the younger brother was howling by reason of the pain from the embers, which blinded him, his mother took the knife from him, and while he was twisting this wayand that, swinging up his arms to strike whomever he could, she threw him down, shut him up in the room, and went out dragging her first-born after her. Then, although she was feeble with age, she carried Halewyn up into the tower on her back, as a shepherd carries a lamb (for he had quite lost his senses), and there tended him and bathed his face and breast, which were torn and bleeding, and there at nightfall left him and went away.XIV.Of the great weakness of Sir Halewyn and of the days and nights which he spent in the forest.The Miserable, alone and somewhat comforted, rose to his feet, and was right glad to feel the sickle still at his belt; opened the door, listened to make sure that he could hear nothing, and that his brother was not there.And when the night was fully dark, went down the stair slowly, sitting-wise.For he was so weakened by the blows and wounds he had received that he could not hold himself upright by any means; and in this fashion he went on until he reached the bridge, and, finding that still down, crossed over it.And very wearily he made his way to the forest.But he could not, on account of his weakness, go so far as the cottages, which were a good two leagues distant to the northward.So, lying down among the leaves, he sang.But no maid came, for the song could not be heard from so far away.And so passed the first day.When night came again, cold rain began to fall, which sent him into a fever. But notwithstanding this he would not go back to his castle, for fear of his brother. Shivering, and with his teeth a-chatter, he dragged himself northward through the brake, and saw in a clearing a fair pretty maid, rosy-cheeked, fresh, slender, and neat, and he sang his song. But the girl did not come to him.Sir Halewyn in the WoodSir Halewyn in the WoodAnd so passed the second day.That night the rain fell anew, and he could not move, so stiff was he from the cold, and he sang, but no maid came. At dawn the rain continued, and while he was lying there among the leaves a wolf came and sniffed at him, thinking him dead, but on seeing it draw near he cried out in a terrible fashion, and the wolf took fright and went off. Then he grew hungry, but could find himself nothing to eat. At vespers he sang anew, but no maid came.And so passed the third day.Towards midnight the sky cleared, and the wind grew warmer. But the Miserable, though he was suffering greatly from hunger, thirst, and weariness, dared not sleep. On the morning of the fourth day he saw a girl coming towards him who seemed to be a burgess’s daughter. The girl would have run away on seeing him, but he cried out loudly: “Help me! I am worn out with hunger and sickness.” Then she drew near to him and said: “I also am hungry.” “Art thou,” he said, “a maid? “ “Ah,” said she, “I have had to flee from Bruges, because the priests would have burnt me alive, on account of a brown mole which I have on my neck, of the size of a pea, coming, they say, from my having had fleshly commerce with the devil. But I have never seen the devil, and do not know what he is like.”He, without listening to her, asked again if she were a virgin, and, as the girl said nothing, he sang his song.But she did not move from where she stood, only saying: “You have a very sweet and strong voice for one so wasted with sickness and hunger.”Then he said to her: “I am the lord Siewert Halewyn. Go to my castle and ask to be taken to my lady mother, and without speaking to any one else, whosoever he be, tell her that her son is hard put to it in the forest with hunger, fever, and weariness, and will die before long if none bring him help.”The girl went off as he bid her, but coming out of the wood she saw in the Gallows-field the body of the maid hanging, and ran away in a fright. Passing into the territory of Sir Roel de Heurne she craved food and drink at the cottage of one of his peasants. And there she told how she had found Sir Halewyn dying of hunger. But she was told in reply that the said lord was crueller and more wicked than the devil himself, and should be left to be eaten by the wolves and other beasts of the forest.And the Miserable waited, lying in the leaves in great anguish.And so passed the fourth day.And at dawn of the fifth, having seen no more of the girl, he supposed that she had been caught by the priests and taken back to Bruges to be burnt.Quite disheartened, and chilled with the cold, and saying that he would soon die, he cursed the Prince of the Stones.Nevertheless, at vespers he sang once more.And he was then by the side of a forest way.And he saw coming through the trees a fair maid, who fell on her knees before him.And he did to her as he had done to the others.Then rose full of fresh strength, vigour, and beauty, and with the heart resting against his own went off to the Gallows-field, carrying the body, and there hanged it by that of the first virgin.XV.How the Miserable, having hanged fifteen virgins in the Gallows-field, held wicked revels and cruel orgies.Sir Halewyn became most powerful and greatly feared, and killed up to fifteen virgins, whom he hanged in the Gallows-field.And he led a riotous life, eating, drinking, and carousing continually.All those ladies who had made fun of him in the days of his impotence and ugliness were brought to his castle.And having had his will of them he turned them out of doors like bitches, so wreaking upon them his evil vengeance.And from Lille, Ghent, and Bruges came the most beautiful courtesans, with their badge on their arms, and they ministered to his pleasure and to that of his friends, among whom the more evil wereDiederich Pater-noster, so called because he was a great frequenter of churches;Nellin the Wolf, who in battle attacked only the fallen, as wolves do; andBaudouin Sans Ears, who in his court of justice always cried: “Death, death,” without waiting to hear any defence whatever.In company with the fair courtesans these same lords held revels and orgies without end, and took from their poor peasants all they had, corn, cheese, jewels, cocks, oxen, calves, and swine.Then, having stuffed themselves as full as they could hold, threw to their dogs choice viands and rich cakes.Gave to be broken and pounded up for their hawks and falcons, the meat of fowls, cockerels, and doves; had the hooves of their horses bathed in wine.Oftentimes until midnight, or even until cock-crow, there would be beating of drums, trilling of pipes, squeaking of viols, skirling of bagpipes, and winding of horns, for their entertainment.

I.Of the two castles.Sir Halewyn lifted up his voice in a song.And whatever maid heard that song must needs go to him straight away.And now to all good Flemings will I tell the tale of this Halewyn and his song, and of the brave maid Magtelt.There were two proud castles in the province of Flanders. In one dwelt Sir Roel de Heurne, with the lady Gonde, his good wife; Toon the Silent, his son; Magtelt, his fair daughter, and a host of pages, grooms, varlets, men-at-arms, and all the other members of the household, among whom an especial favourite was Anne-Mie, a girl of gentle blood, maid to the lady Magtelt.Of everything that was made by his peasants, Sir Roel took naught but what was the best.And the peasants said of him that it was a good master who took only as much as he needed, when he might have left them with nothing.In the other castle lived Sir Halewyn the Miserable, with his father, brother, mother, and sister, and a large following of rascals and brigands.And these were an ill-favoured crew, I can tell you, past masters of robbery, pillage, and murder, such as it is not good to meet at too close quarters.

I.Of the two castles.

Sir Halewyn lifted up his voice in a song.And whatever maid heard that song must needs go to him straight away.And now to all good Flemings will I tell the tale of this Halewyn and his song, and of the brave maid Magtelt.There were two proud castles in the province of Flanders. In one dwelt Sir Roel de Heurne, with the lady Gonde, his good wife; Toon the Silent, his son; Magtelt, his fair daughter, and a host of pages, grooms, varlets, men-at-arms, and all the other members of the household, among whom an especial favourite was Anne-Mie, a girl of gentle blood, maid to the lady Magtelt.Of everything that was made by his peasants, Sir Roel took naught but what was the best.And the peasants said of him that it was a good master who took only as much as he needed, when he might have left them with nothing.In the other castle lived Sir Halewyn the Miserable, with his father, brother, mother, and sister, and a large following of rascals and brigands.And these were an ill-favoured crew, I can tell you, past masters of robbery, pillage, and murder, such as it is not good to meet at too close quarters.

Sir Halewyn lifted up his voice in a song.

And whatever maid heard that song must needs go to him straight away.

And now to all good Flemings will I tell the tale of this Halewyn and his song, and of the brave maid Magtelt.

There were two proud castles in the province of Flanders. In one dwelt Sir Roel de Heurne, with the lady Gonde, his good wife; Toon the Silent, his son; Magtelt, his fair daughter, and a host of pages, grooms, varlets, men-at-arms, and all the other members of the household, among whom an especial favourite was Anne-Mie, a girl of gentle blood, maid to the lady Magtelt.

Of everything that was made by his peasants, Sir Roel took naught but what was the best.

And the peasants said of him that it was a good master who took only as much as he needed, when he might have left them with nothing.

In the other castle lived Sir Halewyn the Miserable, with his father, brother, mother, and sister, and a large following of rascals and brigands.

And these were an ill-favoured crew, I can tell you, past masters of robbery, pillage, and murder, such as it is not good to meet at too close quarters.

II.Of Dirk, called the Crow.This family were issue by direct line of Dirk, the first of the Halewyns, to whom was given the name of the Crow, because he was as greedy of booty as a crow is of carrion.And also because he was clad all in black, and his men with him.This Dirk, who lived in the time of the great wars, was like a thunderbolt in battle, where, with his only weapon,a heavy club, furnished with a beak at one side, he broke javelins, splintered lances, and tore away mail as if it had been cloth; and no one could well resist his onslaught. And in this manner he so frightened his enemies that when they saw Dirk and his black soldiers bearing down upon them, shouting, yelling, without fear of any one, and in great number, they gave themselves up for dead before ever battle was joined.When victory was won and the more important booty divided (whereof Dirk always secured the lion’s share and never came off badly), the other barons and their knights would leave the rest of the field to him and his followers, and would go off, saying: “The pieces are for the crow.”No other man-at-arms would dare to stay behind then, or he would have been quickly taken and slain without waiting. And thereafter Dirk’s men would begin to play the crow in earnest; cutting off fingers to get the rings on them, even of those not yet dead, who cried out to them for succour; chopping off heads and arms so that they might pull away clothes the more easily. And they even fought amongst themselves, and sometimes killed one another, over the bodies of the dead, for the sake of neck-pieces, straps of hide, or more paltry stuff still.And stayed sometimes on the battlefield over this business three days and three nights.When all the dead were stark naked they piled up their gains into carts which they brought for this purpose.And with these they returned to Dirk’s castle, there to hold high revel and have good cheer. On the way they fought the peasants, taking whatever women and girls were at all comely, and did with them what they pleased. In this way they passed their lives fighting, pillaging, robbing the helpless, and caring nothing at all for either God or devil.Dirk the Crow became exceedingly powerful and got very much worship, both by reason of his prowess in battle andfrom the fact that My Lord the Count gave him after his victories the demesne of Halewyn, with powers of seigneury, both of the higher and the lower order.And he had a fine escutcheon made for himself, wherein was a crowsableon a fieldor, with this device:The pieces are for the Crow.

II.Of Dirk, called the Crow.

This family were issue by direct line of Dirk, the first of the Halewyns, to whom was given the name of the Crow, because he was as greedy of booty as a crow is of carrion.And also because he was clad all in black, and his men with him.This Dirk, who lived in the time of the great wars, was like a thunderbolt in battle, where, with his only weapon,a heavy club, furnished with a beak at one side, he broke javelins, splintered lances, and tore away mail as if it had been cloth; and no one could well resist his onslaught. And in this manner he so frightened his enemies that when they saw Dirk and his black soldiers bearing down upon them, shouting, yelling, without fear of any one, and in great number, they gave themselves up for dead before ever battle was joined.When victory was won and the more important booty divided (whereof Dirk always secured the lion’s share and never came off badly), the other barons and their knights would leave the rest of the field to him and his followers, and would go off, saying: “The pieces are for the crow.”No other man-at-arms would dare to stay behind then, or he would have been quickly taken and slain without waiting. And thereafter Dirk’s men would begin to play the crow in earnest; cutting off fingers to get the rings on them, even of those not yet dead, who cried out to them for succour; chopping off heads and arms so that they might pull away clothes the more easily. And they even fought amongst themselves, and sometimes killed one another, over the bodies of the dead, for the sake of neck-pieces, straps of hide, or more paltry stuff still.And stayed sometimes on the battlefield over this business three days and three nights.When all the dead were stark naked they piled up their gains into carts which they brought for this purpose.And with these they returned to Dirk’s castle, there to hold high revel and have good cheer. On the way they fought the peasants, taking whatever women and girls were at all comely, and did with them what they pleased. In this way they passed their lives fighting, pillaging, robbing the helpless, and caring nothing at all for either God or devil.Dirk the Crow became exceedingly powerful and got very much worship, both by reason of his prowess in battle andfrom the fact that My Lord the Count gave him after his victories the demesne of Halewyn, with powers of seigneury, both of the higher and the lower order.And he had a fine escutcheon made for himself, wherein was a crowsableon a fieldor, with this device:The pieces are for the Crow.

This family were issue by direct line of Dirk, the first of the Halewyns, to whom was given the name of the Crow, because he was as greedy of booty as a crow is of carrion.

And also because he was clad all in black, and his men with him.

