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diff --git a/old/hswlf10.txt b/old/hswlf10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bc5446c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/hswlf10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9036 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The House of the Wolfings, by William Morris +#4 in our series by William Morris + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.07.00*END* + + + + + +This etext was prepared from the 1904 Longmans, Green, and Co. edition +by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk. + + + + + +THE HOUSE OF THE WOLFINGS + +by William Morris + + + + +Whiles in the early Winter eve +We pass amid the gathering night +Some homestead that we had to leave +Years past; and see its candles bright +Shine in the room beside the door +Where we were merry years agone +But now must never enter more, +As still the dark road drives us on. +E'en so the world of men may turn +At even of some hurried day +And see the ancient glimmer burn +Across the waste that hath no way; +Then with that faint light in its eyes +A while I bid it linger near +And nurse in wavering memories +The bitter-sweet of days that were. + + + +CHAPTER I--THE DWELLINGS OF MID-MARK + + + +The tale tells that in times long past there was a dwelling of men +beside a great wood. Before it lay a plain, not very great, but +which was, as it were, an isle in the sea of woodland, since even +when you stood on the flat ground, you could see trees everywhere in +the offing, though as for hills, you could scarce say that there were +any; only swellings-up of the earth here and there, like the +upheavings of the water that one sees at whiles going on amidst the +eddies of a swift but deep stream. + +On either side, to right and left the tree-girdle reached out toward +the blue distance, thick close and unsundered, save where it and the +plain which it begirdled was cleft amidmost by a river about as wide +as the Thames at Sheene when the flood-tide is at its highest, but so +swift and full of eddies, that it gave token of mountains not so far +distant, though they were hidden. On each side moreover of the +stream of this river was a wide space of stones, great and little, +and in most places above this stony waste were banks of a few feet +high, showing where the yearly winter flood was most commonly stayed. + +You must know that this great clearing in the woodland was not a +matter of haphazard; though the river had driven a road whereby men +might fare on each side of its hurrying stream. It was men who had +made that Isle in the woodland. + +For many generations the folk that now dwelt there had learned the +craft of iron-founding, so that they had no lack of wares of iron and +steel, whether they were tools of handicraft or weapons for hunting +and for war. It was the men of the Folk, who coming adown by the +river-side had made that clearing. The tale tells not whence they +came, but belike from the dales of the distant mountains, and from +dales and mountains and plains further aloof and yet further. + +Anyhow they came adown the river; on its waters on rafts, by its +shores in wains or bestriding their horses or their kine, or afoot, +till they had a mind to abide; and there as it fell they stayed their +travel, and spread from each side of the river, and fought with the +wood and its wild things, that they might make to themselves a +dwelling-place on the face of the earth. + +So they cut down the trees, and burned their stumps that the grass +might grow sweet for their kine and sheep and horses; and they diked +the river where need was all through the plain, and far up into the +wild-wood to bridle the winter floods: and they made them boats to +ferry them over, and to float down stream and track up-stream: they +fished the river's eddies also with net and with line; and drew drift +from out of it of far-travelled wood and other matters; and the +gravel of its shallows they washed for gold; and it became their +friend, and they loved it, and gave it a name, and called it the +Dusky, and the Glassy, and the Mirkwood-water; for the names of it +changed with the generations of man. + +There then in the clearing of the wood that for many years grew +greater yearly they drave their beasts to pasture in the new-made +meadows, where year by year the grass grew sweeter as the sun shone +on it and the standing waters went from it; and now in the year +whereof the tale telleth it was a fair and smiling plain, and no folk +might have a better meadow. + +But long before that had they learned the craft of tillage and taken +heed to the acres and begun to grow wheat and rye thereon round about +their roofs; the spade came into their hands, and they bethought them +of the plough-share, and the tillage spread and grew, and there was +no lack of bread. + +In such wise that Folk had made an island amidst of the Mirkwood, and +established a home there, and upheld it with manifold toil too long +to tell of. And from the beginning this clearing in the wood they +called the Mid-mark: for you shall know that men might journey up +and down the Mirkwood-water, and half a day's ride up or down they +would come on another clearing or island in the woods, and these were +the Upper-mark and the Nether-mark: and all these three were +inhabited by men of one folk and one kindred, which was called the +Mark-men, though of many branches was that stem of folk, who bore +divers signs in battle and at the council whereby they might be +known. + +Now in the Mid-mark itself were many Houses of men; for by that word +had they called for generations those who dwelt together under one +token of kinship. The river ran from South to North, and both on the +East side and on the West were there Houses of the Folk, and their +habitations were shouldered up nigh unto the wood, so that ever +betwixt them and the river was there a space of tillage and pasture. + +Tells the tale of one such House, whose habitations were on the west +side of the water, on a gentle slope of land, so that no flood higher +than common might reach them. It was straight down to the river +mostly that the land fell off, and on its downward-reaching slopes +was the tillage, "the Acres," as the men of that time always called +tilled land; and beyond that was the meadow going fair and smooth, +though with here and there a rising in it, down to the lips of the +stony waste of the winter river. + +Now the name of this House was the Wolfings, and they bore a Wolf on +their banners, and their warriors were marked on the breast with the +image of the Wolf, that they might be known for what they were if +they fell in battle, and were stripped. + +The house, that is to say the Roof, of the Wolfings of the Mid-mark +stood on the topmost of the slope aforesaid with its back to the +wild-wood and its face to the acres and the water. But you must know +that in those days the men of one branch of kindred dwelt under one +roof together, and had therein their place and dignity; nor were +there many degrees amongst them as hath befallen afterwards, but all +they of one blood were brethren and of equal dignity. Howbeit they +had servants or thralls, men taken in battle, men of alien blood, +though true it is that from time to time were some of such men taken +into the House, and hailed as brethren of the blood. + +Also (to make an end at once of these matters of kinship and +affinity) the men of one House might not wed the women of their own +House: to the Wolfing men all Wolfing women were as sisters: they +must needs wed with the Hartings or the Elkings or the Bearings, or +other such Houses of the Mark as were not so close akin to the blood +of the Wolf; and this was a law that none dreamed of breaking. Thus +then dwelt this Folk and such was their Custom. + +As to the Roof of the Wolfings, it was a great hall and goodly, after +the fashion of their folk and their day; not built of stone and lime, +but framed of the goodliest trees of the wild-wood squared with the +adze, and betwixt the framing filled with clay wattled with reeds. +Long was that house, and at one end anigh the gable was the Man's- +door, not so high that a man might stand on the threshold and his +helmcrest clear the lintel; for such was the custom, that a tall man +must bow himself as he came into the hall; which custom maybe was a +memory of the days of onslaught when the foemen were mostly wont to +beset the hall; whereas in the days whereof the tale tells they drew +out into the fields and fought unfenced; unless at whiles when the +odds were over great, and then they drew their wains about them and +were fenced by the wain-burg. At least it was from no niggardry that +the door was made thus low, as might be seen by the fair and manifold +carving of knots and dragons that was wrought above the lintel of the +door for some three foot's space. But a like door was there anigh +the other gable-end, whereby the women entered, and it was called the +Woman's-door. + +Near to the house on all sides except toward the wood were there many +bowers and cots round about the penfolds and the byres: and these +were booths for the stowage of wares, and for crafts and smithying +that were unhandy to do in the house; and withal they were the +dwelling-places of the thralls. And the lads and young men often +abode there many days and were cherished there of the thralls that +loved them, since at whiles they shunned the Great Roof that they +might be the freer to come and go at their pleasure, and deal as they +would. Thus was there a clustering on the slopes and bents betwixt +the acres of the Wolfings and the wild-wood wherein dwelt the wolves. + +As to the house within, two rows of pillars went down it endlong, +fashioned of the mightiest trees that might be found, and each one +fairly wrought with base and chapiter, and wreaths and knots, and +fighting men and dragons; so that it was like a church of later days +that has a nave and aisles: windows there were above the aisles, and +a passage underneath the said windows in their roofs. In the aisles +were the sleeping-places of the Folk, and down the nave under the +crown of the roof were three hearths for the fires, and above each +hearth a luffer or smoke-bearer to draw the smoke up when the fires +were lighted. Forsooth on a bright winter afternoon it was strange +to see the three columns of smoke going wavering up to the dimness of +the mighty roof, and one maybe smitten athwart by the sunbeams. As +for the timber of the roof itself and its framing, so exceeding great +and high it was, that the tale tells how that none might see the +fashion of it from the hall-floor unless he were to raise aloft a +blazing faggot on a long pole: since no lack of timber was there +among the men of the Mark. + +At the end of the hall anigh the Man's-door was the dais, and a table +thereon set thwartwise of the hall; and in front of the dais was the +noblest and greatest of the hearths; (but of the others one was in +the very midmost, and another in the Woman's-Chamber) and round about +the dais, along the gable-wall, and hung from pillar to pillar were +woven cloths pictured with images of ancient tales and the deeds of +the Wolfings, and the deeds of the Gods from whence they came. And +this was the fairest place of all the house and the best-beloved of +the Folk, and especially of the older and the mightier men: and +there were tales told, and songs sung, especially if they were new: +and thereto also were messengers brought if any tidings were abroad: +there also would the elders talk together about matters concerning +the House or the Mid-mark or the whole Folk of the Markmen. + +Yet you must not think that their solemn councils were held there, +the folk-motes whereat it must be determined what to do and what to +forbear doing; for according as such councils, (which they called +Things) were of the House or of the Mid-mark or of the whole Folk, +were they held each at the due Thing-steads in the Wood aloof from +either acre or meadow, (as was the custom of our forefathers for long +after) and at such Things would all the men of the House or the Mid- +mark or the Folk be present man by man. And in each of these steads +was there a Doomring wherein Doom was given by the neighbours chosen, +(whom now we call the Jury) in matters between man and man; and no +such doom of neighbours was given, and no such voice of the Folk +proclaimed in any house or under any roof, nor even as aforesaid on +the tilled acres or the depastured meadows. This was the custom of +our forefathers, in memory, belike, of the days when as yet there was +neither house nor tillage, nor flocks and herds, but the Earth's face +only and what freely grew thereon. + +But over the dais there hung by chains and pulleys fastened to a tie- +beam of the roof high aloft a wondrous lamp fashioned of glass; yet +of no such glass as the folk made then and there, but of a fair and +clear green like an emerald, and all done with figures and knots in +gold, and strange beasts, and a warrior slaying a dragon, and the sun +rising on the earth: nor did any tale tell whence this lamp came, +but it was held as an ancient and holy thing by all the Mark-men, and +the kindred of the Wolf had it in charge to keep a light burning in +it night and day for ever; and they appointed a maiden of their own +kindred to that office; which damsel must needs be unwedded, since no +wedded woman dwelling under that roof could be a Wolfing woman, but +would needs be of the houses wherein the Wolfings wedded. + +This lamp which burned ever was called the Hall-Sun, and the woman +who had charge of it, and who was the fairest that might be found was +called after it the Hall-Sun also. + +At the other end of the hall was the Woman's-Chamber, and therein +were the looms and other gear for the carding and spinning of wool +and the weaving of cloth. + +Such was the Roof under which dwelt the kindred of the Wolfings; and +the other kindreds of the Mid-mark had roofs like to it; and of these +the chiefest were the Elkings, the Vallings, the Alftings, the +Beamings, the Galtings, and the Bearings; who bore on their banners +the Elk, the Falcon, the Swan, the Tree, the Boar, and the Bear. But +other lesser and newer kindreds there were than these: as for the +Hartings above named, they were a kindred of the Upper-mark. + + + +CHAPTER II--THE FLITTING OF THE WAR-ARROW + + + +Tells the tale that it was an evening of summer, when the wheat was +in the ear, but yet green; and the neat-herds were done driving the +milch-kine to the byre, and the horseherds and the shepherds had made +the night-shift, and the out-goers were riding two by two and one by +one through the lanes between the wheat and the rye towards the +meadow. Round the cots of the thralls were gathered knots of men and +women both thralls and freemen, some talking together, some +hearkening a song or a tale, some singing and some dancing together; +and the children gambolling about from group to group with their +shrill and tuneless voices, like young throstles who have not yet +learned the song of their race. With these were mingled dogs, dun of +colour, long of limb, sharp-nosed, gaunt and great; they took little +heed of the children as they pulled them about in their play, but lay +down, or loitered about, as though they had forgotten the chase and +the wild-wood. + +Merry was the folk with that fair tide, and the promise of the +harvest, and the joy of life, and there was no weapon among them so +close to the houses, save here and there the boar-spear of some +herdman or herd-woman late come from the meadow. + +Tall and for the most part comely were both men and women; the most +of them light-haired and grey-eyed, with cheek-bones somewhat high; +white of skin but for the sun's burning, and the wind's parching, and +whereas they were tanned of a very ruddy and cheerful hue. But the +thralls were some of them of a shorter and darker breed, black-haired +also and dark-eyed, lighter of limb; sometimes better knit, but +sometimes crookeder of leg and knottier of arm. But some also were +of build and hue not much unlike to the freemen; and these doubtless +came of some other Folk of the Goths which had given way in battle +before the Men of the Mark, either they or their fathers. + +Moreover some of the freemen were unlike their fellows and kindred, +being slenderer and closer-knit, and black-haired, but grey-eyed +withal; and amongst these were one or two who exceeded in beauty all +others of the House. + +Now the sun was set and the glooming was at point to begin and the +shadowless twilight lay upon the earth. The nightingales on the +borders of the wood sang ceaselessly from the scattered hazel-trees +above the greensward where the grass was cropped down close by the +nibbling of the rabbits; but in spite of their song and the divers +voices of the men-folk about the houses, it was an evening on which +sounds from aloof can be well heard, since noises carry far at such +tides. + +Suddenly they who were on the edges of those throngs and were the +less noisy, held themselves as if to listen; and a group that had +gathered about a minstrel to hear his story fell hearkening also +round about the silenced and hearkening tale-teller: some of the +dancers and singers noted them and in their turn stayed the dance and +kept silence to hearken; and so from group to group spread the +change, till all were straining their ears to hearken the tidings. +Already the men of the night-shift had heard it, and the shepherds of +them had turned about, and were trotting smartly back through the +lanes of the tall wheat: but the horse-herds were now scarce seen on +the darkening meadow, as they galloped on fast toward their herds to +drive home the stallions. For what they had heard was the tidings of +war. + +There was a sound in the air as of a humble-bee close to the ear of +one lying on a grassy bank; or whiles as of a cow afar in the meadow +lowing in the afternoon when milking-time draws nigh: but it was +ever shriller than the one, and fuller than the other; for it changed +at whiles, though after the first sound of it, it did not rise or +fall, because the eve was windless. You might hear at once that for +all it was afar, it was a great and mighty sound; nor did any that +hearkened doubt what it was, but all knew it for the blast of the +great war-horn of the Elkings, whose Roof lay up Mirkwood-water next +to the Roof of the Wolfings. + +So those little throngs broke up at once; and all the freemen, and of +the thralls a good many, flocked, both men and women, to the Man's- +door of the hall, and streamed in quietly and with little talk, as +men knowing that they should hear all in due season. + +Within under the Hall-Sun, amidst the woven stories of time past, sat +the elders and chief warriors on the dais, and amidst of all a big +strong man of forty winters, his dark beard a little grizzled, his +eyes big and grey. Before him on the board lay the great War-horn of +the Wolfings carved out of the tusk of a sea-whale of the North and +with many devices on it and the Wolf amidst them all; its golden +mouth-piece and rim wrought finely with flowers. There it abode the +blowing, until the spoken word of some messenger should set forth the +tidings borne on the air by the horn of the Elkings. + +But the name of the dark-haired chief was Thiodolf (to wit Folk-wolf) +and he was deemed the wisest man of the Wolfings, and the best man of +his hands, and of heart most dauntless. Beside him sat the fair +woman called the Hall-Sun; for she was his foster-daughter before +men's eyes; and she was black-haired and grey-eyed like to her +fosterer, and never was woman fashioned fairer: she was young of +years, scarce twenty winters old. + +There sat the chiefs and elders on the dais, and round about stood +the kindred intermingled with the thralls, and no man spake, for they +were awaiting sure and certain tidings: and when all were come in +who had a mind to, there was so great a silence in the hall, that the +song of the nightingales on the wood-edge sounded clear and loud +therein, and even the chink of the bats about the upper windows could +be heard. Then amidst the hush of men-folk, and the sounds of the +life of the earth came another sound that made all turn their eyes +toward the door; and this was the pad-pad of one running on the +trodden and summer-dried ground anigh the hall: it stopped for a +moment at the Man's-door, and the door opened, and the throng parted, +making way for the man that entered and came hastily up to the midst +of the table that stood on the dais athwart the hall, and stood there +panting, holding forth in his outstretched hand something which not +all could see