Part 18 (1/2)
”'Yet hear the terms; hear what no earthly power Shall ever change!' He spoke, and wav'd below His scepter, bent in anger o'er my brow.-- 'Yes, thou may'st live;--but, instant, from this hour, Away! in exile rove far nations o'er; Thy foot accurs'd shall tread this soil no more, Till thou, in due obedience to my will Shalt, point by point, the word I speak fulfill; Thou diest, if this unwrought thou touch thy native sh.o.r.e.
”'Go hence to Bagdad; in high festal day At his round table, when the caliph, plac'd In stately pomp, with splendid emirs grac'd, Enjoys the banquet rang'd in proud array, Slay him who lies the monarch's left beside, Dash from his headless trunk the purple tide.
Then to the right draw near; with courtly grace The beauteous heiress of his throne embrace; And thrice with public kiss salute her as thy bride.
”'And while the caliph, at the monstrous scene, Such as before ne'er shock'd a caliph's eyes, Stares at thy confidence in mute surprise, Then, as the Easterns wont, with lowly mien Fall on the earth before his golden throne, And gain (a trifle, proof of love alone) That it may please him, gift of friend to friend, Four of his grinders at my bidding send, And of his beard a lock with silver hair o'ergrown.”
WIELAND. _Oberon_ (Sotheby's tr.).
[Ill.u.s.tration: HUON BEFORE THE POPE--Gabriel Max.]
[Sidenote: Huon's quest.] Huon regretfully, left his native land to begin this apparently hopeless quest; and, after visiting his uncle, the Pope, in Rome, he tried to secure heavenly a.s.sistance by a pilgrimage to the holy sepulcher. Then he set out for Babylon, or Bagdad, for, with the visual mediaeval scorn for geography, evinced in all the _chansons de gestes_, these are considered interchangeable names for the same town. As the hero was journeying towards his goal by way of the Red Sea, it will not greatly surprise the modern reader to hear that he lost his way and came to a pathless forest. Darkness soon overtook him, and Huon was blindly stumbling forward, leading his weary steed by the bridle, when he perceived a light, toward which he directed his way.
”Not long his step the winding way pursued, When on his wistful gaze, to him beseems, The light of distant fire delightful gleams.
His cheek flash'd crimson as the flame he view'd.
Half wild with hope and fear, he rushed to find In these lone woods some glimpse of human kind, And, ever and anon, at once the ray Flash'd on his sight, then sunk at once away, While rose and fell the path as hill and valley wind.”
WIELAND, _Oberon_ (Sotheby's tr.).
[Sidenote: Sherasmin.] Huon at last reached a cave, and found a gigantic old man all covered with hair, which was his sole garment. After a few moments' fruitless attempt at conversation in the language of the country, Huon impetuously spoke a few words in his mother tongue. Imagine his surprise when the uncouth inhabitant of the woods answered him fluently, and when he discovered, after a few rapid questions, that the man was Sherasmin (Gerasmes), an old servant of his father's! This old man had escaped from the hands of his Saracen captors, and had taken refuge in these woods, where he had already dwelt many years. After relating his adventures, Huon entreated Sherasmin to point out the nearest way to Bagdad, and learned with surprise that there were two roads, one very long and comparatively safe, even for an inexperienced traveler, and the other far shorter, but leading through an enchanted forest, where countless dangers awaited the venturesome traveler.
The young knight of course decided to travel along the most perilous way; and, accompanied by Sherasmin, who offered his services as guide, he set out early upon the morrow to continue his quest. On the fourth day of their journey they saw a Saracen struggling single-handed against a band of Arabs, whom Huon soon put to flight with a few well directed strokes from his mighty sword.
After resting a few moments, Huon bade Sherasmin lead the way into the neighboring forest, although his guide and mentor again strove to dissuade him from crossing it by explaining that the forest was haunted by a goblin who could change men into beasts. The hero, who was on his way to insult the proudest ruler on earth, was not to be deterred by a goblin; and as Sherasmin still refused to enter first, Huon plunged boldly into the enchanted forest. Sherasmin followed him reluctantly, finding cause for alarm in the very silence of the dense shade, and timorously glancing from side to side in the gloomy recesses, where strange forms seemed to glide noiselessly about.