This Dirk, who lived in the time of the great wars, was like a thunderbolt in battle, where, with his only weapon,a heavy club, furnished with a beak at one side, he broke javelins, splintered lances, and tore away mail as if it had been cloth; and no one could well resist his onslaught. And in this manner he so frightened his enemies that when they saw Dirk and his black soldiers bearing down upon them, shouting, yelling, without fear of any one, and in great number, they gave themselves up for dead before ever battle was joined.

When victory was won and the more important booty divided (whereof Dirk always secured the lion’s share and never came off badly), the other barons and their knights would leave the rest of the field to him and his followers, and would go off, saying: “The pieces are for the crow.”

No other man-at-arms would dare to stay behind then, or he would have been quickly taken and slain without waiting. And thereafter Dirk’s men would begin to play the crow in earnest; cutting off fingers to get the rings on them, even of those not yet dead, who cried out to them for succour; chopping off heads and arms so that they might pull away clothes the more easily. And they even fought amongst themselves, and sometimes killed one another, over the bodies of the dead, for the sake of neck-pieces, straps of hide, or more paltry stuff still.

And stayed sometimes on the battlefield over this business three days and three nights.

When all the dead were stark naked they piled up their gains into carts which they brought for this purpose.

And with these they returned to Dirk’s castle, there to hold high revel and have good cheer. On the way they fought the peasants, taking whatever women and girls were at all comely, and did with them what they pleased. In this way they passed their lives fighting, pillaging, robbing the helpless, and caring nothing at all for either God or devil.

Dirk the Crow became exceedingly powerful and got very much worship, both by reason of his prowess in battle andfrom the fact that My Lord the Count gave him after his victories the demesne of Halewyn, with powers of seigneury, both of the higher and the lower order.

And he had a fine escutcheon made for himself, wherein was a crowsableon a fieldor, with this device:The pieces are for the Crow.

III.Of Sir Halewyn and how he carried himself in his youth.But to this strong Crow were born children of a quite other kind.For they were all, strangely enough, men of the quill and writing-desk, caring nothing for the fine arts of war, and despising all arms.These great clerks lost a good half of their heritage. For each year some stronger neighbour would rob them of a piece of it.And they begot puny and miserable children, with pale faces, who passed their time, as clerks are wont, lurking in corners, sitting huddled on stools, and whining chants and litanies in a melancholy fashion.Thus came to an end the good men of the line.Siewert Halewyn, who was the wretch of whom I am to tell you this tale, was as ugly, puny, woebegone, and sour-faced as the others, or even worse than they.And like them he was always lurking and hiding in corners, and shirking company, hated the sound of laughter, sweated ill-humour, and, moreover, was never seen to lift his head skywards like an honest man, but was all the while looking down at his boots, wept without reason, grumbled without cause, and never had any satisfaction in anything. For the rest he was a coward and cruel, delighting during his childhood in teasing, frightening and hurting puppies and kittens, sparrows, thrushes, finches, nightingales, and all small beasts.And even when he was older, he hardly dared to attack so large a thing as a wolf, though he were armed with hisgreat sword. But as soon as the beast was brought down he would rain blows on it with high valour.So he went on until he was old enough to marry.

III.Of Sir Halewyn and how he carried himself in his youth.

But to this strong Crow were born children of a quite other kind.For they were all, strangely enough, men of the quill and writing-desk, caring nothing for the fine arts of war, and despising all arms.These great clerks lost a good half of their heritage. For each year some stronger neighbour would rob them of a piece of it.And they begot puny and miserable children, with pale faces, who passed their time, as clerks are wont, lurking in corners, sitting huddled on stools, and whining chants and litanies in a melancholy fashion.Thus came to an end the good men of the line.Siewert Halewyn, who was the wretch of whom I am to tell you this tale, was as ugly, puny, woebegone, and sour-faced as the others, or even worse than they.And like them he was always lurking and hiding in corners, and shirking company, hated the sound of laughter, sweated ill-humour, and, moreover, was never seen to lift his head skywards like an honest man, but was all the while looking down at his boots, wept without reason, grumbled without cause, and never had any satisfaction in anything. For the rest he was a coward and cruel, delighting during his childhood in teasing, frightening and hurting puppies and kittens, sparrows, thrushes, finches, nightingales, and all small beasts.And even when he was older, he hardly dared to attack so large a thing as a wolf, though he were armed with hisgreat sword. But as soon as the beast was brought down he would rain blows on it with high valour.So he went on until he was old enough to marry.

But to this strong Crow were born children of a quite other kind.

For they were all, strangely enough, men of the quill and writing-desk, caring nothing for the fine arts of war, and despising all arms.

These great clerks lost a good half of their heritage. For each year some stronger neighbour would rob them of a piece of it.

And they begot puny and miserable children, with pale faces, who passed their time, as clerks are wont, lurking in corners, sitting huddled on stools, and whining chants and litanies in a melancholy fashion.

Thus came to an end the good men of the line.

Siewert Halewyn, who was the wretch of whom I am to tell you this tale, was as ugly, puny, woebegone, and sour-faced as the others, or even worse than they.

And like them he was always lurking and hiding in corners, and shirking company, hated the sound of laughter, sweated ill-humour, and, moreover, was never seen to lift his head skywards like an honest man, but was all the while looking down at his boots, wept without reason, grumbled without cause, and never had any satisfaction in anything. For the rest he was a coward and cruel, delighting during his childhood in teasing, frightening and hurting puppies and kittens, sparrows, thrushes, finches, nightingales, and all small beasts.

And even when he was older, he hardly dared to attack so large a thing as a wolf, though he were armed with hisgreat sword. But as soon as the beast was brought down he would rain blows on it with high valour.

So he went on until he was old enough to marry.

IV.How Sir Halewyn wished to take himself a wife, and what the ladies and gentlewomen said to it.Then, since he was the oldest of the family, he was sent off to the court of the Count, there to find himself a wife. But every one laughed at him, on account of his marvellous ugliness, more particularly the ladies and gentlewomen, who made fun of him among themselves, saying:“Look at this fine knight! What is he doing here? He has come to marry us, I suppose.—Who would have him, for four castles, as many manors, ten thousand peasants and half the gold in the province? None.—And that is a pity, for between them they would get fine children, if they were to be like their father!—Ho, what fine hair he has, the devil must have limned it with an old nail; what a fine nose, ’tis like a withered plum, and what fair blue eyes, so marvellously ringed round with red.—See, he is going to cry! That will be pretty music.”And Sir Halewyn, hearing the ladies talk after this fashion, could not find a word to answer them with, for between anger, shame, and sorrow his tongue was fast stuck to the roof of his mouth.Nevertheless he would take a lance at every tournament, and every time would be shamefully overcome, and the ladies, seeing him fall, would applaud loudly, crying out: “Worship to the ill-favoured one! The old crow has lost his beak.” Thus they compared him, for his shame, with Dirk, the old stock of the Halewyns, who had been so mighty in his day. And, acclaimed in this fashion every time he jousted, Sir Halewyn would go back from the field in sorrow to his pavilion.

IV.How Sir Halewyn wished to take himself a wife, and what the ladies and gentlewomen said to it.

Then, since he was the oldest of the family, he was sent off to the court of the Count, there to find himself a wife. But every one laughed at him, on account of his marvellous ugliness, more particularly the ladies and gentlewomen, who made fun of him among themselves, saying:“Look at this fine knight! What is he doing here? He has come to marry us, I suppose.—Who would have him, for four castles, as many manors, ten thousand peasants and half the gold in the province? None.—And that is a pity, for between them they would get fine children, if they were to be like their father!—Ho, what fine hair he has, the devil must have limned it with an old nail; what a fine nose, ’tis like a withered plum, and what fair blue eyes, so marvellously ringed round with red.—See, he is going to cry! That will be pretty music.”And Sir Halewyn, hearing the ladies talk after this fashion, could not find a word to answer them with, for between anger, shame, and sorrow his tongue was fast stuck to the roof of his mouth.Nevertheless he would take a lance at every tournament, and every time would be shamefully overcome, and the ladies, seeing him fall, would applaud loudly, crying out: “Worship to the ill-favoured one! The old crow has lost his beak.” Thus they compared him, for his shame, with Dirk, the old stock of the Halewyns, who had been so mighty in his day. And, acclaimed in this fashion every time he jousted, Sir Halewyn would go back from the field in sorrow to his pavilion.

Then, since he was the oldest of the family, he was sent off to the court of the Count, there to find himself a wife. But every one laughed at him, on account of his marvellous ugliness, more particularly the ladies and gentlewomen, who made fun of him among themselves, saying:

“Look at this fine knight! What is he doing here? He has come to marry us, I suppose.—Who would have him, for four castles, as many manors, ten thousand peasants and half the gold in the province? None.—And that is a pity, for between them they would get fine children, if they were to be like their father!—Ho, what fine hair he has, the devil must have limned it with an old nail; what a fine nose, ’tis like a withered plum, and what fair blue eyes, so marvellously ringed round with red.—See, he is going to cry! That will be pretty music.”

And Sir Halewyn, hearing the ladies talk after this fashion, could not find a word to answer them with, for between anger, shame, and sorrow his tongue was fast stuck to the roof of his mouth.

Nevertheless he would take a lance at every tournament, and every time would be shamefully overcome, and the ladies, seeing him fall, would applaud loudly, crying out: “Worship to the ill-favoured one! The old crow has lost his beak.” Thus they compared him, for his shame, with Dirk, the old stock of the Halewyns, who had been so mighty in his day. And, acclaimed in this fashion every time he jousted, Sir Halewyn would go back from the field in sorrow to his pavilion.

V.How it came about that Sir Halewyn, after a certain tournament, called upon the devil for aid.At the third tournament wherein he was beaten there were on the field his father, mother, brother, and sister.And his father said:“Well, look at my fine son, Siewert the soft, Siewert the overthrown, Siewert the faint-heart, coming back from jousting with his tail between his legs, like a dog thrashed with a great stick.”And his mother said:“I suppose for certain that My Lord the Count has put a gold chain round thy neck, and acclaimed thee publicly, for having so valiantly in this jousting jousted on thy back, as in the old days my lord of Beaufort was wont to make thee do. Holy God! that was a fine tumble.”And his sister said:“Welcome, my fair brother, what news do you bring? Thou wert the victor for certain, as I see from thy triumphant mien. But where is the wreath of the ladies?”And his brother said:“Where is your lordly bearing, My Lord Siewert Halewyn the elder, descendant of the Crow with the great beak? For such a Crow vanquishes without much trouble eagles, goshawks, shrikes, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks. Are you not thirsty, my brother, with the thirst of a baron, of a victor, I will not say of a villein? We have here some fine frog’s wine, which will cool the fires of victory in your belly.”“Ha,” answered the Sire, grinding his teeth, “if God gave me strength, I would make thee sing a different song Sir Brother.”And saying this, he pulled out his sword to do so, but the younger, parrying his thrust, cried out:“Bravo, uncrowlike Crow! Bravo, capon! Raise up our house, I beg of thee, Siewert the victorious!”“Ha,” said the Sire, “and why does this chatterer not go and joust as well as I? But he would not dare, beingthat kind of coward who looks on at others, folding his arms and making fun of those who strive.”Then he dismounted from his horse, went off and hid himself in his chamber, cried out to the four walls in a rage, prayed to the devil to give him strength and beauty, and promised him, on the oath of a knight, that he would give him his soul in exchange.So he called on him all through the night, crying out, weeping, bewailing his lot, minded at times even to kill himself. But the devil did not come, being busy elsewhere.

V.How it came about that Sir Halewyn, after a certain tournament, called upon the devil for aid.

At the third tournament wherein he was beaten there were on the field his father, mother, brother, and sister.And his father said:“Well, look at my fine son, Siewert the soft, Siewert the overthrown, Siewert the faint-heart, coming back from jousting with his tail between his legs, like a dog thrashed with a great stick.”And his mother said:“I suppose for certain that My Lord the Count has put a gold chain round thy neck, and acclaimed thee publicly, for having so valiantly in this jousting jousted on thy back, as in the old days my lord of Beaufort was wont to make thee do. Holy God! that was a fine tumble.”And his sister said:“Welcome, my fair brother, what news do you bring? Thou wert the victor for certain, as I see from thy triumphant mien. But where is the wreath of the ladies?”And his brother said:“Where is your lordly bearing, My Lord Siewert Halewyn the elder, descendant of the Crow with the great beak? For such a Crow vanquishes without much trouble eagles, goshawks, shrikes, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks. Are you not thirsty, my brother, with the thirst of a baron, of a victor, I will not say of a villein? We have here some fine frog’s wine, which will cool the fires of victory in your belly.”“Ha,” answered the Sire, grinding his teeth, “if God gave me strength, I would make thee sing a different song Sir Brother.”And saying this, he pulled out his sword to do so, but the younger, parrying his thrust, cried out:“Bravo, uncrowlike Crow! Bravo, capon! Raise up our house, I beg of thee, Siewert the victorious!”“Ha,” said the Sire, “and why does this chatterer not go and joust as well as I? But he would not dare, beingthat kind of coward who looks on at others, folding his arms and making fun of those who strive.”Then he dismounted from his horse, went off and hid himself in his chamber, cried out to the four walls in a rage, prayed to the devil to give him strength and beauty, and promised him, on the oath of a knight, that he would give him his soul in exchange.So he called on him all through the night, crying out, weeping, bewailing his lot, minded at times even to kill himself. But the devil did not come, being busy elsewhere.