in the dimness of the hall-twilight, but which all knew +nevertheless. The man was young, lithe and slender, and had no +raiment but linen breeches round his middle, and skin shoes on his +feet. As he stood there gathering his breath for speech, Thiodolf +stood up, and poured mead into a drinking horn and held it out +towards the new-comer, and spake, but in rhyme and measure: + + +"Welcome, thou evening-farer, and holy be thine head, +Since thou hast sought unto us in the heart of the Wolfings' stead; +Drink now of the horn of the mighty, and call a health if thou wilt +O'er the eddies of the mead-horn to the washing out of guilt. +For thou com'st to the peace of the Wolfings, and our very guest thou +art, +And meseems as I behold thee, that I look on a child of the Hart." + + +But the man put the horn from him with a hasty hand, and none said +another word to him until he had gotten his breath again; and then he +said: + + +"All hail ye Wood-Wolfs' children! nought may I drink the wine, +For the mouth and the maw that I carry this eve are nought of mine; +And my feet are the feet of the people, since the word went forth +that tide, +'O Elf here of the Hartings, no longer shalt thou bide +In any house of the Markmen than to speak the word and wend, +Till all men know the tidings and thine errand hath an end.' +Behold, O Wolves, the token and say if it be true! +I bear the shaft of battle that is four-wise cloven through, +And its each end dipped in the blood-stream, both the iron and the +horn, +And its midmost scathed with the fire; and the word that I have borne +Along with this war-token is, 'Wolfings of the Mark +Whenso ye see the war-shaft, by the daylight or the dark, +Busk ye to battle faring, and leave all work undone +Save the gathering for the handplay at the rising of the sun. +Three days hence is the hosting, and thither bear along +Your wains and your kine for the slaughter lest the journey should be +long. +For great is the Folk, saith the tidings, that against the Markmen +come; +In a far off land is their dwelling, whenso they sit at home, +And Welsh {1} is their tongue, and we wot not of the word that is in +their mouth, +As they march a many together from the cities of the South.'" + + +Therewith he held up yet for a minute the token of the war-arrow +ragged and burnt and bloody; and turning about with it in his hand +went his ways through the open door, none hindering; and when he was +gone, it was as if the token were still in the air there against the +heads of the living men, and the heads of the woven warriors, so +intently had all gazed at it; and none doubted the tidings or the +token. Then said Thiodolf: + + +"Forth will we Wolfing children, and cast a sound abroad: +The mouth of the sea-beast's weapon shall speak the battle-word; +And ye warriors hearken and hasten, and dight the weed of war, +And then to acre and meadow wend ye adown no more, +For this work shall be for the women to drive our neat from the mead, +And to yoke the wains, and to load them as the men of war have need." + + +Out then they streamed from the hall, and no man was left therein +save the fair Hall-Sun sitting under the lamp whose name she bore. +But to the highest of the slope they went, where was a mound made +higher by man's handiwork; thereon stood Thiodolf and handled the +horn, turning his face toward the downward course of Mirkwood-water; +and he set the horn to his lips, and blew a long blast, and then +again, and yet again the third time; and all the sounds of the +gathering night were hushed under the sound of the roaring of the +war-horn of the Wolfings; and the Kin of the Beamings heard it as +they sat in their hall, and they gat them ready to hearken to the +bearer of the tidings who should follow on the sound of the war- +blast. + +But when the last sound of the horn had died away, then said +Thiodolf: + + +"Now Wolfing children hearken, what the splintered War-shaft saith, +The fire scathed blood-stained aspen! we shall ride for life or +death, +We warriors, a long journey with the herd and with the wain; +But unto this our homestead shall we wend us back again, +All the gleanings of the battle; and here for them that live +Shall stand the Roof of the Wolfings, and for them shall the meadow +thrive, +And the acres give their increase in the harvest of the year; +Now is no long departing since the Hall-Sun bideth here +'Neath the holy Roof of the Fathers, and the place of the Wolfing +kin, +And the feast of our glad returning shall yet be held therein. +Hear the bidding of the War-shaft! All men, both thralls and free, +'Twixt twenty winters and sixty, beneath the shield shall be, +And the hosting is at the Thingstead, the Upper-mark anigh; +And we wend away to-morrow ere the Sun is noon-tide high." + + +Therewith he stepped down from the mound, and went his way back to +the hall; and manifold talk arose among the folk; and of the warriors +some were already dight for the journey, but most not, and a many +went their ways to see to their weapons and horses, and the rest back +again into the hall. + +By this time night had fallen, and between then and the dawning would +be no darker hour, for the moon was just rising; a many of the horse- +herds had done their business, and were now making their way back +again through the lanes of the wheat, driving the stallions before +them, who played together kicking, biting and squealing, paying but +little heed to the standing corn on either side. Lights began to +glitter now in the cots of the thralls, and brighter still in the +stithies where already you might hear the hammers clinking on the +anvils, as men fell to looking to their battle gear. + +But the chief men and the women sat under their Roof on the eve of +departure: and the tuns of mead were broached, and the horns filled +and borne round by young maidens, and men ate and drank and were +merry; and from time to time as some one of the warriors had done +with giving heed to his weapons, he entered into the hall and fell +into the company of those whom he loved most and by whom he was best +beloved; and whiles they talked, and whiles they sang to the harp up +and down that long house; and the moon risen high shone in at the +windows, and there was much laughter and merriment, and talk of deeds +of arms of the old days on the eve of that departure: till little by +little weariness fell on them, and they went their ways to slumber, +and the hall was fallen silent. + + + +CHAPTER III--THIODOLF TALKETH WITH THE WOOD-SUN + + + +But yet sat Thiodolf under the Hall-Sun for a while as one in deep +thought; till at last as he stirred, his sword clattered on him; and +then he lifted up his eyes and looked down the hall and saw no man +stirring, so he stood up and settled his raiment on him, and went +forth, and so took his ways through the hall-door, as one who hath an +errand. + +The moonlight lay in a great flood on the grass without, and the dew +was falling in the coldest hour of the night, and the earth smelled +sweetly: the whole habitation was asleep now, and there was no sound +to be known as the sound of any creature, save that from the distant +meadow came the lowing of a cow that had lost her calf, and that a +white owl was flitting about near the eaves of the Roof with her wild +cry that sounded like the mocking of merriment now silent. + +Thiodolf turned toward the wood, and walked steadily through the +scattered hazel-trees, and thereby into the thick of the beech-trees, +whose boles grew smooth and silver-grey, high and close-set: and so +on and on he went as one going by a well-known path, though there was +no path, till all the moonlight was quenched under the close roof of +the beech-leaves, though yet for all the darkness, no man could go +there and not feel that the roof was green above him. Still he went +on in despite of the darkness, till at last there was a glimmer +before him, that grew greater till he came unto a small wood-lawn +whereon the turf grew again, though the grass was but thin, because +little sunlight got to it, so close and thick were the tall trees +round about it. In the heavens above it by now there was a light +that was not all of the moon, though it might scarce be told whether +that light were the memory of yesterday or the promise of to-morrow, +since little of the heavens could be seen thence, save the crown of +them, because of the tall tree-tops. + +Nought looked Thiodolf either at the heavens above, or the trees, as +he strode from off the husk-strewn floor of the beech wood on to the +scanty grass of the lawn, but his eyes looked straight before him at +that which was amidmost of the lawn: and little wonder was that; for +there on a stone chair sat a woman exceeding fair, clad in glittering +raiment, her hair lying as pale in the moonlight on the grey stone as +the barley acres in the August night before the reaping-hook goes in +amongst them. She sat there as though she were awaiting someone, and +he made no stop nor stay, but went straight up to her, and took her +in his arms, and kissed her mouth and her eyes, and she him again; +and then he sat himself down beside her. But her eyes looked kindly +on him as she said: + +"O Thiodolf, hardy art thou, that thou hast no fear to take me in +thine arms and to kiss me, as though thou hadst met in the meadow +with a maiden of the Elkings: and I, who am a daughter of the Gods +of thy kindred, and a Chooser of the Slain! Yea, and that upon the +eve of battle and the dawn of thy departure to the stricken field!" + +"O Wood-Sun," he said "thou art the treasure of life that I found +when I was young, and the love of life that I hold, now that my beard +is grizzling. Since when did I fear thee, Wood-Sun? Did I fear thee +when first I saw thee, and we stood amidst the hazelled field, we +twain living amongst the slain? But my sword was red with the blood +of the foe, and my raiment with mine own blood; and I was a-weary +with the day's work, and sick with many strokes, and methought I was +fainting into death. And there thou wert before me, full of life and +ruddy and smiling both lips and eyes; thy raiment clean and clear, +thine hands stained with blood: then didst thou take me by my bloody +and weary hand, and didst kiss my lips grown ashen pale, and thou +saidst 'Come with me.' And I strove to go, and might not; so many +and sore were my hurts. Then amidst my sickness and my weariness was +I merry; for I said to myself, This is the death of the warrior, and +it is exceeding sweet. What meaneth it? Folk said of me; he is over +young to meet the foeman; yet am I not over young to die?" + +Therewith he laughed out amid the wild-wood, and his speech became +song, and he said: + + +"We wrought in the ring of the hazels, and the wine of war we drank: +From the tide when the sun stood highest to the hour wherein she +sank: +And three kings came against me, the mightiest of the Huns, +The evil-eyed in battle, the swift-foot wily ones; +And they gnashed their teeth against me, and they gnawed on the +shield-rims there, +On that afternoon of summer, in the high-tide of the year. +Keen-eyed I gazed about me, and I saw the clouds draw up +Till the heavens were dark as the hollow of a wine-stained iron cup, +And the wild-deer lay unfeeding on the grass of the forest glades, +And all earth was scared with the thunder above our clashing blades. + +"Then sank a King before me, and on fell the other twain, +And I tossed up the reddened sword-blade in the gathered rush of the +rain +And the blood and the water blended, and fragrant grew the earth. + +"There long I turned and twisted within the battle-girth +Before those bears of onset: while out from the grey world streamed +The broad red lash of the lightening and in our byrnies gleamed. +And long I leapt and laboured in that garland of the fight +'Mid the blue blades and the lightening; but ere the sky grew light +The second of the Hun-kings on the rain-drenched daisies lay; +And we twain with the battle blinded a little while made stay, +And leaning on our sword-hilts each on the other gazed. + +"Then the rain grew less, and one corner of the veil of clouds was +raised, +And as from the broidered covering gleams out the shoulder white +Of the bed-mate of the warrior when on his wedding night +He layeth his hand to the linen; so, down there in the west +Gleamed out the naked heaven: but the wrath rose up in my breast, +And the sword in my hand rose with it, and I leaped and hewed at the +Hun; +And from him too flared the war-flame, and the blades danced bright +in the sun +Come back to the earth for a little before the ending of day. + +"There then with all that was in him did the Hun play out the play, +Till he fell, and left me tottering, and I turned my feet to wend +To the place of the mound of the mighty, the gate of the way without +end. +And there thou wert. How was it, thou Chooser of the Slain, +Did I die in thine arms, and thereafter did thy mouth-kiss wake me +again?" + + +Ere the last sound of his voice was done she turned and kissed him; +and then she said; "Never hadst thou a fear and thine heart is full +of hardihood." + +Then he said: + + +"'Tis the hardy heart, beloved, that keepeth me alive, +As the king-leek in the garden by the rain and the sun doth thrive, +So I thrive by the praise of the people; it is blent with my drink +and my meat; +As I slumber in the night-tide it laps me soft and sweet; +And through the chamber window when I waken in the morn +With the wind of the sun's arising from the meadow is it borne +And biddeth me remember that yet I live on earth: +Then I rise and my might is with me, and fills my heart with mirth, +As I think of the praise of the people; and all this joy I win +By the deeds that my heart commandeth and the hope that lieth +therein." + + +"Yea," she said, "but day runneth ever on the heels of day, and there +are many and many days; and betwixt them do they carry eld." + +"Yet art thou no older than in days bygone," said he. "Is it so, O +Daughter of the Gods, that thou wert never born, but wert from before +the framing of the mountains, from the beginning of all things?" + +But she said: + + +"Nay, nay; I began, I was born; although it may be indeed +That not on the hills of the earth I sprang from the godhead's seed. +And e'en as my birth and my waxing shall be my waning and end. +But thou on many an errand, to many a field dost wend +Where the bow at adventure bended, or the fleeing dastard's spear +Oft lulleth the mirth of the mighty. Now me thou dost not fear, +Yet fear with me, beloved, for the mighty Maid I fear; +And Doom is her name, and full often she maketh me afraid +And even now meseemeth on my life her hand is laid." + + +But he laughed and said: + + +"In what land is she abiding? Is she near or far away? +Will she draw up close beside me in the press of the battle play? +And if then I may not smite her 'midst the warriors of the field +With the pale blade of my fathers, will she bide the shove of my +shield?" + + +But sadly she sang in answer: + + +"In many a stead Doom dwelleth, nor sleepeth day nor night: +The rim of the bowl she kisseth, and beareth the chambering light +When the kings of men wend happy to the bride-bed from the board. +It is little to say that she wendeth the edge of the grinded sword, +When about the house half builded she hangeth many a day; +The ship from the strand she shoveth, and on his wonted way +By the mountain-hunter fareth where his foot ne'er failed before: +She is where the high bank crumbles at last on the river's shore: +The mower's scythe she whetteth; and lulleth the shepherd to sleep +Where the deadly ling-worm wakeneth in the desert of the sheep. +Now we that come of the God-kin of her redes for ourselves we wot, +But her will with the lives of men-folk and their ending know we not. +So therefore I bid thee not fear for thyself of Doom and her deed, +But for me: and I bid thee hearken to the helping of my need. +Or else--Art thou happy in life, or lusteth thou to die +In the flower of thy days, when thy glory and thy longing bloom on +high?" + + +But Thiodolf answered her: + + +"I have deemed, and long have I deemed that this is my second life, +That my first one waned with my wounding when thou cam'st to the ring +of strife. +For when in thine arms I wakened on the hazelled field of yore, +Meseemed I had newly arisen to a world I knew no more, +So much had all things brightened on that dewy dawn of day. +It was dark dull death that I looked for when my thought had died +away. +It was lovely life that I woke to; and from that day henceforth +My joy of the life of man-folk was manifolded of worth. +Far fairer the fields of the morning than I had known them erst, +And the acres where I wended, and the corn with its half-slaked +thirst; +And the noble Roof of the Wolfings, and the hawks that sat thereon; +And the bodies of my kindred whose deliverance I had won; +And the glimmering of the Hall-Sun in the dusky house of old; +And my name in the mouth of the maidens, and the praises of the bold, +As I sat in my battle-raiment, and the ruddy spear well steeled +Leaned 'gainst my side war-battered, and the wounds thine hand had +healed. +Yea, from that morn thenceforward has my life been good indeed, +The gain of to-day was goodly, and good to-morrow's need, +And good the whirl of the battle, and the broil I wielded there, +Till I fashioned the ordered onset, and the unhoped victory fair. +And good were the days thereafter of utter deedless rest +And the prattle of thy daughter, and her hands on my unmailed breast. +Ah good is the life thou hast given, the life that mine hands have +won. +And where shall be the ending till the world is all undone? +Here sit we twain together, and both we in Godhead clad, +We twain of the Wolfing kindred, and each of the other glad." + + +But she answered, and her face grew darker withal: + + +"O mighty man and joyous, art thou of the Wolfing kin? +'Twas no evil deed when we mingled, nor lieth doom therein. +Thou lovely man, thou black-haired, thou shalt die and have done no +ill. +Fame-crowned are the deeds of thy doing, and the mouths of men they +fill. +Thou betterer of the Godfolk, enduring is thy fame: +Yet as a painted image of a dream is thy dreaded name. +Of an alien folk thou comest, that we twain might be one indeed. +Thou shalt die one day. So hearken, to help me at my need." + + +His face grew troubled and he said: "What is this word that I am no +chief of the Wolfings?" + +"Nay," she said, "but better than they. Look thou on the face of our +daughter the Hall-Sun, thy daughter and mine: favoureth she at all +of me?" + +He laughed: "Yea, whereas she is fair, but not otherwise. This is a +hard saying, that I dwell among an alien kindred, and it wotteth not +thereof. Why hast thou not told me hereof before?" + +She said: "It needed not to tell thee because thy day was waxing, as +now it waneth. Once more I bid thee hearken and do my bidding though +it be hard to thee." + +He answered: "Even so will I as much as I may; and thus wise must +thou look upon it, that I love life, and fear not death." + +Then she spake, and again her words fell into rhyme: + + +"In forty fights hast thou foughten, and been worsted but in four; +And I looked on and was merry; and ever more and more +Wert thou dear to the heart of the Wood-Sun, and the Chooser of the +Slain. +But now whereas ye are wending with slaughter-herd and wain +To meet a folk that ye know not, a wonder, a peerless foe, +I fear for thy glory's waning, and I see thee lying alow." + + +Then he brake in: "Herein is little shame to be worsted by the might +of the mightiest: if this so mighty folk sheareth a limb off the +tree of my fame, yet shall it wax again." + +But she sang: + + +"In forty fights hast thou foughten, and beside thee who but I +Beheld the wind-tossed banners, and saw the aspen fly? +But to-day to thy war I wend not, for Weird withholdeth me +And sore my heart forebodeth for the battle that shall be. +To-day with thee I wend not; so I feared, and lo my feet, +That are wont to the woodland girdle of the acres of the wheat, +For thee among strange people and the foeman's throng have trod, +And I tell thee their banner of battle is a wise and a mighty God. +For these are the folk of the cities, and in wondrous wise they dwell +'Mid confusion of heaped houses, dim and black as the face of hell; +Though therefrom rise roofs most goodly, where their captains and +their kings +Dwell amidst the walls of marble in abundance of fair things; +And 'mid these, nor worser nor better, but builded otherwise +Stand the Houses of the Fathers, and the hidden mysteries. +And as close as are the tree-trunks that within the beech-wood thrive +E'en so many are their pillars; and therein like men alive +Stand the images of