large/803/book_wonder_ge_librivox_64kb_mp3/bookofwonder_09_dunsany_64kb_44
large/803/book_wonder_ge_librivox_64kb_mp3/bookofwonder_09_dunsany_64kb
English
803
Now there was great rejoicing at the rumour of Alderic's quest, for all folk knew that he was a cautious man, and they deemed that he would succeed and enrich the world, and they rubbed their hands in the cities at the thought of largesse; and there was joy among all men in Alderic's country, except perchance among the lenders of money, who feared they would soon be paid. NOW THERE WAS GREAT REJOICING AT THE RUMOUR OF ALDRIC'S QUEST FOR ALL FOLK KNEW THAT HE WAS A CAUTIOUS MAN AND THEY DEEMED THAT HE WOULD SUCCEED AND ENRICH THE WORLD AND THEY RUBBED THEIR HANDS IN THE CITIES AT THE THOUGHT OF LARGESSE AND THERE WAS JOY AMONG ALL MEN IN ALDRIC'S COUNTRY EXCEPT PERCHANCE AMONG THE LENDERS OF MONEY WHO FEARED THEY WOULD SOON BE PAID
m Alderic shouted, "Hath foul dragon ever slain true knight?" And well the dragon knew that this had never been, and he hung his head and was silent, for he was glutted with blood. "Then," said the knight, "if thou would'st ever taste maiden's blood again thou shalt be my trusty steed, and if not, by this spear there shall befall thee all that the troubadours tell of the dooms of thy breed." And the dragon did not open his ravening mouth, nor rush upon the knight, breathing out fire; for well he knew the fate of those that did these things, but he consented to the terms imposed, and swore to the knight to become his trusty steed. It was on a saddle upon this dragon's back that Alderic afterwards sailed above the unpassable forest, even above the tops of those measureless trees, children of wonder. But first he pondered that subtle plan of his which was more profound than merely to avoid all that had been done before; and he commanded a blacksmith, and the blacksmith made him a pickaxe.  BREATHING BITTER SMOKE AND TO HIM ALDRIC SHOUTED HATH FOUL DRAGON EVER SLAIN TRUE KNIGHT AND WELL THE DRAGON KNEW THAT THIS HAD NEVER BEEN AND HE HUNG HIS HEAD AND WAS SILENT FOR HE WAS GLUTTED WITH BLOOD THEN SAID THE KNIGHT IF THOU WOULDST EVER TASTE MAIDEN'S BLOOD AGAIN THOU SHALT BE MY TRUSTY STEED AND IF NOT BY THIS SPEAR THOU SHALT BEFALL THEE ALL THAT THE TROUBADORES TELL OF THE DOOMS OF THY BREED AND THE DRAGON DID NOT OPEN HIS RAVENING MOUTH NOR RUSH UPON THE KNIGHT BREATHING OUT FIRE FOR WELL HE KNEW THE FATE OF THOSE THAT DID THESE THINGS BUT HE CONSENTED TO THE TERMS IMPOSED AND SWORE TO THE KNIGHT TO BECOME HIS TRUSTY STEED IT WAS ON A SADDLE UPON THIS DRAGON'S BACK THAT ALDRIC AFTERWARD SAILED ABOVE THE UNPASSABLE FOREST EVEN ABOVE THE TOPS OF THOSE MEASURELESS TREES CHILDREN OF WONDER BUT FIRST HE PONDERED THAT SUBTLE PLAN OF HIS WHICH WAS MORE PROFOUND THAN MERELY TO AVOID ALL THAT HAD BEEN DONE BEFORE AND HE COMMANDED A BLACKSMITH AND THE BLACKSMITH MADE HIM A PICKAXE
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