At the third tournament wherein he was beaten there were on the field his father, mother, brother, and sister.

And his father said:

“Well, look at my fine son, Siewert the soft, Siewert the overthrown, Siewert the faint-heart, coming back from jousting with his tail between his legs, like a dog thrashed with a great stick.”

And his mother said:

“I suppose for certain that My Lord the Count has put a gold chain round thy neck, and acclaimed thee publicly, for having so valiantly in this jousting jousted on thy back, as in the old days my lord of Beaufort was wont to make thee do. Holy God! that was a fine tumble.”

And his sister said:

“Welcome, my fair brother, what news do you bring? Thou wert the victor for certain, as I see from thy triumphant mien. But where is the wreath of the ladies?”

And his brother said:

“Where is your lordly bearing, My Lord Siewert Halewyn the elder, descendant of the Crow with the great beak? For such a Crow vanquishes without much trouble eagles, goshawks, shrikes, gerfalcons, sparrow-hawks. Are you not thirsty, my brother, with the thirst of a baron, of a victor, I will not say of a villein? We have here some fine frog’s wine, which will cool the fires of victory in your belly.”

“Ha,” answered the Sire, grinding his teeth, “if God gave me strength, I would make thee sing a different song Sir Brother.”

And saying this, he pulled out his sword to do so, but the younger, parrying his thrust, cried out:

“Bravo, uncrowlike Crow! Bravo, capon! Raise up our house, I beg of thee, Siewert the victorious!”

“Ha,” said the Sire, “and why does this chatterer not go and joust as well as I? But he would not dare, beingthat kind of coward who looks on at others, folding his arms and making fun of those who strive.”

Then he dismounted from his horse, went off and hid himself in his chamber, cried out to the four walls in a rage, prayed to the devil to give him strength and beauty, and promised him, on the oath of a knight, that he would give him his soul in exchange.

So he called on him all through the night, crying out, weeping, bewailing his lot, minded at times even to kill himself. But the devil did not come, being busy elsewhere.

VI.Of the rovings and wanderings of Sir Halewyn.Every day after this, whether it were fair or foul, light sky or dark, storm or gentle breeze, rain, snow, or hail, Sir Halewyn wandered alone through the fields and woods.And children, seeing him, ran away in fear.“Ah,” said he, “I must be very ugly!” And he went on with his wandering.But if on his way he met some common man who had strength and beauty, he would bear down on him and oftentimes kill him with his sword.And every one grew to shun him, and to pray to God that he would soon remove their Lord from this world.And every night, Sir Halewyn called on the devil.But the devil would not come.“Ah,” said the Sire sorrowfully, “if thou wilt only give me strength and beauty in this life, I will give thee my soul in the other. ’Tis a good bargain.”But the devil never came.And he, restless, always in anguish and melancholy, was soon like an old man to look at, and was given the name throughout the country of the Ill-favoured Lord.And his heart was swollen with hatred and anger. And he cursed God.

VI.Of the rovings and wanderings of Sir Halewyn.

Every day after this, whether it were fair or foul, light sky or dark, storm or gentle breeze, rain, snow, or hail, Sir Halewyn wandered alone through the fields and woods.And children, seeing him, ran away in fear.“Ah,” said he, “I must be very ugly!” And he went on with his wandering.But if on his way he met some common man who had strength and beauty, he would bear down on him and oftentimes kill him with his sword.And every one grew to shun him, and to pray to God that he would soon remove their Lord from this world.And every night, Sir Halewyn called on the devil.But the devil would not come.“Ah,” said the Sire sorrowfully, “if thou wilt only give me strength and beauty in this life, I will give thee my soul in the other. ’Tis a good bargain.”But the devil never came.And he, restless, always in anguish and melancholy, was soon like an old man to look at, and was given the name throughout the country of the Ill-favoured Lord.And his heart was swollen with hatred and anger. And he cursed God.

Every day after this, whether it were fair or foul, light sky or dark, storm or gentle breeze, rain, snow, or hail, Sir Halewyn wandered alone through the fields and woods.

And children, seeing him, ran away in fear.

“Ah,” said he, “I must be very ugly!” And he went on with his wandering.

But if on his way he met some common man who had strength and beauty, he would bear down on him and oftentimes kill him with his sword.

And every one grew to shun him, and to pray to God that he would soon remove their Lord from this world.

And every night, Sir Halewyn called on the devil.

But the devil would not come.

“Ah,” said the Sire sorrowfully, “if thou wilt only give me strength and beauty in this life, I will give thee my soul in the other. ’Tis a good bargain.”

But the devil never came.

And he, restless, always in anguish and melancholy, was soon like an old man to look at, and was given the name throughout the country of the Ill-favoured Lord.

And his heart was swollen with hatred and anger. And he cursed God.

VII.Of the Prince of the Stones and of the song.One day in the season of plum-picking, having roved over the whole countryside, and even as far as Lille, on the way back to his castle he passed through a wood. Ambling along he saw among the undergrowth, alongside an oak, a stone which was of great length and broad in proportion.And he said: “That will make me a good seat, comfortable enough to rest on for a little while.” And sitting down on the stone he once again prayed to the devil to let him have health and beauty.By and by, although it was still daylight, and the small birds, warblers and finches, sang in the woods joyously, and there was a bright sun and a soft wind, Sir Halewyn went off to sleep, for he was very tired.Having slept until it was night, he was suddenly awakened by a strange sound. And he saw, by the light of the high moon and the clear stars, as it were a little animal, with a coat like a mossy stone, who was scratching up the earth beneath the rock, now and again thrusting his head into the hole he had made, as a dog does hunting moles.Sir Halewyn, thinking it was some wild thing, hit at it with his sword.But the sword was broken at its touch, and a little mannikin of stone leapt up on to his shoulders, and smote his cheeks sharply with his hard hands, and said, wheezing and laughing:“Seek, Siewert Halewyn; seek song and sickle, sickle and song; seek, seek, ill-favoured one!”And so saying he hopped about like a flea on the back of the Miserable, who bent forward as he was bid, and with a piece of his sword dug in the hole. And the stony cheek of the little mannikin was alongside his own, and his two eyes lit up the hole better than lanterns would have done.And biting Halewyn’s flesh with his sharp teeth, striking him with his little fists, and with his nails pinching and pulling him, and laughing harshly, the little mannikin said:“I am the Prince of the Stones, I have fine treasures; seek, seek, Miserable!”And saying this, he pommelled him beyond endurance. “He wants,” he screamed, mocking him, “Siewert Halewyn wants strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek then, Miserable.”And he pulled out his hair in handfuls, and tore his dress with his nails until he was all in rags, and kept saying, with great bursts of laughter: “Strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek, seek, Miserable!” And he hung from his ears with his two hands, and kicked his stone feet in his face, notwithstanding that the Sire cried out with pain.And the little mannikin said: “To get strength and beauty, seek, Halewyn, a song and a sickle, seek, Sir Miserable!” And the Miserable went on scratching out the earth with his piece of sword.Suddenly the earth fell away under the stone, leaving a great hole open, and Halewyn, by the light of the mannikin’s eyes, saw a sepulchre, and within the sepulchre a man lying, who was of marvellous beauty and had none of the appearance of death.This man was clad all in white, and in his hands held a sickle, whereof both handle and blade were of gold.The Man in WhiteThe Man in White“Take the sickle,” quoth the little mannikin, thumping his head with his fists.Sir Halewyn did as he was bid, and straightway the man in the tomb became dust, and from the dust came a white flame, tall and spreading, and from the white flame a wonderfully sweet song.And suddenly all about the wood was spread a perfume of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.“Sing,” said the mannikin, and the Miserable repeated the song. While he was singing his harsh voice was changed to a voice sweeter than an angel’s, and he saw coming out of the depths of the wood a virgin of heavenly beauty and wholly naked; and she came and stood before him.“Ah,” she said, weeping, “master of the golden sickle. I come, for I must obey; do not make me suffer too much in the taking of my heart, master of the golden sickle.”Then the virgin went away into the depths of the wood; and the mannikin, bursting out into laughter, threw Sir Halewyn down on to the ground, and said:“Hast song and sickle; so shalt thou have strength and beauty; I am the Prince of the Stones; farewell, cousin.”And Halewyn, picking himself up, saw no more of either the mannikin or the naked maid; and studying well the golden sickle, and pondering in his mind what could be the meaning of the man in the tomb and the naked virgin, and inquiring within himself in perplexity what use he could make of the sickle and the sweet song, he saw suddenly on the blade a fair inscription, written in letters of fire.But he could not read the writing, for he was ignorant of all the arts; and, weeping with rage, he threw himself into the bushes, crying out: “Help me, Prince of the Stones. Leave me not to die of despair.”Thereupon the mannikin reappeared, leapt upon his shoulder, and, giving him a stout rap on the nose, read on one side of the blade of the sickle this inscription which follows:Song calls,Sickle reaps.In the heart of a maid shalt thou find:Strength, beauty, honour, riches,From the hands of a dead virgin.And upon the other side of the blade the mannikin read further:Whoso thou art shalt do this thing,Writing read and song sing:Seek well, hark and go;No man shall lay thee low.Song calls,Sickle reaps.And having read this the mannikin went away once more.Suddenly the Miserable heard a sad voice saying:“Wilt thou seek strength and beauty in death, blood, and tears?”“Yes,” said he.“Ambitious heart, heart of stone,” answered the voice. Then he heard nothing more.And he gazed at the sickle with its flaming letters until such time as My Lord Chanticleer called his hens awake.

VII.Of the Prince of the Stones and of the song.

One day in the season of plum-picking, having roved over the whole countryside, and even as far as Lille, on the way back to his castle he passed through a wood. Ambling along he saw among the undergrowth, alongside an oak, a stone which was of great length and broad in proportion.And he said: “That will make me a good seat, comfortable enough to rest on for a little while.” And sitting down on the stone he once again prayed to the devil to let him have health and beauty.By and by, although it was still daylight, and the small birds, warblers and finches, sang in the woods joyously, and there was a bright sun and a soft wind, Sir Halewyn went off to sleep, for he was very tired.Having slept until it was night, he was suddenly awakened by a strange sound. And he saw, by the light of the high moon and the clear stars, as it were a little animal, with a coat like a mossy stone, who was scratching up the earth beneath the rock, now and again thrusting his head into the hole he had made, as a dog does hunting moles.Sir Halewyn, thinking it was some wild thing, hit at it with his sword.But the sword was broken at its touch, and a little mannikin of stone leapt up on to his shoulders, and smote his cheeks sharply with his hard hands, and said, wheezing and laughing:“Seek, Siewert Halewyn; seek song and sickle, sickle and song; seek, seek, ill-favoured one!”And so saying he hopped about like a flea on the back of the Miserable, who bent forward as he was bid, and with a piece of his sword dug in the hole. And the stony cheek of the little mannikin was alongside his own, and his two eyes lit up the hole better than lanterns would have done.And biting Halewyn’s flesh with his sharp teeth, striking him with his little fists, and with his nails pinching and pulling him, and laughing harshly, the little mannikin said:“I am the Prince of the Stones, I have fine treasures; seek, seek, Miserable!”And saying this, he pommelled him beyond endurance. “He wants,” he screamed, mocking him, “Siewert Halewyn wants strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek then, Miserable.”And he pulled out his hair in handfuls, and tore his dress with his nails until he was all in rags, and kept saying, with great bursts of laughter: “Strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek, seek, Miserable!” And he hung from his ears with his two hands, and kicked his stone feet in his face, notwithstanding that the Sire cried out with pain.And the little mannikin said: “To get strength and beauty, seek, Halewyn, a song and a sickle, seek, Sir Miserable!” And the Miserable went on scratching out the earth with his piece of sword.Suddenly the earth fell away under the stone, leaving a great hole open, and Halewyn, by the light of the mannikin’s eyes, saw a sepulchre, and within the sepulchre a man lying, who was of marvellous beauty and had none of the appearance of death.This man was clad all in white, and in his hands held a sickle, whereof both handle and blade were of gold.The Man in WhiteThe Man in White“Take the sickle,” quoth the little mannikin, thumping his head with his fists.Sir Halewyn did as he was bid, and straightway the man in the tomb became dust, and from the dust came a white flame, tall and spreading, and from the white flame a wonderfully sweet song.And suddenly all about the wood was spread a perfume of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.“Sing,” said the mannikin, and the Miserable repeated the song. While he was singing his harsh voice was changed to a voice sweeter than an angel’s, and he saw coming out of the depths of the wood a virgin of heavenly beauty and wholly naked; and she came and stood before him.“Ah,” she said, weeping, “master of the golden sickle. I come, for I must obey; do not make me suffer too much in the taking of my heart, master of the golden sickle.”Then the virgin went away into the depths of the wood; and the mannikin, bursting out into laughter, threw Sir Halewyn down on to the ground, and said:“Hast song and sickle; so shalt thou have strength and beauty; I am the Prince of the Stones; farewell, cousin.”And Halewyn, picking himself up, saw no more of either the mannikin or the naked maid; and studying well the golden sickle, and pondering in his mind what could be the meaning of the man in the tomb and the naked virgin, and inquiring within himself in perplexity what use he could make of the sickle and the sweet song, he saw suddenly on the blade a fair inscription, written in letters of fire.But he could not read the writing, for he was ignorant of all the arts; and, weeping with rage, he threw himself into the bushes, crying out: “Help me, Prince of the Stones. Leave me not to die of despair.”Thereupon the mannikin reappeared, leapt upon his shoulder, and, giving him a stout rap on the nose, read on one side of the blade of the sickle this inscription which follows:Song calls,Sickle reaps.In the heart of a maid shalt thou find:Strength, beauty, honour, riches,From the hands of a dead virgin.And upon the other side of the blade the mannikin read further:Whoso thou art shalt do this thing,Writing read and song sing:Seek well, hark and go;No man shall lay thee low.Song calls,Sickle reaps.And having read this the mannikin went away once more.Suddenly the Miserable heard a sad voice saying:“Wilt thou seek strength and beauty in death, blood, and tears?”“Yes,” said he.“Ambitious heart, heart of stone,” answered the voice. Then he heard nothing more.And he gazed at the sickle with its flaming letters until such time as My Lord Chanticleer called his hens awake.