god-folk in such raiment as they wore +In the years before the cities and the hidden days of yore. +Ah for the gold that I gazed on! and their store of battle gear, +And strange engines that I knew not, or the end for which they were. +Ah for the ordered wisdom of the war-array of these, +And the folks that are sitting about them in dumb down-trodden peace! +So I thought now fareth war-ward my well-beloved friend, +And the weird of the Gods hath doomed it that no more with him may I +wend! +Woe's me for the war of the Wolfings wherefrom I am sundered apart, +And the fruitless death of the war-wise, and the doom of the hardy +heart!" + + +Then he answered, and his eyes grew kind as he looked on her: + + +"For thy fair love I thank thee, and thy faithful word, O friend! +But how might it otherwise happen but we twain must meet in the end, +The God of this mighty people and the Markmen and their kin? +Lo, this is the weird of the world, and what may we do herein?" + + +Then mirth came into her face again as she said: + +"Who wotteth of Weird, and what she is till the weird is +accomplished? Long hath it been my weird to love thee and to fashion +deeds for thee as I may; nor will I depart from it now." And she +sang: + + +"Keen-edged is the sword of the city, and bitter is its spear, +But thy breast in the battle, beloved, hath a wall of the stithy's +gear. +What now is thy wont in the handplay with the helm and the hauberk of +rings? +Farest thou as the thrall and the cot-carle, or clad in the raiment +of kings?" + + +He started, and his face reddened as he answered: + + +"O Wood-Sun thou wottest our battle and the way wherein we fare: +That oft at the battle's beginning the helm and the hauberk we bear; +Lest the shaft of the fleeing coward or the bow at adventure bent +Should slay us ere the need be, ere our might be given and spent. +Yet oft ere the fight is over, and Doom hath scattered the foe, +No leader of the people by his war-gear shall ye know, +But by his hurts the rather, from the cot-carle and the thrall: +For when all is done that a man may, 'tis the hour for a man to +fall." + + +She yet smiled as she said in answer: + + +"O Folk-wolf, heed and hearken; for when shall thy life be spent +And the Folk wherein thou dwellest with thy death be well content? +Whenso folk need the fire, do they hew the apple-tree, +And burn the Mother of Blossom and the fruit that is to be? +Or me wilt thou bid to thy grave-mound because thy battle-wrath +May nothing more be bridled than the whirl wind on his path? +So hearken and do my bidding, for the hauberk shalt thou bear +E'en when the other warriors cast off their battle-gear. +So come thou, come unwounded from the war-field of the south, +And sit with me in the beech-wood, and kiss me, eyes and mouth." + + +And she kissed him in very deed, and made much of him, and fawned on +him, and laid her hand on his breast, and he was soft and blithe with +her, but at last he laughed and said: + + +"God's Daughter, long hast thou lived, and many a matter seen, +And men full often grieving for the deed that might have been; +But here my heart thou wheedlest as a maid of tender years +When first in the arms of her darling the horn of war she hears. +Thou knowest the axe to be heavy, and the sword, how keen it is; +But that Doom of which thou hast spoken, wilt thou not tell of this, +God's Daughter, how it sheareth, and how it breaketh through +Each wall that the warrior buildeth, yea all deeds that he may do? +What might in the hammer's leavings, in the fire's thrall shall abide +To turn that Folks' o'erwhelmer from the fated warrior's side?" + + +Then she laughed in her turn, and loudly; but so sweetly that the +sound of her voice mingled with the first song of a newly awakened +wood-thrush sitting on a rowan twig on the edge of the Wood-lawn. +But she said: + + +"Yea, I that am God's Daughter may tell thee never a whit +From what land cometh the hauberk nor what smith smithied it, +That thou shalt wear in the handplay from the first stroke to the +last; +But this thereof I tell thee, that it holdeth firm and fast +The life of the body it lappeth, if the gift of the Godfolk it be. +Lo this is the yoke-mate of doom, and the gift of me unto thee." + + +Then she leaned down from the stone whereon they sat, and her hand +was in the dewy grass for a little, and then it lifted up a dark grey +rippling coat of rings; and she straightened herself in the seat +again, and laid that hauberk on the knees of Thiodolf, and he put his +hand to it, and turned it about, while he pondered long: then at +last he said: + + +"What evil thing abideth with this warder of the strife, +This burg and treasure chamber for the hoarding of my life? +For this is the work of the dwarfs, and no kindly kin of the earth; +And all we fear the dwarf-kin and their anger and sorrow and mirth." + + +She cast her arms about him and fondled him, and her voice grew +sweeter than the voice of any mortal thing as she answered: + + +"No ill for thee, beloved, or for me in the hauberk lies; +No sundering grief is in it, no lonely miseries. +But we shall abide together, and that new life I gave, +For a long while yet henceforward we twain its joy shall have. +Yea, if thou dost my bidding to wear my gift in the fight +No hunter of the wild-wood at the changing of the night +Shall see my shape on thy grave-mound or my tears in the morning find +With the dew of the morning mingled; nor with the evening wind +Shall my body pass the shepherd as he wandereth in the mead +And fill him with forebodings on the eve of the Wolfings' need. +Nor the horse-herd wake in the midnight and hear my fateful cry; +Nor yet shall the Wolfing women hear words on the wind go by +As they weave and spin the night down when the House is gone to the +war, +And weep for the swains they wedded and the children that they bore. +Yea do my bidding, O Folk-wolf, lest a grief of the Gods should weigh +On the ancient House of the Wolfings and my death o'ercloud its day." + + +And still she clung about him, while he spake no word of yea or nay: +but at the last he let himself glide wholly into her arms, and the +dwarf-wrought hauberk fell from his knees and lay on the grass. + +So they abode together in that wood-lawn till the twilight was long +gone, and the sun arisen for some while. And when Thiodolf stepped +out of the beech-wood into the broad sunshine dappled with the shadow +of the leaves of the hazels moving gently in the fresh morning air, +he was covered from the neck to the knee by a hauberk of rings dark +and grey and gleaming, fashioned by the dwarfs of ancient days. + + + +CHAPTER IV--THE HOUSE FARETH TO THE WAR + + + +Now when Thiodolf came back to the habitations of the kindred the +whole House was astir, both thrall-men and women, and free women +hurrying from cot to stithy, and from stithy to hall bearing the last +of the war-gear or raiment for the fighting-men. But they for their +part were some standing about anigh the Man's-door, some sitting +gravely within the hall, some watching the hurry of the thralls and +women from the midmost of the open space amidst of the habitations, +whereon there stood yet certain wains which were belated: for the +most of the wains were now standing with the oxen already yoked to +them down in the meadow past the acres, encircled by a confused +throng of kine and horses and thrall-folk, for thither had all the +beasts for the slaughter, and the horses for the warriors been +brought; and there were the horses tethered or held by the thralls; +some indeed were already saddled and bridled, and on others were the +thralls doing the harness. + +But as for the wains of the Markmen, they were stoutly framed of ash- +tree with panels of aspen, and they were broad-wheeled so that they +might go over rough and smooth. They had high tilts over them well +framed of willow-poles covered over with squares of black felt over- +lapping like shingles; which felt they made of the rough of their +fleeces, for they had many sheep. And these wains were to them for +houses upon the way if need were, and therein as now were stored +their meal and their war-store and after fight they would flit their +wounded men in them, such as were too sorely hurt to back a horse: +nor must it be hidden that whiles they looked to bring back with them +the treasure of the south. Moreover the folk if they were worsted in +any battle, instead of fleeing without more done, would often draw +back fighting into a garth made by these wains, and guarded by some +of their thralls; and there would abide the onset of those who had +thrust them back in the field. And this garth they called the Wain- +burg. + +So now stood three of these wains aforesaid belated amidst of the +habitations of the House, their yoke-beasts standing or lying down +unharnessed as yet to them: but in the very midst of that place was +a wain unlike to them; smaller than they but higher; square of shape +as to the floor of it; built lighter than they, yet far stronger; as +the warrior is stronger than the big carle and trencher-licker that +loiters about the hall; and from the midst of this wain arose a mast +made of a tall straight fir-tree, and thereon hung the banner of the +Wolfings, wherein was wrought the image of the Wolf, but red of hue +as a token of war, and with his mouth open and gaping upon the +foemen. Also whereas the other wains were drawn by mere oxen, and +those of divers colours, as chance would have it, the wain of the +banner was drawn by ten black bulls of the mightiest of the herd, +deep-dewlapped, high-crested and curly-browed; and their harness was +decked with gold, and so was the wain itself, and the woodwork of it +painted red with vermilion. There then stood the Banner of the House +of the Wolfings awaiting the departure of the warriors to the +hosting. + +So Thiodolf stood on the top of the bent beside that same mound +wherefrom he had blown the War-horn yester-eve, and which was called +the Hill of Speech, and he shaded his eyes with his hand and looked +around him; and even therewith the carles fell to yoking the beasts +to the belated wains, and the warriors gathered together from out of +the mixed throngs, and came from the Roof and the Man's-door and all +set their faces toward the Hill of Speech. + +So Thiodolf knew that all was ready for departure, and it wanted but +an hour of high-noon; so he turned about and went into the Hall, and +there found his shield and his spear hanging in his sleeping place +beside the hauberk he was wont to wear; then he looked, as one +striving with thought, at his empty hauberk and his own body covered +with the dwarf-wrought rings; nor did his face change as he took his +shield and his spear and turned away. Then he went to the dais and +there sat his foster-daughter (as men deemed her) sitting amidst of +it as yester-eve, and now arrayed in a garment of fine white wool, on +the breast whereof were wrought in gold two beasts ramping up against +a fire-altar whereon a flame flickered; and on the skirts and the +hems were other devices, of wolves chasing deer, and men shooting +with the bow; and that garment was an ancient treasure; but she had a +broad girdle of gold and gems about her middle, and on her arms and +neck she wore great gold rings wrought delicately. By then there +were few save the Hall-Sun under the Roof, and they but the oldest of +the women, or a few very old men, and some who were ailing and might +not go abroad. But before her on the thwart table lay the Great War- +horn awaiting the coming of Thiodolf to give signal of departure. + +Then went Thiodolf to the Hall-Sun and kissed and embraced her +fondly, and she gave the horn into his hands, and he went forth and +up on to the Hill of Speech, and blew thence a short blast on the +horn, and then came all the Warriors flocking to the Hill of Speech, +each man stark in his harness, alert and joyous. + +Then presently through the Man's-door came the Hall-Sun in that +ancient garment, which fell straight and stiff down to her ancles as +she stepped lightly and slowly along, her head crowned with a garland +of eglantine. In her right hand also she held a great torch of wax +lighted, whose flame amidst the bright sunlight looked like a +wavering leaf of vermilion. + +The warriors saw her, and made a lane for her, and she made her way +through it up to the Hill of Speech, and she went up to the top of it +and stood there holding the lighted candle in her hand, so that all +might see it. Then suddenly was there as great a silence as there +may be on a forenoon of summer; for even the thralls down in the +meadow had noted what was toward, and ceased their talking and +shouting, for as far off as they were, since they could see that the +Hall-Sun stood on the Hill of Speech, for the wood was dark behind +her; so they knew the Farewell Flame was lighted, and that the maiden +would speak; and to all men her speech was a boding of good or of +ill. + +So she began in a sweet voice yet clear and far-reaching: + + +"O Warriors of the Wolfings by the token of the flame +That here in my right hand flickers, come aback to the House of the +Name! +For there yet burneth the Hall-Sun beneath the Wolfing roof, +And this flame is litten from it, nor as now shall it fare aloof +Till again it seeth the mighty and the men to be gleaned from the +fight. +So wend ye as weird willeth and let your hearts be light; +For through your days of battle all the deeds of our days shall be +fair. +To-morrow beginneth the haysel, as if every carle were here; +And who knoweth ere your returning but the hook shall smite the corn? +But the kine shall go down to the meadow as their wont is every morn, +And each eve shall come back to the byre; and the mares and foals +afield +Shall ever be heeded duly; and all things shall their increase yield. +And if it shall befal us that hither cometh a foe +Here have we swains of the shepherds good players with the bow, +And old men battle-crafty whose might is nowise spent, +And women fell and fearless well wont to tread the bent +Amid the sheep and the oxen; and their hands are hard with the spear +And their arms are strong and stalwart the battle shield to bear; +And store of weapons have we and the mighty walls of the stead; +And the Roof shall abide you steadfast with the Hall-Sun overhead. +Lo here I quench this candle that is lit from the Hall-Sun's flame +Which unto the Wild-wood clearing with the kin of the Wolfings came +And shall wend with their departure to the limits of the earth; +Nor again shall the torch be lighted till in sorrow or in mirth, +Overthrown or overthrowing, ye come aback once more, +And bid me bear the candle before the Wolf of War." + + +As she spake the word she turned the candle downward, and thrust it +against the grass and quenched it indeed; but the whole throng of +warriors turned about, for the bulls of the banner-wain lowered their +heads in the yokes and began to draw, lowing mightily; and the wain +creaked and moved on, and all the men-at-arms followed after, and +down they went through the lanes of the corn, and a many women and +children and old men went down into the mead with them. + +In their hearts they all wondered what the Hall-Sun's words might +signify; for she had told them nought about the battles to be, saving +that some should come back to the Mid-mark; whereas aforetime +somewhat would she foretell to them concerning the fortune of the +fight, and now had she said to them nothing but what their own hearts +told them. Nevertheless they bore their crests high as they followed +the Wolf down into the meadow, where all was now ready for departure. +There they arrayed themselves and went down to the lip of Mirkwood- +water; and such was their array that the banner went first, save that +a band of fully armed men went before it; and behind it and about +were the others as well arrayed as they. Then went the wains that +bore their munition, with armed carles of the thrall-folk about them, +who were ever the guard of the wains, and should never leave them +night or day; and lastly went the great band of the warriors and the +rest of the thralls with them. + +As to their war-gear, all the freemen had helms of some kind, but not +all of iron or steel; for some bore helms fashioned of horse-hide and +bull-hide covered over with the similitude of a Wolf's muzzle; nor +were these ill-defence against a sword-stroke. Shields they all had, +and all these had the image of the Wolf marked on them, but for many +their thralls bore them on the journey. As to their body-armour some +carried long byrnies of ring-mail, some coats of leather covered with +splinters of horn laid like the shingles of a roof, and some skin- +coats only: whereof indeed there were some of which tales went that +they were better than the smith's hammer-work, because they had had +spells sung over them to keep out steel or iron. + +But for their weapons, they bore spears with shafts not very long, +some eight feet of our measure; and axes heavy and long-shafted; and +bills with great and broad heads; and some few, but not many of the +kindred were bowmen, and every freeman was girt with a sword; but of +the swords some were long and two-edged, some short and heavy, +cutting on one edge, and these were of the kind which they and our +forefathers long after called 'sax.' Thus were the freemen arrayed. + +But for the thralls, there were many bows among them, especially +among those who were of blood alien from the Goths; the others bore +short spears, and feathered broad arrows, and clubs bound with iron, +and knives and axes, but not every man of them had a sword. Few iron +helms they had and no ringed byrnies, but most had a buckler at their +backs with no sign or symbol on it. + +Thus then set forth the fighting men of the House of the Wolf toward +the Thing-stead of the Upper-mark where the hosting was to be, and by +then they were moving up along the side of Mirkwood-water it was +somewhat past high-noon. + +But the stay-at-home people who had come down with them to the meadow +lingered long in that place; and much foreboding there was among them +of evil to come; and of the old folk, some remembered tales of the +past days of the Markmen, and how they had come from the ends of the +earth, and the mountains where none dwell now but the Gods of their +kindreds; and many of these tales told of their woes and their wars +as they went from river to river and from wild-wood to wild-wood +before they had established their Houses in the Mark, and fallen to +dwelling there season by season and year by year whether the days +were good or ill. And it fell into their hearts that now at last +mayhappen was their abiding wearing out to an end, and that the day +should soon be when they should have to bear the Hall-Sun through the +wild-wood, and seek a new dwelling-place afar from the troubling of +these newly arisen Welsh foemen. + +And so those of them who could not rid themselves of this foreboding +were somewhat heavier of heart than their wont was when the House +went to the War. For long had they abided there in the Mark, and the +life was sweet to them which they knew, and the life which they knew +not was bitter to them: and Mirkwood-water was become as a God to +them no less than to their fathers of old time; nor lesser was the +mead where fed the horses that they loved and the kine that they had +reared, and the sheep that they guarded from the Wolf of the Wild- +wood: and they worshipped the kind acres which they themselves and +their fathers had made fruitful, wedding them to the seasons of seed- +time and harvest, that the birth that came from them might become a +part of the kindred of the Wolf, and the joy and might of past +springs and summers might run in the blood of the Wolfing children. +And a dear God indeed to them was the Roof of the Kindred, that their +fathers had built and that they yet warded against the fire and the +lightening and the wind and the snow, and the passing of the days +that devour and the years that heap the dust over the work of men. +They thought of how it had stood, and seen so many generations of men +come and go; how often it had welcomed the new-born babe, and given +farewell to the old man: how many secrets of the past it knew; how +many tales which men of the present had forgotten, but which yet +mayhap men of times to come should learn of it; for to them yet +living it had spoken time and again, and had told them what their +fathers had not told them, and it held the memories of the +generations and the very life of the Wolfings and their hopes for the +days to be. + +Thus these poor people thought of the Gods whom they worshipped, and +the friends whom they loved, and could not choose but be heavy- +hearted when they thought