”Meanwhile the wand'ring travelers onward go Unawares within the circuit of a wood, Whose mazy windings at each step renew'd, In many a serpent-fold, twin'd to and fro, So that our pair to lose themselves were fain.”
WIELAND, _Oberon_ (Sotheby's tr.).
[Sidenote: Meeting with Oberon.] The travelers lost their way entirely as they penetrated farther into the forest, and they came at last to a little glade, where, resting under the spreading branches of a mighty oak, they were favored with the vision of a castle. Its golden portals opened wide to permit of the egress of Oberon, king of the fairies, the son of Julius Caesar and Morgana the fay. He came to them in the radiant guise of the G.o.d of love, sitting in a chariot of silver, drawn by leopards.
Sherasmin, terrified at the appearance of this radiant creature, and under the influence of wild, unreasoning fear, seized the bridle of his master's steed and dragged him into the midst of the forest, in spite of all his remonstrances. At last he paused, out of breath, and thought himself safe from further pursuit; but he was soon made aware of the goblin's wrath by the sudden outbreak of a frightful storm.
”A tempest, wing'd with lightning, storm, and rain, O'ertakes our pair: around them midnight throws Darkness that hides the world: it peels, cracks, blows, As if the uprooted globe would split in twain; The elements in wild confusion flung, Each warr'd with each, as fierce from chaos sprung.
Yet heard from time to time amid the storm, The gentle whisper of th' aerial form Breath'd forth a lovely tone that died the gales among.”
WIELAND, _Oberon_ (Sotheby's tr.).
All Sherasmin's efforts to escape from the spirit of the forest had been in vain. Oberon's magic horn had called forth the raging tempest, and his power suddenly stayed its fury as Huon and his companion overtook a company of monks and nuns. These holy people had been celebrating a festival by a picnic, and were now hastening home, drenched, bedraggled, and in a sorry plight. They had scarcely reached the convent yard, however, where Sherasmin fancied all would be quite safe from further enchantment, when Oberon suddenly appeared in their midst like a brilliant meteor.
”At once the storm is fled; serenely mild Heav'n smiles around, bright rays the sky adorn, While beauteous as an angel newly born Beams in the roseate dayspring, glow'd the child.
A lily stalk his graceful limbs sustain'd, Round his smooth neck an ivory horn was chain'd; Yet lovely as he was, on all around Strange horror stole, for stern the fairy frown'd, And o'er each sadden'd charm a sullen anger reign'd.”
WIELAND, _Oberon_ (Sotheby's tr.).
[Sidenote: Oberon's aid promised.] The displeasure of the king of the fairies had been roused by Huon and Sherasmin's discourteous flight, but he merely vented his anger and showed his power by breathing a soft strain on his magic horn. At the same moment, monks, nuns, and Sherasmin, forgetting their age and calling, began to dance in the wildest abandon. Huon alone remained uninfluenced by the music, for he had had no wish to avoid an encounter with Oberon.
The king of the fairies now revealed to Huon that as his life had been pure and his soul true, he would help him in his quest. Then, at a wave from the lily wand the magic music ceased, and the charm was broken. Sherasmin was graciously forgiven by Oberon, who, seeing the old man well-nigh exhausted, offered him a golden beaker of wine, bidding him drink without fear. But Sherasmin was of a suspicious nature, and it was only when he found that the draught had greatly refreshed him that he completely dismissed his fears.
[Sidenote: The magic horn.] After informing Huon that he was fully aware of the peculiar nature of his quest, Oberon gave him the golden beaker, a.s.suring him that it would always be full of the richest wine for the virtuous, but would burn the evil doer with a devouring fire. He also bestowed his magic horn upon him, telling him that a gentle blast would cause all the hearers to dance, while a loud one would bring to his aid the king of the fairies himself.
”Does but its snail-like spiral hollow sing, A lovely note soft swell'd with gentle breath, Though thousand warriors threaten instant death, And with advancing weapons round enring; Then, as thou late hast seen, in restless dance All, all must spin, and every sword and lance Fall with th' exhausted warriors to the ground.
But if thou peal it with impatient sound, I at thy call appear, more swift than lightning glance.”
WIELAND, _Oberon_ (Sotheby's tr.).