But when night had fallen, Tasha stole from the wizard of the Greek
King his branch of silver bells that when shaken would lay asleep a
host of men, and with the aid of this she passed from the camp of the
Greeks, and through the sentinels, and came to the tent of Finn.
On the morrow morn the King of the Greeks found that his daughter had
fled to be the wife of Finn, son of Cumhal, and he offered a mighty
reward to whosoever would slay Finn and bring Tasha back. But when the
two armies closed in combat the Fians and the host of the King of
Sorca charged so fiercely home, that they drove their foes before them
as a winter gale drives before it a cloud of madly whirling leaves,
and those that were not slain in the fight and the pursuit went to
their own lands and abode there in peace; and thus was the war ended
of the King of Sorca and the Lord of the Well.
Then the King of Sorca had Finn and his comrades before him and gave
them praise and thanks for their valour. "And what reward," he said,
"will ye that I make you for the saving of the kingdom of Sorca?"
"Thou wert in my service awhile," said Finn, "and I mind not that I
paid thee any wage for it. Let that service even go against this, and
so we are quits."
"Nay, then," cried Conan the Bald, "but what shall I have for my ride
on the mare of the Gilla Dacar?"
"What wilt thou have?" said the King of Sorca.
Pages:
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219