that the wild-wood was awaiting them to +swallow all up, and take away from them their Gods and their friends +and the mirth of their life, and burden them with hunger and thirst +and weariness, that their children might begin once more to build the +House and establish the dwelling, and call new places by old names, +and worship new Gods with the ancient worship. + +Such imaginations of trouble then were in the hearts of the stay-at- +homes of the Wolfings; the tale tells not indeed that all had such +forebodings, but chiefly the old folk who were nursing the end of +their life-days amidst the cherishing Kindred of the House. + +But now they were beginning to turn them back again to the +habitations, and a thin stream was flowing through the acres, when +they heard a confused sound drawing near blended of horns and the +lowing of beasts and the shouting of men; and they looked and saw a +throng of brightly clad men coming up stream alongside of Mirkwood- +water; and they were not afraid, for they knew that it must be some +other company of the Markmen journeying to the hosting of the Folk: +and presently they saw that it was the House of the Beamings +following their banner on the way to the Thing-stead. But when the +new-comers saw the throng out in the meads, some of their young men +pricked on their horses and galloped on past the women and old men, +to whom they threw a greeting, as they ran past to catch up with the +bands of the Wolfings; for between the two houses was there affinity, +and much good liking lay between them; and the stay-at-homes, many of +them, lingered yet till the main body of the Beamings came with their +banner: and their array was much like to that of the Wolfings, but +gayer; for whereas it pleased the latter to darken all their wargear +to the colour of the grey Wolf, the Beamings polished all their gear +as bright as might be, and their raiment also was mostly bright green +of hue and much beflowered; and the sign on their banner was a green +leafy tree, and the wain was drawn by great white bulls. + +So when their company drew anear to the throng of the stay-at-homes +they went to meet and greet each other, and tell tidings to each +other; but their banner held steadily onward amidst their converse, +and in a little while they followed it, for the way was long to the +Thing-stead of the Upper-mark. + +So passed away the fighting men by the side of Mirkwood-water, and +the throng of the stay-at-homes melted slowly from the meadow and +trickled along through the acres to the habitations of the Wolfings, +and there they fell to doing whatso of work or play came to their +hands. + + + +CHAPTER V--CONCERNING THE HALL-SUN + + + +When the warriors and the others had gone down to the mead, the Hall- +Sun was left standing on the Hill of Speech, and she stood there till +she saw the host in due array going on its ways dark and bright and +beautiful; then she made as if to turn aback to the Great Roof; but +all at once it seemed to her as if something held her back, as if her +will to move had departed from her, and that she could not put one +foot before the other. So she lingered on the Hill, and the quenched +candle fell from her hand, and presently she sank adown on the grass +and sat there with the face of one thinking intently. Yet was it +with her that a thousand thoughts were in her mind at once and no one +of them uppermost, and images of what had been and what then was +flickered about in her brain, and betwixt them were engendered images +of things to be, but unstable and not to be trowed in. So sat the +Hall-Sun on the Hill of Speech lost in a dream of the day, whose +stories were as little clear as those of a night-dream. + +But as she sat musing thus, came to her a woman exceeding old to look +on, whom she knew not as one of the kindred or a thrall; and this +carline greeted her by the name of Hall-Sun and said: + + +"Hail, Hall-Sun of the Markmen! how fares it now with thee +When the whelps of the Woodbeast wander with the Leafage of the Tree +All up the Mirkwood-water to seek what they shall find, +The oak-boles of the battle and the war-wood stark and blind?" + + +Then answered the maiden: + + +"It fares with me, O mother, that my soul would fain go forth +To behold the ways of the battle, and the praise of the warriors' +worth. +But yet is it held entangled in a maze of many a thing, +As the low-grown bramble holdeth the brake-shoots of the Spring. +I think of the thing that hath been, but no shape is in my thought; +I think of the day that passeth, and its story comes to nought. +I think of the days that shall be, nor shape I any tale. +I will hearken thee, O mother, if hearkening may avail." + + +The Carline gazed at her with dark eyes that shone brightly from +amidst her brown wrinkled face: then she sat herself down beside her +and spake: + + +"From a far folk have I wandered and I come of an alien blood, +But I know all tales of the Wolfings and their evil and their good; +And when I heard of thy fairness, thereof I heard it said, +That for thee should be never a bridal nor a place in the warrior's +bed." + + +The maiden neither reddened nor paled, but looking with calm steady +eyes into the Carline's face she answered: + + +"Yea true it is, I am wedded to the mighty ones of old, +And the fathers of the Wolfings ere the days of field and fold." + + +Then a smile came into the eyes of the old woman and she said. + + +"How glad shall be thy mother of thy worship and thy worth, +And the father that begat thee if yet they dwell on earth!" + + +But the Hall-Sun answered in the same steady manner as before: + + +"None knoweth who is my mother, nor my very father's name; +But when to the House of the Wolfings a wild-wood waif I came, +They gave me a foster-mother an ancient dame and good, +And a glorious foster-father the best of all the blood." + + +Spake the Carline. + + +"Yea, I have heard the story, but scarce therein might I trow +That thou with all thy beauty wert born 'neath the oaken bough, +And hast crawled a naked baby o'er the rain-drenched autumn-grass; +Wilt thou tell the wandering woman what wise it cometh to pass +That thou art the Mid-mark's Hall-Sun, and the sign of the Wolfings' +gain? +Thou shalt pleasure me much by the telling, and there of shalt thou +be fain." + + +Then answered the Hall-Sun. + + +"Yea; thus much I remember for the first of my memories; +That I lay on the grass in the morning and above were the boughs of +the trees. +But nought naked was I as the wood-whelp, but clad in linen white, +And adown the glades of the oakwood the morning sun lay bright. +Then a hind came out of the thicket and stood on the sunlit glade, +And turned her head toward the oak tree and a step on toward me made. +Then stopped, and bounded aback, and away as if in fear, +That I saw her no more; then I wondered, though sitting close anear +Was a she-wolf great and grisly. But with her was I wont to play, +And pull her ears, and belabour her rugged sides and grey, +And hold her jaws together, while she whimpered, slobbering +For the love of my love; and nowise I deemed her a fearsome thing. +There she sat as though she were watching, and o'er head a blue- +winged jay +Shrieked out from the topmost oak-twigs, and a squirrel ran his way +Two tree-trunks off. But the she-wolf arose up suddenly +And growled with her neck-fell bristling, as if danger drew anigh; +And therewith I heard a footstep, for nice was my ear to catch +All the noises of the wild-wood; so there did we sit at watch +While the sound of feet grew nigher: then I clapped hand on hand +And crowed for joy and gladness, for there out in the sun did stand +A man, a glorious creature with a gleaming helm on his head, +And gold rings on his arms, in raiment gold-broidered crimson-red. +Straightway he strode up toward us nor heeded the wolf of the wood +But sang as he went in the oak-glade, as a man whose thought is good, +And nought she heeded the warrior, but tame as a sheep was grown, +And trotted away through the wild-wood with her crest all laid adown. +Then came the man and sat down by the oak-bole close unto me +And took me up nought fearful and set me on his knee. +And his face was kind and lovely, so my cheek to his cheek I laid +And touched his cold bright war-helm and with his gold rings played, +And hearkened his words, though I knew not what tale they had to +tell, +Yet fain was my heart of their music, and meseemed I loved him well. +So we fared for a while and were fain, till he set down my feet on +the grass, +And kissed me and stood up himself, and away through the wood did he +pass. +And then came back the she-wolf and with her I played and was fain. +Lo the first thing I remember: wilt thou have me babble again?" + + +Spake the Carline and her face was soft and kind: + + +"Nay damsel, long would I hearken to thy voice this summer day. +But how didst thou leave the wild-wood, what people brought thee +away?" + + +Then said the Hall-Sun: + + +"I awoke on a time in the even, and voices I heard as I woke; +And there was I in the wild-wood by the bole of the ancient oak, +And a ring of men was around me, and glad was I indeed +As I looked upon their faces and the fashion of their weed. +For I gazed on the red and the scarlet and the beaten silver and +gold, +And blithe were their noble faces and kindly to behold, +And nought had I seen of such-like since that hour of the other day +When that warrior came to the oak glade with the little child to +play. +And forth now he came, with the face that my hands had fondled +before, +And a battle shield wrought fairly upon his arm he bore, +And thereon the wood-wolf's image in ruddy gold was done. +Then I stretched out my little arms towards the glorious shining one +And he took me up and set me on his shoulder for a while +And turned about to his fellows with a blithe and joyous smile; +And they shouted aloud about me and drew forth gleaming swords +And clashed them on their bucklers; but nought I knew of the words +Of their shouting and rejoicing. So thereafter was I laid +And borne forth on the warrior's warshield, and our way through the +wood we made +'Midst the mirth and great contentment of those fair-clad shielded +men. + +"But no tale of the wolf and the wild-wood abides with me since then, +And the next thing I remember is a huge and dusky hall, +A world for my little body from ancient wall to wall; +A world of many doings, and nought for me to do, +A world of many noises, and known to me were few. + +"Time wore, and I spoke with the Wolfings and knew the speech of the +And was strange 'neath the roof no longer, as a lonely waif therein; +And I wrought as a child with my playmates and every hour looked on +kin, +Unto the next hour's joyance till the happy day was done. +And going and coming amidst us was a woman tall and thin +With hair like the hoary barley and silver streaks therein. +And kind and sad of visage, as now I remember me, +And she sat and told us stories when we were aweary with glee, +And many of us she fondled, but me the most of all. +And once from my sleep she waked me and bore me down the hall, +In the hush of the very midnight, and I was feared thereat. +But she brought me unto the dais, and there the warrior sat, +Who took me up and kissed me, as erst within the wood; +And meseems in his arms I slumbered: but I wakened again and stood +Alone with the kindly woman, and gone was the goodly man, +And athwart the hush of the Folk-hall the moon shone bright and wan, +And the woman dealt with a lamp hung up by a chain aloft, +And she trimmed it and fed it with oil, while she chanted sweet and +soft +A song whose words I knew not: then she ran it up again, +And up in the darkness above us died the length of its wavering +chain." + + +"Yea," said the carline, "this woman will have been the Hall-Sun that +came before thee. What next dost thou remember?" + +Said the maiden: + + +"Next I mind me of the hazels behind the People's Roof, +And the children running thither and the magpie flitting aloof, +And my hand in the hand of the Hall-Sun, as after the others we went, +And she soberly hearkening my prattle and the words of my intent. +And now would I call her 'Mother,' and indeed I loved her well. + +"So I waxed; and now of my memories the tale were long to tell; +But as the days passed over, and I fared to field and wood, +Alone or with my playmates, still the days were fair and good. +But the sad and kindly Hall-Sun for my fosterer now I knew, +And the great and glorious warrior that my heart clung sorely to +Was but my foster-father; and I knew that I had no kin +In the ancient House of the Wolfings, though love was warm therein." + + +Then smiled the carline and said: "Yea, he is thy foster-father, and +yet a fond one." + +"Sooth is that," said the Hall-Sun. "But wise art thou by seeming. +Hast thou come to tell me of what kindred I am, and who is my father +and who is my mother?" + +Said the carline: "Art thou not also wise? Is it not so that the +Hall-Sun of the Wolfings seeth things that are to come?" + +"Yea," she said, "yet have I seen waking or sleeping no other father +save my foster-father; yet my very mother I have seen, as one who +should meet her in the flesh one day." + +"And good is that," said the carline; and as she spoke her face waxed +kinder, and she said: + +"Tell us more of thy days in the House of the Wolfings and how thou +faredst there." + +Said the Hall-Sun: + + +"I waxed 'neath the Roof of the Wolfings, till now to look upon +I was of sixteen winters, and the love of the Folk I won, +And in lovely weed they clad me like the image of a God: +And lonely now full often the wild-wood ways I trod, +And I feared no wild-wood creature, and my presence scared them +nought; +And I fell to know of wisdom, and within me stirred my thought, +So that oft anights would I wander through the mead and far away, +And swim the Mirkwood-water, and amidst his eddies play +When earth was dark in the dawn-tide; and over all the folk +I knew of the beasts' desires, as though in words they spoke. + +"So I saw of things that should be, were they mighty things or small, +And upon a day as it happened came the war-word to the hall, +And the House must wend to the warfield, and as they sang, and played +With the strings of the harp that even, and the mirth of the war-eve +made, +Came the sight of the field to my eyes, and the words waxed hot in +me, +And I needs must show the picture of the end of the fight to be. +Then I showed them the Red Wolf bristling o'er the broken fleeing +foe; +And the war-gear of the fleers, and their banner did I show, +To wit the Ling-worm's image with the maiden in his mouth; +There I saw my foster-father 'mid the pale blades of the South, +Till aloof swept all the handplay and the hurry of the chase, +And he lay along by an ash-tree, no helm about his face, +No byrny on his body; and an arrow in his thigh, +And a broken spear in his shoulder. Then I saw myself draw nigh +To sing the song blood-staying. Then saw I how we twain +Went 'midst of the host triumphant in the Wolfings' banner-wain, +The black bulls lowing before us athwart the warriors' song, +As up from Mirkwood-water we went our ways along +To the Great Roof of the Wolfings, whence streamed the women out +And the sound of their rejoicing blent with the warriors' shout. + +"They heard me and saw the picture, and they wotted how wise I was +grown, +And they loved me, and glad were their hearts at the tale my lips had +shown; +And my body clad as an image of a God to the field they bore, +And I held by the mast of the banner as I looked upon their war, +And endured to see unblenching on the wind-swept sunny plain +All the picture of my vision by the menfolk done again. +And over my Foster-father I sang the staunching-song, +Till the life-blood that was ebbing flowed back to his heart the +strong, +And we wended back in the war-wain 'midst the gleanings of the fight +Unto the ancient dwelling and the Hall-Sun's glimmering light. + +"So from that day henceforward folk hung upon my words, +For the battle of the autumn, and the harvest of the swords; +And e'en more was I loved than aforetime. So wore a year away, +And heavy was the burden of the lore that on me lay. + +"But my fosterer the Hall-Sun took sick at the birth of the year, +And changed her life as the year changed, as summer drew anear. +But she knew that her life was waning, and lying in her bed +She taught me the lore of the Hall-Sun, and every word to be said +At the trimming in the midnight and the feeding in the morn, +And she laid her hands upon me ere unto the howe she was borne +With the kindred gathered about us; and they wotted her weird and her +will, +And hailed me for the Hall-Sun when at last she lay there still. +And they did on me the garment, the holy cloth of old, +And the neck-chain wrought for the goddess, and the rings of the +hallowed gold. +So here am I abiding, and of things to be I tell, +Yet know not what shall befall me nor why with the Wolfings I dwell." + + +Then said the carline: + + +"What seest thou, O daughter, of the journey of to-day? +And why wendest thou not with the war-host on the battle-echoing +way?" + + +Said the Hall-Sun. + + +"O mother, here dwelleth the Hall-Sun while the kin hath a dwelling- +place, +Nor ever again shall I look on the onset or the chase, +Till the day when the Roof of the Wolfings looketh down on the girdle +of foes, +And the arrow singeth over the grass of the kindred's close; +Till the pillars shake with the shouting and quivers the roof-tree +dear, +When the Hall of the Wolfings garners the harvest of the spear." + + +Therewith she stood on her feet and turned her face to the Great +Roof, and gazed long at it, not heeding the crone by her side; and +she muttered words of whose signification the other knew not, though +she listened intently, and gazed ever at her as closely as might be. + +Then fell the Hall-Sun utterly silent, and the lids closed over her +eyes, and her hands were clenched, and her feet pressed hard on the +daisies: her bosom heaved with sore sighs, and great tear-drops +oozed from under her eyelids and fell on to her raiment and her feet +and on to the flowery summer grass; and at the last her mouth opened +and she spake, but in a voice that was marvellously changed from that +she spake in before: + + +"Why went ye forth, O Wolfings, from the garth your fathers built, +And the House where sorrow dieth, and all unloosed is guilt? +Turn back, turn back, and behold it! lest your feet be over slow +When your shields are heavy-burdened with the arrows of the foe; +How ye totter, how ye stumble on the rough and corpse-strewn way! +And lo, how the eve is eating the afternoon of day! +O why are ye abiding till the sun is sunk in night +And the forest trees are ruddy with the battle-kindled light? +O rest not yet, ye Wolfings, lest void be your resting-place, +And into lands that ye know not the Wolf must turn his face, +And ye wander and ye wander till the land in the ocean cease, +And your battle bring no safety and your labour no increase." + + +Then was she silent for a while, and her tears ceased to flow; but +presently her eyes opened once more, and she lifted up her voice and +cried aloud - + + +"I see, I see! O Godfolk behold it from aloof, +How the little flames steal flickering along the ridge of the Roof! +They are small and red 'gainst the heavens in the summer afternoon; +But when the day is dusking, white, high shall they wave to the moon. +Lo, the fire plays now on the windows like strips of scarlet cloth +Wind-waved! but look in the night-tide on the onset of its wrath, +How it wraps round the ancient timbers and hides the mighty roof +But lighteth little crannies, so lost and far aloof, +That no man yet of the kindred hath seen them ere to-night, +Since first the builder builded in loving and delight!" + + +Then again she stayed her speech with weeping and sobbing, but after +a while was still again, and then she spoke pointing toward the roof +with her right hand. + + +"I see the fire-raisers and iron-helmed they are, +Brown-faced about the banners that their hands have borne afar. +And who in the garth of the kindred shall bear adown their shield +Since the onrush of the Wolfings they caught in the open field, +As the might of the mountain lion falls dead in the hempen net? +O Wolfings, long have ye tarried, but the hour abideth yet. +What life for the life of the people shall be given once for all, +What sorrow shall stay sorrow in the half-burnt Wolfing Hall? +There is nought shall quench the fire save the tears of the Godfolk's +kin, +And the heart of the life-delighter, and the life-blood cast +therein." + + +Then once again she fell silent, and her eyes closed again, and the +slow tears gushed out from them, and she