XXX.How Magtelt came to the Gallows-field.There Magtelt saw the sixteen virgins hanging, and amongst them Anne-Mie, and all were covered over with snow.Halewyn’s horse began again to rear, plunge, and lay back his ears as a sign of fear; but Schimmel neighed, and pawed the ground proudly with his hoof.And Halewyn said to Magtelt: “Thou hast there an unfaithful friend, who can neigh happily at the hour of thy death.”But Magtelt answered nothing, and looking steadfastly at those poor virgins prayed to the very strong God to help her in their revenge.Meanwhile the Miserable alighted from his horse, and taking the golden sickle in his hand came towards Magtelt.“It is,” he said, “the hour of thy death. Get down, therefore, as I have done.”And in his impatience he would have lifted her from Schimmel’s back.But Magtelt:“Leave me,” she said, “to get down by myself; if I must die ’twill be without weeping.”“Thou art a fine girl,” said he.And she, having dismounted from her horse, said: “My lord, before thou strikest, doff thineopperst-kleedof the colour of corn, for the blood of virgins gushes fiercely, and if mine should stain thee I should be grieved.”But before theopperst-kleedwas off his shoulders, his head fell to the ground at his feet.And Magtelt, looking at the body, said: “He strode confidently, thinking himself invincible; but when the beast goes with assurance the hunter follows more easily.”And she crossed herself.XXXI.Of the sixteen deaths and of the Prince of the Stones.Suddenly the head spoke, saying: “Go thou to the end of the road, and sound my horn aloud, so that my friends may hear.”But Magtelt:“To the end of the road will I not go; thine horn will I not sound; murderer’s counsel will I not follow.”“Ah,” said the head, “if thou art not the Virgin without pity, join me to my body, and with the heart that is in my breast anoint my red wound.”But Magtelt:“I am the Virgin without pity; to thy body will I not join thee, and with the heart that is in thy breast will I not anoint thy red wound.”“Maid,” said the head, weeping and speaking with great terror, “maid, quickly, quickly, make on my body the sign of the cross, and carry me into my castle, for he is coming.”While the head was speaking, suddenly came out of the wood the Prince of the Stones, and he came and seated himself on the body of the Miserable, and taking in his hands the head: “Salutation,” he said, “to the Ill-favoured one; art thou now content? What of thy triumphant bearing, my lord the Invincible? She whom thou calledst not came without a song: the virgin without fear, in whose hands is death. But thou must sing once again thy sweet song, the song to call virgins.”“Ah,” said the head, “make me not sing, Lord Prince of the Stones, for I know well enough that at the end there is great suffering.”“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, coward thathast never wept to do evil, and now weepest at the time of punishment: sing, Miserable.”“Ah,” said the head, “have pity, Lord.”“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of God.”“My lord Prince,” said the head, “be not so hard in my evil hour.”“Sing, Miserable,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of the reckoning.”“Ah,” said the head, weeping, “I will sing, since you are my master.”The Song of the HeadThe Song of the HeadAnd the head sang the faery song.And suddenly there spread abroad in the air a smell of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.And the sixteen virgins, hearing the song, came down from the gallows and drew near to the body of Halewyn.And Magtelt, crossing herself, watched them pass, but felt no fear.And the first virgin, who was the daughter of the poor simpleton, Claes the Dog-beater, took the golden sickle, and cutting into the breast of the Miserable below the left nipple drew out a great ruby, and put this on her wound, where it melted into rich red blood in her breast.And the head let a great pitiful cry of pain.“So,” said the Prince of the Stones, “did the poor virgins cry out when thou madest them pass from life unto death; sixteen times hast thou brought death about, sixteen times shalt thou die, besides the death thou hast suffered already. The cry is the cry of the body when the soul leaves it; sixteen times hast thou drawn this cry from other bodies, sixteen times shall cry out thine own; sing, Miserable, to call the virgins to the reckoning.”And the head sang again the faery song, while the first virgin walked away silently towards the wood like a living person.And the second virgin came to the body of the Miserable and did to it as the first had done.And she also walked away into the wood like a living person.So did each of the sixteen virgins, and for each of them a ruby was changed into good red blood.And sixteen times the head sang the faery song, and sixteen times gave the death-cry.And one by one all the virgins went away into the depth of the wood.And the last of all, who was Anne-Mie, came to Magtelt, and kissing her right hand wherein she had held the sword: “Blessed be thou,” she said, “who camest without fear, and, delivering us from the spell, leadest us into paradise.”“Ah,” said Magtelt, “must thou go so far away, Anne-Mie?”But Anne-Mie, without hearing her, passed like the others into the depth of the wood, walking silently over the snow like a living person.While the head was weeping and uttering bitter plaints, came out from the forest the child of nine years old, whom the Miserable had killed first of all. Still wearing her shroud she approached and fell at the feet of the mannikin Prince of the Stones.“Ah,” she said, kissing the head tenderly, stroking it, caressing it, and wiping away its tears, “poor Miserable, I will pray for thee to the very good God, who readily hears the prayers of children.”And the girl prayed in this wise:“Dear Lord, see how much he is suffering! Is it not payment enough that he should die sixteen times? Ah, Lord, sweet Lord, and you, Madam Mary, who are so kind, deign to hear me and grant him forgiveness.”But the mannikin, starting up, pushed the child away and said harshly: “This head is mine, thy prayers avail nothing; be off, little ragamuffin, go back whence thou came.”And the child went away like the other maids into the depth of the wood.Then he thrust his hand into the breast of the Miserable and pulled out a heart of stone: then, in his rasping voice, which hissed like a viper and scraped like a thousand pebbles under the iron sole of an armed man, he said: “Ambitious heart, heart of stone, thou wast in thy lifetime cruel and a coward; thou couldst not be content with such ample gifts as God in His bounty had given thee, thou hadst no desire towards goodness, courage, or just dealing, but towards gold, power, and vain honours; thou hadst no love for anything, neither father, mother, brother, nor sister; and so, to get more power and higher jurisdiction, thou killedst the people of the land of Flanders, without shame: and so also thou didst set thyself to hurt the weak, sucking thy life from their life, and thy blood from their blood. So have done and so shall always do this reptile order of ambitious ugly men. Blessed be God, who, by the hands of this frail and winsome maid, has cut off thine head from thy neck and taken thee from the world.”As he spoke he had thrown the heart down into the snow, and trampling over it with great despite, kicking it with his toe like a vile thing, and laughing bitterly, he spoke again in his rasping voice:“Stone thou art, stone shalt thou be a thousand years, but a live stone, a suffering stone. And when men come and carve thee, cleave thee, grind thee to powder, thou shalt endure it all without being able to cry out. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.“Thou hast starved poor folk, so shalt thou starve a thousand years; thou hast brought cold into their homes, thou shalt freeze in like manner. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.“Thou shalt be a hearth-stone and burn with the heat; paving-stone, and let men walk over thee; stone of a church, and bear upon thee all the weight of the building; and thou shalt suffer every evil, pain, and anguish. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and endure, my cousin.”Having said this the Prince of the Stones, driving before him with his foot the Miserable’s heart, disappeared among the trees of the forest.Then Magtelt looked at the head, and saw that its eyes were open wide. She took it up and washed it with snow, then, carrying it with her, rode away on Schimmel, leaving near the body Halewyn’s horse and hound, the one moaning softly, the other watching it with sorrowful wonderment.As she took up the head, the hound growled, but did not dare touch her.And while she rode away, horse and hound stayed by the body, downcast and sad, and covered with the snow which fell without ceasing.And they seemed to be guarding their master.XXXII.How father, mother, and sister sought everywhere their son and brother, and could not find him.Singing and winding her horn rides the noble maid Magtelt.And in her heart is joy, at the thought that Anne-Mie, the fifteen virgins, and Toon the Silent are avenged.And her hand holds fast beneath herkeirlethe good sword and the head of Halewyn.And Schimmel trots quickly, eager to be back in his stable.While she was riding she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old man coming towards her on a black horse.And the old man said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”And Magtelt:“I left thy son Halewyn well placed, taking his diversion in the snow with sixteen maidens.”And the old man rode on.When she had gone farther she saw, through the thick snow falling, a young and rosy-cheeked damosel coming towards her on a white palfrey.And the damosel said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Go farther, to the Gallows-field, where thou shalt see thy brother in like guise to the sixteen maidens.”And the damosel rode on.Farther still on her way, Magtelt saw, through the thick snow falling, a young man of haughty and stiff-necked countenance coming towards her on a roan charger.And the young man said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Thy brother is a fair lord, so fair that round him sixteen maidens stand sentinel, unwilling to let him go.”And the young man rode on.After travelling on her way still farther, she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old woman, high-coloured and of robust seeming, despite her great age, coming towards her.And the old woman said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Thy son Siewert Halewyn is dead; see, here is his head beneath mykeirle, and his blood running thick on my dress.”And the old woman cried out:“If thou had spoken these