The Horn of Time by Poul Anderson

Author:Poul Anderson [Anderson, Poul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sci-Fi, Science Fiction
Publisher: Signet
Published: 1973-05-02T00:00:00+00:00

After a day scrambling around the hills I saw that Gerald could hardly tell a cow’s bow from her stem. We almost had the strays once, but he ran stupidly across their path and turned them, so the whole work was to do again. I asked him with strained courtesy if he could milk, shear, wield scythe or flail, and he said no, he had never lived on a farm.

“That’s a shame,” I remarked, “for everyone on Iceland does, unless he be outlawed.”

He flushed at my tone. “I can do enough else,” he answered. “Give me some tools and I’ll show you good metalwork.”

That brightened me, for truth to tell, none of our household was a gifted smith. “That’s an honorable trade,” I said, “and you can be of great help. I have a broken sword and several bent spearheads to be mended, and it were no bad idea to shoe the horses.” His admission that he did not know how to put on a shoe was not very dampening to me then.

We had returned home as we talked, and Thorgunna came angrily forward. “That’s no way to treat a guest, Father,” she said. “Making him work like a carle, indeed!”

Gerald smiled. “I’ll be glad to work,” he said. “I need a … a stake … something to start me afresh. Also, I want to repay a little of your kindness.”

Those words made me mild toward him, and I said it was not his fault they had different ways in the United States. On the morrow he could begin in the smithy, and I would pay him, yet he would be treated as an equal since craftsmen are valued. This earned him black looks from the housefolk.

That evening he entertained us well with stories of his home; true or not, they made good listening. However, he had no real polish, being unable to compose a line of verse. They must be a raw and backward lot in the United States. He said his task in the war host had been to keep order among the troops. Helgi said this was unheard of, and he must be bold who durst offend so many men, but Gerald said folk obeyed him put of fear of the king. When he added that the term of a levy in the United States was two years, and that men could be called to war even in harvest time, I said he was well out of a country with so ruthless and powerful a lord.

“No,” he answered wistfully, “we are a free folk, who say what we please.”

“But it seems you may not do as you please,” said Helgi.

“Well,” Gerald said, “we may not murder a man just because he aggrieves us.”

“Not even if he has slain your own kin?” asked Helgi.

“No. It is for the … the king to take vengeance, on behalf of the whole folk whose peace has been broken.”

I chuckled. “Your yams are cunningly wrought,” I said, “but there youVe hit a snag.

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