One day in the season of plum-picking, having roved over the whole countryside, and even as far as Lille, on the way back to his castle he passed through a wood. Ambling along he saw among the undergrowth, alongside an oak, a stone which was of great length and broad in proportion.

And he said: “That will make me a good seat, comfortable enough to rest on for a little while.” And sitting down on the stone he once again prayed to the devil to let him have health and beauty.

By and by, although it was still daylight, and the small birds, warblers and finches, sang in the woods joyously, and there was a bright sun and a soft wind, Sir Halewyn went off to sleep, for he was very tired.

Having slept until it was night, he was suddenly awakened by a strange sound. And he saw, by the light of the high moon and the clear stars, as it were a little animal, with a coat like a mossy stone, who was scratching up the earth beneath the rock, now and again thrusting his head into the hole he had made, as a dog does hunting moles.

Sir Halewyn, thinking it was some wild thing, hit at it with his sword.

But the sword was broken at its touch, and a little mannikin of stone leapt up on to his shoulders, and smote his cheeks sharply with his hard hands, and said, wheezing and laughing:

“Seek, Siewert Halewyn; seek song and sickle, sickle and song; seek, seek, ill-favoured one!”

And so saying he hopped about like a flea on the back of the Miserable, who bent forward as he was bid, and with a piece of his sword dug in the hole. And the stony cheek of the little mannikin was alongside his own, and his two eyes lit up the hole better than lanterns would have done.

And biting Halewyn’s flesh with his sharp teeth, striking him with his little fists, and with his nails pinching and pulling him, and laughing harshly, the little mannikin said:“I am the Prince of the Stones, I have fine treasures; seek, seek, Miserable!”

And saying this, he pommelled him beyond endurance. “He wants,” he screamed, mocking him, “Siewert Halewyn wants strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek then, Miserable.”

And he pulled out his hair in handfuls, and tore his dress with his nails until he was all in rags, and kept saying, with great bursts of laughter: “Strength and beauty, beauty and strength; seek, seek, Miserable!” And he hung from his ears with his two hands, and kicked his stone feet in his face, notwithstanding that the Sire cried out with pain.

And the little mannikin said: “To get strength and beauty, seek, Halewyn, a song and a sickle, seek, Sir Miserable!” And the Miserable went on scratching out the earth with his piece of sword.

Suddenly the earth fell away under the stone, leaving a great hole open, and Halewyn, by the light of the mannikin’s eyes, saw a sepulchre, and within the sepulchre a man lying, who was of marvellous beauty and had none of the appearance of death.

This man was clad all in white, and in his hands held a sickle, whereof both handle and blade were of gold.

The Man in WhiteThe Man in White

The Man in White

“Take the sickle,” quoth the little mannikin, thumping his head with his fists.

Sir Halewyn did as he was bid, and straightway the man in the tomb became dust, and from the dust came a white flame, tall and spreading, and from the white flame a wonderfully sweet song.

And suddenly all about the wood was spread a perfume of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.

“Sing,” said the mannikin, and the Miserable repeated the song. While he was singing his harsh voice was changed to a voice sweeter than an angel’s, and he saw coming out of the depths of the wood a virgin of heavenly beauty and wholly naked; and she came and stood before him.

“Ah,” she said, weeping, “master of the golden sickle. I come, for I must obey; do not make me suffer too much in the taking of my heart, master of the golden sickle.”

Then the virgin went away into the depths of the wood; and the mannikin, bursting out into laughter, threw Sir Halewyn down on to the ground, and said:

“Hast song and sickle; so shalt thou have strength and beauty; I am the Prince of the Stones; farewell, cousin.”

And Halewyn, picking himself up, saw no more of either the mannikin or the naked maid; and studying well the golden sickle, and pondering in his mind what could be the meaning of the man in the tomb and the naked virgin, and inquiring within himself in perplexity what use he could make of the sickle and the sweet song, he saw suddenly on the blade a fair inscription, written in letters of fire.

But he could not read the writing, for he was ignorant of all the arts; and, weeping with rage, he threw himself into the bushes, crying out: “Help me, Prince of the Stones. Leave me not to die of despair.”

Thereupon the mannikin reappeared, leapt upon his shoulder, and, giving him a stout rap on the nose, read on one side of the blade of the sickle this inscription which follows:

Song calls,Sickle reaps.In the heart of a maid shalt thou find:Strength, beauty, honour, riches,From the hands of a dead virgin.

Song calls,

Sickle reaps.

In the heart of a maid shalt thou find:

Strength, beauty, honour, riches,

From the hands of a dead virgin.

And upon the other side of the blade the mannikin read further:

Whoso thou art shalt do this thing,Writing read and song sing:Seek well, hark and go;No man shall lay thee low.Song calls,Sickle reaps.

Whoso thou art shalt do this thing,

Writing read and song sing:

Seek well, hark and go;

No man shall lay thee low.

Song calls,

Sickle reaps.

And having read this the mannikin went away once more.

Suddenly the Miserable heard a sad voice saying:

“Wilt thou seek strength and beauty in death, blood, and tears?”

“Yes,” said he.

“Ambitious heart, heart of stone,” answered the voice. Then he heard nothing more.

And he gazed at the sickle with its flaming letters until such time as My Lord Chanticleer called his hens awake.

VIII.What Halewyn did to the little girl cutting faggots.The Miserable was overjoyed at what had come about, and inquired within himself whether it would be in the heart of a virgin child or of a marriageable virgin that he would find what was promised him, and so satisfy his great desire for worship and power.Pondering this he went a little way through the wood and stationed himself near to some cottages where he knew there were maids of divers ages, and there waited until morning.Soon after the sun was up, a little girl came out, nine years old, or rather less, and began collecting and cutting up faggots.Going up to her, he sang the song and showed her the sickle.Whereupon she cried out in fear, and ran away as fast as she could.But Halewyn, having quickly overtaken her, dragged her off by force to his castle.Going in, he met on the bridge his lady mother, who said to him: “Where goest thou, Miserable, with this child?”He answered:“To bring honour to our house.”And his lady mother let him pass, thinking him mad.He went into his room, opened the side of the girl beneath a breast just budding, cut out the heart with the sickle, and drank the blood.But he got no more strength from it than he had before.And weeping bitter tears, he cried: “The sickle has played me false.” And he threw down into the moat both the heart and the body.And the lady Halewyn seeing this poor heart and body dropping into the water, ordered that they should be taken out and brought to her.Seeing the body rent open under the breast, and the heart taken out, she became afraid lest Siewert her first-born was following dark practices.And she put the girl’s heart back in her breast, and gave her a very fine and Christian burial, and had a fair great cross made on her winding-sheet, and afterwards she was put in the ground and a fair mass said for the quiet of her soul.

VIII.What Halewyn did to the little girl cutting faggots.

The Miserable was overjoyed at what had come about, and inquired within himself whether it would be in the heart of a virgin child or of a marriageable virgin that he would find what was promised him, and so satisfy his great desire for worship and power.Pondering this he went a little way through the wood and stationed himself near to some cottages where he knew there were maids of divers ages, and there waited until morning.Soon after the sun was up, a little girl came out, nine years old, or rather less, and began collecting and cutting up faggots.Going up to her, he sang the song and showed her the sickle.Whereupon she cried out in fear, and ran away as fast as she could.But Halewyn, having quickly overtaken her, dragged her off by force to his castle.Going in, he met on the bridge his lady mother, who said to him: “Where goest thou, Miserable, with this child?”He answered:“To bring honour to our house.”And his lady mother let him pass, thinking him mad.He went into his room, opened the side of the girl beneath a breast just budding, cut out the heart with the sickle, and drank the blood.But he got no more strength from it than he had before.And weeping bitter tears, he cried: “The sickle has played me false.” And he threw down into the moat both the heart and the body.And the lady Halewyn seeing this poor heart and body dropping into the water, ordered that they should be taken out and brought to her.Seeing the body rent open under the breast, and the heart taken out, she became afraid lest Siewert her first-born was following dark practices.And she put the girl’s heart back in her breast, and gave her a very fine and Christian burial, and had a fair great cross made on her winding-sheet, and afterwards she was put in the ground and a fair mass said for the quiet of her soul.

The Miserable was overjoyed at what had come about, and inquired within himself whether it would be in the heart of a virgin child or of a marriageable virgin that he would find what was promised him, and so satisfy his great desire for worship and power.

Pondering this he went a little way through the wood and stationed himself near to some cottages where he knew there were maids of divers ages, and there waited until morning.

Soon after the sun was up, a little girl came out, nine years old, or rather less, and began collecting and cutting up faggots.

Going up to her, he sang the song and showed her the sickle.

Whereupon she cried out in fear, and ran away as fast as she could.

But Halewyn, having quickly overtaken her, dragged her off by force to his castle.

Going in, he met on the bridge his lady mother, who said to him: “Where goest thou, Miserable, with this child?”

He answered:

“To bring honour to our house.”

And his lady mother let him pass, thinking him mad.

He went into his room, opened the side of the girl beneath a breast just budding, cut out the heart with the sickle, and drank the blood.

But he got no more strength from it than he had before.

And weeping bitter tears, he cried: “The sickle has played me false.” And he threw down into the moat both the heart and the body.

And the lady Halewyn seeing this poor heart and body dropping into the water, ordered that they should be taken out and brought to her.

Seeing the body rent open under the breast, and the heart taken out, she became afraid lest Siewert her first-born was following dark practices.

And she put the girl’s heart back in her breast, and gave her a very fine and Christian burial, and had a fair great cross made on her winding-sheet, and afterwards she was put in the ground and a fair mass said for the quiet of her soul.