words earlier thou shouldst not have ridden so far.”But Magtelt:“Thou art fortunate, old woman, in that I have left thee thine own body and not slain thee as I have thy son.”And the old dame took fright and made off.And night fell.XXXIII.Of the feast in the castle of Heurne, and of the head upon the table.Schimmel trotted quickly, and soon Magtelt reached her father’s castle and there sounded the horn.Josse van Ryhove, who was gate-keeper that night, was filled with amazement at the sight of her. Then he cried out: “Thanks be to God, ’tis our damosel come home again.”And all the household ran to the gate crying out likewise with great noise and much shouting: “Our damosel is come home.”Magtelt, going into the great hall, went to Sir Roel and knelt before him:“My lord father,” she said, “here is the head of Siewert Halewyn.”Sir Roel, taking the head in his hands and looking at it well, was so overcome with joy that he wept for the first time since the eyes were in his head.And the Silent, rising up, came to Magtelt, kissed her right hand wherewith she had held the sword, and wept likewise, saying: “Thanks be to thee who hast brought about the reckoning.”The lady Gonde was like a woman drunk with joy, and could not find her tongue. At last, bursting into sobs, melting into tears, and embracing Magtelt eagerly:“Ah, ah,” she cried out, “kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, little one! She has slain the Miserable, the sweet maid; the nightingale has vanquished the falcon! My child is come home again, home again my child. Noël! Thanks be to God who loves aged mothers and will not have them robbed of their children. Noël! See, Magtelt the beautiful, Magtelt the singing-bird, Magtelt the joyous, Magtelt the bright of heart, Magtelt the glorious, Magtelt the victorious, Magtelt my daughter, my child, my all, Noël!”And Magtelt smiled at her, caressing her and stroking her hands gently.And the lady Gonde, weeping freely, let her do, without speaking.“Ah,” said Sir Roel, “I never saw my wife before in such festival mood.” Then suddenly he cried out:“Festival,” quoth he, “this should be a day of festival, the great feast of the house of Heurne!”And he threw open the door to call his pages, grooms, men-at-arms, and all the household.But they all held back, not daring to enter.“Ho!” cried he, in his great joyous voice, “where are cooks and kitchen-maids? Where are cauldrons, pots, and frying-pans? Where are barrels, kegs, flagons and bottles, tankards, mugs, and goblets? Where isclauwaertsimple and double? Where is old wine and new wine? Where are hams and sausages, whales’ tongues, and loins of beef, meat of the air, meat of the waters, and meat of the fields? Bring in everything there is and set it on the table, for this must be a feast-day in this house, feast for an emperor, a king, a prince; for”—and so saying he held up the Miserable’s head by the hair—“our beloved maid has slain with her own hand the lord Siewert Halewyn.”Hearing this they all cried out with a roar like thunder:“Praise be to God! Noël to our damosel!”“Go then,” said Sir Roel, “and do as I have bid.”And when the great feast was served the head was put in the middle of the table.On the morrow there was let cry war in the seigneury of Heurne. And Sir Roel went with a goodly force of men to attack by arms the castle of the Miserable, whereof all the relatives, friends, and followers were either hanged or slain.And My Lord the Count gave to the family of Heurne, the goods, titles and territories of Halewyn, excepting only the ugly shield, and theirs they remain to this day.
XXX.How Magtelt came to the Gallows-field.There Magtelt saw the sixteen virgins hanging, and amongst them Anne-Mie, and all were covered over with snow.Halewyn’s horse began again to rear, plunge, and lay back his ears as a sign of fear; but Schimmel neighed, and pawed the ground proudly with his hoof.And Halewyn said to Magtelt: “Thou hast there an unfaithful friend, who can neigh happily at the hour of thy death.”But Magtelt answered nothing, and looking steadfastly at those poor virgins prayed to the very strong God to help her in their revenge.Meanwhile the Miserable alighted from his horse, and taking the golden sickle in his hand came towards Magtelt.“It is,” he said, “the hour of thy death. Get down, therefore, as I have done.”And in his impatience he would have lifted her from Schimmel’s back.But Magtelt:“Leave me,” she said, “to get down by myself; if I must die ’twill be without weeping.”“Thou art a fine girl,” said he.And she, having dismounted from her horse, said: “My lord, before thou strikest, doff thineopperst-kleedof the colour of corn, for the blood of virgins gushes fiercely, and if mine should stain thee I should be grieved.”But before theopperst-kleedwas off his shoulders, his head fell to the ground at his feet.And Magtelt, looking at the body, said: “He strode confidently, thinking himself invincible; but when the beast goes with assurance the hunter follows more easily.”And she crossed herself.XXXI.Of the sixteen deaths and of the Prince of the Stones.Suddenly the head spoke, saying: “Go thou to the end of the road, and sound my horn aloud, so that my friends may hear.”But Magtelt:“To the end of the road will I not go; thine horn will I not sound; murderer’s counsel will I not follow.”“Ah,” said the head, “if thou art not the Virgin without pity, join me to my body, and with the heart that is in my breast anoint my red wound.”But Magtelt:“I am the Virgin without pity; to thy body will I not join thee, and with the heart that is in thy breast will I not anoint thy red wound.”“Maid,” said the head, weeping and speaking with great terror, “maid, quickly, quickly, make on my body the sign of the cross, and carry me into my castle, for he is coming.”While the head was speaking, suddenly came out of the wood the Prince of the Stones, and he came and seated himself on the body of the Miserable, and taking in his hands the head: “Salutation,” he said, “to the Ill-favoured one; art thou now content? What of thy triumphant bearing, my lord the Invincible? She whom thou calledst not came without a song: the virgin without fear, in whose hands is death. But thou must sing once again thy sweet song, the song to call virgins.”“Ah,” said the head, “make me not sing, Lord Prince of the Stones, for I know well enough that at the end there is great suffering.”“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, coward thathast never wept to do evil, and now weepest at the time of punishment: sing, Miserable.”“Ah,” said the head, “have pity, Lord.”“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of God.”“My lord Prince,” said the head, “be not so hard in my evil hour.”“Sing, Miserable,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of the reckoning.”“Ah,” said the head, weeping, “I will sing, since you are my master.”The Song of the HeadThe Song of the HeadAnd the head sang the faery song.And suddenly there spread abroad in the air a smell of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.And the sixteen virgins, hearing the song, came down from the gallows and drew near to the body of Halewyn.And Magtelt, crossing herself, watched them pass, but felt no fear.And the first virgin, who was the daughter of the poor simpleton, Claes the Dog-beater, took the golden sickle, and cutting into the breast of the Miserable below the left nipple drew out a great ruby, and put this on her wound, where it melted into rich red blood in her breast.And the head let a great pitiful cry of pain.“So,” said the Prince of the Stones, “did the poor virgins cry out when thou madest them pass from life unto death; sixteen times hast thou brought death about, sixteen times shalt thou die, besides the death thou hast suffered already. The cry is the cry of the body when the soul leaves it; sixteen times hast thou drawn this cry from other bodies, sixteen times shall cry out thine own; sing, Miserable, to call the virgins to the reckoning.”And the head sang again the faery song, while the first virgin walked away silently towards the wood like a living person.And the second virgin came to the body of the Miserable and did to it as the first had done.And she also walked away into the wood like a living person.So did each of the sixteen virgins, and for each of them a ruby was changed into good red blood.And sixteen times the head sang the faery song, and sixteen times gave the death-cry.And one by one all the virgins went away into the depth of the wood.And the last of all, who was Anne-Mie, came to Magtelt, and kissing her right hand wherein she had held the sword: “Blessed be thou,” she said, “who camest without fear, and, delivering us from the spell, leadest us into paradise.”“Ah,” said Magtelt, “must thou go so far away, Anne-Mie?”But Anne-Mie, without hearing her, passed like the others into the depth of the wood, walking silently over the snow like a living person.While the head was weeping and uttering bitter plaints, came out from the forest the child of nine years old, whom the Miserable had killed first of all. Still wearing her shroud she approached and fell at the feet of the mannikin Prince of the Stones.“Ah,” she said, kissing the head tenderly, stroking it, caressing it, and wiping away its tears, “poor Miserable, I will pray for thee to the very good God, who readily hears the prayers of children.”And the girl prayed in this wise:“Dear Lord, see how much he is suffering! Is it not payment enough that he should die sixteen times? Ah, Lord, sweet Lord, and you, Madam Mary, who are so kind, deign to hear me and grant him forgiveness.”But the mannikin, starting up, pushed the child away and said harshly: “This head is mine, thy prayers avail nothing; be off, little ragamuffin, go back whence thou came.”And the child went away like the other maids into the depth of the wood.Then he thrust his hand into the breast of the Miserable and pulled out a heart of stone: then, in his rasping voice, which hissed like a viper and scraped like a thousand pebbles under the iron sole of an armed man, he said: “Ambitious heart, heart of stone, thou wast in thy lifetime cruel and a coward; thou couldst not be content with such ample gifts as God in His bounty had given thee, thou hadst no desire towards goodness, courage, or just dealing, but towards gold, power, and vain honours; thou hadst no love for anything, neither father, mother, brother, nor sister; and so, to get more power and higher jurisdiction, thou killedst the people of the land of Flanders, without shame: and so also thou didst set thyself to hurt the weak, sucking thy life from their life, and thy blood from their blood. So have done and so shall always do this reptile order of ambitious ugly men. Blessed be God, who, by the hands of this frail and winsome maid, has cut off thine head from thy neck and taken thee from the world.”As he spoke he had thrown the heart down into the snow, and trampling over it with great despite, kicking it with his toe like a vile thing, and laughing bitterly, he spoke again in his rasping voice:“Stone thou art, stone shalt thou be a thousand years, but a live stone, a suffering stone. And when men come and carve thee, cleave thee, grind thee to powder, thou shalt endure it all without being able to cry out. