"Jack Vance - Elder Isles 1 - Lyonesse (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

Greeks and Phoenicians traded with the Elder Isles. Romans visited Hybras and many settled there,
leaving behind aqueducts, roads, villas and temples. In the waning days of the Empire Christian dignitaries
landed at Avallon amid vast pomp and panoply. They established bishoprics, appointed appropriate
officials and spent good Roman gold to build their basilicas, none of which prospered. The bishops
strove mightily against the olden gods, halflings and magicians alike, but few dared enter the Forest of
Tantrevalles. Aspergillums, thuribles and curses proved futile against such as Dankvin the giant, Taudry
the Weasoning, the fairies of Pithpenny Shee. Dozens of missionaries, exalted through faith, paid terrible
prices for their zeal. Saint Elric marched barefoot to Smoorish Rock where he intended to subdue the
ogre Magre and bring him to the Faith. According to subsequent tale-tellers, Saint Elric arrived at noon
and Magre politely agreed to hear his declaration. Elric spoke a mighty sermon, while Magre started the
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fire in his pit. Elric expounded, recited Scripture and sang the glories of the Faith. When he came to an
end and declared his final “Hallelujah!,” Magre gave him a stoup of ale to ease his throat. Sharpening a
knife he complimented Elric upon the fervor of his rhetoric. Then he smote off Elric’s head, cut, drew,
spitted, cooked and devoured the sanctified morsel with a garnish of leeks and cabbages. Saint Uldine
attempted the baptism of a troll in the waters of Black Meira Tarn. She was indefatigable; he raped her
four times during her efforts, until at last she despaired. In due course she gave birth to four imps. The
first of these, Ignaldus, became father to the eery knight Sir Sacrontine who could not sleep of nights until
he had killed a Christian. Saint Uldine’s other children were Drathe, Alleia and Bazille.* In Godelia
Druids never paused in the worship of Lug the Sun, Matrona the Moon, Adonis the Beautiful, Kernuun
the Stag, Mokous the Boar, Kai the Dark, Sheah the Graceful, and innumerable local half-gods. During
this period Olam Magnus of Lyonesse, aided by Per-silian, his so-called “Magic Mirror,” brought all the
Elder Isles (excepting Skaghane and Godelia) under his rule. Styling himself Olam I, he enjoyed a long
and prosperous reign and was succeeded by Rordec I, Olam II, then, briefly, by the “Galician Cuckoos,”
Quarnitz I and Niffith I. Then Fafhion Long-nose reasserted the old blood line. He sired Olam III, who
moved his throne Evandig and that great table known as Cairbra an Mead-han, the “Board of
Notables,”* from Lyonesse Town to Avallon in the Duchy of Dahaut. When Olam III’s grandson Uther
II fled to Britain (there to sire Uther Pendragon, father of Arthur, King f Cornwall), the land fragmented
to become ten kingdoms: Dahaut, Lyonesse, North Ulfland, South Ulfland, Godelia, Blaloc, Caduz,
Pomperol, Dascinet and Troicinet.

*The deeds of the four have been chronicled in a rare volume, “Saint Uldine’s Children.”

*The Round Table of King Arthur was later inspired by the Cairbra an Meadhan.

The new kings found many pretexts for contention, and the Elder Isles entered a time of trouble. North
and South Ulfland, exposed to the Ska,* became lawless wastes, occupied by robber knights and dire
beasts. Only the Vale Evander, guarded to the east by the castle Tintzin Fyral and to the west by the city
Ys, remained a realm of tranquility.

*See Glossary, III.

King Audry I of Dahaut at last took a fateful step. He declared that since he sat on the throne Evandig,
he must be acknowledged King of the Elder Isles.

King Phristan of Lyonesse at once challenged him. Audry assembled a great army and marched down