IX.Of the heart of a maid and of the great strength which came to Sir Halewyn.Sorely troubled, and falling on his knees, Halewyn said: “Alas, is the spell then impotent? I sang, and she would not come to my singing! What would you have me do now, Lord Prince of the Stones? If it is that I must wait until nightfall, that I will do. Then, without doubt, having no sun to hinder your powers, you will give me strength and beauty, and all prowess, and you will send me the virgin I need.”And he went at night to wander in the woods round about the cottages, and there, singing his song, and looking out to see if any were coming.He saw by the light of the bright moon the daughter of Claes, a poor mad man, nicknamed the Dog-beater, because he used to thump and pommel grievously whomever he met, saying that these accursed dogs had robbed him of his coat, and must give it him back again.This girl took care of Claes very well, and would not marry, though she was a beautiful maid, saying: “Since he is simple, I cannot leave him to look to himself.”And every one, seeing her so stout-hearted, gave her, one some of his cheese, another some beans, another some flour, and so they lived together without wanting for food.The Miserable stood still at the edge of the wood and sang. And the maid walked straight towards the singing and fell on her knees before him.He went home to his castle, and she followed him, and entered in with him, saying no word.On the stair he met his brother, just returned from boar-hunting, who said, in mocking wise:“Ah, is the Miserable about to get us a bastard?” And to the girl: “Well, mistress, thy heart must be fast set on my ugly brother that thou must needs follow him in this wise, without a word spoken.”But Halewyn, in a rage, hit out at his brother’s face with his sword.Then, passing him by, went up into his own room.And there, having shut fast the door, from fear of his brother, he stripped the girl quite naked, as he had seen the virgin in his vision. And the girl said that she was cold.Quickly he opened her breast with the golden blade, under the left pap.And as the maid gave the death-cry, the heart came out of itself on the blade.And the Miserable saw before his eyes the little mannikin coming out of the stones of the wall, who said to him, grinning:“Heart on heart gives strength and beauty. Halewyn shall hang the maid in the Gallows-field. And the body shall hang until the hour of God.” Then he went back into the wall.Halewyn put the heart on his breast, and felt it beating firmly and taking root in his skin. And suddenly his bent back was straightened; and his arm found such strength that he broke easily in two a heavy oaken bench; and lookingat himself in a mirror-glass he saw an image so beautiful that he could scarce tell it for his own.And he felt in his veins the fire of youth burning.Going down into the great hall he found there at supper his father, mother, brother, and sister.None of them would have known him but for his voice, which was unchanged.And his mother rose and peered into his face to see him better.And he said to her: “Woman, I am thine own son, Siewert Halewyn, the Invincible.”But his brother, whom he had but lately smitten in the face, ran towards him hotly, saying: “Cursed be the Invincible!” and struck him with his knife. But the blade snapped off like glass against the body of the Miserable; whereupon the younger brother seized him in his arms, but the Miserable tore him off and threw him to one side as if he had been a caterpillar.Then he rushed at him with his head down, like a battering-ram, but as soon as his head touched the Miserable it was cut open, and the blood ran down over his face.And his father and mother, his sister and the wounded brother, threw themselves on their knees and asked his forgiveness, begging him, since he had become so powerful, to bring them riches and honour.“That I will,” said he.

IX.Of the heart of a maid and of the great strength which came to Sir Halewyn.

Sorely troubled, and falling on his knees, Halewyn said: “Alas, is the spell then impotent? I sang, and she would not come to my singing! What would you have me do now, Lord Prince of the Stones? If it is that I must wait until nightfall, that I will do. Then, without doubt, having no sun to hinder your powers, you will give me strength and beauty, and all prowess, and you will send me the virgin I need.”And he went at night to wander in the woods round about the cottages, and there, singing his song, and looking out to see if any were coming.He saw by the light of the bright moon the daughter of Claes, a poor mad man, nicknamed the Dog-beater, because he used to thump and pommel grievously whomever he met, saying that these accursed dogs had robbed him of his coat, and must give it him back again.This girl took care of Claes very well, and would not marry, though she was a beautiful maid, saying: “Since he is simple, I cannot leave him to look to himself.”And every one, seeing her so stout-hearted, gave her, one some of his cheese, another some beans, another some flour, and so they lived together without wanting for food.The Miserable stood still at the edge of the wood and sang. And the maid walked straight towards the singing and fell on her knees before him.He went home to his castle, and she followed him, and entered in with him, saying no word.On the stair he met his brother, just returned from boar-hunting, who said, in mocking wise:“Ah, is the Miserable about to get us a bastard?” And to the girl: “Well, mistress, thy heart must be fast set on my ugly brother that thou must needs follow him in this wise, without a word spoken.”But Halewyn, in a rage, hit out at his brother’s face with his sword.Then, passing him by, went up into his own room.And there, having shut fast the door, from fear of his brother, he stripped the girl quite naked, as he had seen the virgin in his vision. And the girl said that she was cold.Quickly he opened her breast with the golden blade, under the left pap.And as the maid gave the death-cry, the heart came out of itself on the blade.And the Miserable saw before his eyes the little mannikin coming out of the stones of the wall, who said to him, grinning:“Heart on heart gives strength and beauty. Halewyn shall hang the maid in the Gallows-field. And the body shall hang until the hour of God.” Then he went back into the wall.Halewyn put the heart on his breast, and felt it beating firmly and taking root in his skin. And suddenly his bent back was straightened; and his arm found such strength that he broke easily in two a heavy oaken bench; and lookingat himself in a mirror-glass he saw an image so beautiful that he could scarce tell it for his own.And he felt in his veins the fire of youth burning.Going down into the great hall he found there at supper his father, mother, brother, and sister.None of them would have known him but for his voice, which was unchanged.And his mother rose and peered into his face to see him better.And he said to her: “Woman, I am thine own son, Siewert Halewyn, the Invincible.”But his brother, whom he had but lately smitten in the face, ran towards him hotly, saying: “Cursed be the Invincible!” and struck him with his knife. But the blade snapped off like glass against the body of the Miserable; whereupon the younger brother seized him in his arms, but the Miserable tore him off and threw him to one side as if he had been a caterpillar.Then he rushed at him with his head down, like a battering-ram, but as soon as his head touched the Miserable it was cut open, and the blood ran down over his face.And his father and mother, his sister and the wounded brother, threw themselves on their knees and asked his forgiveness, begging him, since he had become so powerful, to bring them riches and honour.“That I will,” said he.

Sorely troubled, and falling on his knees, Halewyn said: “Alas, is the spell then impotent? I sang, and she would not come to my singing! What would you have me do now, Lord Prince of the Stones? If it is that I must wait until nightfall, that I will do. Then, without doubt, having no sun to hinder your powers, you will give me strength and beauty, and all prowess, and you will send me the virgin I need.”

And he went at night to wander in the woods round about the cottages, and there, singing his song, and looking out to see if any were coming.

He saw by the light of the bright moon the daughter of Claes, a poor mad man, nicknamed the Dog-beater, because he used to thump and pommel grievously whomever he met, saying that these accursed dogs had robbed him of his coat, and must give it him back again.

This girl took care of Claes very well, and would not marry, though she was a beautiful maid, saying: “Since he is simple, I cannot leave him to look to himself.”

And every one, seeing her so stout-hearted, gave her, one some of his cheese, another some beans, another some flour, and so they lived together without wanting for food.

The Miserable stood still at the edge of the wood and sang. And the maid walked straight towards the singing and fell on her knees before him.

He went home to his castle, and she followed him, and entered in with him, saying no word.

On the stair he met his brother, just returned from boar-hunting, who said, in mocking wise:

“Ah, is the Miserable about to get us a bastard?” And to the girl: “Well, mistress, thy heart must be fast set on my ugly brother that thou must needs follow him in this wise, without a word spoken.”

But Halewyn, in a rage, hit out at his brother’s face with his sword.

Then, passing him by, went up into his own room.

And there, having shut fast the door, from fear of his brother, he stripped the girl quite naked, as he had seen the virgin in his vision. And the girl said that she was cold.

Quickly he opened her breast with the golden blade, under the left pap.

And as the maid gave the death-cry, the heart came out of itself on the blade.

And the Miserable saw before his eyes the little mannikin coming out of the stones of the wall, who said to him, grinning:

“Heart on heart gives strength and beauty. Halewyn shall hang the maid in the Gallows-field. And the body shall hang until the hour of God.” Then he went back into the wall.

Halewyn put the heart on his breast, and felt it beating firmly and taking root in his skin. And suddenly his bent back was straightened; and his arm found such strength that he broke easily in two a heavy oaken bench; and lookingat himself in a mirror-glass he saw an image so beautiful that he could scarce tell it for his own.

And he felt in his veins the fire of youth burning.

Going down into the great hall he found there at supper his father, mother, brother, and sister.

None of them would have known him but for his voice, which was unchanged.

And his mother rose and peered into his face to see him better.

And he said to her: “Woman, I am thine own son, Siewert Halewyn, the Invincible.”

But his brother, whom he had but lately smitten in the face, ran towards him hotly, saying: “Cursed be the Invincible!” and struck him with his knife. But the blade snapped off like glass against the body of the Miserable; whereupon the younger brother seized him in his arms, but the Miserable tore him off and threw him to one side as if he had been a caterpillar.

Then he rushed at him with his head down, like a battering-ram, but as soon as his head touched the Miserable it was cut open, and the blood ran down over his face.

And his father and mother, his sister and the wounded brother, threw themselves on their knees and asked his forgiveness, begging him, since he had become so powerful, to bring them riches and honour.

“That I will,” said he.

X.How the Miserable robbed a Lombard goldsmith, and of the pleasant speech of the ladies and gentlewomen.On the morrow, armed only with the sickle, for he despised other arms on account of the strength which the spell gave him, Halewyn took the body of the maid to the Gallows-field and there hanged it on the tree.Then he rode off to the city of Ghent.And the ladies, gentlewomen and maidens of the town,seeing him pass by on his black horse, said among themselves: “Who is this fair horseman?”“’Tis,” he cried right proudly, “Siewert Halewyn, who was called the Ill-favoured one.”“Nay, nay,” said the bolder among them, “you are making fun of us, My Lord, or else you have been changed by a fairy.”“Yes,” said he, “and, moreover, I had fleshly knowledge of her; and so shall have of you, if I please.”At these words the ladies and gentlewomen were not at all put out.And he went to the shop of a Lombard goldsmith in that town, who had at one time and another lent him six-and-twenty florins. But the goldsmith did not know him for himself.He told him that he was Sir Halewyn.“Ah,” said the goldsmith, “then I pray, My Lord, that you will repay me my six-and-twenty florins.”But Halewyn, laughing: “Take me,” he said, “to the room where thou keepest thy gold.”“My Lord,” said the goldsmith, “that I will not, for all that I hold you in high esteem.”“Dog,” said he, “if thou dost not obey me I will strike thee dead instantly.”“Ha!” said the goldsmith, “do not come blustering here, My Lord, for I am neither serf nor peasant, but a free burgess of this town. And if you are so minded as to lay your hands on me, I shall know how to get redress, I promise you.”Then Halewyn struck him, and the burgess called for help.Hearing this cry, apprentices to the number of six came down into the shop, and, seeing Halewyn, ran to seize him.But he beat them off likewise and bade them show him where the gold was kept.Which they did, saying one to another: “This is the Devil.”And the goldsmith, weeping: “My Lord,” said he, “do not take it all.”“I shall take what I will,” said Halewyn; and he filled his money-bag.And in this way he took from the goldsmith more than seven hundred goldenbezants.Then, seeing the poor man lamenting his lot, he struck him two or three hard blows, telling him not to whine so loud, and that before the month was out he would take from him double the amount.

X.How the Miserable robbed a Lombard goldsmith, and of the pleasant speech of the ladies and gentlewomen.

On the morrow, armed only with the sickle, for he despised other arms on account of the strength which the spell gave him, Halewyn took the body of the maid to the Gallows-field and there hanged it on the tree.Then he rode off to the city of Ghent.And the ladies, gentlewomen and maidens of the town,seeing him pass by on his black horse, said among themselves: “Who is this fair horseman?”“’Tis,” he cried right proudly, “Siewert Halewyn, who was called the Ill-favoured one.”“Nay, nay,” said the bolder among them, “you are making fun of us, My Lord, or else you have been changed by a fairy.”“Yes,” said he, “and, moreover, I had fleshly knowledge of her; and so shall have of you, if I please.”At these words the ladies and gentlewomen were not at all put out.And he went to the shop of a Lombard goldsmith in that town, who had at one time and another lent him six-and-twenty florins. But the goldsmith did not know him for himself.He told him that he was Sir Halewyn.“Ah,” said the goldsmith, “then I pray, My Lord, that you will repay me my six-and-twenty florins.”But Halewyn, laughing: “Take me,” he said, “to the room where thou keepest thy gold.”“My Lord,” said the goldsmith, “that I will not, for all that I hold you in high esteem.”“Dog,” said he, “if thou dost not obey me I will strike thee dead instantly.”“Ha!” said the goldsmith, “do not come blustering here, My Lord, for I am neither serf nor peasant, but a free burgess of this town. And if you are so minded as to lay your hands on me, I shall know how to get redress, I promise you.”Then Halewyn struck him, and the burgess called for help.Hearing this cry, apprentices to the number of six came down into the shop, and, seeing Halewyn, ran to seize him.But he beat them off likewise and bade them show him where the gold was kept.Which they did, saying one to another: “This is the Devil.”And the goldsmith, weeping: “My Lord,” said he, “do not take it all.”“I shall take what I will,” said Halewyn; and he filled his money-bag.And in this way he took from the goldsmith more than seven hundred goldenbezants.Then, seeing the poor man lamenting his lot, he struck him two or three hard blows, telling him not to whine so loud, and that before the month was out he would take from him double the amount.