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.“Thou hast starved poor folk, so shalt thou starve a thousand years; thou hast brought cold into their homes, thou shalt freeze in like manner. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.“Thou shalt be a hearth-stone and burn with the heat; paving-stone, and let men walk over thee; stone of a church, and bear upon thee all the weight of the building; and thou shalt suffer every evil, pain, and anguish. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and endure, my cousin.”Having said this the Prince of the Stones, driving before him with his foot the Miserable’s heart, disappeared among the trees of the forest.Then Magtelt looked at the head, and saw that its eyes were open wide. She took it up and washed it with snow, then, carrying it with her, rode away on Schimmel, leaving near the body Halewyn’s horse and hound, the one moaning softly, the other watching it with sorrowful wonderment.As she took up the head, the hound growled, but did not dare touch her.And while she rode away, horse and hound stayed by the body, downcast and sad, and covered with the snow which fell without ceasing.And they seemed to be guarding their master.XXXII.How father, mother, and sister sought everywhere their son and brother, and could not find him.Singing and winding her horn rides the noble maid Magtelt.And in her heart is joy, at the thought that Anne-Mie, the fifteen virgins, and Toon the Silent are avenged.And her hand holds fast beneath herkeirlethe good sword and the head of Halewyn.And Schimmel trots quickly, eager to be back in his stable.While she was riding she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old man coming towards her on a black horse.And the old man said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”And Magtelt:“I left thy son Halewyn well placed, taking his diversion in the snow with sixteen maidens.”And the old man rode on.When she had gone farther she saw, through the thick snow falling, a young and rosy-cheeked damosel coming towards her on a white palfrey.And the damosel said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Go farther, to the Gallows-field, where thou shalt see thy brother in like guise to the sixteen maidens.”And the damosel rode on.Farther still on her way, Magtelt saw, through the thick snow falling, a young man of haughty and stiff-necked countenance coming towards her on a roan charger.And the young man said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Thy brother is a fair lord, so fair that round him sixteen maidens stand sentinel, unwilling to let him go.”And the young man rode on.After travelling on her way still farther, she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old woman, high-coloured and of robust seeming, despite her great age, coming towards her.And the old woman said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Thy son Siewert Halewyn is dead; see, here is his head beneath mykeirle, and his blood running thick on my dress.”And the old woman cried out:“If thou had spoken these words earlier thou shouldst not have ridden so far.”But Magtelt:“Thou art fortunate, old woman, in that I have left thee thine own body and not slain thee as I have thy son.”And the old dame took fright and made off.And night fell.XXXIII.Of the feast in the castle of Heurne, and of the head upon the table.Schimmel trotted quickly, and soon Magtelt reached her father’s castle and there sounded the horn.Josse van Ryhove, who was gate-keeper that night, was filled with amazement at the sight of her. Then he cried out: “Thanks be to God, ’tis our damosel come home again.”And all the household ran to the gate crying out likewise with great noise and much shouting: “Our damosel is come home.”Magtelt, going into the great hall, went to Sir Roel and knelt before him:“My lord father,” she said, “here is the head of Siewert Halewyn.”Sir Roel, taking the head in his hands and looking at it well, was so overcome with joy that he wept for the first time since the eyes were in his head.And the Silent, rising up, came to Magtelt, kissed her right hand wherewith she had held the sword, and wept likewise, saying: “Thanks be to thee who hast brought about the reckoning.”The lady Gonde was like a woman drunk with joy, and could not find her tongue. At last, bursting into sobs, melting into tears, and embracing Magtelt eagerly:“Ah, ah,” she cried out, “kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, little one! She has slain the Miserable, the sweet maid; the nightingale has vanquished the falcon! My child is come home again, home again my child. Noël! Thanks be to God who loves aged mothers and will not have them robbed of their children. Noël! See, Magtelt the beautiful, Magtelt the singing-bird, Magtelt the joyous, Magtelt the bright of heart, Magtelt the glorious, Magtelt the victorious, Magtelt my daughter, my child, my all, Noël!”And Magtelt smiled at her, caressing her and stroking her hands gently.And the lady Gonde, weeping freely, let her do, without speaking.“Ah,” said Sir Roel, “I never saw my wife before in such festival mood.” Then suddenly he cried out:“Festival,” quoth he, “this should be a day of festival, the great feast of the house of Heurne!”And he threw open the door to call his pages, grooms, men-at-arms, and all the household.But they all held back, not daring to enter.“Ho!” cried he, in his great joyous voice, “where are cooks and kitchen-maids? Where are cauldrons, pots, and frying-pans? Where are barrels, kegs, flagons and bottles, tankards, mugs, and goblets? Where isclauwaertsimple and double? Where is old wine and new wine? Where are hams and sausages, whales’ tongues, and loins of beef, meat of the air, meat of the waters, and meat of the fields? Bring in everything there is and set it on the table, for this must be a feast-day in this house, feast for an emperor, a king, a prince; for”—and so saying he held up the Miserable’s head by the hair—“our beloved maid has slain with her own hand the lord Siewert Halewyn.”Hearing this they all cried out with a roar like thunder:“Praise be to God! Noël to our damosel!”“Go then,” said Sir Roel, “and do as I have bid.”And when the great feast was served the head was put in the middle of the table.On the morrow there was let cry war in the seigneury of Heurne. And Sir Roel went with a goodly force of men to attack by arms the castle of the Miserable, whereof all the relatives, friends, and followers were either hanged or slain.And My Lord the Count gave to the family of Heurne, the goods, titles and territories of Halewyn, excepting only the ugly shield, and theirs they remain to this day.
XXX.How Magtelt came to the Gallows-field.There Magtelt saw the sixteen virgins hanging, and amongst them Anne-Mie, and all were covered over with snow.Halewyn’s horse began again to rear, plunge, and lay back his ears as a sign of fear; but Schimmel neighed, and pawed the ground proudly with his hoof.And Halewyn said to Magtelt: “Thou hast there an unfaithful friend, who can neigh happily at the hour of thy death.”But Magtelt answered nothing, and looking steadfastly at those poor virgins prayed to the very strong God to help her in their revenge.Meanwhile the Miserable alighted from his horse, and taking the golden sickle in his hand came towards Magtelt.“It is,” he said, “the hour of thy death. Get down, therefore, as I have done.”And in his impatience he would have lifted her from Schimmel’s back.But Magtelt:“Leave me,” she said, “to get down by myself; if I must die ’twill be without weeping.”“Thou art a fine girl,” said he.And she, having dismounted from her horse, said: “My lord, before thou strikest, doff thineopperst-kleedof the colour of corn, for the blood of virgins gushes fiercely, and if mine should stain thee I should be grieved.”But before theopperst-kleedwas off his shoulders, his head fell to the ground at his feet.And Magtelt, looking at the body, said: “He strode confidently, thinking himself invincible; but when the beast goes with assurance the hunter follows more easily.”And she crossed herself.XXXI.Of the sixteen deaths and of the Prince of the Stones.Suddenly the head spoke, saying: “Go thou to the end of the road, and sound my horn aloud, so that my friends may hear.”But Magtelt:“To the end of the road will I not go; thine horn will I not sound; murderer’s counsel will I not follow.”“Ah,” said the head, “if thou art not the Virgin without pity, join me to my body, and with the heart that is in my breast anoint my red wound.”But Magtelt:“I am the Virgin without pity; to thy body will I not join thee, and with the heart that is in thy breast will I not anoint thy red wound.”“Maid,” said the head, weeping and speaking with great terror, “maid, quickly, quickly, make on my body the sign of the cross, and carry me into my castle, for he is coming.”While the head was speaking, suddenly came out of the wood the Prince of the Stones, and he came and seated himself on the body of the Miserable, and taking in his hands the head: “Salutation,” he said, “to the Ill-favoured one; art thou now content? What of thy triumphant bearing, my lord the Invincible? She whom thou calledst not came without a song: the virgin without fear, in whose hands is death. But thou must sing once again thy sweet song, the song to call virgins.”“Ah,” said the head, “make me not sing, Lord Prince of the Stones, for I know well enough that at the end there is great suffering.”“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, coward thathast never wept to do evil, and now weepest at the time of punishment: sing, Miserable.”“Ah,” said the head, “have pity, Lord.”“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of God.”“My lord Prince,” said the head, “be not so hard in my evil hour.”“Sing, Miserable,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of the reckoning.”“Ah,” said the head, weeping, “I will sing, since you are my master.”The Song of the HeadThe Song of the HeadAnd the head sang the faery song.And suddenly there spread abroad in the air a smell of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.And the sixteen virgins, hearing the song, came down from the gallows and drew near to the body of Halewyn.And Magtelt, crossing herself, watched them pass, but felt no fear.And the first virgin, who was the daughter of the poor simpleton, Claes the Dog-beater, took the golden sickle, and cutting into the breast of the Miserable below the left nipple drew out a great ruby, and put this on her wound, where it melted into rich red blood in her breast.And the head let a great pitiful cry of pain.