Aslaugas Knight | Page 6

a vessel, and sailed prosperously to the
opposite shore.
CHAPTER II.

In one of those fair beech-woods which abound in the fertile land of
Germany he fell in with a young and courteous knight of delicate form,
who asked the noble northman to share the meal which he had
invitingly spread out upon the greensward, under the shade of the
pleasantest boughs. Whilst the two knights sat peacefully together at
their repast they felt drawn towards each other and rejoiced when on
rising from it, they observed that they were about to follow the same
road. They had not come to this good understanding by means of many
words; for the young knight Edwald was of a silent nature, and would
sit for hours with a quiet smile upon his lips without opening them to
speak. But even in that quiet smile there lay a gentle, winning grace;
and when from time to time a few simple words of deep meaning
sprang to his lips they seemed like a gift deserving of thanks. It was the
same with the little songs which he sang ever and anon: they were
ended almost as soon as begun; but in each short couplet there dwelt a
deep and winning spirit, whether it called forth a kindly sigh or a
peaceful smile. It seemed to the noble Froda as if a younger brother
rode beside him, or even a tender, blooming son. They travelled thus
many days together; and it appeared as if their path were marked out
for them in inseparable union; and much as they rejoiced at this, yet
they looked sadly at each other whenever they set out afresh, or where
cross-roads met, on finding that neither took a different direction: nay,
it seemed at times as if a tear gathered in Edwald's downcast eye.

It happened on a time, that at their hostelry they met an arrogant,
overbearing knight, of gigantic stature and powerful frame, whose
speech and carriage proved him to be not of German but foreign birth.
He appeared to come from the land of Bohemia. He cast a
contemptuous smile on Froda, who, as usual, had opened the ancient
book of Aslauga's history, and was attentively reading in it. "You must
be a ghostly knight?" he said, inquiringly; and it appeared as if a whole
train of unseemly jests were ready to follow. But Froda answered so
firmly and seriously with a negative that the Bohemian stopped short
suddenly; as when the beasts, after venturing to mock their king, the
lion, are subdued to quietness by one glance of his eye. But not so
easily was the Bohemian knight subdued; rather the more did he begin
to mock young Edwald for his delicate form and for his silence--all
which he bore for some time with great patience; but when at last the
stranger used an unbecoming phrase, he arose, girded on his sword, and
bowing gracefully, he said, "I thank you, Sir Knight, that you have
given me this opportunity of proving that I am neither a slothful nor
unpractised knight; for only thus can your behaviour be excused, which
otherwise must be deemed most unmannerly. Are you ready?"
With these words he moved towards the door; the Bohemian knight
followed, smiling scornfully; while Froda was full of care for his young
and slender companion, although his honour was so dear to him that he
could in no way interpose.
But it soon appeared how needless were the northman's fears. With
equal vigour and address did Edwald assault his gigantic adversary, so
that to look upon, it was almost like one of those combats between a
knight and some monster of the forest, of which ancient legends tell.
The issue, too, was not unlike. While the Bohemian was collecting
himself for a decisive stroke Edwald rushed in upon him, and, with the
force of a wrestler, cast him to the ground. But he spared his conquered
foe, helped him courteously to rise, and then turned to mount his own
steed. Soon after he and Froda left the hostelry, and once more their
journey led them on the same path as before.
"From henceforth this gives me pleasure," said Froda, pointing with

satisfaction to their common road. "I must own to you, Edchen"--he
had accustomed himself, in loving confidence, to call his young friend
by that childlike name--"I must own to you that hitherto, when I have
thought that you might perhaps be journeying with me to the
tournament held in honour of the fair Hildegardis, a heaviness came
over my heart. Your noble knightly spirit I well knew, but I feared lest
the strength of your slender limbs might not be equal to it. Now I have
learned to know you as a warrior who may long seek