Page:The Celtic Review volume 3.djvu/172

Rh for she was fresh and rosy, her every movement graceful, the joy of her laugh making music to gladden the hearts of men. When he had thus prepared himself, the chieftain stood before the beauteous maiden, and spake to her. ‘Tell me,’ said he, ‘who art thou, and from whence thou camest, thou fairest among maidens?’

But the maiden laughed so coyly, and said she, ‘Methinks it would be meeter that I should ask thee from whence thou camest to my home in these mountains, for that thou art a stranger thy tongue hath already told me.’ Thus they made merry together, while the sky was being bathed in the light of the spring morning, and the sun had leapt to his throne in the heavens. But they knew of naught else but themselves, for Love had laid hold of the chieftain’s heart and carried it to the safe keeping of the one sweet woman, and taken the soul of the maiden, pure and unsullied, giving it for evermore to the one brave man. Nor did their love abate when they both knew each the other, as daughter of the cave-dwellers, and a chieftain of the Iberian conquerors.

When the huntsmen awoke and began to look about them, they were astonished and sorely distressed to see their chieftain casting his arms about the fairest maiden they had ever seen, and they bethought within themselves that they were in an enchanted land. Then their chief, when he beheld his men were so dismayed, spake unto them, for said he, ‘The faces of my brave huntsmen should not wear to-day a look of woe, because this day is to be my marriage day, a day of gladness without gloom, and a day of joy without sorrow.’ Then did the maiden lead her beloved to the cave where dwelt her kindred, and the little folk were troubled in heart when they beheld a band of the Iberians following in the steps of their daughter. This the chieftain was not slow to see, so he spake unto them words of goodwill, and said he, ‘I come in peace to the dwelling of this fair maiden of my heart, for I seek her to wife, wherefore I pray that she may be given to me.’ Then the parents of the maiden spake unto their daughter, and said they, ‘Desirest thou this son of the conqueror to husband?