up. âNo, not today. Remember your wound.â
âAh, yes, my wound. Iâd like to have my hands on the dog who gave it to me!â said Lionel.
He told them what had happened. âLate in the evening I was riding toward Weldon Castle. In the woods three robbers set upon me. One of them wounded me with a knife. They stole my purse, my sword and shield, and my horse.â
âThere are many robbers in the land,â said Lord Weldon. âIt is not safe to ride in the woods alone.â
âNo gold, no horse, no sword or shield,â said Lionel. âWhat a poor knight am I!â
âNot poor at all,â said Lord Weldon. âYou are with your own people again. You have a home with us.â
âMy good brother,â said Lionel. âHow can I ever thank you?â And he bowed his head over his brotherâs hand.
THE OAK TREE
3
The next day Lionel asked to be taken outside.
âI want to sit in the shade of the great oak tree,â he said.
The oak tree stood in the castle garden. There were some who said it was the oldest tree in all England. Ever since Shan was a small boy, he had liked to climb it. High in its trunk he had found a hollow so large that he could nearly get inside it.
âI fear the oak will die, with such a large hollow in its trunk,â Lord Weldon had said.
But the tree was still strong and green, and each spring it put out new leaves and branches.
Four servants carried Lionel, bed and all, into the garden. They put him down under the oak tree.
âStay with him until I come back,â Lord Weldon told Shan.
âWhere are you going, Father?â asked Shan.
âIt is time for me to ride through my lands,â said Lord Weldon. âI want to talk with the farmers and see how the crops are growing.â
One of the things Shan liked best was riding with his father.
âI wish I could go,â he said.
âSo do I,â said his father, âbut your uncle doesnât like being left alone.â
So Shan stayed with his uncle.
âIs your father gone much of the time?â asked Lionel.
âOnly when he rides out through his lands,â said Shan.
âDoesnât he ever go away to war?â
âThere is no war in England. These are times of peace,â said Shan. âFor many years we have had no prisoners in the dungeon under our castle.â
âNo prisoners? Then what do you do with your dungeon?â
âNothing. I wish my father would have it filled with earth and stones. It is such an ugly place, with no window for the sun to shine in.â
âYou had better keep your dungeon. You may have need of it.â Lionel sat up straight. âLook. What is that old man doing here?â He shouted in a loud voice, âGo!â
The old man was bending over a rose bush. He did not look up.
Lionel turned red with anger. âBring me a stone to throw. Iâll have him out in a hurry.â
âYou must do him no harm,â said Shan. âThat is Nappus.â
âNappus? Who is Nappus?â
âHe is the one who cared for you and dressed your wound. He has a right to come to this garden. He finds snails and herbs here for his medicines.â
âBut why did he not speak when I spoke to him?â
âHe could not hear you,â said Shan. âYears ago he was caught in the woods by a storm. He stood under a tree, and the tree was struck by lightning. After that day, Nappus could not hear or speak. But he is very wise. There are some who say he is a man of magic.â
âThen I would do him no harm,â said Lionel. âIt is good luck to have such a man about the castle. Old man!â he called. âYou may stay if you like . . . Oh, I forgot. He cannot hear me.â
Shan went to Nappus. He looked among the rose bushes and found two big brown snails. He put them into Nappusâ hand.
Nappus smiled and nodded. Then he saw Lionel and the smile