"John Morressy - Conhoon and the Fairy Dancer" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morressy John)

"I am, and I seek the counsel of a wizard."

"Do you, now? And if you are Brugal's boy, haven't you an uncle, Blind Liam,
who
is a wizard near as good as myself?"

"Great and wise as he is, Blind Liam is no use to me, for he has a gels on him
that forbids him to work certain classes of magic, and it is one of that
forbidden kind that I need at the present moment. I seek the hand of the fair
Noreen, princess of the Silver Wood."

Conhoon made a little snorting sound that might have been a laugh. "Then it's
a
long way you've come for nothing, and another wizard entirely you'll have to
find for yourself. Conhoon of the Three Gifts does not work love charms."

As the wizard made to shut the door, Corbal the Bold stopped it with his hand.
"I seek no love charms," he said, flashing a smile that shone like the sun on
fresh-fallen snow. "Sure, a man like myself has no need of them. A glance from
me is love charm enough to win the hand of the fairest in the land. It's
surprised I am that a wizard as clever as yourself did not notice that at
once."

"Then go and win her," said Conhoon, "and cease to bar my door, or very
shortly
you will not be so good to look upon."

"I have already won the fair Noreen as my wife, and it's happy we've been for
three years. But now I seek her hand."

Conhoon gave him a close hard look. "It's confused I am by your words. If this
is a game, boyo...."

Raising his open palm in a conciliatory gesture and shaking his long auburn
locks, Corbal said, "It's too wise I am to play games on a wizard, even an
inhospitable one who keeps me standing outside his door without offering me a
place to sit and a sup to drink after my long journey."

Conhoon reluctantly opened the door and muttered an ungracious invitation to
enter. Corbal stooped to pass through, glanced about the untidy room, and
seated
himself on a three-legged stool. Conhoon took up the jug of milk that stood on
the table and looked about uncertainly for a clean drinking vessel. Finding
none
either clean or dirty, he held out the pitcher to his guest.

"Have some milk," he said.

"It's generous you are." Corbal took the pitcher and drained it at a single