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e　of　a　pany　of　mighty　warriors。　I　said　boldly；　〃Who　cares　for　that？　If　they　e　again；　we　shall　beat　them　a　second　time。〃
　Indeed；　I　was　vain　as　a　young　cock；　and　I　am　abashed　now　to　think　upon　my　strutting。　Herger　responded：　〃The　kingdom　of　Rothgar　has　no　fighting　warriors　or　earls；　they　are　all　long　since　dead；　and　we　alone　must　defend　the　kingdom。　Yesterday　we　were　thirteen。　Today　we　are　ten；　and　of　that　ten　two　are　wounded　and　cannot　fight　as　full　men。　The　black　mist　is　angered；　and　it　will　take　a　terrible　vengeance。〃
　I　said　to　Herger；　who　had　suffered　some　minor　wounds　in　the　fray…but　nothing　so　fierce　as　the　claw　marks　upon　my　own　face；　which　I　bore　proudly…that　I　feared　nothing　the　demons　would　do。
　He　answered　curtly　that　I　was　an　Arab　and　understood　nothing　of　the　ways　of　the　North　country；　and　he　told　me　that　the　vengeance　of　the　black　mist　would　be　terrible　and　profound。　He　said；　〃They　will　return　as　Korgon。〃
　I　did　not　know　the　sense　of　the　word。　〃What　is　Korgon？〃
　He　said　to　me；　〃The　glowworm　dragon；　which　swoops　down　through　the　air。〃
　Now　this　seemed　fanciful；　but　I　had　already　seen　the　sea　monsters　just　as　they　said　that　such　beasts　truly　lived；　and　also　I　saw　Herger's　strained　and　tired　countenance；　and　I　perceived　that　he　believed　in　the　glowworm　dragon。　I　said；　〃When　will　Korgon　e？〃
　〃Perhaps　tonight；〃　Herger　said。
　Verily；　even　as　he　spoke；　I　saw　that　Buliwyf；　though　he　had　slept　not　at　all　during　the　night　and　his　eyes　were　red　and　heavy　with　fatigue；　was　directing　anew　the　building　of　defenses　around　the　hall　of　Hurot。　All　the　people　of　the　kingdom　worked；　the　children　and　the　women　and　the　old　men；　and　the　slaves　as　well；　under　the　direction　of　Buliwyf　and　his　lieutenant　Ecthgow。
　This　is　what　they　did：　about　the　perimeter　of　Hurot　and　the　adjacent　buildings；　those　being　the　dwellings　of　the　King　Rothgar　and　some　of　his　nobles；　and　the　rude　huts　of　the　slaves　of　these　families；　and　one　or　another　of　the　farmers　who　lived　closest　to　the　sea；　all　around　this　area　Buliwyf　erected　a　kind　of　fence　of　crossed　lances　and　poles　with　sharpened　points。　This　fence　was　not　higher　than　a　man's　shoulders；　and　although　the　points　were　sharp　and　menacing；　I　could　not　see　the　value　of　this　defense；　for　men　could　scale　it　easily。
　I　spoke　of　this　to　Herger；　who　called　me　a　stupid　Arab。　Herger　was　in　an　ill　temper。
　Now　a　further　defense　was　constructed；　a　ditch　outside　the　pole　fence；　one　and　a　half　paces　beyond。　This　ditch　was　most　peculiar。　It　was　not　deep；　never　more　than　a　man's　knees；　and　often　less。　It　was　unevenly　dug；　so　that　in　places　it　was　shallow；　and　in　other　places　deeper；　with　small　pits。　And　in　places　short　lances　were　sunk　into　the　earth；　points　upward。
　I　understood　the　value　of　this　paltry　ditch　no　better　than　the　fence；　but　I　did　not　inquire　of　Herger；　already　knowing　his　mood。　Instead　I　aided　in　the　work　as　best　I　could；　pausing　only　once　to　have　my　way　with　a　slavewoman　in　the　Northman's　fashion；　for　in　the　excitement　of　the　night's　battle　and　the　day's　preparations　I　was　most　energetic。
　Now；　during　my　journey　with　Buliwyf　and　his　warriors　up　the　Volga；　Herger　had　told　me　that　unknown　women；　especially　if　attractive　or　seductive；　were　to　be　mistrusted。　Herger　said　to　me　that　within　the　forests　and　wild　places　of　the　North　country　there　live　women　who　are　called　woodwomen。　These　woodwomen　entice　men　by　their　beauty　and　soft　words；　yet　when　a　man　approaches　them；　he　finds　that　they　are　hollow　at　the　back　part；　and　are　apparitions。　Then　the　woodwomen　cast　a　spell　upon　the　seduced　man　and　he　bees　their　captive。
