And from a cave now poured
The Dog-Faced Monsters out.-
Surrounded by this horde
The men yet battled stout.
But doglike teeth soon ripped
To shreds men fighting here.
Bearslayer firmly gripped,
And faced them with his spear.
He stabbed the howling gangs,
But still could not prevent
That with their vicious fangs
His hip and side they rent.
He had not found the strength
To hold them long alone,
If not a thought at length
Had saving counsel shown.
No monsters any more
Were pouring from the cave,
So he rushed to its door,
Therein himself to save.
Now, standing in this way,
He could, with sturdy limb,
Drive off or quickly slay
All those that ran at him.
A howl the monsters gave,
When first they saw this trick,
Then rolled before the cave
Great boulders broad and thick.
They heaped the stones until
The entrance they secured.
Bearslayer waited, still,
Within the cave immured.
The sailors could not wait,
Until the hunters came;
But orders did not state
To seek them, all the same.
They worked on board until
All readied was to sail;
Their comrades, missing still,
They sought to no avail.
They felt a special care
About Bearslayer too;
Without his presence there,
They knew not what to do.
But then the helmsman cried:
"Bearslayer comes, see now!"
And soon with hurried stride
He reached the ship's sharp prow.
He did not wish to wait,
But sailed without delay;
Then told the hunters' fate,
And how he got away:-
Low in the cave's dark rear
An opening small he found,
That with his heavy spear
He widened all around.
Within the cave there lay
Some half-raw scraps of meat,
Of that on every day,
A portion he could eat.
And after some days more,
He fled from in the cave.-
The Dog-Snouts to the door,
Their full attention gave,
And so they had no chance-
He gave them all the slip.
Without a backward glance,
He set off to the ship.
They travelled far once more,
Across the distant sea,
Until they reached the shore,
A land where they were free.