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knife is in the meat and the drink is in the horn,

       and there is revelry in Arthur's Hall; and no man may

       enter in save the son of a king from a friendly land. But

       never shall it be said that a wayfarer was turned harshly25

       away from Arthur's door. Food enough for thee and thy

       fifty men shall be prepared; collops shall be cooked and

       peppered for all. In the stables there is fodder for thy

       horses and food in plenty for thy dogs. And thou shalt

       fare as well in the guest chamber as in the hall; only be30

       content, and disturb not the king and his knights at the

       table."

      "Nay, I will have nothing of all this," said young Kilhugh.

       "If thou wilt open the door, well and good. But

       if not, I will bring dishonor upon Arthur and shame upon

       thee. Here, on the spot where I stand, I will shout thrice

       and make the welkin ring. Sounds more deadly than 5

       those three shouts have never been heard in this land.

       They shall resound from Land's End to Cold Blast Ridge

       in Ireland, and turn the hearts of youths and maidens

       cold as stone. Matrons shall grow wan and weakly and

       many a mother's child shall die of fright—so dreadful 10

       will be my voice."

      The Dusky Hero with the Mighty Grasp stood firm,

       although his heart misgave him. "No clamor that thou

       canst make," said he, "will ever admit thee here against

       King Arthur's wishes. However, I will go and tell him 15

       thou art here."

      Well might he be perturbed by Kilhugh's threat. For

       he remembered what had once happened in the days of

       King Lud, when all Britain had been shaken by a fearful

       shriek. At the sound of it, men had grown pale and feeble, 20

       women listless and sad, and youths and maidens forlorn

       and woebegone. Beasts deserted their young ones, birds

       left their nestlings, trees cast off their fruit, the earth

       yielded no harvest.

      Pondering upon these things, the Dusky Hero with the 25

       Mighty Grasp strode into the hall. King Arthur saw him

       and called out, "Hast thou come with tidings from the

       door?"

      The Dusky Hero bowed, and answered in stately phrase,

       becoming a knight of the Table Round: 30

      "Half of my life is past, noble king, and half of thine.

       I have been with thee in Europe, in Asia, in Africa, and in

       the Island of Corsica. I was thy companion when thou

       didst spread the terror of the sword from Scandinavia to

       Spain. I fought by thy side in the Battle of Shades, when

       we brought away twelve hostages from the Dim Land under 5

       the Sea. I have been in Jerusalem and in Castle Covert-and-Clearing,

       built all of dead men's bones. I have been

       in Turning Castle, and in the Castle of Riches; and there

       thou knowest we saw nine kings of nations, all comely men

       of noble mien. Yet, I protest and declare that I never 10

       before saw a youth so handsome and dignified as that one

       who is now sitting astride his horse and waiting outside

       the door of this hall."

      Then cried the king, "Thou didst walk hither to tell me

       of him; now hie thee back to him, running at full speed. 15

       Invite him to come in; and let every man who sees the light,

       and every man who blinks the eye, stand ready to do him

       honor."

      The Dusky Hero with the Mighty Grasp returned to

       the great door. He drew back bolt and bar, and set it 20

       wide open before the prince and his train. The men at

       arms dismounted at the horse block in the courtyard, but

       Kilhugh still sat upon his steed and rode into the Hall.

      "Hail to thee, King Arthur!" he cried. "I greet thee

       and thy guests and thy companions and thy warriors. 25

       My greeting is to the lowest as well as to the highest of all

       that have a seat within this Hall. May thy name, King

       Arthur, and thy fame and thy renown be forever held in

       glorious memory throughout the length and the breadth

       of this land!" 30

      "Hail to thee, noble youth!" returned Arthur. "Thou

       art right welcome. Here is a place for thee between two of

       my knights. Sit down, and my minstrels will play for thee."

      But Kilhugh made answer: "I have not come hither,

       sire, to eat and drink, but to crave of thee a boon. If thou

       wilt grant it me, I will do thee such service as thou mayest 5

       command; and I will carry the praise of thy bounty and

       thy power into every land. But if thou dost refuse, I will

       spread ill reports of thee to the four quarters of the world."

      Then King Arthur was greatly pleased, and he said:

       "Ask thy boon, young chieftain. Thou shalt have whatever 10

       thy tongue may name, as far as the wind dries and the

       rain moistens and the sun revolves and the sea encircles

       and the earth extends. Thou shalt have anything that is

       mine, except my ship that bears me over the sea, and

       the mantle in which I can walk unseen, and my good sword,15

       and my keen lance, and my shield, and my gleaming dagger,

       and Guinevere my wife. Ask what thou wilt."

      "My request is, that thou wilt cut my hair," answered

       Kilhugh.

      "Thy request is granted," quoth the king.20

      Then Arthur called for a golden comb and a pair of

       scissors with silver loops. And he combed the hair of the

       prince, as he sat upon his steed, and cut it front and back.

      "Now tell me thy name," he said.

      "My name is Kilhugh," replied the prince. "My father 25

       is Prince Kilith, and my mother was a sister of the fair

       Ygerne."

      "Then we are cousins," cried Arthur, "and I give thee

       leave to ask another boon. Ask what thou wilt."

       "Promise me, for the honor of thy kingdom, to grant 30

       my boon," said Kilhugh.

      "I promise."

      "Then do I crave of thee to obtain

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