On the morrow, armed only with the sickle, for he despised other arms on account of the strength which the spell gave him, Halewyn took the body of the maid to the Gallows-field and there hanged it on the tree.

Then he rode off to the city of Ghent.

And the ladies, gentlewomen and maidens of the town,seeing him pass by on his black horse, said among themselves: “Who is this fair horseman?”

“’Tis,” he cried right proudly, “Siewert Halewyn, who was called the Ill-favoured one.”

“Nay, nay,” said the bolder among them, “you are making fun of us, My Lord, or else you have been changed by a fairy.”

“Yes,” said he, “and, moreover, I had fleshly knowledge of her; and so shall have of you, if I please.”

At these words the ladies and gentlewomen were not at all put out.

And he went to the shop of a Lombard goldsmith in that town, who had at one time and another lent him six-and-twenty florins. But the goldsmith did not know him for himself.

He told him that he was Sir Halewyn.

“Ah,” said the goldsmith, “then I pray, My Lord, that you will repay me my six-and-twenty florins.”

But Halewyn, laughing: “Take me,” he said, “to the room where thou keepest thy gold.”

“My Lord,” said the goldsmith, “that I will not, for all that I hold you in high esteem.”

“Dog,” said he, “if thou dost not obey me I will strike thee dead instantly.”

“Ha!” said the goldsmith, “do not come blustering here, My Lord, for I am neither serf nor peasant, but a free burgess of this town. And if you are so minded as to lay your hands on me, I shall know how to get redress, I promise you.”

Then Halewyn struck him, and the burgess called for help.

Hearing this cry, apprentices to the number of six came down into the shop, and, seeing Halewyn, ran to seize him.

But he beat them off likewise and bade them show him where the gold was kept.

Which they did, saying one to another: “This is the Devil.”

And the goldsmith, weeping: “My Lord,” said he, “do not take it all.”

“I shall take what I will,” said Halewyn; and he filled his money-bag.

And in this way he took from the goldsmith more than seven hundred goldenbezants.

Then, seeing the poor man lamenting his lot, he struck him two or three hard blows, telling him not to whine so loud, and that before the month was out he would take from him double the amount.

XI.Of the arrogant arms of Sir Halewyn.And the Miserable became the richest, most powerful, and most feared baron in the whole province.And blasphemously he compared himself to God.And considering that the old arms of Dirk, and his device, were too mean for his new magnificence:He sent to Bruges for painters in heraldry to fashion them afresh.These painters put the old crow away in one quarter, and on a fieldargentandsableblazoned a heartgulesand a sickleor, with this device:None can stand against me.Moreover, he had this same blazon fashioned into a great standard which was flown from his castle keep. And also had it cut in stone over the gate. And on his shield, which he caused to be made larger so that the arrogant device might be seen to better advantage. And on his arms, his clothes, and wherever it could be put, there he had it as well.

XI.Of the arrogant arms of Sir Halewyn.

And the Miserable became the richest, most powerful, and most feared baron in the whole province.And blasphemously he compared himself to God.And considering that the old arms of Dirk, and his device, were too mean for his new magnificence:He sent to Bruges for painters in heraldry to fashion them afresh.These painters put the old crow away in one quarter, and on a fieldargentandsableblazoned a heartgulesand a sickleor, with this device:None can stand against me.Moreover, he had this same blazon fashioned into a great standard which was flown from his castle keep. And also had it cut in stone over the gate. And on his shield, which he caused to be made larger so that the arrogant device might be seen to better advantage. And on his arms, his clothes, and wherever it could be put, there he had it as well.

And the Miserable became the richest, most powerful, and most feared baron in the whole province.

And blasphemously he compared himself to God.

And considering that the old arms of Dirk, and his device, were too mean for his new magnificence:

He sent to Bruges for painters in heraldry to fashion them afresh.

These painters put the old crow away in one quarter, and on a fieldargentandsableblazoned a heartgulesand a sickleor, with this device:None can stand against me.

Moreover, he had this same blazon fashioned into a great standard which was flown from his castle keep. And also had it cut in stone over the gate. And on his shield, which he caused to be made larger so that the arrogant device might be seen to better advantage. And on his arms, his clothes, and wherever it could be put, there he had it as well.

XII.How Sir Halewyn jousted with a knight of England.It so happened that at about this time My Lord of Flanders let call a tournament.And sent out to all his lords and barons to come to Ghent for that purpose.Halewyn went thither and set up his shield among the others.But the barons and lords, seeing the arrogant device and the great size of the shield, were greatly put to offence thereat.And all of them jousted with him, but each was overthrown in turn.Among them was present an English knight of much prowess, who rode out to the middle of the tourney-field and stood straight and proud before Sir Halewyn.“Well,” quoth he, “My Lord the Invincible, it displeases me to see thee planted there so arrogantly and unhorsing us all in this fashion. Wilt thou fight with me?”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“If I overcome thee, thou shalt be my servant and I shall take thee with me into Cornwall.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“And cause thee to grease my horses’ hooves, and empty the dung from the stable; and find out whether thou art invincible at such work also.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“And if thou art not invincible, the invincible stick shall thrash thee invincibly.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“But if thou overcome me, this shall be thy guerdon:“Five-and-twentybezantswhich are in the house of thy Lord, the noble Count of Flanders; all the accoutrement of my horse, which is of fine mail; his fair saddle of pear-wood, covered with leather, and saddle-bows richly figured with ten horsemen lustily fighting and with Our Lord driving out the devil from one possessed; furthermore my helm of fine wrought steel, and on it a crest of silver, gilt over, with spread wings, which may very well, notwithstanding thy device, stand against thy bleeding heart, thy gaping sickle, and thy miserable crow. Well, My Lord the Invincible, dost think thou shalt win invincibly the five-and-twentybezants, the helm of my head, and the trappings of my horse?”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.Then, after My Lord himself had given the signal, they ran together with a great clatter.And the English knight was overthrown like the rest.Then all the ladies acclaimed and applauded the Miserable, crying out: “Worship to Siewert Halewyn the noble, Siewert Halewyn the Fleming, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible.”And on his way back to the house of My Lord, there to feast with him, he was by these ladies kissed, fondled, and made much of without stint.And, putting on the gear of the English knight, he went off to the towns of Bruges, Lille, and Ghent, thieving and ravishing everywhere.And came back from each expedition with much booty.And felt the heart all the while pouring live strength into his breast and beating against his skin.Then he went back to his own castle with the five-and-twentybezantsand the arms of the knight of England.When he sounded the horn there came to him his mother, who, seeing him so gilt over, was overcome with joy, and cried: “He brings us riches, as he promised.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.And she fell at his feet and kissed them.As also did the younger brother, saying: “Sir Brother thou hast lifted us up from poverty, I will willingly serve thee.”“So shouldst thou, indeed,” said Halewyn. Then, going into the hall: “I would sup,” he said, “thou, woman, fetch me meat, and thou, fellow, drink.”And on the morrow, and every day thereafter, he made to serve him at table, as if they had been his private servants, his father, mother, brother, and sister, turn by turn.

XII.How Sir Halewyn jousted with a knight of England.

It so happened that at about this time My Lord of Flanders let call a tournament.And sent out to all his lords and barons to come to Ghent for that purpose.Halewyn went thither and set up his shield among the others.But the barons and lords, seeing the arrogant device and the great size of the shield, were greatly put to offence thereat.And all of them jousted with him, but each was overthrown in turn.Among them was present an English knight of much prowess, who rode out to the middle of the tourney-field and stood straight and proud before Sir Halewyn.“Well,” quoth he, “My Lord the Invincible, it displeases me to see thee planted there so arrogantly and unhorsing us all in this fashion. Wilt thou fight with me?”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“If I overcome thee, thou shalt be my servant and I shall take thee with me into Cornwall.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“And cause thee to grease my horses’ hooves, and empty the dung from the stable; and find out whether thou art invincible at such work also.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“And if thou art not invincible, the invincible stick shall thrash thee invincibly.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.“But if thou overcome me, this shall be thy guerdon:“Five-and-twentybezantswhich are in the house of thy Lord, the noble Count of Flanders; all the accoutrement of my horse, which is of fine mail; his fair saddle of pear-wood, covered with leather, and saddle-bows richly figured with ten horsemen lustily fighting and with Our Lord driving out the devil from one possessed; furthermore my helm of fine wrought steel, and on it a crest of silver, gilt over, with spread wings, which may very well, notwithstanding thy device, stand against thy bleeding heart, thy gaping sickle, and thy miserable crow. Well, My Lord the Invincible, dost think thou shalt win invincibly the five-and-twentybezants, the helm of my head, and the trappings of my horse?”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.Then, after My Lord himself had given the signal, they ran together with a great clatter.And the English knight was overthrown like the rest.Then all the ladies acclaimed and applauded the Miserable, crying out: “Worship to Siewert Halewyn the noble, Siewert Halewyn the Fleming, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible.”And on his way back to the house of My Lord, there to feast with him, he was by these ladies kissed, fondled, and made much of without stint.And, putting on the gear of the English knight, he went off to the towns of Bruges, Lille, and Ghent, thieving and ravishing everywhere.And came back from each expedition with much booty.And felt the heart all the while pouring live strength into his breast and beating against his skin.Then he went back to his own castle with the five-and-twentybezantsand the arms of the knight of England.When he sounded the horn there came to him his mother, who, seeing him so gilt over, was overcome with joy, and cried: “He brings us riches, as he promised.”“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.And she fell at his feet and kissed them.As also did the younger brother, saying: “Sir Brother thou hast lifted us up from poverty, I will willingly serve thee.”“So shouldst thou, indeed,” said Halewyn. Then, going into the hall: “I would sup,” he said, “thou, woman, fetch me meat, and thou, fellow, drink.”And on the morrow, and every day thereafter, he made to serve him at table, as if they had been his private servants, his father, mother, brother, and sister, turn by turn.

It so happened that at about this time My Lord of Flanders let call a tournament.

And sent out to all his lords and barons to come to Ghent for that purpose.

Halewyn went thither and set up his shield among the others.

But the barons and lords, seeing the arrogant device and the great size of the shield, were greatly put to offence thereat.

And all of them jousted with him, but each was overthrown in turn.

Among them was present an English knight of much prowess, who rode out to the middle of the tourney-field and stood straight and proud before Sir Halewyn.

“Well,” quoth he, “My Lord the Invincible, it displeases me to see thee planted there so arrogantly and unhorsing us all in this fashion. Wilt thou fight with me?”

“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.

“If I overcome thee, thou shalt be my servant and I shall take thee with me into Cornwall.”

“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.

“And cause thee to grease my horses’ hooves, and empty the dung from the stable; and find out whether thou art invincible at such work also.”

“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.

“And if thou art not invincible, the invincible stick shall thrash thee invincibly.”

“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.

“But if thou overcome me, this shall be thy guerdon:

“Five-and-twentybezantswhich are in the house of thy Lord, the noble Count of Flanders; all the accoutrement of my horse, which is of fine mail; his fair saddle of pear-wood, covered with leather, and saddle-bows richly figured with ten horsemen lustily fighting and with Our Lord driving out the devil from one possessed; furthermore my helm of fine wrought steel, and on it a crest of silver, gilt over, with spread wings, which may very well, notwithstanding thy device, stand against thy bleeding heart, thy gaping sickle, and thy miserable crow. Well, My Lord the Invincible, dost think thou shalt win invincibly the five-and-twentybezants, the helm of my head, and the trappings of my horse?”

“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.

Then, after My Lord himself had given the signal, they ran together with a great clatter.

And the English knight was overthrown like the rest.

Then all the ladies acclaimed and applauded the Miserable, crying out: “Worship to Siewert Halewyn the noble, Siewert Halewyn the Fleming, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible.”

And on his way back to the house of My Lord, there to feast with him, he was by these ladies kissed, fondled, and made much of without stint.

And, putting on the gear of the English knight, he went off to the towns of Bruges, Lille, and Ghent, thieving and ravishing everywhere.

And came back from each expedition with much booty.

And felt the heart all the while pouring live strength into his breast and beating against his skin.

Then he went back to his own castle with the five-and-twentybezantsand the arms of the knight of England.

When he sounded the horn there came to him his mother, who, seeing him so gilt over, was overcome with joy, and cried: “He brings us riches, as he promised.”

“Yes,” said Sir Halewyn.

And she fell at his feet and kissed them.

As also did the younger brother, saying: “Sir Brother thou hast lifted us up from poverty, I will willingly serve thee.”