“So,” said the Prince of the Stones, “did the poor virgins cry out when thou madest them pass from life unto death; sixteen times hast thou brought death about, sixteen times shalt thou die, besides the death thou hast suffered already. The cry is the cry of the body when the soul leaves it; sixteen times hast thou drawn this cry from other bodies, sixteen times shall cry out thine own; sing, Miserable, to call the virgins to the reckoning.”And the head sang again the faery song, while the first virgin walked away silently towards the wood like a living person.And the second virgin came to the body of the Miserable and did to it as the first had done.And she also walked away into the wood like a living person.So did each of the sixteen virgins, and for each of them a ruby was changed into good red blood.And sixteen times the head sang the faery song, and sixteen times gave the death-cry.And one by one all the virgins went away into the depth of the wood.And the last of all, who was Anne-Mie, came to Magtelt, and kissing her right hand wherein she had held the sword: “Blessed be thou,” she said, “who camest without fear, and, delivering us from the spell, leadest us into paradise.”“Ah,” said Magtelt, “must thou go so far away, Anne-Mie?”But Anne-Mie, without hearing her, passed like the others into the depth of the wood, walking silently over the snow like a living person.While the head was weeping and uttering bitter plaints, came out from the forest the child of nine years old, whom the Miserable had killed first of all. Still wearing her shroud she approached and fell at the feet of the mannikin Prince of the Stones.“Ah,” she said, kissing the head tenderly, stroking it, caressing it, and wiping away its tears, “poor Miserable, I will pray for thee to the very good God, who readily hears the prayers of children.”And the girl prayed in this wise:“Dear Lord, see how much he is suffering! Is it not payment enough that he should die sixteen times? Ah, Lord, sweet Lord, and you, Madam Mary, who are so kind, deign to hear me and grant him forgiveness.”But the mannikin, starting up, pushed the child away and said harshly: “This head is mine, thy prayers avail nothing; be off, little ragamuffin, go back whence thou came.”And the child went away like the other maids into the depth of the wood.Then he thrust his hand into the breast of the Miserable and pulled out a heart of stone: then, in his rasping voice, which hissed like a viper and scraped like a thousand pebbles under the iron sole of an armed man, he said: “Ambitious heart, heart of stone, thou wast in thy lifetime cruel and a coward; thou couldst not be content with such ample gifts as God in His bounty had given thee, thou hadst no desire towards goodness, courage, or just dealing, but towards gold, power, and vain honours; thou hadst no love for anything, neither father, mother, brother, nor sister; and so, to get more power and higher jurisdiction, thou killedst the people of the land of Flanders, without shame: and so also thou didst set thyself to hurt the weak, sucking thy life from their life, and thy blood from their blood. So have done and so shall always do this reptile order of ambitious ugly men. Blessed be God, who, by the hands of this frail and winsome maid, has cut off thine head from thy neck and taken thee from the world.”As he spoke he had thrown the heart down into the snow, and trampling over it with great despite, kicking it with his toe like a vile thing, and laughing bitterly, he spoke again in his rasping voice:“Stone thou art, stone shalt thou be a thousand years, but a live stone, a suffering stone. And when men come and carve thee, cleave thee, grind thee to powder, thou shalt endure it all without being able to cry out. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.“Thou hast starved poor folk, so shalt thou starve a thousand years; thou hast brought cold into their homes, thou shalt freeze in like manner. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.“Thou shalt be a hearth-stone and burn with the heat; paving-stone, and let men walk over thee; stone of a church, and bear upon thee all the weight of the building; and thou shalt suffer every evil, pain, and anguish. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and endure, my cousin.”Having said this the Prince of the Stones, driving before him with his foot the Miserable’s heart, disappeared among the trees of the forest.Then Magtelt looked at the head, and saw that its eyes were open wide. She took it up and washed it with snow, then, carrying it with her, rode away on Schimmel, leaving near the body Halewyn’s horse and hound, the one moaning softly, the other watching it with sorrowful wonderment.As she took up the head, the hound growled, but did not dare touch her.And while she rode away, horse and hound stayed by the body, downcast and sad, and covered with the snow which fell without ceasing.And they seemed to be guarding their master.XXXII.How father, mother, and sister sought everywhere their son and brother, and could not find him.Singing and winding her horn rides the noble maid Magtelt.And in her heart is joy, at the thought that Anne-Mie, the fifteen virgins, and Toon the Silent are avenged.And her hand holds fast beneath herkeirlethe good sword and the head of Halewyn.And Schimmel trots quickly, eager to be back in his stable.While she was riding she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old man coming towards her on a black horse.And the old man said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”And Magtelt:“I left thy son Halewyn well placed, taking his diversion in the snow with sixteen maidens.”And the old man rode on.When she had gone farther she saw, through the thick snow falling, a young and rosy-cheeked damosel coming towards her on a white palfrey.And the damosel said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Go farther, to the Gallows-field, where thou shalt see thy brother in like guise to the sixteen maidens.”And the damosel rode on.Farther still on her way, Magtelt saw, through the thick snow falling, a young man of haughty and stiff-necked countenance coming towards her on a roan charger.And the young man said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Thy brother is a fair lord, so fair that round him sixteen maidens stand sentinel, unwilling to let him go.”And the young man rode on.After travelling on her way still farther, she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old woman, high-coloured and of robust seeming, despite her great age, coming towards her.And the old woman said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Thy son Siewert Halewyn is dead; see, here is his head beneath mykeirle, and his blood running thick on my dress.”And the old woman cried out:“If thou had spoken these words earlier thou shouldst not have ridden so far.”But Magtelt:“Thou art fortunate, old woman, in that I have left thee thine own body and not slain thee as I have thy son.”And the old dame took fright and made off.And night fell.XXXIII.Of the feast in the castle of Heurne, and of the head upon the table.Schimmel trotted quickly, and soon Magtelt reached her father’s castle and there sounded the horn.Josse van Ryhove, who was gate-keeper that night, was filled with amazement at the sight of her. Then he cried out: “Thanks be to God, ’tis our damosel come home again.”And all the household ran to the gate crying out likewise with great noise and much shouting: “Our damosel is come home.”Magtelt, going into the great hall, went to Sir Roel and knelt before him:“My lord father,” she said, “here is the head of Siewert Halewyn.”Sir Roel, taking the head in his hands and looking at it well, was so overcome with joy that he wept for the first time since the eyes were in his head.And the Silent, rising up, came to Magtelt, kissed her right hand wherewith she had held the sword, and wept likewise, saying: “Thanks be to thee who hast brought about the reckoning.”The lady Gonde was like a woman drunk with joy, and could not find her tongue. At last, bursting into sobs, melting into tears, and embracing Magtelt eagerly:“Ah, ah,” she cried out, “kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, little one! She has slain the Miserable, the sweet maid; the nightingale has vanquished the falcon! My child is come home again, home again my child. Noël! Thanks be to God who loves aged mothers and will not have them robbed of their children. Noël! See, Magtelt the beautiful, Magtelt the singing-bird, Magtelt the joyous, Magtelt the bright of heart, Magtelt the glorious, Magtelt the victorious, Magtelt my daughter, my child, my all, Noël!”And Magtelt smiled at her, caressing her and stroking her hands gently.And the lady Gonde, weeping freely, let her do, without speaking.“Ah,” said Sir Roel, “I never saw my wife before in such festival mood.” Then suddenly he cried out:“Festival,” quoth he, “this should be a day of festival, the great feast of the house of Heurne!”And he threw open the door to call his pages, grooms, men-at-arms, and all the household.But they all held back, not daring to enter.“Ho!” cried he, in his great joyous voice, “where are cooks and kitchen-maids? Where are cauldrons, pots, and frying-pans? Where are barrels, kegs, flagons and bottles, tankards, mugs, and goblets? Where isclauwaertsimple and double? Where is old wine and new wine? Where are hams and sausages, whales’ tongues, and loins of beef, meat of the air, meat of the waters, and meat of the fields? Bring in everything there is and set it on the table, for this must be a feast-day in this house, feast for an emperor, a king, a prince; for”—and so saying he held up the Miserable’s head by the hair—“our beloved maid has slain with her own hand the lord Siewert Halewyn.”Hearing this they all cried out with a roar like thunder:“Praise be to God! Noël to our damosel!”“Go then,” said Sir Roel, “and do as I have bid.”And when the great feast was served the head was put in the middle of the table.On the morrow there was let cry war in the seigneury of Heurne. And Sir Roel went with a goodly force of men to attack by arms the castle of the Miserable, whereof all the relatives, friends, and followers were either hanged or slain.And My Lord the Count gave to the family of Heurne, the goods, titles and territories of Halewyn, excepting only the ugly shield, and theirs they remain to this day.
