Chapter XVI

1 _Wudro delivereth a warning_. 5 _Willi seeketh advice_. 9 _And taketh it_. 10 _Wudro acteth according to his word_. 11 _Whereat Willi is amazed_. 13 _He speaketh boastfully_. 17 _Wudro setteth about the matter_. 22 _He frighteneth Willi_. 23 _Who perceiveth the blessings of peace_.

Now the longest rope, _it hath_ an end. Wherefore it came to pass _in time_ that Wudro, the son of Wyl, did send unto Willi, that was the King of the Hu, and he said unto him,

2 Such things and such things hast thou done, _all these_ being against thy plighted word; and thine iniquity, it hath tormented me for a long _time_ past. Now, therefore, hearken unto me, _and_ pay attention:

3 Because I am a man of peace, therefore have I borne with thee long _enough_; and I am become sick unto death _with_ thy carryings _on_. And the blood of my murdered people, it crieth out for retribution.

4 Take heed, _therefore_, and mend the evil of thy ways, for, _on the_ next occasion, assuredly shalt thou rue the day.

5 And when Willi had heard _these_ things that Wudro, the son of Wyl, did say unto him, he sent in haste unto his chief captains, and he did commune _with them_.

6 And he questioned them closely concerning the words of Wudro. And he said unto them, Think ye that this man, he meaneth _anything_?

7 And they made answer unto him, saying, Be of good cheer and heed him not, for he is a man that acteth only _according to_ his advantage. And to make war, it would advantage him nothing. For the land of Amer, it prospereth exceedingly; and the miller turneth not away _that stream_ which worketh his wheel.

8 Also, he liveth afar off and his servants, _they are_ unready. Verily, the threats of such an one, they be full of emptiness; and whatsoever he sayeth, that hath he _also_ said before. _Nevertheless_, we will smite him _because_ of it when the time is ripe.

9 And after Willi had heard all the things that the captains of his host did say unto him, his heart was rejoiced _within_ him, and he said unto them, Assuredly are ye men after mine own understanding. Let us, therefore, see _about_ it. And they did see _about_ it.

10 And when word was brought unto Wudro concerning these things and how Willi _did_ set his warning at naught, making mock of his threats, then was he very wroth, and he cried out in the violence of his anger, saying, Am I, then, Job, _that be_ born again, to be tormented thus?

11 And he _straightway_ called the people unto him, and he spake unto them. And after he had told them _everything_, he said unto them, Is it, therefore, a _matter for_ war? And they answered him with a mighty voice, saying, It is a _matter for_ war.

12 And when Willi heard what was come to pass, _he was_ amazed, and his knees, they did tremble beneath him. And he commanded his servants that they should bring unto him the brazen mask, being part of the royal attire; and _he did_ put it on.

13 And after that it was _on_, he did raise his voice on high, and he spake, saying,

14 What of the land _of_ Amer? And what _of_ it? Verily, a pin that lieth in _the way_, it is of more account than a spike that lifteth its head _at a_ distance.

15 And the iron heel of Hu, it levelleth all things; neither shall _any man_ dare to withstand it.

16 And when he had finished speaking, he sent out messengers _unto_ the four corners of the earth, instructing them that they should tell _these things_ unto all people, for he was a boastful fellow and a braggart, _for ever_ holding forth in large manner for to be heard of all the world.

17 Now Wudro, the son of Wyl, _after that_ he had made him war, he cried not out from the housetops what things he would do, but he gat him about it for _to do_ them.

18 And he opened wide the strings of his purse so that the shekels, they gushed _forth_ as the waters of a brook after rain.

19 And he sent much munition of war unto them that were _with him_, and he commanded his physicians that they should go out for to succour the wounded.

20 And he _did send_ his vessels of war also, which were useful things and ready for the fray. And of men that did fly _in_ the air, he sent also _of these_, an eager band _and_ valiant.

21 Neither was he backward in the matter of food, making due provision in _all_ things. And he did set him about it for to build him an army, a mighty host _such as_ never before was seen. And he rested him not, neither in the day nor in the night did he rest him, doing _always_ those things that were requisite _for the_ undertaking.

22 And when word was brought unto Willi that Wudro, he had taken the coat from off his back, and that he was labouring without any respite, he grew sore afraid, and _he did_ shake all over with the violence of the tremble of his knees.

23 And when he was recovered by a potion of strong drink, he _did_ call the Ministers of State unto his chamber, and he spake unto them, saying, Is there no one _now_ amongst the men of peace _that will_ raise his voice against this bloody war?

24 And, lo, straightway, _there was_ a voice, and it spake concerning peace. And it was blown along by the wind, even unto the land of Amer _was it_ blown.

25 And when it was come unto the ears of Wudro, that was the son of Wyl, he made answer unto it, and he did say, Verily, it hath a goodly sound. _Nevertheless_, this peace, it shall not come to pass, for the king of Hu, _he hath_ a lying tongue, and his plighted word, hath he not broken it before?

26 And because he is _what_ he is, therefore shall the compact of peace be made only with that man which he is not.

27 And the words of Wudro, they were blown along by the wind, even back from the land of Amer _were they_ blown on the wings of the wind.