'Sire,' Taran began, 'if we can find the cows?'
'Cows!' burst out Smoit. 'There's more than cows in this, my lad. Such a brawl can spread like a spark through tinder. Those thick-skulled ruffians will set the whole of Cadiffor ablaze and next thing you know we'll all be at one another's throats! But, by my beard, they'll learn my fist smites harder than theirs! '
Smoit hesitated and his face darkened with deep concern. He scowled and tugged at his beard. 'The lords of the next cantrev,' he muttered. 'They'll not stand idle, but strike against us when they see we're fighting each other!'
'But the cows,' Taran urged. 'The three of us can seek them, while you?'
'The dungeon!' cried Smoit. 'I'll have Gast and Goryon in it before their squabble gets further out of hand.'
Smoit clapped heels to his horse and charged forward, making no attempt to hold to any pathway, dashing at breakneck speed through bramble and thicket. With the companions and the train of warriors pelting behind, Smoit clattered over the stones of a riverbank and plunged his horse into the swift current. The King had ill chosen his fording place, for in another moment Taran found himself in water up to his saddlehorn. Sinoit, shouting impatiently, pressed on across the river. Taran saw the King rise up in his stirrups to beckon his followers and urge more haste. But an instant later the war horse lost footing and lurched sideways; steed and rider toppled with a mighty splash, and before Taran could spur Melynlas to him, Smoit had been torn loose from his mount and, like a barrel with arms and legs, was being borne quickly downstream.
Behind Taran some of the warriors had turned back, seeking to overtake the King by following along the riverbank. Taran, closer to the opposite bank, urged all strength from Melynlas, leaped from the saddle to dry ground, and raced along the shore after Smoit. The sound of rushing water filled his ears, and with dismay Taran realized the King was being pulled relentlessly to a waterfall. Heart bursting in his chest, Taran doubled his pace; though before he could set foot in the rapids, he saw the King's red beard sink below the churning water, and he cried out in despair as Smoit vanished over the brink.
Chapter 5
A Judgment
TARAN SCARMBLED DOWN the rocks jutting beside the high cascade. In a pool hammered into white spray he could hardly make out Smoit's burly form spinning in the eddies. Heedless of the pounding water, Taran pitched through the falls and sprang into the pool. He groped for Smoit's belt and seized it at last. Battling the whirlpool and nearly drowning himself with his own efforts, Taran painfully strove to drag the half-conscious King into the shallows.
Smoit was bleeding heavily from the forehead and his ruddy face had gone chalky pale. Taran tugged at the King's waterlogged bulk, hauling him safely from the rolling waters. In another moment Gurgi and Fflewddur were beside him, helping to drag the King ashore. Smoit, like a beached whale, collapsed on the bank.
Gurgi, moaning anxiously, loosened the King's garments, while Taran and the bard hastily saw to Smoit's injuries.
'He can count himself lucky he's only cracked his skull and half his ribs,' Fflewddur said. 'Another man would have been snapped in two. But we're in a fine pickle,' he added under his breath to Taran, glancing at the warriors who had come to gather near the unconscious Smoit. 'He'll not lay Gast or Goryon by the heels now. He needs more healing than we can give. We'd best take him to Caer Cadarn.'
Taran shook his head. He remembered Smoit's words about the neighboring cantrev lords who would seize the opportunity to attack. It was in his mind, too, that finding Cornillo could best bring Gast and Goryon to terms and thus end their battle. But his thoughts were as tangled as Orddu's weaving and he fervently wished himself in the place of Smoit, whose unconsciousness at that moment seemed a most enviable state.
'Aeddan's farmhold is closer,' Taran said. 'We'll bring him there and Gurgi shall stay with him. You and I must seek out Gast and Goryon and do what we can to stop their quarrel. As for Cornillo and the herd, I doubt we may hope to find them.'
The companions, tearing their cloaks into strips, set about binding up Smoit's wounds. The King's eyelids fluttered and he groaned loudly.