XXX.How Magtelt came to the Gallows-field.There Magtelt saw the sixteen virgins hanging, and amongst them Anne-Mie, and all were covered over with snow.Halewyn’s horse began again to rear, plunge, and lay back his ears as a sign of fear; but Schimmel neighed, and pawed the ground proudly with his hoof.And Halewyn said to Magtelt: “Thou hast there an unfaithful friend, who can neigh happily at the hour of thy death.”But Magtelt answered nothing, and looking steadfastly at those poor virgins prayed to the very strong God to help her in their revenge.Meanwhile the Miserable alighted from his horse, and taking the golden sickle in his hand came towards Magtelt.“It is,” he said, “the hour of thy death. Get down, therefore, as I have done.”And in his impatience he would have lifted her from Schimmel’s back.But Magtelt:“Leave me,” she said, “to get down by myself; if I must die ’twill be without weeping.”“Thou art a fine girl,” said he.And she, having dismounted from her horse, said: “My lord, before thou strikest, doff thineopperst-kleedof the colour of corn, for the blood of virgins gushes fiercely, and if mine should stain thee I should be grieved.”But before theopperst-kleedwas off his shoulders, his head fell to the ground at his feet.And Magtelt, looking at the body, said: “He strode confidently, thinking himself invincible; but when the beast goes with assurance the hunter follows more easily.”And she crossed herself.
XXX.How Magtelt came to the Gallows-field.
There Magtelt saw the sixteen virgins hanging, and amongst them Anne-Mie, and all were covered over with snow.Halewyn’s horse began again to rear, plunge, and lay back his ears as a sign of fear; but Schimmel neighed, and pawed the ground proudly with his hoof.And Halewyn said to Magtelt: “Thou hast there an unfaithful friend, who can neigh happily at the hour of thy death.”But Magtelt answered nothing, and looking steadfastly at those poor virgins prayed to the very strong God to help her in their revenge.Meanwhile the Miserable alighted from his horse, and taking the golden sickle in his hand came towards Magtelt.“It is,” he said, “the hour of thy death. Get down, therefore, as I have done.”And in his impatience he would have lifted her from Schimmel’s back.But Magtelt:“Leave me,” she said, “to get down by myself; if I must die ’twill be without weeping.”“Thou art a fine girl,” said he.And she, having dismounted from her horse, said: “My lord, before thou strikest, doff thineopperst-kleedof the colour of corn, for the blood of virgins gushes fiercely, and if mine should stain thee I should be grieved.”But before theopperst-kleedwas off his shoulders, his head fell to the ground at his feet.And Magtelt, looking at the body, said: “He strode confidently, thinking himself invincible; but when the beast goes with assurance the hunter follows more easily.”And she crossed herself.
There Magtelt saw the sixteen virgins hanging, and amongst them Anne-Mie, and all were covered over with snow.
Halewyn’s horse began again to rear, plunge, and lay back his ears as a sign of fear; but Schimmel neighed, and pawed the ground proudly with his hoof.
And Halewyn said to Magtelt: “Thou hast there an unfaithful friend, who can neigh happily at the hour of thy death.”
But Magtelt answered nothing, and looking steadfastly at those poor virgins prayed to the very strong God to help her in their revenge.
Meanwhile the Miserable alighted from his horse, and taking the golden sickle in his hand came towards Magtelt.
“It is,” he said, “the hour of thy death. Get down, therefore, as I have done.”
And in his impatience he would have lifted her from Schimmel’s back.
But Magtelt:
“Leave me,” she said, “to get down by myself; if I must die ’twill be without weeping.”
“Thou art a fine girl,” said he.
And she, having dismounted from her horse, said: “My lord, before thou strikest, doff thineopperst-kleedof the colour of corn, for the blood of virgins gushes fiercely, and if mine should stain thee I should be grieved.”
But before theopperst-kleedwas off his shoulders, his head fell to the ground at his feet.
And Magtelt, looking at the body, said: “He strode confidently, thinking himself invincible; but when the beast goes with assurance the hunter follows more easily.”
And she crossed herself.
XXXI.Of the sixteen deaths and of the Prince of the Stones.Suddenly the head spoke, saying: “Go thou to the end of the road, and sound my horn aloud, so that my friends may hear.”But Magtelt:“To the end of the road will I not go; thine horn will I not sound; murderer’s counsel will I not follow.”“Ah,” said the head, “if thou art not the Virgin without pity, join me to my body, and with the heart that is in my breast anoint my red wound.”But Magtelt:“I am the Virgin without pity; to thy body will I not join thee, and with the heart that is in thy breast will I not anoint thy red wound.”“Maid,” said the head, weeping and speaking with great terror, “maid, quickly, quickly, make on my body the sign of the cross, and carry me into my castle, for he is coming.”While the head was speaking, suddenly came out of the wood the Prince of the Stones, and he came and seated himself on the body of the Miserable, and taking in his hands the head: “Salutation,” he said, “to the Ill-favoured one; art thou now content? What of thy triumphant bearing, my lord the Invincible? She whom thou calledst not came without a song: the virgin without fear, in whose hands is death. But thou must sing once again thy sweet song, the song to call virgins.”“Ah,” said the head, “make me not sing, Lord Prince of the Stones, for I know well enough that at the end there is great suffering.”“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, coward thathast never wept to do evil, and now weepest at the time of punishment: sing, Miserable.”“Ah,” said the head, “have pity, Lord.”“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of God.”“My lord Prince,” said the head, “be not so hard in my evil hour.”“Sing, Miserable,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of the reckoning.”“Ah,” said the head, weeping, “I will sing, since you are my master.”The Song of the HeadThe Song of the HeadAnd the head sang the faery song.And suddenly there spread abroad in the air a smell of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.And the sixteen virgins, hearing the song, came down from the gallows and drew near to the body of Halewyn.And Magtelt, crossing herself, watched them pass, but felt no fear.And the first virgin, who was the daughter of the poor simpleton, Claes the Dog-beater, took the golden sickle, and cutting into the breast of the Miserable below the left nipple drew out a great ruby, and put this on her wound, where it melted into rich red blood in her breast.And the head let a great pitiful cry of pain.“So,” said the Prince of the Stones, “did the poor virgins cry out when thou madest them pass from life unto death; sixteen times hast thou brought death about, sixteen times shalt thou die, besides the death thou hast suffered already. The cry is the cry of the body when the soul leaves it; sixteen times hast thou drawn this cry from other bodies, sixteen times shall cry out thine own; sing, Miserable, to call the virgins to the reckoning.”And the head sang again the faery song, while the first virgin walked away silently towards the wood like a living person.And the second virgin came to the body of the Miserable and did to it as the first had done.And she also walked away into the wood like a living person.So did each of the sixteen virgins, and for each of them a ruby was changed into good red blood.And sixteen times the head sang the faery song, and sixteen times gave the death-cry.And one by one all the virgins went away into the depth of the wood.And the last of all, who was Anne-Mie, came to Magtelt, and kissing her right hand wherein she had held the sword: “Blessed be thou,” she said, “who camest without fear, and, delivering us from the spell, leadest us into paradise.”“Ah,” said Magtelt, “must thou go so far away, Anne-Mie?”But Anne-Mie, without hearing her, passed like the others into the depth of the wood, walking silently over the snow like a living person.While the head was weeping and uttering bitter plaints, came out from the forest the child of nine years old, whom the Miserable had killed first of all. Still wearing her shroud she approached and fell at the feet of the mannikin Prince of the Stones.“Ah,” she said, kissing the head tenderly, stroking it, caressing it, and wiping away its tears, “poor Miserable, I will pray for thee to the very good God, who readily hears the prayers of children.”And the girl prayed in this wise:“Dear Lord, see how much he is suffering! Is it not payment enough that he should die sixteen times? Ah, Lord, sweet Lord, and you, Madam Mary, who are so kind, deign to hear me and grant him forgiveness.”But the mannikin, starting up, pushed the child away and said harshly: “This head is mine, thy prayers avail nothing; be off, little ragamuffin, go back whence thou came.”And the child went away like the other maids into the depth of the wood.Then he thrust his hand into the breast of the Miserable and pulled out a heart of stone: then, in his rasping voice, which hissed like a viper and scraped like a thousand pebbles under the iron sole of an armed man, he said: “Ambitious heart, heart of stone, thou wast in thy lifetime cruel and a coward; thou couldst not be content with such ample gifts as God in His bounty had given thee, thou hadst no desire towards goodness, courage, or just dealing, but towards gold, power, and vain honours; thou hadst no love for anything, neither father, mother, brother, nor sister; and so, to get more power and higher jurisdiction, thou killedst the people of the land of Flanders, without shame: and so also thou didst set thyself to hurt the weak, sucking thy life from their life, and thy blood from their blood. So have done and so shall always do this reptile order of ambitious ugly men. Blessed be God, who, by the hands of this frail and winsome maid, has cut off thine head from thy neck and taken thee from the world.”As he spoke he had thrown the heart down into the snow, and trampling over it with great despite, kicking it with his toe like a vile thing, and laughing bitterly, he spoke again in his rasping voice:“Stone thou art, stone shalt thou be a thousand years, but a live stone, a suffering stone. And when men come and carve thee, cleave thee, grind thee to powder, thou shalt endure it all without being able to cry out. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.“Thou hast starved poor folk, so shalt thou starve a thousand years; thou hast brought cold into their homes, thou shalt freeze in like manner. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.“Thou shalt be a hearth-stone and burn with the heat; paving-stone, and let men walk over thee; stone of a church, and bear upon thee all the weight of the building; and thou shalt suffer every evil, pain, and anguish. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and endure, my cousin.”Having said this the Prince of the Stones, driving before him with his foot the Miserable’s heart, disappeared among the trees of the forest.Then Magtelt looked at the head, and saw that its eyes were open wide. She took it up and washed it with snow, then, carrying it with her, rode away on Schimmel, leaving near the body Halewyn’s horse and hound, the one moaning softly, the other watching it with sorrowful wonderment.As she took up the head, the hound growled, but did not dare touch her.And while she rode away, horse and hound stayed by the body, downcast and sad, and covered with the snow which fell without ceasing.And they seemed to be guarding their master.