　Now；　Herger　had　thus　warned　me；　and　verily　it　is　true　that　I　approached　this　slavewoman　with　trepidation；　because　I　did　not　know　her。　And　I　felt　her　back　with　my　hand；　and　she　laughed；　for　she　knew　the　reason　of　the　touch；　to　assure　myself　that　she　was　no　wood　spirit。　I　felt　a　fool　at　that　time；　and　cursed　myself　for　placing　faith　in　a　heathen　superstition。　Yet　I　have　discovered　that　if　all　those　around　you　believe　some　particular　thing；　you　will　soon　be　tempted　to　share　in　that　belief；　and　so　it　was　with　me。
　The　women　of　the　North　people　are　pale　as　the　men；　and　equally　as　tall　in　stature；　the　greater　number　of　them　looked　down　upon　my　head。　The　women　have　blue　eyes　and　wear　their　hair　very　long；　but　the　hair　is　fine　and　easily　snarled。　Therefore　they　bundle　it　up　about　their　necks　and　upon　their　heads；　to　aid　in　this；　they　have　fashioned　for　themselves　all　manner　of　clasps　and　pins　of　ornamented　silver　or　wood。　This　constitutes　their　principal　adornment。　Also　the　wife　of　a　rich　man　wears　neck　chains　of　gold　and　silver；　as　I　have　earlier　said；　so；　too；　do　the　women　favor　bracelets　of　silver；　formed　in　the　shape　of　dragons　and　snakes；　and　these　they　wear　upon　the　arm　between　the　elbow　and　shoulder。　The　designs　of　the　North　people　are　intricate　and　interlaced；　as　if　to　portray　the　weaving　of　tree　branches　or　serpents；　these　designs　are　most　beautiful。22
　The　North　people　account　themselves　keen　judges　of　beauty　in　women。　But　in　truth；　all　their　women　seemed　to　my　eyes　to　be　emaciated；　their　bodies　all　angles　and　lumpy　with　bones；　their　faces；　too；　are　bony　and　the　cheeks　set　high。　These　qualities　the　Northmen　value　and　praise；　although　such　a　woman　would　not　attract　a　glance　in　the　City　of　Peace　but　would　be　accounted　no　better　than　a　half…starved　dog　with　protruding　ribs。　The　Northwomen　have　ribs　that　protrude　in　just　such　a　fashion。
　I　do　not　know　why　the　women　are　so　thin；　for　they　eat　lustily；　and　as　much　as　the　men；　yet　gain　no　flesh　upon　their　bodies。
　Also　the　women　show　no　deference；　or　any　demure　behavior；　they　are　never　veiled；　and　they　relieve　themselves　in　public　places；　as　suits　their　urge。　Similarly　they　will　make　bold　advances　to　any　man　who　catches　their　fancy；　as　if　they　were　men　themselves；　and　the　warriors　never　chide　them　for　this。　Such　is　the　case　even　if　the　woman　be　a　slave；　for　as　I　have　said；　the　Northmen　are　most　kind　and　forbearing　to　their　slaves；　especially　the　women　slaves。
　With　the　progression　of　the　day；　I　saw　clearly　that　the　defenses　of　Buliwyf　would　not　be　pleted　by　nightfall；　neither　the　pole　fence　nor　the　shallow　ditch。　Buliwyf　saw　it　also；　and　called　to　King　Rothgar；　who　summoned　the　old　crone。　This　old　crone；　who　was　withered　and　had　the　beard　of　a　man；　killed　a　sheep　and　spread　the　entrails23　on　the　ground。　Then　she　made　a　variety　of　chanting　song；　which　lasted　a　lengthy　time；　and　much　supplication　to　the　sky。
　I　still　did　not　ask　Herger　of　this；　because　of　his　mood。　Instead　I　watched　the　other　warriors　of　Buliwyf；　who　looked　to　the　sea。　The　ocean　was　gray　and　rough；　the　sky　leaden；　but　a　strong　breeze　blew　toward　the　land。　This　satisfied　the　warriors；　and　I　guessed　the　reason：　that　an　ocean　breeze　toward　the　land　would　prevent　the　mist　from　descending　from　the　hills。　This　was　true。
