Cador came to the country before Childric, and
caused to advance before him all the folk of the land, churls full
sagacious, with clubs exceeding great, with spears and with great
staves, chosen for the purpose, and placed them all clean into the
ships' holds, and ordered them there to stoop low, that Childric were
not aware of them, and when his folk came, and in would climb, to
grasp their bats, and bravely on smite; with their staves and with
their spears to murder Childric's host. The churls did all, as Cador
them taught. To the ships proceeded the valiant churls; in every ship
a hundred and half. And Cador the keen withdrew, in toward a wood
high, five miles from the place where the ships stood, and hid him a
while, wondrously still. And Childric soon approached, over the weald,
and would flee to the ships, and push from land. So soon as Cador saw
this, who was the earl keen, that Childric was in land, between him
and the churls, then called Cador, with loud voice: "Where be ye,
knights, brave men and active? Bethink ye what Arthur, who is our
noble king, at Bath besought us, ere we went from the host.
Pages:
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181