CHAPTER IV
1 Willi vexeth the men of Amer. 6 Wudro warneth Willi. 10 Who taketh counsel of his chief captains. 17 And continueth in his evil ways. 21 The men of Amer make them war. 23 Willi derideth them publicly. 28 Wudro getteth him on with it. 36 And the voice of peace is heard over the waters.
Now there was great vexation of spirit amongst the men of Amer, for the servants of Willi, the king of Hu, they conspired together and they did sink the ships of Amer in the sea.
2 And whensoever a man of Amer did perish because of it, then did Willi write him an epistle concerning the matter.
3 And the grief that was writ upon the paper, behold, it was very beautiful; but the manner of atonement, it was only in talents of gold.
4 And he did seal the epistle with a seal; and, lo! it was made in the shape of a tear.
5 Now the longest rope, it hath an end. Wherefore it came to pass in time that Wudro, the son of Wyl, being he that did rule in Amer, he sent messengers unto Willi, saying unto him,
6 ¶ Such things and such things hast thou done, all these being against thy plighted word; and thine iniquity, it hath tormented me for a long time past.
7 Now, therefore, hearken unto me, and pay attention to my words.
8 Because I am a man of peace, therefore have I borne with thee long enough; and I am become sick unto death with thy naughtiness. And the blood of my murdered people, it crieth aloud for retribution.
9 Take heed, therefore, and mend the evil of thy ways, for, on the next occasion, assuredly shalt thou rue the day.
10 ¶ And when Willi had heard the things that Wudro, the son of Wyl, did say unto him, he sent in haste unto his chief captains, and he did commune with them.
11 And he questioned them closely concerning the words of Wudro. And he said unto them, Think ye that this man, he meaneth anything?
12 And they made answer unto him, saying, Be of good cheer, and heed him not, for he is a man that acteth only according to his advantage.
13 And the land of Amer, it prospereth exceedingly; neither doth the miller turn away the stream which worketh his wheel.
14 Also, he liveth afar off, and his servants, they are unready. Verily, the threats of such an one, they be full of emptiness; and whatsoever he sayeth, that hath he also said before.
15 Nevertheless, when the time cometh, then will we smite him because of it.
16 And after they were finished speaking, the heart of Willi was rejoiced and his soul was filled with courage.
17 ¶ And he spake unto them in these words, saying, Assuredly are ye men after mine own understanding. Let us, therefore, see about it. And they did see about it.
18 And when word was brought unto Wudro concerning it, and how Willi made mock of his threats, then waxed he very wroth.
19 And he cried out in the violence of his anger, saying, Am I, then, Job, that be born again, to be tormented thus?
20 And he straightway called the people together, and he told them all the things that Willi had done.
21 ¶ And he said unto them, Is it, therefore, a matter for war? And they answered him with a mighty shout, saying, It is a matter for war.
22 And when Willi heard what was come to pass, he was amazed, and his knees, they did tremble beneath him.
23 ¶ Nevertheless, he commanded his servants that they should bring unto him the brazen mask, being part of the royal attire.
24 And when it was brought unto him, he did hide the light of his countenance behind it. And he raised his voice on high, and he spake, saying,
25 What of the land of Amer? And what of it? Verily, a pin that lieth in the way, it is of more account than a spike that lifteth its head at a distance.
26 Even so, the iron heel of Hu, it levelleth all things; neither shall any man presume to withstand it.
27 And after he was finished speaking, he sent out messengers unto the four corners of the earth, instructing them that they should tell these things unto all peoples.
28 ¶ Now Wudro, the son of Wyl, after that he had made him war, he cried not out from the housetops concerning the things he would do, but he gat him about for to do them.
29 And he opened wide the strings of his purse, so that the shekels, they gushed forth as the waters of a brook after rain. Neither was he backward in the matter of food, making due provision in all things.
30 And he sent much munition of war unto them that were with him, and he commanded his physicians that they should go out for to succour the wounded.
31 And he did send his vessels of war also, which were useful things and ready for the fray. And of men that did fly in the air, he did send of these a goodly band, and valiant.
32 And he built him a mighty army, all picked men of the best in the land; and he sent them unto the land of Eur for to fight against the men of Hu.
33 And he rested him not, neither by day nor by night did he rest him, but he was for ever at it, doing all those things that were requisite and necessary unto the undertaking.
34 And when word was brought unto Willi that Wudro, he had taken the coat from off his back, and that he laboured without respite, then grew he sore afraid.
35 And he called his counsellors unto him, and he spake unto them in these words, saying, Is there no one now amongst all the men of peace that will raise his voice against this bloody war?
36 ¶ And, lo! straightway, there was a voice, and it spake concerning peace. And it was blown along by the wind, even unto the land of Amer was it blown.
37 And when it was come unto the ears of Wudro, that was the son of Wyl, he made answer unto it, and he did say, Verily, it hath a goodly sound.
38 Nevertheless, this peace, it shall not come to pass; for the King of Hu, he hath a lying tongue, and his plighted word, hath he not broken it before?
39 And because he is what he is, therefore shall the compact of peace be made only with that man which he is not.
40 And the words of Wudro, they were blown along by the wind, even back from the land of Amer were they blown on the wings of the wind.