a sparrow's flight
through the hall when one is sitting at meat in the winter-tide. The
warm fire is lighted on the hearth; the torches are blazing; and the
hall is bright and warm.

'But without the snow is falling, and the winds are howling.

'Then comes a sparrow and flies into the hall, and passes out by the
other door. She comes in at one door and goes out by the other; and
passes from winter to winter. For a moment she has rest; for a moment
she is in the light and warmth, she feels not the storm nor the
cheerless winter weather.

'But the moment is brief.

'The short time of rest and warmth is soon over, and she is out in the
storm again and has passed from our sight.

'So it is with the life of man; it, too, is but for a moment, what has
gone before, and what will come after it, we do not know, and no man
has yet told us.

'If, then, these strangers can tell us aught of what is beyond the
grave--if they can tell us whence man comes and whither he goes, let us
give ear to them and think over what they say.'

A murmur went round the hall as the old man showed them by this story
that the new religion told them of a life beyond this world, while
their own did not.

Then up started Coifi, the chief priest of the heathen gods whom the
king and his people had worshipped.

'O king,' cried the priest, 'there is no man in this hall has served
the gods more faithfully than I, but they have never done anything for
me.'

When the wise men had made an end of speaking, the king rose up and
said, 'Let us worship the God of Paulinus, and follow his ways.'

Then he called aloud and said, 'Who will be the first to throw down the
altar of these false gods and destroy their temple.'

'I will be the first, O king,' shouted Coifi the priest. 'Give me a
horse and weapons, and I will overthrow the temple of the false gods.
Follow me, O thanes, and let us see if the gods can defend their own
altars.'

Then, snatching a sword, the high priest rushed from the hall and
sprang upon the king's war-horse.

The king and his wise men followed; and on their way they were joined
by a number of people who left their work or the cattle they were
tending, and followed, shouting as they ran, 'Coifi the high priest is
mad!'

Soon they arrived at the temple. Here the people hung back, afraid to
enter, but the priest burst open the door with a blow of his spear, and
rode into the wooden building.

The king and his wise men fol