or more at his command. The wind favoured their course, and in a few
hours the ships cast anchor on the shore of Westland. Horn left his
forces in a wood while he went on to learn what was doing. Well did he
know the way, and lightly did he leap over the stones. As he went he met
a pilgrim, and asked him the latest news, who answered, "I come from a
wedding feast--but the bride's true love is far away, and she only
weeps. I could not stay to see her grief."

"May God help me!" said Horn: "but this is sorrowful news. Let us change
garments, good pilgrim. I must go to the feast, and once there I vow. I
will give them something by which to remember Horn!" He blackened his
eyebrows, and took the pilgrim's hat and staff, and when he reached the
gate of the palace, the porter was for turning him back, but Horn took
him up and flung him over the bridge, and then went on to the hall where
the feast was being held. He sat down among the lowest, on the beggar's
bench, and glowered round from under his blackened eyebrows. At a
distance he saw Riminild sitting like one in a dream; then she rose to
pour out mead and wine for the knights and squires, and Horn cried out,
"Fair Queen, if ye would have God's blessing, let the beggar's turn come
next."

She set down the flagon of wine, and poured him out brown beer in a jug,
saying: "There, drink that off at a draught, thou boldest of beggar
men!" But he gave it to the beggars, his companions, saying "I am not
come to drink jugs of beer, but goblets of wine. Fair Queen," he cried,
"thou deemest me a beggar, but I am rather a fisherman, come to haul in
my net, which I left seven years ago hanging from a fair hand here in
Westland." Then was Riminild much troubled within herself, and she
looked hard at Horn. She reached him the goblet and said, "Drink wine
then, fisherman, and tell me who thou art."