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wards Morna died: and her last words to her
nursling were ‘Child, thou will conquer yet: for
the song of the bird of Glastonbury hath never
been sung in vain.’

“When Morna was dead, the Mist King used
his power over Esylt more and more. By threats
and hissing whispers, following her every where
she went, and goblin shapes that glared at her out
of dark corners, he could make her do any thing he
pleased, except come to him at the alder-pool.
Once he made her pull up a sluice-gate and flood
the valley : once he forced her to fire a barn, full
of her father’s scanty store of corn: and at last,
when the enemy came and attacked the fortress, he
so bewitched and frightened the poor girl, that she
obeyed his commands in setting open a postern-
gate to give them access to the castle. But one of
her father’s retainers saw her, and gave warning
and beat them back: and then he forced her to
come with him to her father’s presence, and
accused her as a traitress, who had well nigh
wrecked all their lives.

“And Esylt, bowed down with weeping, said,
‘Tt is true; for the Mist King I did it: slay me,
for a wretch like me is not fit to live.’

“Her father would almost have slain her, so
wroth was he: but she was so beautiful that they
all begged for her life, so King Rhys banished her
from the fortress, bidding her take away what she
would, but never come nigh his presence again.
And Esylt took only a wallet of bread, and a cup
for water: and thought within herself, ‘Now can I
pass out of the valley, and perhaps beyond the
powers of the Mist King.’

“And all day she wandered on the hills, far
away as she thought: and her heart grew light to
think that she was escaping from her enemy’s
power. And at evening she came to a valley, and
went down towards it, thinking to find kindly folk,
and food, and rest. But as she passed out of an
alder-copse, she looked up: and lo, the Dragon’s
Crag was before her, and the alder-pool at her feet,
and the Mist King’s hideous face rose out of the
water, saying ‘ Round and round, but back to me
at last. Well done, fair slave.’

“But Esylt fled as fast as her feet could carry
her, and when she reached the slope of the hill,
she fell and lay there, half swooning with despair.

“The next day she plunged into the depths of a
neighbouring forest, thinking thus perhaps she
might escape from her foe. In the evening she lay
down under a tree to sleep, thinking that here at
least she was safe. But in the morning, when she
opened her eyes, she was again in the valley by the
alder-pool : the Mist King had drawn her thither
in her sleep. And the Dragon's Crag rose black
and awful between her and the rising sun,

76 THE PANELLED HOUSE.

will fight against my fate no longer,’ laid herself
down in the pool. And there the Mist King would
have taken and drawn her underneath, had it not
been that his power went from him at the hour
of sunrise, and then he could do no harm. So still
she floated on the black pool, her golden hair all
spread out like a water-flower, when a young knight
in silver armour, named Sir Gradlon, chanced to
ride by that way, and beheld her. At first he
thought she was a water-fairy: but soon he saw
that she was a mortal maiden, and he plunged in
and drew her out. Though he knew not of the
Mist King who dwelt in the pool, he felt that it
was an evil place, and he placed Esylt senseless on
his horse, and laid her on the grass of the hill-side.

“¢This is the lady of my dreams,’ he said; ‘I
fear that she is dead, by her whiteness and the
stilmess of her heart: but I will yet try to revive
her.’

‘So he bent over her, and breathed warm breath
upon her lips: and presently she opened her eyes
and moaned. And he saw her weeping, «rd asked
her what ailed her, and she told him how she was
in the power of the Mist King.

“J will set you free, lady,’ said Gradlon, with
his hand on his sword.

““* Nay, that can never be,’ sobbed Esylt. ‘Till
the Dragon’s Crag falls into the alder-pool, and I
pass through the Mist King’s stronghold without
a thought of fear, I must be the Mist King’s slave.
Leave me to my fate, brave knight, and waste no
more thought on a wretch whose very will is not
her own.’

“But the more she pleaded, the more intent grew
Gradlon to rescue her.

“Till the Dragon’s Crag falls into the alder-
pool,’ he said, thoughtfully: ‘I will go to the
hermit you speak of, and ask counsel of him. You
shall ride my horse, for I will not leave you alone,
and if any rescue is possible, I will rescue you,
lady, or die.’

“So they went together to the hermit, and he
gave them counsel. He said that the _Dragon’s
Crag was so balanced that it might be dislodged
from its platform by the efforts of one man, but
that the greatest care and hardihood were needful,
for that though it was possible, it was hardly
probable that he who sought to dislodge it should
not be crushed beneath its ruins. Esylt besought
her deliverer not to imperil his life for her, but in
vain. ‘If I may not live for you, lady, I may at
least die for you,’ said Sir Gradlon.

“And for Esylt, the hermit counselled that she
should build herself a hut on the mountain-side
whence she might constantly keep in view the alder-
pool, so that perhaps by ever seeing it before her
she might forget her fear.

“Then Esylt despaired utterly, and saying ‘I Nie I can never forget my fear,’ sighed Esylt.

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