Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-06-23

"Now as / watched, filled with fear
and wonder, the she wolf, her tongue
lolling from her jaws, made so mighty a
bound that she almost reached the hang
ing foot, and yet not quite. She fell
back, and then | saw that the leap was
her last for that time, for she had over
sprung herself, and lay there bowling,
the black blood flowing from her mouth.
The wolf saw also he drew near, shifted
at her, then, knowing that she was hurt
seized her by tho throat and worried
her. The she wolf grew faint, for the
white fangs of her mate were buried in
her thraat. Then | saw that now was
the time to tmite him, lest when he had
killed her he should kill nue. also. So l
lifted the Watcher and sprang into the
cave, having it in my mind to STAY the
wolf before he lifted up his head. But
he heard my footsteps, or perhaps my
shadow fell upon him. Loosing his
grip he looked up; then, making no
sound, he sprang straight at my throat.
| smote him with all my strength. The
blow met him in nidair and struck him
to the earth. But before l could smite
l.
leaped aside and snote downward, and
the blow broke his right leg, so that he
could spring no more. Yet he ran at
he on three feet and seized me with his
teeth, biting through that leather bag
which was wound about my middle, into
the flesh behind. Then | yelled with
pain, and lifting the Watcher endways,
drove it down with SO great a stroke
that the skull of the wolf was shattered
and he fell dead, dragging me down
with him. Presently sat up, and fore
ing the Watcher between his jaws lev
cred them open, freeing my flesh from
the grip of his teeth. Presently |
glanced up and saw that the she wolf
had found her feet again, and stood as
| though unhurt; yet she did not look at
me or on her dead mate but at him only
who sat above. crept softly behind her;
then, lifting my Watcher, dashed him
down with all my strength. The blow
broke her neck, so that she rolled over
dead.
Now l rested awhile, then went to-.
the mouth of the cave and looked out.
The sun was sinking; the depth of forest
was black, but the light all shone on
the face of the stone woman on the
mountain. Here, then, | must bidc this
night, for dared not wend toward the
plains alone with the wolves and the
ghosts. And if | dared not go alone.
how much less should / dare to go bear
ing with me him who sat in the cleft of
the rock. Nay, here | must abide, and
feeling that | must do something lest |
should 90 mad, drew to me the car
cass Of the great dog wolf which | had
killed, and taking my knife of iron |
began to ska it by the light of the
moon. For an hour or more | skinned.
singing to myself as | worked, and
striving to forget him who sat in the
cleft above and the howlings which ran
about the mountains.
Now tho skin was off. l cast it be
hind me, and Selling the carcass dragged
it to the edge of the rock and left it.
Presently the howlngs drew near again;
again | saw the gray shapes creep up
one by one.
Did | sleep or did wake? Nay,
do not know. But | know this, that of
a sudden | seemed to look up and see.
! saw Il light-perchance, it was the
light of the moon shining upon him
that sat aloft at the end of the cave.
l looked, or seemed to look, and then
thought that the hanging Jaw moved,
and from it came voice that was harsh
and hollow.
Hail, Galazi, child of Siguvanar
said the voice. 'Galazi the Wolf. Say,
what dost tEOu here III the Ghost noun
tain, where the Stone Witch sits:
"Then | answered, or seemed to an
swer:
Hail, Dead One, who sittest like
vulture on a rock! / do this on the
Ghost mOuntain-l come to seek thy
bones and bear them to thy mother for
buris4.'
Many and many year have sat
aloft, Gala2i' answered the voice,
watching the ghost wolves leap and
leap to drag me down, till the rock grew
smooth beneath the wearing of their
feet. SO | sat seven days and nights,
being yet alive, the hungry wolves be-
low ana hunger gnawing at my heart.
SO | have sat many and many year,
being dead in the heart of the old Stone
Witch. Yet my mother was young and
fair when | trod the haunted forest and
climbed the knees Of stone How seems
she now, Galazi|
"'She is white and aged and very
wrinkled,' | answered. They call her
mad, yet at her bidding l came to seek
thee, Dead One, bearing the Watcher
that was thy fathers and shall be mine
LIT shall be thine, Galazi, said the
voice, for thou alone has dared the
ghosts to give me slcep and burial.
Hearken, thine also shall be the wisdom
of the old witch who sits aloft-thine
and one others. These are not wolves
that thou hast seen; they are ghosts of
men who lived il ages gone and who
must now live till they be slain of men
And l;nowest thou how they lived, Ga
lazi, and what was the food they ate?
When the light comes again, Galazi
climb to the breasts Of the Stone Witch
and look III the cleft which is between
her breasts. There shalt thou see how
these mon lived And now this doom il