mc.eatersofthedead-第8部分

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lesh；　which　also　was　not　dabah　＇ritually　slaughtered＇；　but　after　a　period　I　also　ate；　saying　quietly　〃in　the　name　of　God〃　under　my　breath；　and　trusting　to　God　that　my　predicament　should　be　understood。　If　it　was　not　raining；　a　fire　was　lit　with　a　small　ember　that　was　carried　with　the　party；　and　the　food　cooked。　Also　we　ate　berries　and　grasses；　the　names　of　which　I　do　not　know。　Then　we　traveled　for　the　after…part　of　each　day；　which　was　considerable；　until　the　ing　of　night；　when　again　we　rested；　and　ate。
　Many　times　at　night　it　rained；　and　we　sought　shelter　beneath　large　trees；　yet　we　arose　drenched；　and　our　sleeping　skins　drenched　likewise。　The　Northmen　did　not　grumble　at　this；　for　they　are　cheerful　at　all　times；　I　alone　grumbled；　and　mightily。　They　paid　me　no　attention。
　Finally　I　said　to　Herger；　〃The　rain　is　cold。〃　To　this　he　laughed。　〃How　can　the　rain　be　cold？〃　he　said。　〃You　are　cold　and　you　are　unhappy。　The　rain　is　not　cold　or　unhappy。〃
　I　saw　that　he　believed　this　foolishness；　and　truly　thought　me　foolish　to　think　otherwise；　and　yet　I　did。
　Now　it　happened　that　one　night；　while　we　ate；　I　said　over　my　food　〃in　the　name　of　God；　and　Buliwyf　inquired　of　Herger　what　it　was　I　said。　I　told　to　Herger　that　I　believed　food　must　be　consecrated；　and　so　I　did　this　according　to　my　beliefs。　Buliwyf　said　to　me；　〃This　is　the　way　of　the　Arabs？〃　Herger　was　the　translator。
　I　made　this　reply：　〃No；　for　in　truth　he　who　kills　the　food　must　make　the　consecration。　I　speak　the　words　so　as　to　be　not　forgetful。〃11
　This　the　Northmen　found　a　reason　for　humor。　They　laughed　heartily。　Then　Buliwyf　said　to　me；　〃Can　you　draw　sounds？〃　I　did　not　prehend　his　meaning；　and　inquired　of　Herger；　and　there　was　some　talking　back　and　forth；　and　finally　I　understood　he　meant　writing。　The　Northmen　call　the　speech　of　Arabs　noise　or　sound。　I　replied　to　Buliwyf　that　I　could　write；　and　also　read。
　He　said　that　I　should　write　for　him　upon　the　ground。　In　the　light　of　the　evening　fire；　I　took　a　stick　and　wrote；　〃Praise　be　to　God。〃　All　the　Northmen　looked　at　the　writing。　I　was　manded　to　speak　what　it　said；　and　this　I　did。　Now　Buliwyf　stared　at　the　writing　for　a　long　period；　his　head　sunk　upon　his　chest。
　Herger　said　to　me；　〃Which　God　do　you　praise？〃　I　answered　that　I　praised　the　one　God　whose　name　was　Allah。
　Herger　said；　〃One　God　cannot　be　enough。〃
　Now　we　traveled　another　day；　and　passed　another　night；　and　then　another　day。　And　on　the　next　evening；　Buliwyf　took　a　stick　and　drew　in　the　earth　what　I　had　formerly　drawn；　and　manded　me　to　read。
　I　spoke　aloud　the　words：　〃Praise　be　to　God。〃　At　this；　Buliwyf　was　satisfied；　and　I　saw　that　he　had　contrived　a　test　of　me；　placing　in　his　memory　the　symbols　I　had　drawn；　to　show　them　to　me　again。
　Now　Ecthgow；　the　lieutenant　or　captain　of　Buliwyf；　and　a　warrior　less　merry　than　the　others；　a　stern　man；　spoke　to　me　through　the　interpreter；　Herger。　Herger　said；　〃Ecthgow　wishes　to　know　if　you　can　draw　the　sound　of　his　name。〃
　I　said　that　I　could；　and　I　took　up　the　stick；　and　began　to　draw　in　the　dirt。　At　once　Ecthgow　leapt　up；　flung　away　the　stick；　and　stamped　out　my　writing。　He　spoke　angry　words。
　Herger　said　to　me；　〃Ecthgow　does　not　wish　you　to　draw　his　name　at　any　time；　and　this　you　must　promise。〃
　Here　I　was　perplexed；　and　I　saw　that　Ecthgow　was　angry　with　me　in　the　extreme。　So　also　were　the　others　staring　at　me　with　concern　and　anger。　I　promised　to　Herger　that　I　would　not　draw　the　name　of　Ecthgow；　or　of　any　of　the　others。　At　this　they　were　all　relieved。
