Harold Lamb

“ Al-Tâbir shook his head and sighed, his hand moving out toward the leather cup.
“Otri-pief said, 'Nay, all begotten men are fools, and the wise are they that know it!' Nada looked at him and took back her cap, pointing across the river. She declared to the Muscovites that if they rode to the Golden Horde they would never find the way across the plain; and at the end of the plain they would in any case be slain by the guardians of the Mountains of the Eagles. ”

“ The earth is like a shield and the rampart is like a rope stretched taut about the circuit of the shield. The rampart is called Caf, in my speech, but among the northern folk it is called the Mountain of the Eagles.”
Kirdy thought of the snow range he had seen the previous dawn and held his peace. Al-Tâbir refreshed himself and went on. ”

“ Al-Tâbir glanced fleetingly at Kirdy's sword-hand, and struggled inwardly.
“The lord who is called Otri-pief.”
Seated on the rug nearest the fire, moistening his throat ever and anon with the draft that was not a vintage of Shiraz but brought oblivion, the interpreter of dreams told Kirdy all that had passed since they left the Wolky Gorlo.
“Now when I drew my reins from the dogs-without-eyelashes [1] I pressed on swiftly, desiring to come up with the woman who had gone before me. Solitude is evil and solitude upon this northern plain is worse. ”

“ It may be he was tempted to overcome her with his sword, because he fenced with his companions before her eyes. When he did so, she made light of him, saying that not long since she had held fellowship with a warrior who was his master at sword-strokes. ”