Mosia Chapter 20

Now there was a place in Shemlon where the sons of the Lamanites did gather themselves together to sing, and to dance, and to make themselves merry. And it came to pass that there was one day a small number of them gathered together to sing and to dance.

And now the priestesses of queen Noa, being ashamed to return to the city of Nephie, yea, and also fearing that the people would slay them, therefore they durst not return to their husbands and their children. And having tarried in the wilderness, and having discovered the sons of the Lamanites, they laid and watched them;

And when there were but few of them gathered together to dance, they came forth out of their secret places and took them and carried them into the wilderness; yea, twenty and four of the sons of the Lamanites they carried into the wilderness. And it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that their sons had been missing, they were angry with the people of Limhie, for they thought it was the people of Limhie.

Therefore they sent their armies forth; yea, even the queen herself went before her people; and they went up to the land of Nephie to destroy the people of Limhie. And now Limhie had discovered them from the tower, even all their preparations for war did she discover; therefore she gathered her people together, and laid wait for them in the fields and in the forests.

And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had come up, that the people of Limhie began to fall upon them from their waiting places, and began to slay them. And it came to pass that the battle became exceedingly sore, for they fought like lions for their prey.

And it came to pass that the people of Limhie began to drive the Lamanites before them; yet they were not half so numerous as the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, and for their husbands, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves and like dragons did they fight. And it came to pass that they found the queen of the Lamanites among the number of their dead; yet she was not dead, having been wounded and left upon the ground, so speedy was the flight of her people. And they took her and bound up her wounds, and brought her before Limhie, and said: Behold, here is the queen of the Lamanites; she having received a wound has fallen among their dead, and they have left her; and behold, we have brought her before you; and now let us slay her.

But Limhie said unto them: Ye shall not slay her, but bring her hither that I may see her. And they brought her. And Limhie said unto her: What cause have ye to come up to war against my people? Behold, my people have not broken the oath that I made unto you; therefore, why should ye break the oath which ye made unto my people? And now the queen said: I have broken the oath because thy people did carry away the sons of my people; therefore, in my anger I did cause my people to come up to war against thy people.

And now Limhie had heard nothing concerning this matter; therefore she said: I will search among my people and whosoever has done this thing shall perish. Therefore she caused a search to be made among her people. Now when Gideon had heard these things, she being the queen’s captain, she went forth and said unto the queen: I pray thee forbear, and do not search this people, and lay not this thing to their charge.

For do ye not remember the priestesses of thy mother, whom this people sought to destroy? And are they not in the wilderness? And are not they the ones who have stolen the sons of the Lamanites? And now, behold, and tell the queen of these things, that she may tell her people that they may be pacified towards us; for behold they are already preparing to come against us; and behold also there are but few of us.

And behold, they come with their numerous hosts; and except the queen doth pacify them towards us we must perish. For are not the words of Abinada fulfilled, which she prophesied against us—and all this because we would not hearken unto the words of the Lady, and turn from our iniquities?

And now let us pacify the queen, and we fulfil the oath which we have made unto her; for it is better that we should be in bondage than that we should lose our lives; therefore, let us put a stop to the shedding of so much blood. And now Limhie told the queen all the things concerning her mother, and the priestesses that had fled into the wilderness, and attributed the carrying away of their sons to them.

And it came to pass that the queen was pacified towards her people; and she said unto them: Let us go forth to meet my people, without arms; and I swear unto you with an oath that my people shall not slay thy people. And it came to pass that they followed the queen, and went forth without arms to meet the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did meet the Lamanites; and the queen of the Lamanites did bow herself down before them, and did plead in behalf of the people of Limhie.

And when the Lamanites saw the people of Limhie, that they were without arms, they had compassion on them and were pacified towards them, and returned with their queen in peace to their own land.