"Phyllis Eisenstein - Island In Lake" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eisenstein Phyllis)

Alaric answered the man's smile with his own. "So much the better for me.
Thirsty folk drink deep and are usually kind to the water-bearer."

The man laughed then. "Well, I suppose there will be quite a few thirsty folk,
when they discover that water has arrived. I hope your water is sweet, my
friend."

"Always," said Alaric.

"We have both kinds of water here," said the boy. "Sweet from the springs and
bitter in the lake."

His father laughed again, and the other man joined him. "The child is a little
young to understand figures of speech. But he tells the truth. And you should be
warned-- don't try to drink the bitter water of our lake. It would ruin your
voice, and the rest of you, forever."

"I've heard something like that," said Alaric.

"Good," said the man. "I wouldn't want to think that the tale has died in recent
years. For it's as true as it ever was. Anyone who touches that water, who so
much as dips a hand in it, hardly has time to regret the act."

"And yet they say you toss it at your enemies. Can you avoid touching it
yourselves when you do that?"

"We have pumps," said the boy, "and special clothing."

His father shook his shoulder gently, as if to silence him. "We have been here a
long time, minstrel," he said. "We know how to live with the water in the Lake
of Death."

Alaric glanced at the lake, at the island in its center. "I see that."

The man nodded. "My Lord Gazian lives there. Come now, minstrel. I am the
headman of this village, and Taskol is my name. And these are my son Yosat and
my brother Adeen. Come to our home and sing for us, and we'll reward you
according to your merits."

Alaric grinned. "Then I look forward to a fine reward. But should I not pay my
respects to Lord Gazian first of all?" He gestured toward the fortress.

"Oh, he's a busy man. He wouldn't have time to hear a minstrel until much later
in the day. You can sing for the village this afternoon and for him this
evening." And when Alaric still hesitated, he added, "I think you should prove
yourself to lesser folk before being allowed to entertain such a great man,
don't you?"
Alaric strummed a chord on his lute, and then another. "Are you perhaps afraid
he'll keep me to himself and not let you listen if I go to his castle first?"