XXXI.Of the sixteen deaths and of the Prince of the Stones.
Suddenly the head spoke, saying: “Go thou to the end of the road, and sound my horn aloud, so that my friends may hear.”But Magtelt:“To the end of the road will I not go; thine horn will I not sound; murderer’s counsel will I not follow.”“Ah,” said the head, “if thou art not the Virgin without pity, join me to my body, and with the heart that is in my breast anoint my red wound.”But Magtelt:“I am the Virgin without pity; to thy body will I not join thee, and with the heart that is in thy breast will I not anoint thy red wound.”“Maid,” said the head, weeping and speaking with great terror, “maid, quickly, quickly, make on my body the sign of the cross, and carry me into my castle, for he is coming.”While the head was speaking, suddenly came out of the wood the Prince of the Stones, and he came and seated himself on the body of the Miserable, and taking in his hands the head: “Salutation,” he said, “to the Ill-favoured one; art thou now content? What of thy triumphant bearing, my lord the Invincible? She whom thou calledst not came without a song: the virgin without fear, in whose hands is death. But thou must sing once again thy sweet song, the song to call virgins.”“Ah,” said the head, “make me not sing, Lord Prince of the Stones, for I know well enough that at the end there is great suffering.”“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, coward thathast never wept to do evil, and now weepest at the time of punishment: sing, Miserable.”“Ah,” said the head, “have pity, Lord.”“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of God.”“My lord Prince,” said the head, “be not so hard in my evil hour.”“Sing, Miserable,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of the reckoning.”“Ah,” said the head, weeping, “I will sing, since you are my master.”The Song of the HeadThe Song of the HeadAnd the head sang the faery song.And suddenly there spread abroad in the air a smell of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.And the sixteen virgins, hearing the song, came down from the gallows and drew near to the body of Halewyn.And Magtelt, crossing herself, watched them pass, but felt no fear.And the first virgin, who was the daughter of the poor simpleton, Claes the Dog-beater, took the golden sickle, and cutting into the breast of the Miserable below the left nipple drew out a great ruby, and put this on her wound, where it melted into rich red blood in her breast.And the head let a great pitiful cry of pain.“So,” said the Prince of the Stones, “did the poor virgins cry out when thou madest them pass from life unto death; sixteen times hast thou brought death about, sixteen times shalt thou die, besides the death thou hast suffered already. The cry is the cry of the body when the soul leaves it; sixteen times hast thou drawn this cry from other bodies, sixteen times shall cry out thine own; sing, Miserable, to call the virgins to the reckoning.”And the head sang again the faery song, while the first virgin walked away silently towards the wood like a living person.And the second virgin came to the body of the Miserable and did to it as the first had done.And she also walked away into the wood like a living person.So did each of the sixteen virgins, and for each of them a ruby was changed into good red blood.And sixteen times the head sang the faery song, and sixteen times gave the death-cry.And one by one all the virgins went away into the depth of the wood.And the last of all, who was Anne-Mie, came to Magtelt, and kissing her right hand wherein she had held the sword: “Blessed be thou,” she said, “who camest without fear, and, delivering us from the spell, leadest us into paradise.”“Ah,” said Magtelt, “must thou go so far away, Anne-Mie?”But Anne-Mie, without hearing her, passed like the others into the depth of the wood, walking silently over the snow like a living person.While the head was weeping and uttering bitter plaints, came out from the forest the child of nine years old, whom the Miserable had killed first of all. Still wearing her shroud she approached and fell at the feet of the mannikin Prince of the Stones.“Ah,” she said, kissing the head tenderly, stroking it, caressing it, and wiping away its tears, “poor Miserable, I will pray for thee to the very good God, who readily hears the prayers of children.”And the girl prayed in this wise:“Dear Lord, see how much he is suffering! Is it not payment enough that he should die sixteen times? Ah, Lord, sweet Lord, and you, Madam Mary, who are so kind, deign to hear me and grant him forgiveness.”But the mannikin, starting up, pushed the child away and said harshly: “This head is mine, thy prayers avail nothing; be off, little ragamuffin, go back whence thou came.”And the child went away like the other maids into the depth of the wood.Then he thrust his hand into the breast of the Miserable and pulled out a heart of stone: then, in his rasping voice, which hissed like a viper and scraped like a thousand pebbles under the iron sole of an armed man, he said: “Ambitious heart, heart of stone, thou wast in thy lifetime cruel and a coward; thou couldst not be content with such ample gifts as God in His bounty had given thee, thou hadst no desire towards goodness, courage, or just dealing, but towards gold, power, and vain honours; thou hadst no love for anything, neither father, mother, brother, nor sister; and so, to get more power and higher jurisdiction, thou killedst the people of the land of Flanders, without shame: and so also thou didst set thyself to hurt the weak, sucking thy life from their life, and thy blood from their blood. So have done and so shall always do this reptile order of ambitious ugly men. Blessed be God, who, by the hands of this frail and winsome maid, has cut off thine head from thy neck and taken thee from the world.”As he spoke he had thrown the heart down into the snow, and trampling over it with great despite, kicking it with his toe like a vile thing, and laughing bitterly, he spoke again in his rasping voice:“Stone thou art, stone shalt thou be a thousand years, but a live stone, a suffering stone. And when men come and carve thee, cleave thee, grind thee to powder, thou shalt endure it all without being able to cry out. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.“Thou hast starved poor folk, so shalt thou starve a thousand years; thou hast brought cold into their homes, thou shalt freeze in like manner. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.“Thou shalt be a hearth-stone and burn with the heat; paving-stone, and let men walk over thee; stone of a church, and bear upon thee all the weight of the building; and thou shalt suffer every evil, pain, and anguish. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and endure, my cousin.”Having said this the Prince of the Stones, driving before him with his foot the Miserable’s heart, disappeared among the trees of the forest.Then Magtelt looked at the head, and saw that its eyes were open wide. She took it up and washed it with snow, then, carrying it with her, rode away on Schimmel, leaving near the body Halewyn’s horse and hound, the one moaning softly, the other watching it with sorrowful wonderment.As she took up the head, the hound growled, but did not dare touch her.And while she rode away, horse and hound stayed by the body, downcast and sad, and covered with the snow which fell without ceasing.And they seemed to be guarding their master.
Suddenly the head spoke, saying: “Go thou to the end of the road, and sound my horn aloud, so that my friends may hear.”
But Magtelt:
“To the end of the road will I not go; thine horn will I not sound; murderer’s counsel will I not follow.”
“Ah,” said the head, “if thou art not the Virgin without pity, join me to my body, and with the heart that is in my breast anoint my red wound.”
But Magtelt:
“I am the Virgin without pity; to thy body will I not join thee, and with the heart that is in thy breast will I not anoint thy red wound.”
“Maid,” said the head, weeping and speaking with great terror, “maid, quickly, quickly, make on my body the sign of the cross, and carry me into my castle, for he is coming.”
While the head was speaking, suddenly came out of the wood the Prince of the Stones, and he came and seated himself on the body of the Miserable, and taking in his hands the head: “Salutation,” he said, “to the Ill-favoured one; art thou now content? What of thy triumphant bearing, my lord the Invincible? She whom thou calledst not came without a song: the virgin without fear, in whose hands is death. But thou must sing once again thy sweet song, the song to call virgins.”
“Ah,” said the head, “make me not sing, Lord Prince of the Stones, for I know well enough that at the end there is great suffering.”
“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, coward thathast never wept to do evil, and now weepest at the time of punishment: sing, Miserable.”
“Ah,” said the head, “have pity, Lord.”
“Sing,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of God.”
“My lord Prince,” said the head, “be not so hard in my evil hour.”
“Sing, Miserable,” said the Prince of the Stones, “sing, ’tis the hour of the reckoning.”
“Ah,” said the head, weeping, “I will sing, since you are my master.”
The Song of the HeadThe Song of the Head
The Song of the Head
And the head sang the faery song.
And suddenly there spread abroad in the air a smell of cinnamon, frankincense, and sweet marjoram.
And the sixteen virgins, hearing the song, came down from the gallows and drew near to the body of Halewyn.
And Magtelt, crossing herself, watched them pass, but felt no fear.
And the first virgin, who was the daughter of the poor simpleton, Claes the Dog-beater, took the golden sickle, and cutting into the breast of the Miserable below the left nipple drew out a great ruby, and put this on her wound, where it melted into rich red blood in her breast.