　Upon　nightfall；　work　was　halted　on　the　defenses；　and　to　my　perplexity　Rothgar　held　another　banquet　of　splendid　proportions；　and　this　evening　while　I　watched；　Buliwyf；　and　Herger；　and　all　the　other　warriors　drank　much　mead　and　reveled　as　if　they　lacked　any　worldly　cares；　and　had　their　way　with　the　slavewomen；　and　then　all　sank　into　a　stuporous　droning　sleep。
　Now　this　also　I　learned：　that　each　of　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　had　chosen　from　among　the　slavewomen　one　whom　in　particular　they　favored；　although　not　to　the　exclusion　of　others。　In　intoxication；　Herger　said　to　me　of　the　woman　he　had　favored；　〃She　shall　die　with　me；　if　need　be。〃　From　this　I　took　as　the　meaning　that　each　of　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　had　selected　some　woman　who　would　die　for　him　upon　the　funeral　pyre；　and　this　woman　they　treated　with　more　courtesy　and　attention　than　the　others；　for　they　were　visitors　to　this　country；　and　had　no　slavewomen　of　their　own　who　could　be　ordered　by　kin　to　do　their　bidding。
　Now；　in　the　early　period　of　my　time　among　the　Venden；　the　Northwomen　would　not　approach　me；　on　account　of　my　darkness　of　skin　and　hair；　but　there　was　much　whispering　and　glancing　in　my　direction；　and　giggles　one　to　another。　I　saw　that　these　unveiled　women　would　nonetheless　make　a　veil　with　their　hands　from　time　to　time；　and　especially　when　they　were　laughing。　Then　I　had　asked　of　Herger：　〃Why　do　they　do　this　thing？〃　for　I　wished　not　to　behave　in　a　manner　contrary　to　the　North　custom。
　Herger　made　this　reply：　〃The　women　believe　that　the　Arabs　are　as　stallions；　for　so　they　have　heard　as　a　rumor。〃　Nor　was　this　any　amazement　to　me；　for　this　reason：　in　all　the　lands　I　have　traveled；　and　so　also　within　the　round　walls　of　the　City　of　Peace；　verily　in　every　location　where　men　gather　and　make　for　themselves　a　society；　I　have　learned　these　things　to　be　truths。　First；　that　the　peoples　of　a　particular　land　believe　their　customs　to　be　fitting　and　proper　and　better　than　any　other。　Second；　that　any　stranger；　a　man　or　also　a　woman；　is　accounted　inferior　in　all　ways　save　in　the　matter　of　generation。　Thus　the　Turks　believe　the　Persians　gifted　lovers；　the　Persians　stand　in　awe　of　the　black…skinned　peoples；　and　they　in　turn　of　some　others；　severally；　and　so　it　continues；　sometimes　by　reason　given　of　proportion　of　genitalia；　sometimes　by　reason　given　of　endurance　in　the　act；　sometimes　by　reason　given　of　especial　skill　or　posturing。
　I　cannot　say　whether　the　Northwomen　truly　believe　as　Herger　spoke；　but　verily　I　discovered　that　they　were　much　amazed　at　me　by　virtue　of　my　surgery；24　which　practice　is　unknown　among　them；　as　they　are　dirty　heathens。　Of　the　manner　of　thrusting；　these　women　are　noisy　and　energetic；　and　of　such　odor　that　I　was　obliged　to　stop　my　breath　for　the　duration；　also　they　are　given　to　bucking　and　twisting；　scratching　and　biting；　so　that　a　man　may　be　thrown　from　his　mount；　as　the　Northmen　speak　of　it。　For　myself　I　accounted　the　whole　business　more　pain　than　pleasure。
　The　Northmen　say　of　the　act；　〃I　did　battle　with　such　a　woman　or　another；〃　and　proudly　show　their　blue　marks　and　abrasions　to　their　rades；　as　if　these　were　true　wounds　of　warfare。　However；　the　men　never　did　injury　to　any　woman　that　I　could　see。
　Now　this　night；　while　all　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　slept；　I　was　too　afraid　to　drink　or　laugh；　I　feared　the　return　of　the　wendol。　Yet　they　did　not　return；　and　I　also　eventually　sle