sank down sobbing on the +grass, and little by little the storm of grief sank and her head fell +back, and she was as one quietly asleep. Then the carline hung over +her and kissed her and embraced her; and then through her closed eyes +and her slumber did the Hall-Sun see a marvel; for she who was +kissing her was young in semblance and unwrinkled, and lovely to look +on, with plenteous long hair of the hue of ripe barley, and clad in +glistening raiment such as has been woven in no loom on earth. + +And indeed it was the Wood-Sun in the semblance of a crone, who had +come to gather wisdom of the coming time from the foreseeing of the +Hall-Sun; since now at last she herself foresaw nothing of it, though +she was of the kindred of the Gods and the Fathers of the Goths. So +when she had heard the Hall-Sun she deemed that she knew but too well +what her words meant, and what for love, what for sorrow, she grew +sick at heart as she heard them. + +So at last she arose and turned to look at the Great Roof; and strong +and straight, and cool and dark grey showed its ridge against the +pale sky of the summer afternoon all quivering with the heat of many +hours' sun: dark showed its windows as she gazed on it, and stark +and stiff she knew were its pillars within. + +Then she said aloud, but to herself: "What then if a merry and +mighty life be given for it, and the sorrow of the people be +redeemed; yet will not I give the life which is his; nay rather let +him give the bliss which is mine. But oh! how may it be that he +shall die joyous and I shall live unhappy!" + +Then she went slowly down from the Hill of Speech, and whoso saw her +deemed her but a gangrel carline. So she went her ways and let the +wood cover her. + +But in a little while the Hall-Sun awoke alone, and sat up with a +sigh, and she remembered nothing concerning her sight of the +flickering flame along the hall-roof, and the fire-tongues like +strips of scarlet cloth blown by the wind, nor had she any memory of +her words concerning the coming day. But the rest of her talk with +the carline she remembered, and also the vision of the beautiful +woman who had kissed and embraced her; and she knew that it was her +very mother. Also she perceived that she had been weeping, therefore +she knew that she had uttered words of wisdom. For so it fared with +her at whiles, that she knew not her own words of foretelling, but +spoke them out as if in a dream. + +So now she went down from the Hill of Speech soberly, and turned +toward the Woman's door of the hall, and on her way she met the women +and old men and youths coming back from the meadow with little mirth: +and there were many of them who looked shyly at her as though they +would gladly have asked her somewhat, and yet durst not. But for +her, her sadness passed away when she came among them, and she looked +kindly on this and that one of them, and entered with them into the +Woman's Chamber, and did what came to her hand to do. + + + +CHAPTER VI--THEY TALK ON THE WAY TO THE FOLK-THING + + + +All day long one standing on the Speech-hill of the Wolfings might +have seen men in their war-array streaming along the side of +Mirkwood-water, on both sides thereof; and the last comers from the +Nether-mark came hastening all they might; for they would not be late +at the trysting-place. But these were of a kindred called the +Laxings, who bore a salmon on their banner; and they were somewhat +few in number, for they had but of late years become a House of the +Markmen. Their banner-wain was drawn by white horses, fleet and +strong, and they were no great band, for they had but few thralls +with them, and all, free men and thralls, were a-horseback; so they +rode by hastily with their banner-wain, their few munition-wains +following as they might. + +Now tells the tale of the men-at-arms of the Wolfings and the +Beamings, that soon they fell in with the Elking host, which was +journeying but leisurely, so that the Wolfings might catch up with +them: they were a very great kindred, the most numerous of all Mid- +mark, and at this time they had affinity with the Wolfings. But old +men of the House remembered how they had heard their grandsires and +very old men tell that there had been a time when the Elking House +had been established by men from out of the Wolfing kindred, and how +they had wandered away from the Mark in the days when it had been +first settled, and had abided aloof for many generations of men; and +so at last had come back again to the Mark, and had taken up their +habitation at a place in Mid-mark where was dwelling but a remnant of +a House called the Thyrings, who had once been exceeding mighty, but +had by that time almost utterly perished in a great sickness which +befel in those days. So then these two Houses, the wanderers come +back and the remnant left by the sickness of the Gods, made one House +together, and increased and throve after their coming together, and +wedded with the Wolfings, and became a very great House. + +Gallant and glorious was their array now, as they marched along with +their banner of the Elk, which was drawn by the very beasts +themselves tamed to draught to that end through many generations; +they were fatter and sleeker than their wild-wood brethren, but not +so mighty. + +So were the men of the three kindreds somewhat mingled together on +the way. The Wolfings were the tallest and the biggest made; but of +those dark-haired men aforesaid, were there fewest amongst the +Beamings, and most among the Elkings, as though they had drawn to +them more men of alien blood during their wanderings aforesaid. So +they talked together and made each other good cheer, as is the wont +of companions in arms on the eve of battle; and the talk ran, as may +be deemed, on that journey and what was likely to come of it: and +spake an Elking warrior to a Wolfing by whom he rode: + +"O Wolfkettle, hath the Hall-Sun had any foresight of the day of +battle?" + +"Nay," said the other, "when she lighted the farewell candle, she +bade us come back again, and spoke of the day of our return; but that +methinks, as thou and I would talk of it, thinking what would be +likely to befal. Since we are a great host of valiant men, and these +Welshmen {2} most valiant, and as the rumour runneth bigger-bodied +men than the Hun-folk, and so well ordered as never folk have been. +So then if we overthrow them we shall come back again; and if they +overthrow us, the remnant of us shall fall back before them till we +come to our habitations; for it is not to be looked for that they +will fall in upon our rear and prevent us, since we have the thicket +of the wild-wood on our flanks." + +"Sooth is that," said the Elking; "and as to the mightiness of this +folk and their customs, ye may gather somewhat from the songs which +our House yet singeth, and which ye have heard wide about in the +Mark; for this is the same folk of which a many of them tell, making +up that story-lay which is called the South-Welsh Lay; which telleth +how we have met this folk in times past when we were in fellowship +with a folk of the Welsh of like customs to ourselves: for we of the +Elkings were then but a feeble folk. So we marched with this folk of +the Kymry and met the men of the cities, and whiles we overthrew and +whiles were overthrown, but at last in a great battle were overthrown +with so great a slaughter, that the red blood rose over the wheels of +the wains, and the city-folk fainted with the work of the slaughter, +as men who mow a match in the meadows when the swathes are dry and +heavy and the afternoon of midsummer is hot; and there they stood and +stared on the field of the slain, and knew not whether they were in +Home or Hell, so fierce the fight had been." + +Therewith a man of the Beamings, who was riding on the other side of +the Elking, reached out over his horse's neck and said: + +"Yea friend, but is there not some telling of a tale concerning how +ye and your fellowship took the great city of the Welshmen of the +South, and dwelt there long." + +"Yea," said the Elking, "Hearken how it is told in the South-Welsh +Lay: + + + "'Have ye not heard + Of the ways of Weird? + How the folk fared forth + Far away from the North? + And as light as one wendeth + Whereas the wood endeth, + When of nought is our need, + And none telleth our deed, +So Rodgeir unwearied and Reidfari wan +The town where none tarried the shield-shaking man. +All lonely the street there, and void was the way +And nought hindered our feet but the dead men that lay +Under shield in the lanes of the houses heavens-high, +All the ring-bearing swains that abode there to die.' + + +"Tells the Lay, that none abode the Goths and their fellowship, but +such as were mighty enough to fall before them, and the rest, both +man and woman, fled away before our folk and before the folk of the +Kymry, and left their town for us to dwell in; as saith the Lay: + + + "'Glistening of gold + Did men's eyen behold; + Shook the pale sword + O'er the unspoken word, + No man drew nigh us + With weapon to try us, + For the Welsh-wrought shield + Lay low on the field. +By man's hand unbuilded all seemed there to be, +The walls ruddy gilded, the pearls of the sea: +Yea all things were dead there save pillar and wall, +But THEY lived and THEY said us the song of the hall; +The dear hall left to perish by men of the land, +For the Goth-folk to cherish with gold gaining hand.' + + +"See ye how the Lay tells that the hall was bolder than the men, who +fled from it, and left all for our fellowship to deal with in the +days gone by?" + +Said the Wolfing man: + +"And as it was once, so shall it be again. Maybe we shall go far on +this journey, and see at least one of the garths of the Southlands, +even those which they call cities. For I have heard it said that +they have more cities than one only, and that so great are their +kindreds, that each liveth in a garth full of mighty houses, with a +wall of stone and lime around it; and that in every one of these +garths lieth wealth untold heaped up. And wherefore should not all +this fall to the Markmen and their valiancy?" + +Said the Elking: + +"As to their many cities and the wealth of them, that is sooth; but +as to each city being the habitation of each kindred, it is +otherwise: for rather it may be said of them that they have +forgotten kindred, and have none, nor do they heed whom they wed, and +great is the confusion amongst them. And mighty men among them +ordain where they shall dwell, and what shall be their meat, and how +long they shall labour after they are weary, and in all wise what +manner of life shall be amongst them; and though they be called free +men who suffer this, yet may no house or kindred gainsay this rule +and order. In sooth they are a people mighty, but unhappy." + +Said Wolfkettle: + +"And hast thou learned all this from the ancient story lays, O +Hiarandi? For some of them I know, though not all, and therein have +I noted nothing of all this. Is there some new minstrel arisen in +thine House of a memory excelling all those that have gone before? +If that be so, I bid him to the Roof of the Wolfings as soon as may +be; for we lack new tales." + +"Nay," said Hiarandi, "This that I tell thee is not a tale of past +days, but a tale of to-day. For there came to us a man from out of +the wild-wood, and prayed us peace, and we gave it him; and he told +us that he was of a House of the Gael, and that his House had been in +a great battle against these Welshmen, whom he calleth the Romans; +and that he was taken in the battle, and sold as a thrall in one of +their garths; and howbeit, it was not their master-garth, yet there +he learned of their customs: and sore was the lesson! Hard was his +life amongst them, for their thralls be not so well entreated as +their draught-beasts, so many do they take in battle; for they are a +mighty folk; and these thralls and those aforesaid unhappy freemen do +all tilling and herding and all deeds of craftsmanship: and above +these are men whom they call masters and lords who do nought, nay not +so much as smithy their own edge-weapons, but linger out their days +in their dwellings and out of their dwellings, lying about in the sun +or the hall-cinders, like cur-dogs who have fallen away from kind. + +"So this man made a shift to flee away from out of that garth, since +it was not far from the great river; and being a valiant man, and +young and mighty of body, he escaped all perils and came to us +through the Mirkwood. But we saw that he was no liar, and had been +very evilly handled, for upon his body was the mark of many a stripe, +and of the shackles that had been soldered on to his limbs; also it +was more than one of these accursed people whom he had slain when he +fled. So he became our guest and we loved him, and he dwelt among us +and yet dwelleth, for we have taken him into our House. But +yesterday he was sick and might not ride with us; but may be he will +follow on and catch up with us in a day or two. And if he come not, +then will I bring him over to the Wolfings when the battle is done." + +Then laughed the Beaming man, and spake: + +"How then if ye come not back, nor Wolfkettle, nor the Welsh Guest, +nor I myself? Meseemeth no one of these Southland Cities shall we +behold, and no more of the Southlanders than their war-array." + +"These are evil words," said Wolfkettle, "though such an outcome must +be thought on. But why deemest thou this?" + +Said the Beaming: "There is no Hall-Sun sitting under our Roof at +home to tell true tales concerning the Kindred every day. Yet +forsooth from time to time is a word said in our Folk-hall for good +or for evil; and who can choose but hearken thereto? And yestereve +was a woeful word spoken, and that by a man-child of ten winters." + +Said the Elking: "Now that thou hast told us thus much, thou must +tell us more, yea, all the word which was spoken; else belike we +shall deem of it as worse than it was." + +Said the Beaming: "Thus it was; this little lad brake out weeping +yestereve, when the Hall was full and feasting; and he wailed, and +roared out, as children do, and would not be pacified, and when he +was asked why he made that to do, he said: 'Well away! Raven hath +promised to make me a clay horse and to bake it in the kiln with the +pots next week; and now he goeth to the war, and he shall never come +back, and never shall my horse be made.' Thereat we all laughed as +ye may well deem. But the lad made a sour countenance on us and +said, 'why do ye laugh? look yonder, what see ye?' 'Nay,' said one, +'nought but the Feast-hall wall and the hangings of the High-tide +thereon.' Then said the lad sobbing: 'Ye see ill: further afield +see I: I see a little plain, on a hill top, and fells beyond it far +bigger than our speech-hill: and there on the plain lieth Raven as +white as parchment; and none hath such hue save the dead.' Then said +Raven, (and he was a young man, and was standing thereby). 'And well +is that, swain, to die in harness! Yet hold up thine heart; here is +Gunbert who shall come back and bake thine horse for thee.' 'Nay +never more,' quoth the child, 'For I see his pale head lying at +Raven's feet; but his body with the green gold-broidered kirtle I see +not.' Then was the laughter stilled, and man after man drew near to +the child, and questioned him, and asked, 'dost thou see me?' 'dost +thou see me?' And he failed to see but few of those that asked him. +Therefore now meseemeth that not many of us shall see the cities of +the South, and those few belike shall look on their own shackles +therewithal." + +"Nay," said Hiarandi, "What is all this? heard ye ever of a company +of fighting men that fared afield, and found the foe, and came back +home leaving none behind them?" + +Said the Beaming: "Yet seldom have I heard a child foretell the +death of warriors. I tell thee that hadst thou been there, thou +wouldst have thought of it as if the world were coming to an end." + +"Well," said Wolfkettle, "let it be as it may! Yet at least I will +not be led away from the field by the foemen. Oft may a man be +hindered of victory, but never of death if he willeth it." + +Therewith he handled a knife that hung about his neck, and went on to +say: "But indeed, I do much marvel that no word came into the mouth +of the Hall-Sun yestereven or this morning, but such as any woman of +the kindred might say." + +Therewith fell their talk awhile, and as they rode they came to where +the wood drew nigher to the river, and thus the Mid-mark had an end; +for there was no House had a dwelling in the Mid-mark higher up the +water than the Elkings, save one only, not right great, who mostly +fared to war along with the Elkings: and this was the Oselings, +whose banner bore the image of the Wood-ousel, the black bird with +the yellow neb; and they had just fallen into the company of the +greater House. + +So now Mid-mark was over and past, and the serried trees of the wood +came down like a wall but a little way from the lip of the water; and +scattered trees, mostly quicken-trees grew here and there on the very +water side. But Mirkwood-water ran deep swift and narrow between +high clean-cloven banks, so that none could dream of fording, and not +so many of swimming its dark green dangerous waters. And the day +wore on towards evening and the glory of the western sky was unseen +because of the wall of high trees. And still the host made on, and +because of the narrowness of the space between river and wood it was +strung out longer and looked a very great company of men. And +moreover the men of the eastern-lying part of Mid-mark, were now +marching thick and close on the other side of the river but a little +way from the Wolfings and their fellows; for nothing but the narrow +river sundered them. + +So night fell, and the stars shone, and the moon rose, and yet the +Wolfings and their fellows stayed not, since they wotted that behind +them followed a many of the men of the Mark, both the Mid and the +Nether, and they would by no means hinder their march. + +So wended the Markmen between wood and stream on either side of +Mirkwood-water, till now at last the night grew deep and the moon +set, and it was hard on midnight, and they had kindled many torches +to light them on either side of the water. So whereas they had come +to a place where the trees gave back somewhat from the river, which +was well-grassed for their horses and neat, and was called Baitmead, +the companies on the western side made stay there till morning. And +they drew the wains right up to the thick of the wood, and all men +turned aside into the mead from the beaten road, so that those who +were following after might hold on their way if so they would. There +then they appointed watchers of the night, while the rest of them lay +upon the sward by the side of the trees, and slept through the short +summer night. + +The tale tells not that any man dreamed of the fight to come in such +wise that there was much to tell of his dream on the morrow; many +dreamed of no fight or faring to war, but of matters little, and +often laughable, mere mingled memories of bygone time that had no +waking wits to marshal them. + +But that man of the Beamings dreamed that he was at home watching a +potter, a man of the thralls of the House working at his wheel, and +fashioning bowls and ewers: and he had a mind to take of his clay +and fashion a horse for the lad that had bemoaned the promise of his +toy. And he tried long and failed to fashion anything; for the clay +fell to pieces in his hands; till at last it held together and grew +suddenly, not into an image of a horse, but of the Great Yule Boar, +the similitude of the Holy Beast of Frey. So he laughed in his sleep +and was glad, and leaped up and drew his sword with his clay-stained +hands that he might wave it over the Earth Boar, and swear a great +oath of a doughty deed. And therewith he found himself standing on +his feet indeed, just awakened in the cold dawn, and holding by his +right hand to an ash-sapling that grew beside him. So he laughed +again, and laid him down, and leaned back and slept his sleep out +till the sun and the voices of his fellows stirring awakened him. + + + +CHAPTER VII--THEY GATHER TO THE FOLK-MOTE + + + +When it was the morning, all the host of the Markmen was astir on +either side of the water, and when they had broken their fast, they +got speedily into array, and were presently on the road again; and +the host was now strung out longer yet, for the space between water +and wood once more diminished till at last it was no wider than ten +men might go abreast, and looking ahead it was as if the wild-wood +swallowed up both river and road. + +But the fighting-men hastened on merrily with their