And the head let a great pitiful cry of pain.
“So,” said the Prince of the Stones, “did the poor virgins cry out when thou madest them pass from life unto death; sixteen times hast thou brought death about, sixteen times shalt thou die, besides the death thou hast suffered already. The cry is the cry of the body when the soul leaves it; sixteen times hast thou drawn this cry from other bodies, sixteen times shall cry out thine own; sing, Miserable, to call the virgins to the reckoning.”
And the head sang again the faery song, while the first virgin walked away silently towards the wood like a living person.
And the second virgin came to the body of the Miserable and did to it as the first had done.
And she also walked away into the wood like a living person.
So did each of the sixteen virgins, and for each of them a ruby was changed into good red blood.
And sixteen times the head sang the faery song, and sixteen times gave the death-cry.
And one by one all the virgins went away into the depth of the wood.
And the last of all, who was Anne-Mie, came to Magtelt, and kissing her right hand wherein she had held the sword: “Blessed be thou,” she said, “who camest without fear, and, delivering us from the spell, leadest us into paradise.”
“Ah,” said Magtelt, “must thou go so far away, Anne-Mie?”
But Anne-Mie, without hearing her, passed like the others into the depth of the wood, walking silently over the snow like a living person.
While the head was weeping and uttering bitter plaints, came out from the forest the child of nine years old, whom the Miserable had killed first of all. Still wearing her shroud she approached and fell at the feet of the mannikin Prince of the Stones.
“Ah,” she said, kissing the head tenderly, stroking it, caressing it, and wiping away its tears, “poor Miserable, I will pray for thee to the very good God, who readily hears the prayers of children.”
And the girl prayed in this wise:
“Dear Lord, see how much he is suffering! Is it not payment enough that he should die sixteen times? Ah, Lord, sweet Lord, and you, Madam Mary, who are so kind, deign to hear me and grant him forgiveness.”
But the mannikin, starting up, pushed the child away and said harshly: “This head is mine, thy prayers avail nothing; be off, little ragamuffin, go back whence thou came.”
And the child went away like the other maids into the depth of the wood.
Then he thrust his hand into the breast of the Miserable and pulled out a heart of stone: then, in his rasping voice, which hissed like a viper and scraped like a thousand pebbles under the iron sole of an armed man, he said: “Ambitious heart, heart of stone, thou wast in thy lifetime cruel and a coward; thou couldst not be content with such ample gifts as God in His bounty had given thee, thou hadst no desire towards goodness, courage, or just dealing, but towards gold, power, and vain honours; thou hadst no love for anything, neither father, mother, brother, nor sister; and so, to get more power and higher jurisdiction, thou killedst the people of the land of Flanders, without shame: and so also thou didst set thyself to hurt the weak, sucking thy life from their life, and thy blood from their blood. So have done and so shall always do this reptile order of ambitious ugly men. Blessed be God, who, by the hands of this frail and winsome maid, has cut off thine head from thy neck and taken thee from the world.”
As he spoke he had thrown the heart down into the snow, and trampling over it with great despite, kicking it with his toe like a vile thing, and laughing bitterly, he spoke again in his rasping voice:
“Stone thou art, stone shalt thou be a thousand years, but a live stone, a suffering stone. And when men come and carve thee, cleave thee, grind thee to powder, thou shalt endure it all without being able to cry out. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.
“Thou hast starved poor folk, so shalt thou starve a thousand years; thou hast brought cold into their homes, thou shalt freeze in like manner. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and bleed, my cousin.
“Thou shalt be a hearth-stone and burn with the heat; paving-stone, and let men walk over thee; stone of a church, and bear upon thee all the weight of the building; and thou shalt suffer every evil, pain, and anguish. Ambitious heart, heart of stone, suffer and endure, my cousin.”
Having said this the Prince of the Stones, driving before him with his foot the Miserable’s heart, disappeared among the trees of the forest.
Then Magtelt looked at the head, and saw that its eyes were open wide. She took it up and washed it with snow, then, carrying it with her, rode away on Schimmel, leaving near the body Halewyn’s horse and hound, the one moaning softly, the other watching it with sorrowful wonderment.
As she took up the head, the hound growled, but did not dare touch her.
And while she rode away, horse and hound stayed by the body, downcast and sad, and covered with the snow which fell without ceasing.
And they seemed to be guarding their master.
XXXII.How father, mother, and sister sought everywhere their son and brother, and could not find him.Singing and winding her horn rides the noble maid Magtelt.And in her heart is joy, at the thought that Anne-Mie, the fifteen virgins, and Toon the Silent are avenged.And her hand holds fast beneath herkeirlethe good sword and the head of Halewyn.And Schimmel trots quickly, eager to be back in his stable.While she was riding she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old man coming towards her on a black horse.And the old man said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”And Magtelt:“I left thy son Halewyn well placed, taking his diversion in the snow with sixteen maidens.”And the old man rode on.When she had gone farther she saw, through the thick snow falling, a young and rosy-cheeked damosel coming towards her on a white palfrey.And the damosel said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Go farther, to the Gallows-field, where thou shalt see thy brother in like guise to the sixteen maidens.”And the damosel rode on.Farther still on her way, Magtelt saw, through the thick snow falling, a young man of haughty and stiff-necked countenance coming towards her on a roan charger.And the young man said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Thy brother is a fair lord, so fair that round him sixteen maidens stand sentinel, unwilling to let him go.”And the young man rode on.After travelling on her way still farther, she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old woman, high-coloured and of robust seeming, despite her great age, coming towards her.And the old woman said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Thy son Siewert Halewyn is dead; see, here is his head beneath mykeirle, and his blood running thick on my dress.”And the old woman cried out:“If thou had spoken these words earlier thou shouldst not have ridden so far.”But Magtelt:“Thou art fortunate, old woman, in that I have left thee thine own body and not slain thee as I have thy son.”And the old dame took fright and made off.And night fell.
XXXII.How father, mother, and sister sought everywhere their son and brother, and could not find him.
Singing and winding her horn rides the noble maid Magtelt.And in her heart is joy, at the thought that Anne-Mie, the fifteen virgins, and Toon the Silent are avenged.And her hand holds fast beneath herkeirlethe good sword and the head of Halewyn.And Schimmel trots quickly, eager to be back in his stable.While she was riding she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old man coming towards her on a black horse.And the old man said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”And Magtelt:“I left thy son Halewyn well placed, taking his diversion in the snow with sixteen maidens.”And the old man rode on.When she had gone farther she saw, through the thick snow falling, a young and rosy-cheeked damosel coming towards her on a white palfrey.And the damosel said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Go farther, to the Gallows-field, where thou shalt see thy brother in like guise to the sixteen maidens.”And the damosel rode on.Farther still on her way, Magtelt saw, through the thick snow falling, a young man of haughty and stiff-necked countenance coming towards her on a roan charger.And the young man said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Thy brother is a fair lord, so fair that round him sixteen maidens stand sentinel, unwilling to let him go.”And the young man rode on.After travelling on her way still farther, she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old woman, high-coloured and of robust seeming, despite her great age, coming towards her.And the old woman said:“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”But Magtelt:“Thy son Siewert Halewyn is dead; see, here is his head beneath mykeirle, and his blood running thick on my dress.”And the old woman cried out:“If thou had spoken these words earlier thou shouldst not have ridden so far.”But Magtelt:“Thou art fortunate, old woman, in that I have left thee thine own body and not slain thee as I have thy son.”And the old dame took fright and made off.And night fell.
Singing and winding her horn rides the noble maid Magtelt.
And in her heart is joy, at the thought that Anne-Mie, the fifteen virgins, and Toon the Silent are avenged.
And her hand holds fast beneath herkeirlethe good sword and the head of Halewyn.
And Schimmel trots quickly, eager to be back in his stable.
While she was riding she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old man coming towards her on a black horse.
And the old man said:
“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”
And Magtelt:
“I left thy son Halewyn well placed, taking his diversion in the snow with sixteen maidens.”
And the old man rode on.
When she had gone farther she saw, through the thick snow falling, a young and rosy-cheeked damosel coming towards her on a white palfrey.
And the damosel said:
“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”
But Magtelt:
“Go farther, to the Gallows-field, where thou shalt see thy brother in like guise to the sixteen maidens.”
And the damosel rode on.
Farther still on her way, Magtelt saw, through the thick snow falling, a young man of haughty and stiff-necked countenance coming towards her on a roan charger.
And the young man said:
“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my brother Halewyn?”
But Magtelt:
“Thy brother is a fair lord, so fair that round him sixteen maidens stand sentinel, unwilling to let him go.”
And the young man rode on.
After travelling on her way still farther, she saw, through the thick snow falling, an old woman, high-coloured and of robust seeming, despite her great age, coming towards her.
And the old woman said:
“Beautiful maid, riding so fast, hast seen my son Halewyn?”
But Magtelt:
“Thy son Siewert Halewyn is dead; see, here is his head beneath mykeirle, and his blood running thick on my dress.”
And the old woman cried out:
“If thou had spoken these words earlier thou shouldst not have ridden so far.”
But Magtelt:
“Thou art fortunate, old woman, in that I have left thee thine own body and not slain thee as I have thy son.”
