Tales from Spenser, Chosen from the Faerie Queene

by Edmund Spenser

  CAMBELLO AND TRIAMOND.

  Faerie Queene. Book IV. Cantos II., III.

  Once upon a time there lived a knight named Cambello, who had a sistercalled Canacee. This sister was very beautiful, and was the most learnedlady of her day. She was skilled in the works of nature and in magicarts; she understood the virtues of herbs and the sounds of beasts andbirds, and was as good as she was learned.

  Now many lords and knights loved Canacee. She, however, showed favour tonone; but the more difficult she was to gain, the more was she soughtafter. Then arose quarrels among her numerous wooers, who ofttimesfought for her in bloody combat.

  When Cambello saw this, he perceived it would cause much mischief, andhe set about to consider how to prevent these unseemly deeds.

  So one day, when this bold and mighty company of knights were assembledtogether, and were quarrelling as usual, Cambello proposed that if theyreally loved his sister they should choose three from among their numberas champions. These three were to challenge and fight him for hissister's hand, and the bravest was to become her acknowledged suitor.

  This was a bold offer on Cambello's part, but Canacee employed her skillon his behalf. She sent him a ring, which, amongst its many virtues hadthe strange power of staunching the bleeding of a mortal wound. Theproperties of the ring were well-known, and when her lovers saw Cambelloreceive it, they began to falter and to wonder whether it were worthwhile to risk life against such odds for a lady of whose favour theywere after all uncertain.

  Amongst the knights were three brothers, Priamond, Diamond, andTriamond. These three were born on the same day and loved one anotherdearly. Each had his own way of fighting. Priamond fought on foot, andfor weapons used a spear and cutlass, Triamond on horseback with spearand shield, while Diamond, who was equally at home on horse or foot,used only a cutlass. Bolder men never lived.

  Now their mother, Agape, was a fairy, and had the power of knowingsecret things, and as her sons grew up and showed a love of daring, shefeared lest they should thereby incur disaster. She therefore determinedto visit the three sister Fates and to inquire of them concerning hersons. She had to leave the bright earth and go far underground to a deepdark abyss where was their dwelling.

  Agape found the sisters sitting round the fateful distaff, which Clothoheld while Lachesis span the threads that measured out men's lives, andcruel Atropos cut them in twain. Saluting the Fates she sat by, and asshe watched them spin and cut the threads, her heart grew sad, and shetrembled as she told them the cause of her coming.

  They at once consented to reveal to her the fate of her sons, andproceeded to spin out their threads. Agape trembled still more to seehow short and thin these were. She besought that they might be drawn outlonger, but to this the sisters would not listen.

  Then she craved another boon, and asked that when the eldest, whosethread was shortest, died, his life might pass into the second son, andthat when the second died, both lives might pass into the third. Thisboon they granted, and Agape went home to find her sons arrayed inarmour ready for fight. She did not tell them their destiny, but warnedthem to beware of danger and exhorted them to love each other.

  Now these three brothers were the champions chosen by Canacee's wooersto challenge Cambello.

  The day of combat was appointed, and as soon as it was dawn the knightsassembled in the field clad in shining armour. The lists were enclosedwith rails to keep off the press of people; at one side sat six judges,while at the other, Canacee, beautifully dressed, was seated on a stagewhere she could both see and be seen by those who fought for her.

  The first to enter the lists was Cambello, who walked with stately stepand fearless countenance; soon after came the three brothers, bearinggilt shields and broad banners. They marched three times round thefield, bowing low to Canacee each time they passed her stage, whiletrumpets sounded and clarions played.

  This ceremony over, Cambello and Sir Priamond advanced from the oppositesides of the lists; a trumpet blew, and they met in fierce encounter.They were a well-matched pair, and it was hard for the on-lookers to saywho was the better man.

  At length Priamond struck so mighty a blow that it pierced Cambello'sshoulder, and forced him to lower his shield. Yet no blood fell from thewound, and the pain of it only made Cambello fight the more fiercely.Driving his spear at Priamond, he smote him in the thigh so that theknight reeled in agony; then Cambello drove at him afresh, and this timefixed his spear so firmly that in drawing it out the head broke.

  Mad with pain and rage, Priamond now charged, thrusting his spearthrough Cambello's beaver. The weapon broke in his hand, and Cambello,dragging out the broken head, flung it back with fury. It struckPriamond in the throat, and wounded him so that he died, whereupon hislife passed into Diamond, as the Fates had predicted.

