And the other said that this was so. Then said Seejar: 'And even
though Welleran smite a man with his sword no more befalleth him
than death.'

Then Sajar-Ho thought for a while. Presently he said: 'Yet the eye
of the King's axeman might err at the moment of his stroke or his
arm fail him, and the eye of Welleran hath never erred nor his arm
failed. It were better to bide here.'

Then said Seejar: 'Maybe that Welleran is dead and that some other
holds his place upon the ramparts, or even a statue of stone.'

But Sajar-Ho made answer: 'How can Welleran be dead when he even
escaped from two score horsemen with swords that were sworn to slay
him, and all sworn upon our country's gods?'

And Seejar said: 'This story his father told my grandfather
concerning Welleran. On the day that the fight was lost on the
plains of Kurlistan he saw a dying horse near to the river, and the
horse looked piteously towards the water but could not reach it.
And the father of my grandfather saw Welleran go down to the river's
brink and bring water from it with his own hand and give it to the
horse. Now we are in as sore a plight as was that horse, and as
near to death; it may be that Welleran will pity us, while the
King's axeman cannot because of the commands of the King.'

Then said Sajar-Ho: 'Thou wast ever a cunning arguer. Thou
broughtest us into this trouble with thy cunning and thy devices, we
will see if thou canst bring us out of it. We will go.'