And the old dame took fright and made off.
And night fell.
XXXIII.Of the feast in the castle of Heurne, and of the head upon the table.Schimmel trotted quickly, and soon Magtelt reached her father’s castle and there sounded the horn.Josse van Ryhove, who was gate-keeper that night, was filled with amazement at the sight of her. Then he cried out: “Thanks be to God, ’tis our damosel come home again.”And all the household ran to the gate crying out likewise with great noise and much shouting: “Our damosel is come home.”Magtelt, going into the great hall, went to Sir Roel and knelt before him:“My lord father,” she said, “here is the head of Siewert Halewyn.”Sir Roel, taking the head in his hands and looking at it well, was so overcome with joy that he wept for the first time since the eyes were in his head.And the Silent, rising up, came to Magtelt, kissed her right hand wherewith she had held the sword, and wept likewise, saying: “Thanks be to thee who hast brought about the reckoning.”The lady Gonde was like a woman drunk with joy, and could not find her tongue. At last, bursting into sobs, melting into tears, and embracing Magtelt eagerly:“Ah, ah,” she cried out, “kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, little one! She has slain the Miserable, the sweet maid; the nightingale has vanquished the falcon! My child is come home again, home again my child. Noël! Thanks be to God who loves aged mothers and will not have them robbed of their children. Noël! See, Magtelt the beautiful, Magtelt the singing-bird, Magtelt the joyous, Magtelt the bright of heart, Magtelt the glorious, Magtelt the victorious, Magtelt my daughter, my child, my all, Noël!”And Magtelt smiled at her, caressing her and stroking her hands gently.And the lady Gonde, weeping freely, let her do, without speaking.“Ah,” said Sir Roel, “I never saw my wife before in such festival mood.” Then suddenly he cried out:“Festival,” quoth he, “this should be a day of festival, the great feast of the house of Heurne!”And he threw open the door to call his pages, grooms, men-at-arms, and all the household.But they all held back, not daring to enter.“Ho!” cried he, in his great joyous voice, “where are cooks and kitchen-maids? Where are cauldrons, pots, and frying-pans? Where are barrels, kegs, flagons and bottles, tankards, mugs, and goblets? Where isclauwaertsimple and double? Where is old wine and new wine? Where are hams and sausages, whales’ tongues, and loins of beef, meat of the air, meat of the waters, and meat of the fields? Bring in everything there is and set it on the table, for this must be a feast-day in this house, feast for an emperor, a king, a prince; for”—and so saying he held up the Miserable’s head by the hair—“our beloved maid has slain with her own hand the lord Siewert Halewyn.”Hearing this they all cried out with a roar like thunder:“Praise be to God! Noël to our damosel!”“Go then,” said Sir Roel, “and do as I have bid.”And when the great feast was served the head was put in the middle of the table.On the morrow there was let cry war in the seigneury of Heurne. And Sir Roel went with a goodly force of men to attack by arms the castle of the Miserable, whereof all the relatives, friends, and followers were either hanged or slain.And My Lord the Count gave to the family of Heurne, the goods, titles and territories of Halewyn, excepting only the ugly shield, and theirs they remain to this day.
XXXIII.Of the feast in the castle of Heurne, and of the head upon the table.
Schimmel trotted quickly, and soon Magtelt reached her father’s castle and there sounded the horn.Josse van Ryhove, who was gate-keeper that night, was filled with amazement at the sight of her. Then he cried out: “Thanks be to God, ’tis our damosel come home again.”And all the household ran to the gate crying out likewise with great noise and much shouting: “Our damosel is come home.”Magtelt, going into the great hall, went to Sir Roel and knelt before him:“My lord father,” she said, “here is the head of Siewert Halewyn.”Sir Roel, taking the head in his hands and looking at it well, was so overcome with joy that he wept for the first time since the eyes were in his head.And the Silent, rising up, came to Magtelt, kissed her right hand wherewith she had held the sword, and wept likewise, saying: “Thanks be to thee who hast brought about the reckoning.”The lady Gonde was like a woman drunk with joy, and could not find her tongue. At last, bursting into sobs, melting into tears, and embracing Magtelt eagerly:“Ah, ah,” she cried out, “kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, little one! She has slain the Miserable, the sweet maid; the nightingale has vanquished the falcon! My child is come home again, home again my child. Noël! Thanks be to God who loves aged mothers and will not have them robbed of their children. Noël! See, Magtelt the beautiful, Magtelt the singing-bird, Magtelt the joyous, Magtelt the bright of heart, Magtelt the glorious, Magtelt the victorious, Magtelt my daughter, my child, my all, Noël!”And Magtelt smiled at her, caressing her and stroking her hands gently.And the lady Gonde, weeping freely, let her do, without speaking.“Ah,” said Sir Roel, “I never saw my wife before in such festival mood.” Then suddenly he cried out:“Festival,” quoth he, “this should be a day of festival, the great feast of the house of Heurne!”And he threw open the door to call his pages, grooms, men-at-arms, and all the household.But they all held back, not daring to enter.“Ho!” cried he, in his great joyous voice, “where are cooks and kitchen-maids? Where are cauldrons, pots, and frying-pans? Where are barrels, kegs, flagons and bottles, tankards, mugs, and goblets? Where isclauwaertsimple and double? Where is old wine and new wine? Where are hams and sausages, whales’ tongues, and loins of beef, meat of the air, meat of the waters, and meat of the fields? Bring in everything there is and set it on the table, for this must be a feast-day in this house, feast for an emperor, a king, a prince; for”—and so saying he held up the Miserable’s head by the hair—“our beloved maid has slain with her own hand the lord Siewert Halewyn.”Hearing this they all cried out with a roar like thunder:“Praise be to God! Noël to our damosel!”“Go then,” said Sir Roel, “and do as I have bid.”And when the great feast was served the head was put in the middle of the table.On the morrow there was let cry war in the seigneury of Heurne. And Sir Roel went with a goodly force of men to attack by arms the castle of the Miserable, whereof all the relatives, friends, and followers were either hanged or slain.And My Lord the Count gave to the family of Heurne, the goods, titles and territories of Halewyn, excepting only the ugly shield, and theirs they remain to this day.
Schimmel trotted quickly, and soon Magtelt reached her father’s castle and there sounded the horn.
Josse van Ryhove, who was gate-keeper that night, was filled with amazement at the sight of her. Then he cried out: “Thanks be to God, ’tis our damosel come home again.”
And all the household ran to the gate crying out likewise with great noise and much shouting: “Our damosel is come home.”
Magtelt, going into the great hall, went to Sir Roel and knelt before him:
“My lord father,” she said, “here is the head of Siewert Halewyn.”
Sir Roel, taking the head in his hands and looking at it well, was so overcome with joy that he wept for the first time since the eyes were in his head.
And the Silent, rising up, came to Magtelt, kissed her right hand wherewith she had held the sword, and wept likewise, saying: “Thanks be to thee who hast brought about the reckoning.”
The lady Gonde was like a woman drunk with joy, and could not find her tongue. At last, bursting into sobs, melting into tears, and embracing Magtelt eagerly:
“Ah, ah,” she cried out, “kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, little one! She has slain the Miserable, the sweet maid; the nightingale has vanquished the falcon! My child is come home again, home again my child. Noël! Thanks be to God who loves aged mothers and will not have them robbed of their children. Noël! See, Magtelt the beautiful, Magtelt the singing-bird, Magtelt the joyous, Magtelt the bright of heart, Magtelt the glorious, Magtelt the victorious, Magtelt my daughter, my child, my all, Noël!”
And Magtelt smiled at her, caressing her and stroking her hands gently.
And the lady Gonde, weeping freely, let her do, without speaking.
“Ah,” said Sir Roel, “I never saw my wife before in such festival mood.” Then suddenly he cried out:
“Festival,” quoth he, “this should be a day of festival, the great feast of the house of Heurne!”
And he threw open the door to call his pages, grooms, men-at-arms, and all the household.
But they all held back, not daring to enter.
“Ho!” cried he, in his great joyous voice, “where are cooks and kitchen-maids? Where are cauldrons, pots, and frying-pans? Where are barrels, kegs, flagons and bottles, tankards, mugs, and goblets? Where isclauwaertsimple and double? Where is old wine and new wine? Where are hams and sausages, whales’ tongues, and loins of beef, meat of the air, meat of the waters, and meat of the fields? Bring in everything there is and set it on the table, for this must be a feast-day in this house, feast for an emperor, a king, a prince; for”—and so saying he held up the Miserable’s head by the hair—“our beloved maid has slain with her own hand the lord Siewert Halewyn.”
Hearing this they all cried out with a roar like thunder:
“Praise be to God! Noël to our damosel!”
“Go then,” said Sir Roel, “and do as I have bid.”
And when the great feast was served the head was put in the middle of the table.
On the morrow there was let cry war in the seigneury of Heurne. And Sir Roel went with a goodly force of men to attack by arms the castle of the Miserable, whereof all the relatives, friends, and followers were either hanged or slain.
And My Lord the Count gave to the family of Heurne, the goods, titles and territories of Halewyn, excepting only the ugly shield, and theirs they remain to this day.