'Give me to eat!' gasped Smoit. 'I may be half-drowned, but I'll not be half-starved.' He put a hand on Taran's shoulder. 'Good lad, good lad. You've saved my life. Another moment and I'd have been beaten into a pudding. Claim any favor, it is yours.'
'I ask none,' Taran replied, knotting. the bandages around Smoit's huge chest. 'Alas,' he murmured, 'what I most want, none can grant.'
'No matter,' panted Smoit. 'What you wish of me, you shall have.'
'Sire, you cannot travel far,' Taran began as Smoit tried painfully to climb to his feet. 'Give us leave to ride with your warriors and?'
'Kind master! Hear!' Gurgi called excitedly. 'Hear with listenings!'
Llyan, too, had caught some sound, for her ears cupped forward and her whiskers twitched.
'It's my gizzard calling for meat and drink!' cried Smoit. 'Loud it must be, for I'm empty as a drum!'
'No, no,' shouted Gurgi, seizing Taran's arm and drawing him past the trees along the riverside. 'Gurgi hears no thrummings and drummings but cooings and mooings!'
Leaning on the bard, Smoit stumbled after them. Gurgi had spoken the truth; the creature's sharp ears had not deceived him. Now Taran himself heard a faint lowing. Gurgi raced toward the sound. Beyond the trees the land dipped into a shady dell watered by a streamlet. Taran cried aloud. There stood the herd, grazing calmly around Cornillo.
'My pulse!' bellowed Smoit, so loudly that a dozen horned heads turned and stared as alarmed as if some strange new kind of bull had burst into their quiet pasture.
'Great Belin!' cried Fflewddur. 'Cornillo's led them all to safety. She's wiser than either of her masters!'
Cornillo raised her head as Taran hurried to her side. She blew out her breath gently and rolled her eyes in a look of long-suffering patience. Smoit, heedless of his grievous bruises, clapped his hands triumphantly and shouted at the top of his voice for his warriors.
'Sire, let us drive the herd to Aeddan's farm,' Taran urged. 'Your own hurts must be tended better than we've done.'
'Drive them where you please, lad,' answered Smoit. 'My body and bones, we have them now! That will fetch Gast and Goryon to me at a gallop!' He summoned two horsemen, commanding them to bear a message to the cantrev lords. 'Tell those two troublemakers where I'll await them,' cried Smoit. 'And tell each to call truce, for his cows are found!'
'And Gurgi found them!' shouted Gurgi, capering wildly. 'Yes, yes! Bold, clever, sharp-eared Gurgi finds all that is lost, oh, yes!' He flung his hairy arms around himself and seemed close to bursting with pride and delight at his own deed. 'Oh, bards will sing of clever Gurgi with rantings and chantings!'
'I'm sure they will, old friend,' Taran said. 'You've found the herd. But don't forget we still have Gast and Goryon to deal with? and there's only one Cornillo.'
The cows were at first reluctant to quit the dell, but after much coaxing Taran was able to lead Cornillo along the valley pathways toward Aeddan's farm. The others followed her, lowing and tossing their horns; it was a strange procession that wended its way across the meadows and rolling hillocks. Smoit's warriors rode on either side of the herd, and the red-bearded King himself brandished a spear as if it were a drover's staff; Llyan padded after the cattle, alert for strays; and Gurgi perched proud as a shaggy rooster on Cornillo's back.
When Aeddan's but came in sight Taran galloped ahead calling to the farmer, but he had no sooner dismounted when the door burst open and he fell back, surprised. Aeddan stood with a rusted sword in his hand. Behind the farmer, Taran glimpsed Alarca weeping into her apron.
'Is this how you repay kindness?' Aeddan cried, recognizing Taran immediately. His eyes blazed as he pointed the ancient weapon at the approaching war band. 'Do you come with them to spoil our land? Begone! It is already done!'
'How then?' Taran stammered, shocked at these words from one he held to be a friend. 'I ride with King Smoit