  At once Sir Diamond rushed forth into his brother's place, and,accepting Cambello's challenge, the trumpets sounded, and the fightbegan again. Fiercely they fought, while blood flowed freely, and theirweapons flashed fire as stroke fell on stroke; but for a long time theissue was uncertain.

  At length Diamond heaved his axe at Cambello with such force that itmust have killed him had he not seen it and swerved aside. Then Diamond,who was bowed almost to the ground with the weight of his own blow,slipped. Seizing his opportunity, Cambello with one dread stroke severedhis opponent's head from his shoulders. And behold! his body remainedupright for a time before it fell senseless to the earth. The spectatorswere much astonished, for they did not know the Fates' decree, nor thatthe lifeless trunk had been inhabited by a double soul, which lingeredawhile before it passed to Triamond.

  Then Triamond, filled with the life and grief of two, leapt forth toavenge his brothers' death. And, notwithstanding the hard fight and hismany wounds, Cambello met him as fresh as if he had not fought at all,for the ring not only prevented his wounds from bleeding, but restoredhis wearied spirits and revived his powers.

  But Triamond was a fearless foe, and fought so desperately that Cambellowas forced to retreat, until from his very fury Triamond grewbreathless. Then Cambello attacked him in turn, compelling him toretire. And so the fight went on until both were sorely wounded, andTriamond's strength gave way from loss of blood. But Cambello, throughthe virtue of the ring, grew ever stronger, and striking Triamond on thehauberk, pierced it through, and so wounded him that he fell, to allappearance, dead.

  But only one of his three lives had gone from him, and, to the uttersurprise of all beholders, he suddenly arose and began again to assailCambello. Cambello was astounded at this strange sight, and in hisamazement stood still and off his guard, until Triamond's repeatedthrusts compelled him to defend himself. He now fought more cautiouslythan he had done before, as if his adversary were some uncanny thing, sothat Triamond imagined the knight was getting faint-hearted, and thatvictory was at hand. So thinking, he upheaved his mighty blade and aimeda terrible blow at Cambello. He, seeing it come, leapt skilfully aside,and pierced Triamond under the arm, wounding him right through to theshoulder. But Cambello did not altogether escape the heavy blow, which,falling on his head, hurt him wofully. Both combatants fell to theground, seemingly dead. Thereupon the on-lookers thought the tournamentended, and the judges rose from their seats. The field-marshals broke upthe lists, and went to remove the armour from the slain warriors, andpoor Canacee wailed aloud for her brother. When, behold! both knightsstarted lightly from the ground, and once more began the combat.

  For a long time they fought fiercely, recklessly, as if caring only toend the contest. No one could say who would win, and all were watchingeagerly, yet sadly, for the death of one or both, when suddenly a greatnoise was heard, so great that the champions themselves stood still. Andlo! driving at a furious speed, there appeared a chariot, drawn by lionsand decked with gold and precious ornaments, in which there sat a ladyof wondrous beauty. She was bounteous as well as beautiful, and learnedin all magic arts, for she was Cambina, the daughter of Agape, andsister of Triamond, to whose aid she came.
r />   There was terrible confusion as she drove through the thick crowds, forthe people pressed to see her, and her unruly steeds grew restive, andoverthrew many of the mob.

  In one hand she held a rod of wondrous power, in the other a cup filledwith Nepenthe, a drink devised by the gods to take away anger from thehearts of men, and give peace in its stead. As she came up to the listsshe touched the rail with her wand, and it at once flew open. Then shedescended from her chariot, and bid "All hail!" first to her brother andthen to Cambello. But they were eager to return to the combat, and paidher scant attention. Seeing this, she flung herself on the bloodyground, and with tears prayed them by all that was dear to them tocease. Her entreaty availing not, she touched them lightly with herwand, whereupon their swords fell from them, and as they stood doubtfulwhether or not to resume them, she handed them the soothing draught, andthey being very thirsty, drank of it eagerly.

  Then was a wonder wrought, for the two fierce combatants ceasedfighting, and kissed each other, and plighted hands as friends forevermore. When the on-lookers beheld this fair sight they shouted aloudfor joy, and Canacee descended in haste from her exalted seat, and cameto see what the shout portended. When she found the fighting ended andthe foes at peace, she greeted Cambina, the strange lady, and offeredher love and friendship.

  The trumpets sounded, and they all arose to depart. Cambina took Canaceein her chariot, and Triamond and Cambello returned home together, andthe people rejoiced with great feasting in the land.

  And after a time Triamond took Canacee, and Cambello took Cambina to betheir wives, and no such friends or lovers were anywhere to be found.