Then followed roars of rude laughter, and shouts of, “Where is she?” “Bring her forth,” and others shouted, “’Twill be a good jest; let the minstrel have his way.”
“Go on then, minstrel,” said the prince, “since it is the wish of the company.”
“That will I, but thou must first give me thy pledge that if I fail not, then wilt thou allow my lady and myself to leave thy halls unmolested and without scath, and will leave us to wend our way as we may list, on two good beasts of thy stable.”
“Thou art beside thyself. How could it profit us to keep the lady of such as thou?”
Then the nobles, who began to feel a kind of curiosity stirring them, said, “This is so persistent a madman that we must needs let him have his way.”
“I swear to thee, minstrel,” said the prince, “to do as thou sayest, an thou succeed, and, moreover, I swear to hang thee an thou failest.”
Feargus turned to the knights and called them to witness, and then rose and taking his long staff bound round with thongs, and his harp, he walked down the hall to the door and standing with his back against it struck a few notes on his harp and sang this verse in strong, clear tones:—
“When I call she will arise
’Spite the fears that fill her eyes;
When I suffer she will weep