　After　this；　no　more　was　my　writing　discussed；　but　Buliwyf　gave　certain　instructions；　and　whenever　it　rained　I　was　always　directed　to　the　largest　tree；　and　I　was　given　more　food　than　before。
　Not　always　did　we　sleep　in　the　forests；　nor　did　we　always　ride　through　the　forests。　At　the　border　of　some　forests；　Buliwyf　and　his　warriors　would　plunge　forward；　riding　at　a　gallop　through　the　dense　trees；　without　a　care　or　a　thought　of　fear。　And　then　again；　at　other　forests　he　would　draw　up　and　pause；　and　the　warriors　would　dismount　and　burn　a　fire　and　make　some　offering　of　food　or　a　few　sheets　of　hard　bread；　or　a　kerchief　of　cloth；　before　continuing　farther。　And　then　they　would　ride　around　the　edge　of　the　forest；　never　entering　its　depths。
　I　inquired　of　Herger　why　this　should　be。　He　said　that　some　forests　were　safe　and　some　were　not；　but　did　not　explain　further。　I　asked　him；　〃What　is　not　safe　in　the　forests　that　are　judged　so？〃
　He　made　this　reply：　〃There　are　things　that　no　man　can　conquer；　and　no　sword　can　kill；　and　no　fire　can　burn；　and　such　things　are　in　the　forests。〃
　I　said；　〃How　is　this　known　to　be？〃
　At　this　he　laughed　and　said；　〃You　Arabs　always　wish　to　have　reasons　for　everything。　Your　hearts　are　a　great　bursting　bag　of　reasons。〃
　I　said；　〃And　you　do　not　care　for　reasons？〃
　〃It　avails　you　nothing。　We　say：　A　man　should　be　moderately　wise；　but　not　overwise；　lest　he　know　his　fate　in　advance。　The　man　whose　mind　is　most　free　of　care　does　not　know　his　fate　in　advance。〃
　Now；　I　saw　that　I　must　be　content　with　his　answer。　For　it　was　true　that　upon　one　occasion　or　another；　I　would　make　some　manner　of　inquiry；　and　Herger　would　reply；　and　if　I　did　not　prehend　his　answer；　I　would　ask　further；　and　he　would　reply　further。　Yet　again；　when　I　made　of　him　an　inquiry；　he　would　reply　in　short　fashion；　as　if　the　inquiry　were　of　no　substance。　And　then　I　would　have　nothing　further　from　him；　save　a　shaking　of　his　head。
　Now　we　continued　on。　Verily；　I　can　say　that　some　of　the　forests　in　the　wild　North　country　do　provoke　a　feeling　of　fear；　for　which　I　cannot　account。　At　night；　sitting　about　the　fire；　the　Northmen　told　stories　of　dragons　and　fierce　beasts；　and　also　of　their　ancestors　who　had　slain　these　creatures。　These；　they　said；　were　the　source　of　my　fear。　But　they　told　the　stories　with　no　show　of　fear；　and　of　such　beasts；　I　saw　nothing　with　my　own　eyes。
　One　night　I　heard　a　grumbling　that　I　took　to　be　thunder；　but　they　said　it　was　the　growl　of　a　dragon　in　the　forest。　I　do　not　know　what　is　the　truth；　and　report　now　only　what　was　said　to　me。
　The　North　country　is　cold　and　wet　and　the　sun　is　seldom　seen；　for　the　sky　is　gray　with　thick　clouds　all　the　day。　The　people　of　this　region　are　pale　as　linen；　and　their　hair　is　very　fair。　After　so　many　days　of　travel；　I　saw　no　dark　people　at　all；　and　indeed　I　was　marveled　at　by　the　inhabitants　of　that　region　on　account　of　my　skin　and　dark　hair。　Many　times　a　farmer　or　his　wife　or　daughter　would　e　forth　to　touch　me　with　a　stroking　motion；　Herger　laughed　and　said　they　were　trying　to　brush　away　the　color；　thinking　it　to　be　painted　upon　my　flesh。　They　are　ignorant　people　with　no　knowledge　of　the　wideness　of　the　world。　Many　times　they　feared　me；　and　would　not　approach　me　close。　At　one　place；　I　do　not　know　the　name；　a　child　cried　out　in；　terror　and　ran　to　cling　to　his　mother　when　he　saw　me。
