Page:Stilfrid and Brunswik (1879).pdf/47

 it may yet come to pass, that I shall return to mine own country.”

Then Balad took a horse’s hide and smeared it well with blood, and put Brunswik within, and sewed him well up with a thong and placed him on the mountain. On the ninth day the Noh appeared, flying up at its proper time, and in a moment seized and flew away with him to desolate mountains at such a distance, that a foot passenger could not reach them in three years from the Yak-stone mountain. And on the third day the Noh took him and cast him among her young ones for them to eat; and leaving him there, flew away for another dainty. And when they pecked the hide around him, Brunswik, knowing no other counsel, drew his sword and leapt out and cut off their heads. Here Brunswik played the part of a valiant man, for it was very needful for him so to do. And it is written in other books of these birds, that each of them is so strong, that he can take up a horse on each talon, and so large, that he steps from one mountain to another; and on each foot he has three talons. And there are not many of these birds, for they slay and eat each other.