. Frithjof, the viking of Norway : and Roland, the paladin of France. k a hundred thousand Saracenswith them, leaving three times as many,to rescue or support them, since they wellknew with whom they had to deal anddid not expect to win at the first on-slaught. They armed themselves mostcarefully in a wood of ancient firs, andleaving their pack-horses and the muleson which they were wont to travel forgreater ease, mounted their richly capari-soned chargers and rode on in orderlyserried ranks. The noise of their starting and theshrill blasts of their clarions were heard 186 Roland by the French
. Frithjof, the viking of Norway : and Roland, the paladin of France. k a hundred thousand Saracenswith them, leaving three times as many,to rescue or support them, since they wellknew with whom they had to deal anddid not expect to win at the first on-slaught. They armed themselves mostcarefully in a wood of ancient firs, andleaving their pack-horses and the muleson which they were wont to travel forgreater ease, mounted their richly capari-soned chargers and rode on in orderlyserried ranks. The noise of their starting and theshrill blasts of their clarions were heard 186 Roland by the French, for the day was clear andstill, and every sound went far. * Sir comrade, Oliver said to his friend, meseems we are like to do battle soonwith the Saracens. * God grant it! he replied ; that iswhat we are here for. It is every goodvassals duty to suffer any hardship forhis liege, be it cold or heat, to give andtake hard knocks in his service, and notspare his own skin. We must see to itthat our names be not shamed in song,and I for one will not give a bad PART SECOND ROLANDS DEATH IBEFORE THE BATTLE OLIVER climbed upon a hill fromwhich he could see far down thevalley on the Spanish side, and beheld thewhole Paynim army spread out called Roland to his side. I knew, he said, * that noise camefrom the Spanish side. See how all thosehauberks gleam ! How the helmets flash !Our Frenchmen have some hard work be-fore them. It is all Ganelons doing, thefelon ! It was he who talked the Em-peror into putting us on this duty. Silence, Oliver! Roland rebuked i88 Roland Remember, he is my mothers lord—nota word against him I For a long time Oliver stood, viewingthe Saracen host, but the great motleymultitude was confusing to the eve : sohe made his way down to his friends andtold them what he had seen. There are surely a hundred thousandof them, he concluded; we shall havea battle such as was never seen. Standfast, and God crive vou strength ! They answered him
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