“So shouldst thou, indeed,” said Halewyn. Then, going into the hall: “I would sup,” he said, “thou, woman, fetch me meat, and thou, fellow, drink.”

And on the morrow, and every day thereafter, he made to serve him at table, as if they had been his private servants, his father, mother, brother, and sister, turn by turn.

XIII.Of the heart dried up and of the dame Halewyn.But one morning while he was at meat in his castle, when his father and sister were gone to Bruges to buy corn-coloured cloth-of-scarlet for their clothes,And he was being served, with all humility, by his mother and brother,He became suddenly quite cold, for the heart had ceased to beat.Putting his hand to his breast, he touched dried-up skin.Then he felt his face go back as it was before, his shoulders shrink down, his back hump up, and all his body lessen in stature.Looking at his mother and brother in turn, he saw them laughing and saying to each other: “See, here is our master back in his old ugly skin, and with his old ugly face.”“Ha, My Lord,” said his brother, coming boldly up to him and speaking insolently, “will you not take some of thisclauwaertto hearten yourself? You have no longer, it seems, your former strength.”“Wilt try it?” said the Miserable, and struck him with his fist, but did him no more hurt than if he had been a fly.Seeing this the younger brother grew bolder, and seating himself close to Halewyn on the seat:“My lord,” said he, “you have had pudding enough, I think, ’tis my turn to eat.”And he took the pudding from off his platter.“My lord son,” said his mother, “now you shall give to me, who am old, some of this old wine you have kept for yourself.”And she took the cup out of his hand.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “methinks you have too much of this roast of lamb with sweet chestnuts; I will take it, if you please.”And he put the roast of lamb before his own place.“My lord son,” said his mother, “you do not much like, it seems, this fair cheese and barley tart, give it to me, I pray you.”And the Miserable, dumbfounded, gave it to her.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “you havebeen sitting there long enough like an emperor, will you be pleased to stir your limbs now and serve us?”And the Miserable, getting up, served them as he was bidden.“My lord son,” said his mother, “I see you now submissive to our orders, will you be pleased to ask my pardon for having so long kept me standing like a private servant, fetching you food and drink, though I am your mother?”And the Miserable fell at her feet.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “wilt thou be pleased to fall at my feet likewise, and kiss them, for that thou hast made me do the work of a serf?”“That I will not,” said the Miserable.“Thou wilt not?”“I will not,” said the Miserable, and stepped back a pace.“Come hither,” said his brother.“I will not,” said the Miserable.Then the younger ran at him, and, bearing him to the ground without difficulty, began thumping and pommelling him, and striking him in the face with his golden spurs, saying: “Avenge thyself, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible. None can stand against thee, save I. Thou hast long treated us as serfs in thy house, now I will treat thee as a cheese and crush thee underfoot. Why dost thou not now caper as a kid, or fly away as a bird, Siewert the enchanted?” and, going into a frenzy of rage, he drew his knife, saying: “I will cut thee off thy head unless thou cry mercy.”“I will not,” said the Miserable.But his mother, hearing these words, took quickly from the fire a handful of embers, and notwithstanding their heat, threw them into the eyes and mouth of the younger brother, saying: “Thou shalt not kill my first-born, wicked son.”And while the younger brother was howling by reason of the pain from the embers, which blinded him, his mother took the knife from him, and while he was twisting this wayand that, swinging up his arms to strike whomever he could, she threw him down, shut him up in the room, and went out dragging her first-born after her. Then, although she was feeble with age, she carried Halewyn up into the tower on her back, as a shepherd carries a lamb (for he had quite lost his senses), and there tended him and bathed his face and breast, which were torn and bleeding, and there at nightfall left him and went away.

XIII.Of the heart dried up and of the dame Halewyn.

But one morning while he was at meat in his castle, when his father and sister were gone to Bruges to buy corn-coloured cloth-of-scarlet for their clothes,And he was being served, with all humility, by his mother and brother,He became suddenly quite cold, for the heart had ceased to beat.Putting his hand to his breast, he touched dried-up skin.Then he felt his face go back as it was before, his shoulders shrink down, his back hump up, and all his body lessen in stature.Looking at his mother and brother in turn, he saw them laughing and saying to each other: “See, here is our master back in his old ugly skin, and with his old ugly face.”“Ha, My Lord,” said his brother, coming boldly up to him and speaking insolently, “will you not take some of thisclauwaertto hearten yourself? You have no longer, it seems, your former strength.”“Wilt try it?” said the Miserable, and struck him with his fist, but did him no more hurt than if he had been a fly.Seeing this the younger brother grew bolder, and seating himself close to Halewyn on the seat:“My lord,” said he, “you have had pudding enough, I think, ’tis my turn to eat.”And he took the pudding from off his platter.“My lord son,” said his mother, “now you shall give to me, who am old, some of this old wine you have kept for yourself.”And she took the cup out of his hand.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “methinks you have too much of this roast of lamb with sweet chestnuts; I will take it, if you please.”And he put the roast of lamb before his own place.“My lord son,” said his mother, “you do not much like, it seems, this fair cheese and barley tart, give it to me, I pray you.”And the Miserable, dumbfounded, gave it to her.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “you havebeen sitting there long enough like an emperor, will you be pleased to stir your limbs now and serve us?”And the Miserable, getting up, served them as he was bidden.“My lord son,” said his mother, “I see you now submissive to our orders, will you be pleased to ask my pardon for having so long kept me standing like a private servant, fetching you food and drink, though I am your mother?”And the Miserable fell at her feet.“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “wilt thou be pleased to fall at my feet likewise, and kiss them, for that thou hast made me do the work of a serf?”“That I will not,” said the Miserable.“Thou wilt not?”“I will not,” said the Miserable, and stepped back a pace.“Come hither,” said his brother.“I will not,” said the Miserable.Then the younger ran at him, and, bearing him to the ground without difficulty, began thumping and pommelling him, and striking him in the face with his golden spurs, saying: “Avenge thyself, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible. None can stand against thee, save I. Thou hast long treated us as serfs in thy house, now I will treat thee as a cheese and crush thee underfoot. Why dost thou not now caper as a kid, or fly away as a bird, Siewert the enchanted?” and, going into a frenzy of rage, he drew his knife, saying: “I will cut thee off thy head unless thou cry mercy.”“I will not,” said the Miserable.But his mother, hearing these words, took quickly from the fire a handful of embers, and notwithstanding their heat, threw them into the eyes and mouth of the younger brother, saying: “Thou shalt not kill my first-born, wicked son.”And while the younger brother was howling by reason of the pain from the embers, which blinded him, his mother took the knife from him, and while he was twisting this wayand that, swinging up his arms to strike whomever he could, she threw him down, shut him up in the room, and went out dragging her first-born after her. Then, although she was feeble with age, she carried Halewyn up into the tower on her back, as a shepherd carries a lamb (for he had quite lost his senses), and there tended him and bathed his face and breast, which were torn and bleeding, and there at nightfall left him and went away.

But one morning while he was at meat in his castle, when his father and sister were gone to Bruges to buy corn-coloured cloth-of-scarlet for their clothes,

And he was being served, with all humility, by his mother and brother,

He became suddenly quite cold, for the heart had ceased to beat.

Putting his hand to his breast, he touched dried-up skin.

Then he felt his face go back as it was before, his shoulders shrink down, his back hump up, and all his body lessen in stature.

Looking at his mother and brother in turn, he saw them laughing and saying to each other: “See, here is our master back in his old ugly skin, and with his old ugly face.”

“Ha, My Lord,” said his brother, coming boldly up to him and speaking insolently, “will you not take some of thisclauwaertto hearten yourself? You have no longer, it seems, your former strength.”

“Wilt try it?” said the Miserable, and struck him with his fist, but did him no more hurt than if he had been a fly.

Seeing this the younger brother grew bolder, and seating himself close to Halewyn on the seat:

“My lord,” said he, “you have had pudding enough, I think, ’tis my turn to eat.”

And he took the pudding from off his platter.

“My lord son,” said his mother, “now you shall give to me, who am old, some of this old wine you have kept for yourself.”

And she took the cup out of his hand.

“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “methinks you have too much of this roast of lamb with sweet chestnuts; I will take it, if you please.”

And he put the roast of lamb before his own place.

“My lord son,” said his mother, “you do not much like, it seems, this fair cheese and barley tart, give it to me, I pray you.”

And the Miserable, dumbfounded, gave it to her.

“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “you havebeen sitting there long enough like an emperor, will you be pleased to stir your limbs now and serve us?”

And the Miserable, getting up, served them as he was bidden.

“My lord son,” said his mother, “I see you now submissive to our orders, will you be pleased to ask my pardon for having so long kept me standing like a private servant, fetching you food and drink, though I am your mother?”

And the Miserable fell at her feet.

“My lord brother,” said the younger son, “wilt thou be pleased to fall at my feet likewise, and kiss them, for that thou hast made me do the work of a serf?”

“That I will not,” said the Miserable.

“Thou wilt not?”

“I will not,” said the Miserable, and stepped back a pace.

“Come hither,” said his brother.

“I will not,” said the Miserable.

Then the younger ran at him, and, bearing him to the ground without difficulty, began thumping and pommelling him, and striking him in the face with his golden spurs, saying: “Avenge thyself, Siewert Halewyn the Invincible. None can stand against thee, save I. Thou hast long treated us as serfs in thy house, now I will treat thee as a cheese and crush thee underfoot. Why dost thou not now caper as a kid, or fly away as a bird, Siewert the enchanted?” and, going into a frenzy of rage, he drew his knife, saying: “I will cut thee off thy head unless thou cry mercy.”

“I will not,” said the Miserable.

But his mother, hearing these words, took quickly from the fire a handful of embers, and notwithstanding their heat, threw them into the eyes and mouth of the younger brother, saying: “Thou shalt not kill my first-born, wicked son.”

And while the younger brother was howling by reason of the pain from the embers, which blinded him, his mother took the knife from him, and while he was twisting this wayand that, swinging up his arms to strike whomever he could, she threw him down, shut him up in the room, and went out dragging her first-born after her. Then, although she was feeble with age, she carried Halewyn up into the tower on her back, as a shepherd carries a lamb (for he had quite lost his senses), and there tended him and bathed his face and breast, which were torn and bleeding, and there at nightfall left him and went away.

XIV.Of the great weakness of Sir Halewyn and of the days and nights which he spent in the forest.The Miserable, alone and somewhat comforted, rose to his feet, and was right glad to feel the sickle still at his belt; opened the door, listened to make sure that he could hear nothing, and that his brother was not there.And when the night was fully dark, went down the stair slowly, sitting-wise.For he was so weakened by the blows and wounds he had received that he could not hold himself upright by any means; and in this fashion he went on until he reached the bridge, and, finding that still down, crossed over it.And very wearily he made his way to the forest.But he could not, on account of his weakness, go so far as the cottages, which were a good two leagues distant to the northward.So, lying down among the leaves, he sang.But no maid came, for the song could not be heard from so far away.And so passed the first day.When night came again, cold rain began to fall, which sent him into a fever. But notwithstanding this he would not go back to his castle, for fear of his brother. Shivering, and with his teeth a-chatter, he dragged himself northward through the brake, and saw in a clearing a fair pretty maid, rosy-cheeked, fresh, slender, and neat, and he sang his song. But the girl did not come to him.Sir Halewyn in the WoodSir Halewyn in the WoodAnd so passed the second day.That night the rain fell anew, and he could not move, so stiff was he from the cold, and he sang, but no maid came. At dawn the rain continued, and while he was lying there among the leaves a wolf came and sniffed at him, thinking him dead, but on seeing it draw near he cried out in a terrible fashion, and the wolf took fright and went off. Then he grew hungry, but could find himself nothing to eat. At vespers he sang anew, but no maid came.And so passed the third day.Towards midnight the sky cleared, and the wind grew warmer. But the Miserable, though he was suffering greatly from hunger, thirst, and weariness, dared not sleep. On the morning of the fourth day he saw a girl coming towards him who seemed to be a burgess’s daughter. The girl would have run away on seeing him, but he cried out loudly: “Help me! I am worn out with hunger and sickness.” Then she drew near to him and said: “I also am hungry.” “Art thou,” he said, “a maid? “ “Ah,” said she, “I have had to flee from Bruges, because the priests would have burnt me alive, on account of a brown mole which I have on my neck, of the size of a pea, coming, they say, from my having had fleshly commerce with the devil. But I have never seen the devil, and do not know what he is like.”He, without listening to her, asked again if she were a virgin, and, as the girl said nothing, he sang his song.But she did not move from where she stood, only saying: “You have a very sweet and strong voice for one so wasted with sickness and hunger.”Then he said to her: “I am the lord Siewert Halewyn. Go to my castle and ask to be taken to my lady mother, and without speaking to any one else, whosoever he be, tell her that her son is hard put to it in the forest with hunger, fever, and weariness, and will die before long if none bring him help.”The girl went off as he bid her, but coming out of the wood she saw in the Gallows-field the body of the maid hanging, and ran away in a fright. Passing into the territory of Sir Roel de Heurne she craved food and drink at the cottage of one of his peasants. And there she told how she had found Sir Halewyn dying of hunger. But she was told in reply that the said lord was crueller and more wicked than the devil himself, and should be left to be eaten by the wolves and other beasts of the forest.And the Miserable waited, lying in the leaves in great anguish.And so passed the fourth day.And at dawn of the fifth, having seen no more of the girl, he supposed that she had been caught by the priests and taken back to Bruges to be burnt.Quite disheartened, and chilled with the cold, and saying that he would soon die, he cursed the Prince of the Stones.Nevertheless, at vespers he sang once more.And he was then by the side of a forest way.And he saw coming through the trees a fair maid, who fell on her knees before him.And he did to her as he had done to the others.Then rose full of fresh strength, vigour, and beauty, and with the heart resting against his own went off to the Gallows-field, carrying the body, and there hanged it by that of the first virgin.

