Page:Stories from Old English Poetry-1899.djvu/83

Rh To her grief the fay beheld them clipped short in early manhood. Then the mother, with moving words, entreated the Fates to let each inherit the other’s life, so that when the fatal shears of Atropos severed the thread of Priamond’s life, his ghost should pass into Dyamond’s frame, and when his life was ended, both together should be added to Triamond, that his life and strength might be pieced out with the warp of his brothers’ lives. This boon was granted to her prayers, and with this the fay was forced to be content.

These three brothers came to the tournament of Cambello, in martial array, attended by a herald, who proclaimed loudly, before them, the high deeds in arms for which they were already famous.

Cambello entered into combat with his magic sword, sent by the Arabian monarch. On his finger also he wore the enchanted ring which had the power to stanch blood. Trebly armed with these and his own valor, he went forth to battle in his sister’s cause.

The arena was spread thick with glittering white sand, so firm and hard that even the horses’ hoofs scarce dented its level surface. About the inclosure were seats for hundreds of spectators, and aloft, in the stateliest place, sat Candace to view the conflict. Above the heads of the