hearts raised +high, since they knew that they would soon be falling in with more of +their people, and the coming fight was growing a clearer picture to +their eyes; so from side to side of the river they shouted out the +cries of their Houses, or friend called to friend across the eddies +of Mirkwood-water, and there was game and glee enough. + +So they fared till the wood gave way before them, and lo, the +beginning of another plain, somewhat like the Mid-mark. There also +the water widened out before them, and there were eyots in it with +stony shores crowned with willow or with alder, and aspens rising +from the midst of them. + +But as for the plain, it was thus much different from Mid-mark, that +the wood which begirt it rose on the south into low hills, and away +beyond them were other hills blue in the distance, for the most bare +of wood, and not right high, the pastures of the wild-bull and the +bison, whereas now dwelt a folk somewhat scattered and feeble; +hunters and herdsmen, with little tillage about their abodes, a folk +akin to the Markmen and allied to them. They had come into those +parts later than the Markmen, as the old tales told; which said +moreover that in days gone by a folk dwelt among those hills who were +alien from the Goths, and great foes to the Markmen; and how that on +a time they came down from their hills with a great host, together +with new-comers of their own blood, and made their way through the +wild-wood, and fell upon the Upper-mark; and how that there befel a +fearful battle that endured for three days; and the first day the +Aliens worsted the Markmen, who were but a few, since they were they +of the Upper-mark only. So the Aliens burned their houses and slew +their old men, and drave off many of their women and children; and +the remnant of the men of the Upper-mark with all that they had, +which was now but little, took refuge in an island of Mirkwood-water, +where they fenced themselves as well as they could for that night; +for they expected the succour of their kindred of the Mid-mark and +the Nether-mark, unto whom they had sped the war-arrow when they +first had tidings of the onset of the Aliens. + +So at the sun-rising they sacrificed to the Gods twenty chieftains of +the Aliens whom they had taken, and therewithal a maiden of their own +kindred, the daughter of their war-duke, that she might lead that +mighty company to the House of the Gods; and thereto was she nothing +loth, but went right willingly. + +There then they awaited the onset. But the men of Mid-mark came up +in the morning, when the battle was but just joined, and fell on so +fiercely that the aliens gave back, and then they of the Upper-mark +stormed out of their eyot, and fell on over the ford, and fought till +the water ran red with their blood, and the blood of the foemen. So +the Aliens gave back before the onset of the Markmen all over the +meads; but when they came to the hillocks and the tofts of the half- +burned habitations, and the wood was on their flank, they made a +stand again, and once more the battle waxed hot, for they were very +many, and had many bow-men: there fell the War-duke of the Markmen, +whose daughter had been offered up for victory, and his name was +Agni, so that the tofts where he fell have since been called Agni's +Tofts. So that day they fought all over the plain, and a great many +died, both of the Aliens and the Markmen, and though these last were +victorious, yet when the sun went down there still were the Aliens +abiding in the Upper-mark, fenced by their wain-burg, beaten, and +much diminished in number, but still a host of men: while of the +Markmen many had fallen, and many more were hurt, because the Aliens +were good bowmen. + +But on the morrow again, as the old tale told, came up the men of the +Nether-mark fresh and unwounded; and so the battle began again on the +southern limit of the Upper-mark where the Aliens had made their +wain-burg. But not long did it endure; for the Markmen fell on so +fiercely, that they stormed over the wain-burg, and slew all before +them, and there was a very great slaughter of the Aliens; so great, +tells the old tale, that never again durst they meet the Markmen in +war. + +Thus went forth the host of the Markmen, faring along both sides of +the water into the Upper-mark; and on the west side, where went the +Wolfings, the ground now rose by a long slope into a low hill, and +when they came unto the brow thereof, they beheld before them the +whole plain of the Upper-mark, and the dwellings of the kindred +therein all girdled about by the wild-wood; and beyond, the blue +hills of the herdsmen, and beyond them still, a long way aloof, lying +like a white cloud on the verge of the heavens, the snowy tops of the +great mountains. And as they looked down on to the plain they saw it +embroidered, as it were, round about the habitations which lay within +ken by crowds of many people, and the banners of the kindreds and the +arms of men; and many a place they saw named after the ancient battle +and that great slaughter of the Aliens. + +On their left hand lay the river, and as it now fairly entered with +them into the Upper-mark, it spread out into wide rippling shallows +beset with yet more sandy eyots, amongst which was one much greater, +rising amidmost into a low hill, grassy and bare of tree or bush; and +this was the island whereon the Markmen stood on the first day of the +Great Battle, and it was now called the Island of the Gods. + +Thereby was the ford, which was firm and good and changed little from +year to year, so that all Markmen knew it well and it was called +Battleford: thereover now crossed all the eastern companies, footmen +and horsemen, freemen and thralls, wains and banners, with shouting +and laughter, and the noise of horns and the lowing of neat, till all +that plain's end was flooded with the host of the Markmen. + +But when the eastern-abiders had crossed, they made no stay, but went +duly ordered about their banners, winding on toward the first of the +abodes on the western side of the water; because it was but a little +way southwest of this that the Thing-stead of the Upper-mark lay; and +the whole Folk was summoned thither when war threatened from the +South, just as it was called to the Thing-stead of the Nether-mark, +when the threat of war came from the North. But the western +companies stayed on the brow of that low hilt till all the eastern +men were over the river, and on their way to the Thing-stead, and +then they moved on. + +So came the Wolfings and their fellows up to the dwellings of the +northernmost kindred, who were called the Daylings, and bore on their +banner the image of the rising sun. Thereabout was the Mark somewhat +more hilly and broken than in the Mid-mark, so that the Great Roof of +the Daylings, which was a very big house, stood on a hillock whose +sides had been deft down sheer on all sides save one (which was left +as a bridge) by the labour of men, and it was a very defensible +place. + +Thereon were now gathered round about the Roof all the stay-at-homes +of the kindred, who greeted with joyous cries the men-at-arms as they +passed. Albeit one very old man, who sat in a chair near to the edge +of the sheer hill looking on the war array, when he saw the Wolfing +banner draw near, stood up to gaze on it, and then shook his head +sadly, and sank back again into his chair, and covered his face with +his hands: and when the folk saw that, a silence bred of the +coldness of fear fell on them, for that elder was deemed a foreseeing +man. + +But as those three fellows, of whose talk of yesterday the tale has +told, drew near and beheld what the old carle did (for they were +riding together this day also) the Beaming man laid his hand on +Wolfkettle's rein and said: + +"Lo you, neighbour, if thy Vala hath seen nought, yet hath this old +man seen somewhat, and that somewhat even as the little lad saw it. +Many a mother's son shall fall before the Welshmen." + +But Wolfkettle shook his rein free, and his face reddened as of one +who is angry, yet he kept silence, while the Elking said: + +"Let be, Toti! for he that lives shall tell the tale to the +foreseers, and shall make them wiser than they are to-day." + +Then laughed Toti, as one who would not be thought to be too heedful +of the morrow. But Wolfkettle brake out into speech and rhyme, and +said: + + +"O warriors, the Wolfing kindred shall live or it shall die; +And alive it shall be as the oak-tree when the summer storm goes by; +But dead it shall be as its bole, that they hew for the corner-post +Of some fair and mighty folk-hall, and the roof of a war-fain host." + + +So therewith they rode their ways past the abode of the Daylings. + +Straight to the wood went all the host, and so into it by a wide way +cleft through the thicket, and in some thirty minutes they came +thereby into a great wood-lawn cleared amidst of it by the work of +men's hands. There already was much of the host gathered, sitting or +standing in a great ring round about a space bare of men, where +amidmost rose a great mound raised by men's hands and wrought into +steps to be the sitting-places of the chosen elders and chief men of +the kindred; and atop the mound was flat and smooth save for a turf +bench or seat that went athwart it whereon ten men might sit. + +All the wains save the banner-wains had been left behind at the +Dayling abode, nor was any beast there save the holy beasts who drew +the banner-wains and twenty white horses, that stood wreathed about +with flowers within the ring of warriors, and these were for the +burnt offering to be given to the Gods for a happy day of battle. +Even the war-horses of the host they must leave in the wood without +the wood-lawn, and all men were afoot who were there. + +For this was the Thing-stead of the Upper-mark, and the holiest place +of the Markmen, and no beast, either neat, sheep, or horse might +pasture there, but was straightway slain and burned if he wandered +there; nor might any man eat therein save at the holy feasts when +offerings were made to the Gods. + +So the Wolfings took their place there in the ring of men with the +Elkings on their right hand and the Beamings on their left. And in +the midst of the Wolfing array stood Thiodolf clad in the dwarf- +wrought hauberk: but his head was bare; for he had sworn over the +Cup of Renown that he would fight unhelmed throughout all that +trouble, and would bear no shield in any battle thereof however +fierce the onset might be. + +Short, and curling close to his head was his black hair, a little +grizzled, so that it looked like rings of hard dark iron: his +forehead was high and smooth, his lips full and red, his eyes steady +and wide-open, and all his face joyous with the thought of the fame +of his deeds, and the coming battle with a foeman whom the Markmen +knew not yet. + +He was tall and wide-shouldered, but so exceeding well fashioned of +all his limbs and body that he looked no huge man. He was a man well +beloved of women, and children would mostly run to him gladly and +play with him. A most fell warrior was he, whose deeds no man of the +Mark could equal, but blithe of speech even when he was sorrowful of +mood, a man that knew not bitterness of heart: and for all his +exceeding might and valiancy, he was proud and high to no man; so +that the very thralls loved him. + +He was not abounding in words in the field; nor did he use much the +custom of those days in reviling and defying with words the foe that +was to be smitten with swords. + +There were those who had seen him in the field for the first time who +deemed him slack at the work: for he would not always press on with +the foremost, but would hold him a little aback, and while the battle +was young he forbore to smite, and would do nothing but help a +kinsman who was hard pressed, or succour the wounded. So that if men +were dealing with no very hard matter, and their hearts were high and +overweening, he would come home at whiles with unbloodied blade. But +no man blamed him save those who knew him not: for his intent was +that the younger men should win themselves fame, and so raise their +courage, and become high-hearted and stout. + +But when the stour was hard, and the battle was broken, and the +hearts of men began to fail them, and doubt fell upon the Markmen, +then was he another man to see: wise, but swift and dangerous, +rushing on as if shot out by some mighty engine: heedful of all, on +either side and in front; running hither and thither as the fight +failed and the fire of battle faltered; his sword so swift and deadly +that it was as if he wielded the very lightening of the heavens: for +with the sword it was ever his wont to fight. + +But it must be said that when the foemen turned their backs, and the +chase began, then Thiodolf would nowise withhold his might as in the +early battle, but ever led the chase, and smote on the right hand and +on the left, sparing none, and crying out to the men of the kindred +not to weary in their work, but to fulfil all the hours of their day. + +For thuswise would he say and this was a word of his: + + +"Let us rest to-morrow, fellows, since to-day we have fought amain! +Let not these men we have smitten come aback on our hands again, +And say 'Ye Wolfing warriors, ye have done your work but ill, +Fall to now and do it again, like the craftsman who learneth his +skill.'" + + +Such then was Thiodolf, and ever was he the chosen leader of the +Wolfings and often the War-duke of the whole Folk. + +By his side stood the other chosen leader, whose name was Heriulf; a +man well stricken in years, but very mighty and valiant; wise in war +and well renowned; of few words save in battle, and therein a singer +of songs, a laugher, a joyous man, a merry companion. He was a much +bigger man than Thiodolf; and indeed so huge was his stature, that he +seemed to be of the kindred of the Mountain Giants; and his bodily +might went with his stature, so that no one man might deal with him +body to body. His face was big; his cheek-bones high; his nose like +an eagle's neb, his mouth wide, his chin square and big; his eyes +light-grey and fierce under shaggy eyebrows: his hair white and +long. + +Such were his raiment and weapons, that he wore a coat of fence of +dark iron scales sewn on to horse-hide, and a dark iron helm +fashioned above his brow into the similitude of the Wolf's head with +gaping jaws; and this he had wrought for himself with his own hands, +for he was a good smith. A round buckler he bore and a huge twibill, +which no man of the kindred could well wield save himself; and it was +done both blade and shaft with knots and runes in gold; and he loved +that twibill well, and called it the Wolf's Sister. + +There then stood Heriulf, looking no less than one of the forefathers +of the kindred come back again to the battle of the Wolfings. + +He was well-beloved for his wondrous might, and he was no hard man, +though so fell a warrior, and though of few words, as aforesaid, was +a blithe companion to old and young. In numberless battles had he +fought, and men deemed it a wonder that Odin had not taken to him a +man so much after his own heart; and they said it was neighbourly +done of the Father of the Slain to forbear his company so long, and +showed how well he loved the Wolfing House. + +For a good while yet came other bands of Markmen into the Thing- +stead; but at last there was an end of their coming. Then the ring +of men opened, and ten warriors of the Daylings made their way +through it, and one of them, the oldest, bore in his hand the War- +horn of the Daylings; for this kindred had charge of the Thing-stead, +and of all appertaining to it. So while his nine fellows stood round +about the Speech-Hill, the old warrior clomb up to the topmost of it, +and blew a blast on the horn. Thereon they who were sitting rose up, +and they who were talking each to each held their peace, and the +whole ring drew nigher to the hill, so that there was a clear space +behind them 'twixt them and the wood, and a space before them between +them and the hill, wherein were those nine warriors, and the horses +for the burnt-offering, and the altar of the Gods; and now were all +well within ear-shot of a man speaking amidst the silence in a clear +voice. + +But there were gathered of the Markmen to that place some four +thousand men, all chosen warriors and doughty men; and of the thralls +and aliens dwelling with them they were leading two thousand. But +not all of the freemen of the Upper-mark could be at the Thing; for +needs must there be some guard to the passes of the wood toward the +south and the hills of the herdsmen, whereas it was no wise +impassable to a wisely led host: so five hundred men, what of +freemen, what of thralls, abode there to guard the wild-wood; and +these looked to have some helping from the hill-men. + +Now came an ancient warrior into the space between the men and the +wild-wood holding in his hand a kindled torch; and first he faced due +south by the sun, then, turning, he slowly paced the whole circle +going from east to west, and so on till he had reached the place he +started from: then he dashed the torch to the ground and quenched +the fire, and so went his ways to his own company again. + +Then the old Dayling warrior on the mound-top drew his sword, and +waved it flashing in the sun toward the four quarters of the heavens; +and thereafter blew again a blast on the War-horn. Then fell utter +silence on the whole assembly, and the wood was still around them, +save here and there the stamping of a war-horse or the sound of his +tugging at the woodland grass; for there was little resort of birds +to the depths of the thicket, and the summer morning was windless. + + + +CHAPTER VIII--THE FOLK-MOTE OF THE MARKMEN + + + +So the Dayling warrior lifted up his voice and said: + + +"O kindreds of the Markmen, hearken the words I say; +For no chancehap assembly is gathered here to-day. +The fire hath gone around us in the hands of our very kin, +And twice the horn hath sounded, and the Thing is hallowed in. +Will ye hear or forbear to hearken the tale there is to tell? +There are many mouths to tell it, and a many know it well. +And the tale is this, that the foemen against our kindreds fare +Who eat the meadows desert, and burn the desert bare." + + +Then sat he down on the turf seat; but there arose a murmur in the +assembly as of men eager to hearken; and without more ado came a man +out of a company of the Upper-mark, and clomb up to the top of the +Speech-Hill, and spoke in a loud voice: + +"I am Bork, a man of the Geirings of the Upper-mark: two days ago I +and five others were in the wild-wood a-hunting, and we wended +through the thicket, and came into the land of the hill-folk; and +after we had gone a while we came to a long dale with a brook running +through it, and yew-trees scattered about it and a hazel copse at one +end; and by the copse was a band of men who had women and children +with them, and a few neat, and fewer horses; but sheep were feeding +up and down the dale; and they had made them booths of turf and +boughs, and were making ready their cooking fires, for it was +evening. So when they saw us, they ran to their arms, but we cried +out to them in the tongue of the Goths and bade them peace. Then +they came up the bent to us and spake to us in the Gothic tongue, +albeit a little diversely from us; and when we had told them what and +whence we were, they were glad of us, and bade us to them, and we +went, and they entreated us kindly, and made us such cheer as they +might, and gave us mutton to eat, and we gave them venison of the +wild-wood which we had taken, and we abode with them there that +night. + +"But they told us that they were a house of the folk of the herdsmen, +and that there was war in the land, and that the people thereof were +fleeing before the cruelty of a host of warriors, men of a mighty +folk, such as the earth hath not heard of, who dwell in great cities +far to the south; and how that this host had crossed the mountains, +and the Great Water that runneth from them, and had fallen upon their +kindred, and overcome their fighting-men, and burned their dwellings, +slain their elders, and driven their neat and their sheep, yea, and +their women and children in no better wise than their neat and sheep. + +"And they said that they had fled away thus far from their old +habitations, which were a long way to the south, and were now at +point to build them dwellings there in that Dale of the Hazels, and +to trust to it that these Welshmen, whom they called Romans, would +not follow so far, and that if they did, they might betake them to +the wild-wood, and let the thicket cover them, they being