XIV.Of the great weakness of Sir Halewyn and of the days and nights which he spent in the forest.

The Miserable, alone and somewhat comforted, rose to his feet, and was right glad to feel the sickle still at his belt; opened the door, listened to make sure that he could hear nothing, and that his brother was not there.And when the night was fully dark, went down the stair slowly, sitting-wise.For he was so weakened by the blows and wounds he had received that he could not hold himself upright by any means; and in this fashion he went on until he reached the bridge, and, finding that still down, crossed over it.And very wearily he made his way to the forest.But he could not, on account of his weakness, go so far as the cottages, which were a good two leagues distant to the northward.So, lying down among the leaves, he sang.But no maid came, for the song could not be heard from so far away.And so passed the first day.When night came again, cold rain began to fall, which sent him into a fever. But notwithstanding this he would not go back to his castle, for fear of his brother. Shivering, and with his teeth a-chatter, he dragged himself northward through the brake, and saw in a clearing a fair pretty maid, rosy-cheeked, fresh, slender, and neat, and he sang his song. But the girl did not come to him.Sir Halewyn in the WoodSir Halewyn in the WoodAnd so passed the second day.That night the rain fell anew, and he could not move, so stiff was he from the cold, and he sang, but no maid came. At dawn the rain continued, and while he was lying there among the leaves a wolf came and sniffed at him, thinking him dead, but on seeing it draw near he cried out in a terrible fashion, and the wolf took fright and went off. Then he grew hungry, but could find himself nothing to eat. At vespers he sang anew, but no maid came.And so passed the third day.Towards midnight the sky cleared, and the wind grew warmer. But the Miserable, though he was suffering greatly from hunger, thirst, and weariness, dared not sleep. On the morning of the fourth day he saw a girl coming towards him who seemed to be a burgess’s daughter. The girl would have run away on seeing him, but he cried out loudly: “Help me! I am worn out with hunger and sickness.” Then she drew near to him and said: “I also am hungry.” “Art thou,” he said, “a maid? “ “Ah,” said she, “I have had to flee from Bruges, because the priests would have burnt me alive, on account of a brown mole which I have on my neck, of the size of a pea, coming, they say, from my having had fleshly commerce with the devil. But I have never seen the devil, and do not know what he is like.”He, without listening to her, asked again if she were a virgin, and, as the girl said nothing, he sang his song.But she did not move from where she stood, only saying: “You have a very sweet and strong voice for one so wasted with sickness and hunger.”Then he said to her: “I am the lord Siewert Halewyn. Go to my castle and ask to be taken to my lady mother, and without speaking to any one else, whosoever he be, tell her that her son is hard put to it in the forest with hunger, fever, and weariness, and will die before long if none bring him help.”The girl went off as he bid her, but coming out of the wood she saw in the Gallows-field the body of the maid hanging, and ran away in a fright. Passing into the territory of Sir Roel de Heurne she craved food and drink at the cottage of one of his peasants. And there she told how she had found Sir Halewyn dying of hunger. But she was told in reply that the said lord was crueller and more wicked than the devil himself, and should be left to be eaten by the wolves and other beasts of the forest.And the Miserable waited, lying in the leaves in great anguish.And so passed the fourth day.And at dawn of the fifth, having seen no more of the girl, he supposed that she had been caught by the priests and taken back to Bruges to be burnt.Quite disheartened, and chilled with the cold, and saying that he would soon die, he cursed the Prince of the Stones.Nevertheless, at vespers he sang once more.And he was then by the side of a forest way.And he saw coming through the trees a fair maid, who fell on her knees before him.And he did to her as he had done to the others.Then rose full of fresh strength, vigour, and beauty, and with the heart resting against his own went off to the Gallows-field, carrying the body, and there hanged it by that of the first virgin.

The Miserable, alone and somewhat comforted, rose to his feet, and was right glad to feel the sickle still at his belt; opened the door, listened to make sure that he could hear nothing, and that his brother was not there.

And when the night was fully dark, went down the stair slowly, sitting-wise.

For he was so weakened by the blows and wounds he had received that he could not hold himself upright by any means; and in this fashion he went on until he reached the bridge, and, finding that still down, crossed over it.

And very wearily he made his way to the forest.

But he could not, on account of his weakness, go so far as the cottages, which were a good two leagues distant to the northward.

So, lying down among the leaves, he sang.

But no maid came, for the song could not be heard from so far away.

And so passed the first day.

When night came again, cold rain began to fall, which sent him into a fever. But notwithstanding this he would not go back to his castle, for fear of his brother. Shivering, and with his teeth a-chatter, he dragged himself northward through the brake, and saw in a clearing a fair pretty maid, rosy-cheeked, fresh, slender, and neat, and he sang his song. But the girl did not come to him.

Sir Halewyn in the WoodSir Halewyn in the Wood

Sir Halewyn in the Wood

And so passed the second day.

That night the rain fell anew, and he could not move, so stiff was he from the cold, and he sang, but no maid came. At dawn the rain continued, and while he was lying there among the leaves a wolf came and sniffed at him, thinking him dead, but on seeing it draw near he cried out in a terrible fashion, and the wolf took fright and went off. Then he grew hungry, but could find himself nothing to eat. At vespers he sang anew, but no maid came.

And so passed the third day.

Towards midnight the sky cleared, and the wind grew warmer. But the Miserable, though he was suffering greatly from hunger, thirst, and weariness, dared not sleep. On the morning of the fourth day he saw a girl coming towards him who seemed to be a burgess’s daughter. The girl would have run away on seeing him, but he cried out loudly: “Help me! I am worn out with hunger and sickness.” Then she drew near to him and said: “I also am hungry.” “Art thou,” he said, “a maid? “ “Ah,” said she, “I have had to flee from Bruges, because the priests would have burnt me alive, on account of a brown mole which I have on my neck, of the size of a pea, coming, they say, from my having had fleshly commerce with the devil. But I have never seen the devil, and do not know what he is like.”

He, without listening to her, asked again if she were a virgin, and, as the girl said nothing, he sang his song.

But she did not move from where she stood, only saying: “You have a very sweet and strong voice for one so wasted with sickness and hunger.”

Then he said to her: “I am the lord Siewert Halewyn. Go to my castle and ask to be taken to my lady mother, and without speaking to any one else, whosoever he be, tell her that her son is hard put to it in the forest with hunger, fever, and weariness, and will die before long if none bring him help.”

The girl went off as he bid her, but coming out of the wood she saw in the Gallows-field the body of the maid hanging, and ran away in a fright. Passing into the territory of Sir Roel de Heurne she craved food and drink at the cottage of one of his peasants. And there she told how she had found Sir Halewyn dying of hunger. But she was told in reply that the said lord was crueller and more wicked than the devil himself, and should be left to be eaten by the wolves and other beasts of the forest.

And the Miserable waited, lying in the leaves in great anguish.

And so passed the fourth day.

And at dawn of the fifth, having seen no more of the girl, he supposed that she had been caught by the priests and taken back to Bruges to be burnt.

Quite disheartened, and chilled with the cold, and saying that he would soon die, he cursed the Prince of the Stones.

Nevertheless, at vespers he sang once more.

And he was then by the side of a forest way.

And he saw coming through the trees a fair maid, who fell on her knees before him.

And he did to her as he had done to the others.

Then rose full of fresh strength, vigour, and beauty, and with the heart resting against his own went off to the Gallows-field, carrying the body, and there hanged it by that of the first virgin.

XV.How the Miserable, having hanged fifteen virgins in the Gallows-field, held wicked revels and cruel orgies.Sir Halewyn became most powerful and greatly feared, and killed up to fifteen virgins, whom he hanged in the Gallows-field.And he led a riotous life, eating, drinking, and carousing continually.All those ladies who had made fun of him in the days of his impotence and ugliness were brought to his castle.And having had his will of them he turned them out of doors like bitches, so wreaking upon them his evil vengeance.And from Lille, Ghent, and Bruges came the most beautiful courtesans, with their badge on their arms, and they ministered to his pleasure and to that of his friends, among whom the more evil wereDiederich Pater-noster, so called because he was a great frequenter of churches;Nellin the Wolf, who in battle attacked only the fallen, as wolves do; andBaudouin Sans Ears, who in his court of justice always cried: “Death, death,” without waiting to hear any defence whatever.In company with the fair courtesans these same lords held revels and orgies without end, and took from their poor peasants all they had, corn, cheese, jewels, cocks, oxen, calves, and swine.Then, having stuffed themselves as full as they could hold, threw to their dogs choice viands and rich cakes.Gave to be broken and pounded up for their hawks and falcons, the meat of fowls, cockerels, and doves; had the hooves of their horses bathed in wine.Oftentimes until midnight, or even until cock-crow, there would be beating of drums, trilling of pipes, squeaking of viols, skirling of bagpipes, and winding of horns, for their entertainment.

XV.How the Miserable, having hanged fifteen virgins in the Gallows-field, held wicked revels and cruel orgies.

Sir Halewyn became most powerful and greatly feared, and killed up to fifteen virgins, whom he hanged in the Gallows-field.And he led a riotous life, eating, drinking, and carousing continually.All those ladies who had made fun of him in the days of his impotence and ugliness were brought to his castle.And having had his will of them he turned them out of doors like bitches, so wreaking upon them his evil vengeance.And from Lille, Ghent, and Bruges came the most beautiful courtesans, with their badge on their arms, and they ministered to his pleasure and to that of his friends, among whom the more evil wereDiederich Pater-noster, so called because he was a great frequenter of churches;Nellin the Wolf, who in battle attacked only the fallen, as wolves do; andBaudouin Sans Ears, who in his court of justice always cried: “Death, death,” without waiting to hear any defence whatever.In company with the fair courtesans these same lords held revels and orgies without end, and took from their poor peasants all they had, corn, cheese, jewels, cocks, oxen, calves, and swine.Then, having stuffed themselves as full as they could hold, threw to their dogs choice viands and rich cakes.Gave to be broken and pounded up for their hawks and falcons, the meat of fowls, cockerels, and doves; had the hooves of their horses bathed in wine.Oftentimes until midnight, or even until cock-crow, there would be beating of drums, trilling of pipes, squeaking of viols, skirling of bagpipes, and winding of horns, for their entertainment.

Sir Halewyn became most powerful and greatly feared, and killed up to fifteen virgins, whom he hanged in the Gallows-field.

And he led a riotous life, eating, drinking, and carousing continually.

All those ladies who had made fun of him in the days of his impotence and ugliness were brought to his castle.

And having had his will of them he turned them out of doors like bitches, so wreaking upon them his evil vengeance.

And from Lille, Ghent, and Bruges came the most beautiful courtesans, with their badge on their arms, and they ministered to his pleasure and to that of his friends, among whom the more evil wereDiederich Pater-noster, so called because he was a great frequenter of churches;Nellin the Wolf, who in battle attacked only the fallen, as wolves do; andBaudouin Sans Ears, who in his court of justice always cried: “Death, death,” without waiting to hear any defence whatever.

In company with the fair courtesans these same lords held revels and orgies without end, and took from their poor peasants all they had, corn, cheese, jewels, cocks, oxen, calves, and swine.

Then, having stuffed themselves as full as they could hold, threw to their dogs choice viands and rich cakes.

Gave to be broken and pounded up for their hawks and falcons, the meat of fowls, cockerels, and doves; had the hooves of their horses bathed in wine.

Oftentimes until midnight, or even until cock-crow, there would be beating of drums, trilling of pipes, squeaking of viols, skirling of bagpipes, and winding of horns, for their entertainment.

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