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silly women! Why, I don’t think there’s one of them that’s ever drawn a sword! All they want to talk about is sewing and embroidery and weaving, and how to run a castle. The ones who have husbands are always complaining about them, and the ones who haven’t are always complaining about the lack of them. They’ve never been out of Dinas Rhydnant in their lives! I told them a thing or two about some of our adventures; not the best ones—I’m saving those for later, when you can be there to tell your part in them.
    â€œWhat we’ll do,” Eilonwy hurried on, her eyes sparkling, “after the feast, when no one’s watching, we’ll get hold of Fflewddur and go exploring for a few days. They’ll never miss us; there’s so many people coming and going around here. There’s bound to be a few adventures on Mona, but we certainly won’t find them in this stupid castle. Now, first thing, you must look out a sword for me—I wish I’d brought one from Caer Dallben. Not that I think we’ll need swords, but it’s better to have them just in case. Gurgi, of course, shall bring along his wallet of food—”
    â€œEilonwy,” Taran interrupted, “this cannot be.”
    â€œHow’s that?” asked Eilonwy. “Oh, very well, you needn’t bother with swords then. We’ll just go adventuring as we are.” She hesitated. “What’s the matter with you? I must say, you have the
strangest expressions on your face from time to time. Right now, you look as if a mountain were about to fall on your head. As I was saying …”
    â€œEilonwy,” Taran said firmly, “you are not to leave Dinas Rhydnant.”
    Eilonwy, so surprised she stopped talking for a moment, stared at him open-mouthed. “What?” she cried. “What did you say? Not leave the castle? Taran of Caer Dallben, I think the salt air must have pickled your wits!”
    â€œListen to me,” Taran said gravely, searching his mind for some means to warn the startled girl without revealing Gwydion’s secret, “Dinas Rhydnant is—unfamiliar to us. We know nothing of Mona. There may be—dangers that we …”
    â€œDangers!” cried Eilonwy. “You can be sure of that! And the biggest is that I’ll be bored to tears! Don’t think for an instant I mean to wear out my days in this castle! You, of all people, tell me I’m not to go adventuring! What, really, is the matter with you? I’m ready to believe you dropped your courage over the side of Rhun’s ship along with the anchor stone!”
    â€œIt is not a question of courage,” Taran began. “It is the better part of wisdom to …”
    â€œNow you’re talking about wisdom!” Eilonwy cried. “Before, that was the last thing in the world you thought about!”
    â€œThis is different,” Taran said. “Can you not understand?” he pleaded, though he saw clearly from Eilonwy’s face that his words made no sense to her. For an instant he was tempted to blurt out the truth. Instead, he took the girl by the shoulders. “You are not to set foot outside this place,” he ordered angrily. “And if I think you
have any idea of doing so, I shall ask King Rhuddlum to set a guard over you.”
    â€œWhat?” cried Eilonwy. “How dare you!” Tears suddenly filled her eyes. “Yes, I do understand! You’re glad I’ve been sent to this wretched island and these clucking hens! You couldn’t wait for a chance to be rid of me! You actually want me to stay here and be lost in this dreadful castle. That’s worse than putting someone’s head in a sack of feathers!” Sobbing, Eilonwy stamped her foot. “Taran of Caer Dallben, I’m not speaking to you any more!”

CHAPTER FOUR
    Shadows
    T he feast that evening was surely the merriest the castle had ever seen. Kaw,