　At　this；　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　laughed　with　great　merriment。　But　now　I　observed　this　thing：　with　the　passing　of　the　days；　the　warriors　of　Buliwyf　ceased　to　laugh；　and　fell　into　an　ill　humor；　more　each　day。　Herger　said　to　me　they　were　thinking　of　drink；　of　which　we　had　been　deprived　for　many　days。
　At　each　farm　or　dwelling；　Buliwyf　and　his　warriors　asked　for　drink；　but　in　these　poor　places　there　was　often　no　liquor；　and　they　were　sorely　disappointed；　until　at　last　there　was　no　trace　of　cheerfulness　about　them。
　At　length　we　arrived　at　a　village；　and　there　the　warriors　found　drink；　and　all　of　the　Northmen　became　intoxicated　in　a　moment；　drinking　in　raucous　fashion；　heedless　that　the　liquor　poured　over　their　chins　and　clothing　in　their　haste。　In　truth；　one　of　the　pany；　the　solemn　warrior　Ecthgow；　was　so　demented　from　liquor　that　he　was　drunk　while　still　upon　his　horse；　and　fell　attempting　to　dismount。　Now　the　horse　kicked　him　in　the　head；　and　I　feared　for　his　safety；　but　Ecthgow　laughed　and　kicked　the　horse　back。
　We　remained　in　this　village　the　space　of　two　days。　I　was　much　amazed；　for　previously　the　warriors　had　shown　great　haste　and　purpose　in　their　journey；　yet　all　was　now　abandoned　to　drink　and　stuporous　slumber。　Then　upon　the　third　day；　Buliwyf　directed　that　we　should　continue；　and　the　warriors　proceeded；　I　among　them；　and　they　accounted　the　loss　of　two　days　nothing　strange。
　How　many　days　further　we　traveled　I　am　not　certain。　I　know　that　five　times　we　changed　horses　for　fresh　mounts；　paying　for　these　in　the　villages　with　gold　and　with　the　little　green　shells　that　the　Northmen　value　more　highly　than　any　other　objects　in　the　world。　And　at　length　we　came　to　a　village　of　the　name　Lenneborg；　situated　by　the　sea。　The　sea　was　gray；　and　likewise　the　sky；　and　the　air　was　cold　and　bitter。　Here　we　took　another　vessel。
　This　ship　was　in　appearance　similar　to　the　one　previous；　but　larger。　It　was　called　by　the　Northmen　Hosbokun；　which　means　〃sea　goat；〃　for　the　reason　that　the　ship　bucks　the　waves　as　a　goat　bucks。　And　also　for　the　reason　that　the　vessel　was　swift；　for　among　these　people　the　goat　is　the　animal　that　means　swiftness　to　them。
　I　was　afraid　to　go　upon　this　sea；　for　the　water　was　rough　and　very　cold；　a　man's　hand　plunged　into　that　sea　would　lack　all　feeling　in　an　instant；　it　was　so　dire　cold。　And　yet　the　Northmen　were　cheerful；　and　joked　and　drank　for　an　evening　in　this　sea　village　of　Lenneborg；　and　disported　themselves　with　many　of　the　women　and　slave　girls。　This；　I　was　told；　is　the　Northmen's　custom　before　a　sea　voyage；　for　no　man　knows　if　he　shall　survive　the　journey；　and　thus　he　departs　with　excessive　revelry。
　In　every　place　we　were　greeted　with　great　hospitality；　for　that　is　considered　a　virtue　by　these　people。　The　poorest　farmer　would　set　all　he　had　before　us；　and　this　without　fear　that　we　would　kill　or　rob　him；　but　only　out　of　goodness　and　grace。　The　Northmen；　I　learned；　do　not　countenance　robbers　or　killers　of　their　own　race；　and　treat　such　men　harshly。　These　beliefs　they　hold　despite　the　truth　of　the　matter；　which　is　that　they　are　always　drunk　and　brawling　like　unreasoning　animals；　and　killing　each　other　in　hot　duels。　Yet　they　do　not　see　this　as　murder；　and　any　man　who　murders　will　be　himself　killed。
　In　the　same　way；　they　treat　their　slaves　with　much　kindness；　which　was　a　wonder　to　me。12　If　a　slave　turns　ill；　or　dies　in　some　mis