"My poor, dear Cabot,” said Grendel, “you do not recognize him, do you?"
"No,” said Cabot.
"It is Lord Arcesilaus,” said Grendel.
Chapter, the Thirty-Sixth:
CABOT LEAVES THE CAVE;
HE IS ACCOMPANIED BY A SHAPELY BEAST OF BURDEN
"You draw it easily,” said Cabot.
"It is not difficult,” said Lord Grendel.
"You see that tree?” asked Cabot, pointing.
"Certainly,” said Lord Grendel.
"I would like Lita's garland hung upon it,” said Cabot.
This garland was woven of shrub flowers, a white Lirillium, and was in width some seven or eight inches. Such things, hung on wands, are familiar targets in rustic archery. A shaft placed within the garland scores, and one which nicks or cuts the wand scores higher, and one which splits the wand scores highest.
"Lita,” called Cabot, “fling the garland!"
Lita removed the garland from her hair and tossed it away from her, and scarcely had it left her hand than the string of the bow of Lord Grendel leaped forward, and then vibrated with that sudden, intense purr, the bow's music, signaling a flight.
The roarlike hum is unmistakable.
The bow is sometimes spoken of as the peasant's lyre.
"Ai!” exclaimed Cabot, muchly pleased, for the garland rested upon the long, quivering shaft, deep in the tree.
"It is a slight weapon, is it not?” asked Grendel.
"No,” said Cabot. “It is, in its way, a power weapon."
It is spoken of sometimes on Gor as the Great Bow, or the Peasant Bow. As the power of such a weapon may not be clear to everyone, it is perhaps germane to what follows to speak of its nature. First, it is a weapon which requires considerable strength and skill to use effectively. A woman, for example, would be unlikely to be able to bend the bow, and many men could not. It requires great strength even to string the bow, let alone to draw it and fire the projectile. Too, even with the strength to bend the bow it requires additional strength to keep it bent, to steady it, and to train it on a target. Too, skill in its use does not come easily to all, for there are dozens of subtleties of judgment which will affect its accuracy, judgments such as those of distance, elevation, and wind. Too, in many situations, one must take account of the motion, and likely motion, of the target. In the hands of a typical peasant, however, this weapon is formidable. It has a remarkable rapidity of fire, far superior to its common Gorean competitor, the shoulder bow, or crossbow. In the time it takes to fire and reload the shoulder bow, even with a stirrup load, as opposed to a windlass load, it can fire several missiles. A sense of the range of the weapon is given by the fact that a peasant can fire a dozen missiles into the air before the first falls back to earth. It is accurate to two hundred yards and, at that range, can sink an iron-piled shaft four inches into a wooden stump.
"I prefer an ax,” said Grendel.
"That is because you want to be next to what you cut and kill,” said Cabot.
"The shaft is not weighty,” said Lord Grendel.
"Its swiftness compensates for its lightness,” said Cabot.
"The spear can be swift,” said Lord Grendel.
It is true the spear can be cast and with effect, but it is most often used as a stabbing weapon. Once a spear is cast, obviously, it is no longer available to its owner, and this is the case even if it strikes its intended target, one of perhaps dozens of advancing, threatening targets. Sometimes the spear, thrust or cast, is used to penetrate a shield, rendering it unwieldy, and a handicap to its bearer. This is particularly to one's advantage if one is faced with a given foe, as in single combat. The attack is then most often pressed with the blade, most commonly amongst Gorean warriors, a short sword, typically the gladius. One is trained to take the cast spear obliquely on the shield, that it may carom away. In such a case he who throws the spear has lost his weapon and the intended target remains unencumbered.
"The arrow is swifter,” said Cabot. “It is not for nothing the arrow is sometimes spoken of as the bird of death. In Torvaldsland, the arrow is sometimes spoken of as the jard feeder."
This reference seems obscure, but the jard is a Gorean bird, a small, black, flocking bird, a scavenger. Its gatherings, sometimes before battles, or in the vicinity of lengthy, desperate marches, are often regarded with uneasiness, and some see it as a bird of ill omen. A saying in the Gorean north, seemingly related, is to speak of a defeated force as having been given over to the feasting of jards.
"And its range,” said Cabot, “is far beyond that of the spear."
"I think it is a coward's weapon,” said Lord Grendel. “One does not close with the foe. One does not face him. One does not show oneself to him. One strikes him with impunity, from a distance. It pounces with stealth. It is like a knife in the night. Is it not like poisoned wine which can do its mischief while the poisoner reclines afar, amused, upon his couch?"
"It is true,” said Cabot, “that many warriors despise the bow, regarding it muchly as you have suggested, as a slight weapon, as one unworthy of a man, and surely of a warrior, even as one possibly tainted with dishonor, but I am of a contrary conviction."
"Kurii do not look for nobility and honor from humans,” said Lord Grendel.
"I have shared paga with Zarendargar,” said Cabot.
"Forgive me,” said Lord Grendel.
"What would you think of a man who wrestles with larls?” asked Cabot.
"He would be a fool,” said Lord Grendel.
"Better to use a spear, or bow,” said Cabot.
"Certainly,” said Grendel.
"Perhaps the larl might feel that cowardly, or unfair,” said Cabot.
"Perhaps it is,” said Grendel, “but each must do his best, as he can."
"And so, too, must the archer, overmatched, if unable to deal with a mighty foe on that foe's own ground and terms."
"He could choose to die,” said Grendel.
"That is possible,” said Cabot, “but he might prefer to live."
"I think this twig is a coward's weapon,” said Grendel.
"Peasants are not cowards,” said Cabot.
"I do not like the bow,” said Grendel.
"It is not a child's thing,” said Cabot. “It is a powerful, effective weapon, and it requires skill to use it well. A mighty warrior confronted by two foes is often doomed, one foe engaging and the other striking. The archer might slay ten before the eleventh reaches him. Who, then, is the more redoubtable foe?"
"It seems not a noble weapon,” said Grendel.
"The knife,” said Cabot, “outreaches the hand, and the sword outreaches the knife, and the spear outreaches the sword. Is the knife then less noble than the hand, and the sword less noble than the knife, and the spear less noble than the sword?"
"No,” said Grendel.
"Perhaps then,” said Cabot, “the arrow is not less noble than the spear."
"The arrow can strike from cover, the archer unseen,” said Grendel.
"So, too, can the knife, the sword, the spear, even the slinger's leaden pellet or smoothed, rounded stone."
"True,” said Grendel.
"Also,” said Cabot, “you seem surprisingly adept with this despised weapon.” He then called to Lita, that she might retrieve the garland, which hung upon the quiet shaft.
Lord Grendel did not respond.
"You have been practicing, have you not?” asked Cabot.
"Yes,” said Lord Grendel.
"Why?” asked Cabot.
"This is the only match we have, against power weapons,” he said.
"You would not prefer to run nobly up the palace steps and be burned alive?” asked Cabot.
"No,” said Lord Grendel.
"Nor would I,” said Cabot.
"Make more arrows,” said Lord Grendel.