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If aught abide or fall or flee；
Drew back a little and laid him down；
Dying： but Balen stood； and said；
As one between the quick and dead
Might stand and speak； 〃What good knight's head
Hath won this mortal crown？
〃What knight art thou？ for never I
Who now beside thee dead shall die
Found yet the knight afar or nigh
That matched me。〃 Then his brother's eye
Flashed pride and love； he spake and smiled
And felt in death life's quickening flame；
And answered： 〃Balan is my name；
The good knight Balen's brother； fame
Calls and miscalls him wild。〃
The cry from Balen's lips that sprang
Sprang sharper than his sword's stroke rang。
More keen than death's or memory's fang；
Through sense and soul the shuddering pang
Shivered： and scarce he had cried； 〃Alas
That ever I should see this day；〃
When sorrow swooned from him away
As blindly back he fell； and lay
Where sleep lets anguish pass。
But Balan rose on hands and knees
And crawled by childlike dim degrees
Up toward his brother； as a breeze
Creeps wingless over sluggard seas
When all the wind's heart fails it： so
Beneath their mother's eyes had he；
A babe that laughed with joy to be；
Made toward him standing by her knee
For love's sake long ago。
Then； gathering strength up for a space；
From off his brother's dying face
With dying hands that wrought apace
While death and life would grant them grace
He loosed his helm and knew not him；
So scored with blood it was； and hewn
Athwart with darkening wounds： but soon
Life strove and shuddered through the swoon
Wherein its light lay dim。
And sorrow set these chained words free：
〃O Balan； O my brother！ me
Thou hast slain； and I； my brother； thee
And now far hence； on shore and sea；
Shall all the wide world speak of us。〃
〃Alas；〃 said Balan； 〃that I might
Not know you； seeing two swords were dight
About you； now the unanswering sight
Hath here found answer thus。
〃Because you bore another shield
Than yours； that even ere youth could wield
Like arms with manhood's tried and steeled
Shone as my star of battle…field；
I deemed it surely might not be
My brother。〃 Then his brother spake
Fiercely： 〃Would God； for thy sole sake；
I had my life again； to take
Revenge for only thee！
〃For all this deadly work was wrought
Of one false knight's false word and thought；
Whose mortal craft and counsel caught
And snared my faith who doubted nought；
And made me put my shield away。
Ah； might I live； I would destroy
That castle for its customs： joy
There makes of grief a deadly toy；
And death makes night of day。〃
〃Well done were that； if aught were done
Well ever here beneath the sun；〃
Said Balan： 〃better work were none：
For hither since I came and won
A woful honour born of death；
When here my hap it was to slay
A knight who kept this island way；
I might not pass by night or day
Hence； as this token saith。
〃No more shouldst thou； for all the might
Of heart and hand that seals thee knight
Most noble of all that see the light；
Brother； hadst thou but slain in fight
Me； and arisen unscathed and whole；
As would to God thou hadst risen！ though here
Light is as darkness； hope as fear；
And love as hate： and none draws near
Save toward a mortal goal。〃
Then； fair as any poison…flower
Whose blossom blights the withering bower
Whereon its blasting breath has power；
Forth fared the lady of the tower
With many a lady and many a knight；
And came across the water…way
Even where on death's dim border lay
Those brethren sent of her to slay
And die in kindless fight。
And all those hard light hearts were swayed
With pity passing like a shade
That stays not； and may be not stayed；
To hear the mutual moan they made；
Each to behold his brother die；
Saying； 〃Both we came out of one tomb；
One star…crossed mother's woful womb；
And so within one grave…pit's gloom
Untimely shall we lie。〃
And Balan prayed； as God should bless
That lady for her gentleness；
That where the battle's mortal stress
Had made for them perforce to press
The bed whence never man may rise
They twain； free now from hopes and fears；
Might sleep； and she； as one that hears；
Bowed her bright head： and very tears
Fell from her cold fierce eyes。
Then Balen prayed her send a priest
To housel them； that ere they ceased
The hansel of the heavenly feast
That fills with light from the answering east
The sunset of the life of man
Might bless them； and their lips be kissed
With death's requickening eucharist；
And death's and life's dim sunlit mist
Pass as a stream that ran。
And so their dying rites were done：
And Balen； seeing the death…struck sun
Sink； spake as he whose goal is won：
〃Now； when our trophied tomb is one；
And over us our tale is writ；
How two that loved each other； two
Born and begotten brethren； slew
Each other； none that reads anew
Shall choose but weep for it。
〃And no good knight and no good man
Whose eye shall ever come to scan
The record of the imperious ban
That made our life so sad a span
Shall read or hear； who shall not pray
For us for ever。〃 Then anon
Died Balan； but the sun was gone；
And deep the stars of midnight shone；
Ere Balen passed away。
And there low lying； as hour on hour
Fled； all his life in all its flower
Came back as in a sunlit shower
Of dreams； when sweet…souled sleep has power
On life less sweet and glad to be。
He drank the draught of life's first wine
Again： he saw the moorland shine；
The rioting rapids of the Tyne；
The woods； the cliffs； the sea。
The joy that lives at heart and home；
The joy to rest； the joy to roam；
The joy of crags and scaurs he clomb；
The rapture of the encountering foam
Embraced and breasted of the boy；
The first good steed his knees bestrode；
The first wild sound of songs that flowed
Through ears that thrilled and heart that glowed；
Fulfilled his death with joy。
So； dying not as a coward that dies
And dares not look in death's dim eyes
Straight as the stars on seas and skies
Whence moon and sun recoil and rise；
He looked on life and death； and slept。
And there with morning Merlin came；
And on the tomb that told their fame
He wrote by Balan's Balen's name；
And gazed thereon； and wept。
For all his heart within him yearned
With pity like as fire that burned。
The fate his fateful eye discerned
Far off now dimmed it； ere he turned
His face toward Camelot； to tell
Arthur of all the storms that woke
Round Balen； and the dolorous stroke；
And how that last blind battle broke
The consummated spell。
〃Alas；〃 King Arthur said； 〃this day
I have heard the worst that woe might say：
For in this world that wanes away
I know not two such knights as they。〃
This is the tale that memory writes
Of men whose names like stars shall stand；
Balen and Balan； sure of hand；
Two brethren of Northumberland；
In life and death good knights。
End