so nigh to +it. + +"Thus they told us; wherefore we sent back one of our fellowship, +Birsti of the Geirings, to tell the tale; and one of the herdsmen +folk went with him, but we ourselves went onward to hear more of +these Romans; for the folk when we asked them, said that they had +been in battle against them, but had fled away for fear of their +rumour only. Therefore we went on, and a young man of this kindred, +who named themselves the Hrutings of the Fell-folk, went along with +us. But the others were sore afeard, for all they had weapons. + +"So as we went up the land we found they had told us the very sooth, +and we met divers Houses, and bands, and broken men, who were fleeing +from this trouble, and many of them poor and in misery, having lost +their flocks and herds as well as their roofs; and this last be but +little loss to them, as their dwellings are but poor, and for the +most part they have no tillage. Now of these men, we met not a few +who had been in battle with the Roman host, and much they told us of +their might not to be dealt with, and their mishandling of those whom +they took, both men and women; and at the last we heard true tidings +how they had raised them a garth, and made a stronghold in the midst +of the land, as men who meant abiding there, so that neither might +the winter drive them aback, and that they might be succoured by +their people on the other side of the Great River; to which end they +have made other garths, though not so great, on the road to that +water, and all these well and wisely warded by tried men. For as to +the Folks on the other side of the Water, all these lie under their +hand already, what by fraud what by force, and their warriors go with +them to the battle and help them; of whom we met bands now and again, +and fought with them, and took men of them, who told us all this and +much more, over long to tell of here." + +He paused and turned about to look on the mighty assembly, and his +ears drank in the long murmur that followed his speaking, and when it +had died out he spake again, but in rhyme: + + +"Lo thus much of my tidings! But this too it behoveth to tell, +That these masterful men of the cities of the Markmen know full well: +And they wot of the well-grassed meadows, and the acres of the Mark, +And our life amidst of the wild-wood like a candle in the dark; +And they know of our young men's valour and our women's loveliness, +And our tree would they spoil with destruction if its fruit they may +never possess. +For their lust is without a limit, and nought may satiate +Their ravening maw; and their hunger if ye check it turneth to hate, +And the blood-fever burns in their bosoms, and torment and anguish +and woe +O'er the wide field ploughed by the sword-blade for the coming years +they sow; +And ruth is a thing forgotten and all hopes they trample down; +And whatso thing is steadfast, whatso of good renown, +Whatso is fair and lovely, whatso is ancient sooth +In the bloody marl shall they mingle as they laugh for lack of ruth. +Lo the curse of the world cometh hither; for the men that we took in +the land +Said thus, that their host is gathering with many an ordered band +To fall on the wild-wood passes and flood the lovely Mark, +As the river over the meadows upriseth in the dark. +Look to it, O ye kindred! availeth now no word +But the voice of the clashing of iron, and the sword-blade on the +sword." + + +Therewith he made an end, and deeper and longer was the murmur of the +host of freemen, amidst which Bork gat him down from the Speech-Hill, +his weapons clattering about him, and mingled with the men of his +kindred. + +Then came forth a man of the kin of the Shieldings of the Upper-mark, +and clomb the mound; and he spake in rhyme from beginning to end; for +he was a minstrel of renown: + + +"Lo I am a man of the Shieldings and Geirmund is my name; +A half-moon back from the wild-wood out into the hills I came, +And I went alone in my war-gear; for we have affinity +With the Hundings of the Fell-folk, and with them I fain would be; +For I loved a maid of their kindred. Now their dwelling was not far +From the outermost bounds of the Fell-folk, and bold in the battle +they are, +And have met a many people, and held their own abode. +Gay then was the heart within me, as over the hills I rode +And thought of the mirth of to-morrow and the sweet-mouthed Hunding +maid +And their old men wise and merry and their young men unafraid, +And the hall-glee of the Hundings and the healths o'er the guesting +cup. +But as I rode the valley, I saw a smoke go up +O'er the crest of the last of the grass-hills 'twixt me and the +Hunding roof, +And that smoke was black and heavy: so a while I bided aloof, +And drew my girths the tighter, and looked to the arms I bore +And handled my spear for the casting; for my heart misgave me sore, +For nought was that pillar of smoke like the guest-fain cooking-fire. +I lingered in thought for a minute, then turned me to ride up higher, +And as a man most wary up over the bent I rode, +And nigh hid peered o'er the hill-crest adown on the Hunding abode; +And forsooth 'twas the fire wavering all o'er the roof of old, +And all in the garth and about it lay the bodies of the bold; +And bound to a rope amidmost were the women fair and young, +And youths and little children, like the fish on a withy strung +As they lie on the grass for the angler before the beginning of +night. +Then the rush of the wrath within me for a while nigh blinded my +sight; +Yet about the cowering war-thralls, short dark-faced men I saw, +Men clad in iron armour, this way and that way draw, +As warriors after the battle are ever wont to do. +Then I knew them for the foemen and their deeds to be I knew, +And I gathered the reins together to ride down the hill amain, +To die with a good stroke stricken and slay ere I was slain. +When lo, on the bent before me rose the head of a brown-faced man, +Well helmed and iron-shielded, who some Welsh speech began +And a short sword brandished against me; then my sight cleared and I +saw +Five others armed in likewise up hill and toward me draw, +And I shook the spear and sped it and clattering on his shield +He fell and rolled o'er smitten toward the garth and the Fell-folk's +field. + +"But my heart changed with his falling and the speeding of my stroke, +And I turned my horse; for within me the love of life awoke, +And I spurred, nor heeded the hill-side, but o'er rough and smooth I +rode +Till I heard no chase behind me; then I drew rein and abode. +And down in a dell was I gotten with a thorn-brake in its throat, +And heard but the plover's whistle and the blackbird's broken note +'Mid the thorns; when lo! from a thorn-twig away the blackbird swept, +And out from the brake and towards me a naked man there crept, +And straight I rode up towards him, and knew his face for one +I had seen in the hall of the Hundings ere its happy days were done. +I asked him his tale, but he bade me forthright to bear him away; +So I took him up behind me, and we rode till late in the day, +Toward the cover of the wild-wood, and as swiftly as we might. +But when yet aloof was the thicket and it now was moonless night, +We stayed perforce for a little, and he told me all the tale: +How the aliens came against them, and they fought without avail +Till the Roof o'er their heads was burning and they burst forth on +the foe, +And were hewn down there together; nor yet was the slaughter slow. +But some they saved for thralldom, yea, e'en of the fighting men, +Or to quell them with pains; so they stripped them; and this man +espying just then +Some chance, I mind not whatwise, from the garth fled out and away. + +"Now many a thing noteworthy of these aliens did he say, +But this I bid you hearken, lest I wear the time for nought, +That still upon the Markmen and the Mark they set their thought; +For they questioned this man and others through a go-between in words +Of us, and our lands and our chattels, and the number of our swords; +Of the way and the wild-wood passes and the winter and his ways. +Now look to see them shortly; for worn are fifteen days +Since in the garth of the Hundings I saw them dight for war, +And a hardy folk and ready and a swift-foot host they are." + + +Therewith Geirmund went down clattering from the Hill and stood with +his company. But a man came forth from the other side of the ring, +and clomb the Hill: he was a red-haired man, rather big, clad in a +skin coat, and bearing a bow in his hand and a quiver of arrows at +his back, and a little axe hung by his side. He said: + +"I dwell in the House of the Hrossings of the Mid-mark, and I am now +made a man of the kindred: howbeit I was not born into it; for I am +the son of a fair and mighty woman of a folk of the Kymry, who was +taken in war while she went big with me; I am called Fox the Red. + +"These Romans have I seen, and have not died: so hearken! for my +tale shall be short for what there is in it. + +"I am, as many know, a hunter of Mirkwood, and I know all its ways +and the passes through the thicket somewhat better than most. + +"A moon ago I fared afoot from Mid-mark through Upper-mark into the +thicket of the south, and through it into the heath country; and I +went over a neck and came in the early dawn into a little dale when +somewhat of mist still hung over it. At the dale's end I saw a man +lying asleep on the grass under a quicken tree, and his shield and +sword hanging over his head to a bough thereof, and his horse feeding +hoppled higher up the dale. + +"I crept up softly to him with a shaft nocked on the string, but when +I drew near I saw him to be of the sons of the Goths. So I doubted +nothing, but laid down my bow, and stood upright, and went to him and +roused him, and he leapt up, and was wroth. + +"I said to him, 'Wilt thou be wroth with a brother of the kindred +meeting him in unpeopled parts?' + +"But he reached out for his weapons; but ere he could handle them I +ran in on him so that he gat not his sword, and had scant time to +smite at me with a knife which he drew from his waist. + +"I gave way before him for he was a very big man, and he rushed past +me, and I dealt him a blow on the side of the head with my little axe +which is called the War-babe, and gave him a great wound: and he +fell on the grass, and as it happened that was his bane. + +"I was sorry that I had slain him, since he was a man of the Goths: +albeit otherwise he had slain me, for he was very wroth and dazed +with slumber. + +"He died not for a while; and he bade me fetch him water; and there +was a well hard by on the other side of the tree; so I fetched it him +in a great shell that I carry, and he drank. I would have sung the +blood-staunching song over him, for I know it well. But he said, 'It +availeth nought: I have enough: what man art thou?' + +"I said, 'I am a fosterling of the Hrossings, and my mother was taken +in war: my name is Fox.' + +"Said he; 'O Fox, I have my due at thy hands, for I am a Markman of +the Elkings, but a guest of the Burgundians beyond the Great River; +and the Romans are their masters and they do their bidding: even so +did I who was but their guest: and I a Markman to fight against the +Markmen, and all for fear and for gold! And thou an alien-born hast +slain their traitor and their dastard! This is my due. Give me to +drink again.' + +"So did I; and he said; 'Wilt thou do an errand for me to thine own +house?' 'Yea,' said I. + +"Said he, 'I am a messenger to the garth of the Romans, that I may +tell the road to the Mark, and lead them through the thicket; and +other guides are coming after me: but not yet for three days or +four. So till they come there will be no man in the Roman garth to +know thee that thou art not even I myself. If thou art doughty, +strip me when I am dead and do my raiment on thee, and take this ring +from my neck, for that is my token, and when they ask thee for a word +say, "NO LIMIT"; for that is the token-word. Go south-east over the +dales keeping Broadshield-fell square with thy right hand, and let +thy wisdom, O Fox, lead thee to the Garth of the Romans, and so back +to thy kindred with all tidings thou hast gathered--for indeed they +come--a many of them. Give me to drink.' + +"So he drank again, and said, 'The bearer of this token is called +Hrosstyr of the River Goths. He hath that name among dastards. Thou +shalt lay a turf upon my head. Let my death pay for my life.' + +"Therewith he fell back and died. So I did as he bade me and took +his gear, worth six kine, and did it on me; I laid turf upon him in +that dale, and hid my bow and my gear in a blackthorn brake hard by, +and then took his horse and rode away. + +"Day and night I rode till I came to the garth of the Romans; there I +gave myself up to their watchers, and they brought me to their Duke, +a grim man and hard. He said in a terrible voice, 'Thy name?' I +said, 'Hrosstyr of the River Goths.' He said, 'What limit?' I +answered, 'NO LIMIT.' 'The token!' said he, and held out his hand. +I gave him the ring. 'Thou art the man,' said he. + +"I thought in my heart, 'thou liest, lord,' and my heart danced for +joy. + +"Then he fell to asking me questions a many, and I answered every one +glibly enough, and told him what I would, but no word of truth save +for his hurt, and my soul laughed within me at my lies; thought I, +the others, the traitors, shall come, and they shall tell him the +truth, and he will not trow it, or at the worst he will doubt them. +But me he doubted nothing, else had he called in the tormentors to +have the truth of me by pains; as I well saw afterwards, when they +questioned with torments a man and a woman of the hill-folk whom they +had brought in captive. + +"I went from him and went all about that garth espying everything, +fearing nothing; albeit there were divers woful captives of the +Goths, who cursed me for a dastard, when they saw by my attire that I +was of their blood. + +"I abode there three days, and learned all that I might of the garth +and the host of them, and the fourth day in the morning I went out as +if to hunt, and none hindered me, for they doubted me not. + +"So I came my ways home to the Upper-mark, and was guested with the +Geirings. Will ye that I tell you somewhat of the ways of these +Romans of the garth? The time presses, and my tale runneth longer +than I would. What will ye?" + +Then there arose a murmur, "Tell all, tell all." "Nay," said the +Fox, "All I may not tell; so much did I behold there during the three +days' stay; but this much it behoveth you to know: that these men +have no other thought save to win the Mark and waste it, and slay the +fighting men and the old carles, and enthrall such as they will, that +is, all that be fair and young, and they long sorely for our women +either to have or to sell. + +"As for their garth, it is strongly walled about with a dyke newly +dug; on the top thereof are they building a wall made of clay, and +burned like pots into ashlar stones hard and red, and these are laid +in lime. + +"It is now the toil of the thralls of our blood whom they have taken, +both men and women, to dig that clay and to work it, and bear it to +kilns, and to have for reward scant meat and many stripes. For it is +a grim folk, that laugheth to see others weep. + +"Their men-at-arms are well dight and for the most part in one way: +they are helmed with iron, and have iron on their breasts and reins, +and bear long shields that cover them to the knees. They are girt +with a sax and have a heavy casting-spear. They are dark-skinned and +ugly of aspect, surly and of few words: they drink little, and eat +not much. + +"They have captains of tens and of hundreds over them, and that war- +duke over all; he goeth to and fro with gold on his head and his +breast, and commonly hath a cloak cast over him of the colour of the +crane's-bill blossom. + +"They have an altar in the midst of their burg, and thereon they +sacrifice to their God, who is none other than their banner of war, +which is an image of the ravening eagle with outspread wings; but yet +another God they have, and look you! it is a wolf, as if they were of +the kin of our brethren; a she-wolf and two man-children at her dugs; +wonderful is this. + +"I tell you that they are grim; and know it by this token: those +captains of tens, and of hundreds, spare not to smite the warriors +with staves even before all men, when all goeth not as they would; +and yet, though they be free men, and mighty warriors, they endure it +and smite not in turn. They are a most evil folk. + +"As to their numbers, they of the burg are hard on three thousand +footmen of the best; and of horsemen five hundred, nowise good; and +of bowmen and slingers six hundred or more: their bows weak; their +slingers cunning beyond measure. And the talk is that when they come +upon us they shall have with them some five hundred warriors of the +Over River Goths, and others of their own folk." + +Then he said: + + +"O men of the Mark, will ye meet them in the meadows and the field, +Or will ye flee before them and have the wood for a shield? +Or will ye wend to their war-burg with weapons cast away, +With your women and your children, a peace of them to pray? +So doing, not all shall perish; but most shall long to die +Ere in the garths of the Southland two moons have loitered by." + + +Then rose the rumour loud and angry mingled with the rattle of swords +and the clash of spears on shields; but Fox said: + +"Needs must ye follow one of these three ways. Nay, what say I? +there are but two ways and not three; for if ye flee they shall +follow you to the confines of the earth. Either these Welsh shall +take all, and our lives to boot, or we shall hold to all that is +ours, and live merrily. The sword doometh; and in three days it may +be the courts shall be hallowed: small is the space between us." + +Therewith he also got him down from the Hill, and joined his own +house: and men said that he had spoken well and wisely. But there +arose a noise of men talking together on these tidings; and amidst it +an old warrior of the Nether-mark strode forth and up to the Hill- +top. Gaunt and stark he was to look on; and all men knew him and he +was well-beloved, so all held their peace as he said: + +"I am Otter of the Laxings: now needeth but few words till the War- +duke is chosen, and we get ready to wend our ways in arms. Here have +ye heard three good men and true tell of our foes, and this last, Fox +the Red, hath seen them and hath more to tell when we are on the way; +nor is the way hard to find. It were scarce well to fall upon these +men in their garth and war-burg; for hard is a wall to slay. Better +it were to meet them in the Wild-wood, which may well be a friend to +us and a wall, but to them a net. O Agni of the Daylings, thou +warder of the Thing-stead, bid men choose a War-duke if none gainsay +it." + +And without more words he clattered down the Hill, and went and stood +with the Laxing band. But the old Dayling arose and blew the horn, +and there was at once a great silence, amidst which he said: + +"Children of Slains-father, doth the Folk go to the war?" + +There was no voice but shouted "yea," and the white swords sprang +aloft, and the westering sun swept along a half of them as they +tossed to and fro, and the others showed dead-white and fireless +against the dark wood. + +Then again spake Agni: + +"Will ye choose the War-duke now and once, or shall it be in a while, +after others have spoken?" + +And the voice of the Folk went up, "Choose! Choose!" + +Said Agni: "Sayeth any aught against it?" But no voice of a +gainsayer was heard, and Agni said: + +"Children of Tyr, what man will ye have for a leader and a duke of +war?" + +Then a great shout sprang up from amidst the swords: "We will have +Thiodolf; Thiodolf the Wolfing!" + +Said Agni: "I hear no other name; are ye of one mind? hath any aught +to say against it? If that be so, let him speak now, and not forbear +to follow in the wheatfield of the spears. Speak, ye that will not +follow Thiodolf!" + +No voice gainsaid him: then said the Dayling: "Come forth thou War- +duke of the Markmen! take up the gold ring from the horns of the +altar, set it on thine arm and come up hither!" + +Then came forth Thiodolf into the sun, and took up the gold ring from +where it lay, and did it on his arm. And this was the ring of the +leader of the folk whenso one should be chosen: it was ancient and +daintily wrought, but not very heavy: so ancient it was that men +said it had been wrought by the dwarfs. + +So Thiodolf went up on to the hill, and all men cried out on him for +joy, for they knew his wisdom in war. Many wondered to see him +unhelmed, but they had a deeming that he must have made oath to the +Gods thereof and their hearts were glad of it. They took note of the +dwarf-wrought hauberk, and even from a good way off they could see +what a treasure of smith's work it was, and they deemed it like +enough that spells had been sung over it to make it sure against +point and edge: for they knew that Thiodolf was well beloved of the +Gods. + +But when Thiodolf was on the Hill of Speech, he said: + +"Men of the kindreds, I am your War-duke to-day; but it is oftenest +the custom when ye go to war to choose you two dukes, and I would it +were so now. No child's play is the work that lies before us; and if +one leader chance to fall let there be another to take his place +without stop or stay. Thou Agni of the Daylings, bid the Folk choose +them another duke if so they will." + +Said Agni: "Good is this which our War-duke hath spoken; say then, +men of the Mark, who shall stand with Thiodolf to lead you against +the aliens?" + +Then was there a noise and a crying of names, and more than two names +seemed to be cried out; but by far the greater part named either +Otter of the Laxings, or Heriulf of the Wolfings. True it is that +Otter was a very wise warrior, and well known to all the men of the +Mark; yet so dear was Heriulf to them, that none would have named +Otter had it not been mostly their custom not to choose both War- +dukes from one House. + +Now spake Agni: "Children of Tyr, I hear you name more than one +name: now let each man cry out clearly the name he nameth. + +So the Folk cried the names once more, but this time it was clear +that none was named save Otter and Heriulf; so the Dayling was at +point to speak again, but or ever a word left his lips, Heriulf the +mighty, the ancient of days, stood forth: and when men saw that he +would take up the word there was a great silence. So he spake: + +"Hearken, children! I am old and war-wise; but my wisdom is the +wisdom of the sword of the mighty warrior, that knoweth which way it +should wend, and hath no thought of turning back till it lieth broken +in the field. Such wisdom is good against Folks that we have met +heretofore; as when we have fought with the Huns, who would sweep us +away from the face of the earth, or with the Franks or the +Burgundians, who would quell us into being something worser than they +be. But here is a new foe, and new wisdom, and that right shifty, do +we need to meet them. One wise duke have ye gotten, Thiodolf to wit; +and he is young beside me and beside Otter of the Laxings. And now +if ye must needs have an older man to stand beside him, (and that is +not ill) take ye Otter; for old though his body be, the thought +within him is keen and supple like the best of Welsh-wrought blades, +and it liveth in the days that now are: whereas for me, meseemeth, +my thoughts are in the days bygone. Yet look to it, that I shall not +fail to lead as the sword of the valiant leadeth, or the shaft shot +by the cunning archer. Choose ye Otter; I have spoken over long." + +Then spoke Agni the Dayling, and laughed withal: "One man of the +Folk hath spoken for Otter and against Heriulf--now let others speak +if they will!" + +So the cry came forth, "Otter let it be, we will have Otter!" + +"Speaketh any against Otter?" said Agni. But there was no voice +raised against him. + +Then Agni said: "Come forth, Otter of the Laxings, and hold the ring +with Thiodolf." + +Then Otter went up on to the hill and stood by Thiodolf, and they +held the ring together; and then each thrust his hand and arm through +the ring and clasped hands together, and stood thus awhile, and all +the Folk shouted together. + +Then spake Agni: "Now shall we hew the horses and give the gifts to +the Gods." + +Therewith he and the two War-dukes came down from the hill; and stood +before the altar; and the nine warriors of the Daylings stood forth +with axes to hew the horses and with copper bowls wherein to catch +the blood of them, and each hewed down his horse to the Gods, but the +two War-dukes slew the tenth and fairest: and the blood was caught +in the bowls, and Agni took a sprinkler and went round about the ring +of men, and cast the blood of the Gods'-gifts over the Folk, as was +the custom of those days. + +Then they cut up the carcases and burned on the altar the share of +the Gods, and Agni and the War-dukes tasted thereof, and the rest +they bore off to the Daylings' abode for the feast to be holden that +night. + +Then Otter and Thiodolf spake apart together for awhile, and +presently went up again on to the Speech-Hill, and Thiodolf said: + + +"O kindreds of the Markmen; to-morrow with the day +We shall wend up Mirkwood-water to bar our foes the way; +And there shall we make our wain-burg on the edges of the wood, +Where in the days past over at last the aliens stood, +The Slaughter Tofts ye call it. There tidings shall we get +If the curse of the world is awakened, and the serpent crawleth yet +Amidst the Mirkwood thicket; and when the sooth we know, +Then bearing battle with us through the thicket shall we go, +The ancient Wood-wolf's children, and the People of the Shield, +And the Spear-kin and the Horse-kin, while the others keep the field +About the warded wain-burg; for not many need we there +Where amidst of the thickets' tangle and the woodland net they fare, +And the hearts of the aliens falter and they curse the fight ne'er +done, +And wonder who is fighting and which way is the sun." + + +Thus he spoke; then Agni took up the war-horn again, and blew a +blast, and then he cried out: + + +"Now sunder we the Folk-mote! and the feast is for to-night, +And to-morrow the Wayfaring; But unnamed is the day of the fight; +O warriors, look ye to it that not long we need abide +'Twixt the hour of the word we have spoken, and our fair-fame's +blooming tide! +For then 'midst the toil and the turmoil shall we sow the seeds of +peace, +And the Kindreds' long endurance, and the Goth-folk's great +increase." + + +Then arose the last great shout, and soberly and in due order, +kindred by kindred, they turned and departed from the Thing-stead and +went their way through the wood to the abode of the Daylings. + + + +CHAPTER IX--THE ANCIENT MAN OF THE DAYLINGS + + + +There still hung the more part of the stay-at-homes round about the +Roof. But on the plain beneath the tofts were all the wains of the +host drawn up round about a square like the streets about a market- +place; all these now had their tilts rigged over them, some white, +some black, some red, some tawny of hue; and some, which were of the +Beamings, green like the leafy tree. + +The warriors of the host went down into this wain-town, which they +had not fenced in any way, since they in no wise looked for any onset +there; and there were their thralls dighting the feast for them, and +a many of the Dayling kindred, both men and women, went with them; +but some men did the Daylings bring into their Roof, for there was +room for a good many besides their own folk. So they went over the +Bridge of turf into the garth and into the Great Roof of the +Daylings; and amongst these were the two War-dukes. + +So when they came to the dais it was as fair all round about there as +might well be; and there sat elders and ancient warriors to welcome +the guests; and among them was the old carle who had sat on the edge +of the burg to watch the faring of the host, and had shuddered back +at the sight of the Wolfing Banner. + +And when the old carle saw the guests, he fixed his eyes on Thiodolf, +and presently came up and stood before him; and Thiodolf looked on +the old man, and greeted him kindly and smiled on him; but the carle +spake not till he had looked on him a while; and at last he fell a- +trembling, and reached his hands out to Thiodolf's bare head, and +handled his curls and caressed them, as a mother does with her son, +even if he be a grizzled-haired man, when there is none by: and at +last he said: + + +"How dear is the head of the mighty, and the apple of the tree +That blooms with the life of the people which is and yet shall be! +It is helmed with ancient wisdom, and the long remembered thought, +That liveth when dead is the iron, and its very rust but nought. +Ah! were I but young as aforetime, I would fare to the battle-stead +And stand amidst of the spear-hail for the praise of the hand and the +head!" + + +Then his hands left Thiodolf's head, and strayed down to his +shoulders and his breast, and he felt the cold rings of the hauberk, +and let his hands fall down to his side again; and the tears gushed +out of his old eyes and again he spake: + + +"O house of the heart of the mighty, O breast of the battle-lord +Why art thou coldly hidden from the flickering flame of the sword? +I know thee not, nor see thee; thou art as the fells afar +Where the Fathers have their dwelling, and the halls of Godhome are: +The wind blows wild betwixt us, and the cloud-rack flies along, +And high aloft enfoldeth the dwelling of the strong; +They are, as of old they have been, but their hearths flame not for +me; +And the kindness of their feast-halls mine eyes shall never see." + + +Thiodolf's lips still smiled on the old man, but a shadow had come +over his eyes and his brow; and the chief of the Daylings and their +mighty guests stood by listening intently with the knit brows of +anxious men; nor did any speak till the ancient man again betook him +to words: + + +"I came to the house of the foeman when hunger made me a fool; +And the foeman said, 'Thou art weary, lo, set thy foot on the stool;' +And I stretched out my feet,--and was shackled: and he spake with a +dastard's smile, +'O guest, thine hands are heavy; now rest them for a while!' +So I stretched out my hands, and the hand-gyves lay cold on either +wrist: +And the wood of the wolf had been better than that feast-hall, had I +wist +That this was the ancient pit-fall, and the long expected trap, +And that now for my heart's desire I had sold the world's goodhap." + + +Therewith the ancient man turned slowly away from Thiodolf, and +departed sadly to his own place. Thiodolf changed countenance but +little, albeit those about him looked strangely on him, as though if +they durst they would ask him what these words might be, and if he +from his hidden knowledge might fit a meaning to them. For to many +there was a word of warning in them, and to some an evil omen of the +days soon to be; and scarce anyone heard those words but he had a +misgiving in his heart, for the ancient man was known to be +foreseeing, and wild and strange his words seemed to them. + +But Agni would make light of it, and he said: "Asmund the Old is of +good will, and wise he is; but he hath great longings for the deeds +of men, when he hath tidings of battle; for a great warrior and a +red-hand hewer he hath been in times past; he loves the Kindred, and +deems it ill if he may not fare afield with them; for the thought of +dying in the straw is hateful to him." + +"Yea," said another, "and moreover he hath seen sons whom he loved +slain in battle; and when he seeth a warrior in his prime he becometh +dear to him, and he feareth for him." + +"Yet," said a third, "Asmund is foreseeing; and may be, Thiodolf, +thou wilt wot of the drift of these words, and tell us thereof." + +But Thiodolf spake nought of the matter, though in his heart he +pondered it. + +So the guests were led to table, and the feast began, within the hall +and without it, and wide about the plain; and the Dayling maidens +went in bands trimly decked out throughout all the host and served +the warriors with meat and drink, and sang the overword to their +lays, and smote the harp, and drew the bow over the fiddle till it +laughed and wailed and chuckled, and were blithe and merry with all, +and great was the glee on the eve of battle. And if Thiodolf's heart +were overcast, his face showed it not, but he passed from hall to +wain-burg and from wain-burg to hall again blithe and joyous with all +men. And thereby he raised the hearts of men, and they deemed it +good that they had gotten such a War-duke, meet to uphold all hearts +of men both at the feast and in the fray. + + + +CHAPTER X--THAT CARLINE COMETH TO THE ROOF OF THE WOLFINGS + + + +Now it was three days after this that the women were gathering to the +Women's-Chamber of the Roof of the Wolfings a little before the +afternoon changes into evening. The hearts of most were somewhat +heavy, for the doubt wherewith they had watched the departure of the +fighting-men still hung about them; nor had they any tidings from the +host (nor was it like that they should have). And as they were +somewhat down-hearted, so it seemed by the aspect of all things that +afternoon. It was not yet the evening, as is aforesaid, but the day +was worn and worsened, and all things looked weary. The sky was a +little clouded, but not much; yet was it murky down in the south- +east, and there was a threat of storm in it, and in the air close +round each man's head, and in the very waving of the leafy boughs. +There was by this time little doing in field and fold (for the kine +were milked), and the women were coming up from the acres and the +meadow and over the open ground anigh the Roof; there was the grass +worn and dusty, and the women that trod it, their feet were tanned +and worn, and dusty also; skin-dry and weary they looked, with the +sweat dried upon them; their girt-up gowns grey and lightless, their +half-unbound hair blowing about them in the dry wind, which had in it +no morning freshness, and no evening coolness. + +It was a time when toil was well-nigh done, but had left its aching +behind it; a time for folk to sleep and forget for a little while, +till the low sun should make it evening, and make all things fair +with his level rays; no time for anxious thoughts concerning deeds +doing, wherein the anxious ones could do nought to help. Yet such +thoughts those stay-at-homes needs must have in the hour of their +toil scarce over, their rest and mirth not begun. + +Slowly one by one the women went in by the Women's-door, and the +Hall-Sun sat on a stone hard by, and watched them as they passed; and +she looked keenly at all persons and all things. She had been +working in the acres, and her hand was yet on the hoe she had been +using, and but for her face her body was as of one resting after +toil: her dark blue gown was ungirded, her dark hair loose and +floating, the flowers that had wreathed it, now faded, lying strewn +upon the grass before her: her feet bare for coolness' sake, her +left hand lying loose and open upon her knee. + +Yet though her body otherwise looked thus listless, in her face was +no listlessness, nor rest: her eyes were alert and clear, shining +like two stars in the heavens of dawntide; her lips were set close, +her brow knit, as of one striving to shape thoughts hard to +understand into words that all might understand. + +So she sat noting all things, as woman by woman went past her into +the hall, till at last she slowly rose to her feet; for there came +two young women leading between them that same old carline with whom +she had talked on the Hill-of-Speech. She looked on the carline +steadfastly, but gave no token of knowing her; but the ancient woman +spoke when she came near to the Hall-Sun, and old as her semblance +was, yet did her speech sound sweet to the Hall-Sun, and indeed to +all those that heard it and she said: + +"May we be here to-night, O Hall-Sun, thou lovely Seeress of the +mighty Wolfings? may a wandering woman sit amongst you and eat the +meat of the Wolfings?" + +Then spake the Hall-Sun in a sweet measured voice: "Surely mother: +all men who bring peace with them are welcome guests to the Wolfings: +nor will any ask thine errand, but we will let thy tidings flow from +thee as thou wilt. This is the custom of the kindred, and no word of +mine own; I speak to thee because thou hast spoken to me, but I have +no authority here, being myself but an alien. Albeit I serve the +House of the Wolfings, and I love it as the hound loveth his master +who feedeth him, and his master's children who play with him. Enter, +mother, and be glad of heart, and put away care from thee." + +Then the old woman drew nigher to her and sat down in the dust at her +feet, for she was now sitting down again, and took her hand and +kissed it and fondled it, and seemed loth to leave handling the +beauty of the Hall-Sun; but she looked kindly on the carline, and +smiled on her, and leaned down to her, and kissed her mouth, and +said: + +"Damsels, take care of this poor woman, and make her good cheer; for +she is wise of wit, and a friend of the Wolfings; and I have seen her +before, and spoken with her; and she loveth us. But as for me I must +needs be alone in the meads for a while; and it may be that when I +come to you again, I shall have a word to tell you." + +Now indeed it was in a manner true that the Hall-Sun had no authority +in the Wolfing House; yet was she so well beloved for her wisdom and +beauty and her sweet speech, that all hastened to do her will in +small matters and in great, and now as they looked at her after the +old woman had caressed her, it seemed to them that her fairness grew +under their eyes, and that they had never seen her so fair; and the +sight of her seemed so good to them, that the outworn day and its +weariness changed to them, and it grew as pleasant as the first hours +of the sunlight, when men arise happy from their rest, and look on +the day that lieth hopeful before them with all its deeds to be. + +So they grew merry, and they led the carline into the Hall with them, +and set her down in the Women's-Chamber, and washed her feet, and +gave her meat and drink, and bade her rest and think of nothing +troublous, and in all wise made her good cheer; and she was merry +with them, and praised their fairness and their deftness, and asked +them many questions about their weaving and spinning and carding; +(howbeit the looms were idle as then because it was midsummer, and +the men gone to the war). And this they deemed strange, as it seemed +to them that all women should know of such things; but they thought +it was a token that she came from far away. + +But afterwards she sat among them, and told them pleasant tales of +past times and far countries, and was blithe to them and they to her +and the time wore on toward nightfall in the Women's-Chamber. + + + +CHAPTER XI--THE HALL-SUN SPEAKETH + + + +But for the Hall-Sun; she sat long on that stone by the Women's-door; +but when the evening was now come, she arose and went down through +the cornfields and into the meadow, and wandered away as her feet +took her. + +Night was falling by then she reached that pool of Mirkwood-water, +whose eddies she knew so well. There she let the water cover her in +the deep stream, and she floated down and sported with the ripples +where the river left that deep to race over the shallows; and the +moon was casting shadows by then she came up the bank again by the +shallow end bearing in her arms a bundle of the blue-flowering mouse- +ear. Then she clad herself at once, and went straight as one with a +set purpose toward the Great Roof, and entered by the Man's-door; and +there were few men within and they but old and heavy with the burden +of years and the coming of night-tide; but they wondered and looked +to each other and nodded their heads as she passed them by, as men +who would say, There is something toward. + +So she went to her sleeping-place, and did on fresh raiment, and came +forth presently clad in white and shod with gold and having her hair +wreathed about with the herb of wonder, the blue-flowering mouse-ear +of Mirkwood-water. Thus she passed through the Hall, and those +elders were stirred in their hearts when they beheld her beauty. But +she opened the door of the Women's-Chamber, and stood on the +threshold; and lo, there sat the carline amidst a ring of the Wolfing +women, and she telling them tales of old time such as they had not +yet heard; and her eyes were glittering, and the sweet words were +flowing from her mouth; but she sat straight up like a young woman; +and at whiles it seemed to those who hearkened, that she was no old +and outworn woman, but fair and strong, and of much avail. But when +she heard the Hall-Sun she turned and saw her on the threshold, and +her speech fell suddenly, and all that might and briskness faded from +her, and she fixed her eyes on the Hall-Sun and looked wistfully and +anxiously on her. + +Then spake the Hall-Sun standing in the doorway: + + +"Hear ye a matter, maidens, and ye Wolfing women all, +And thou alien guest of the Wolfings! But come ye up the hall, +That the ancient men may hearken: for methinks I have a word +Of the battle of the Kindreds, and the harvest of the sword." + + +Then all arose up with great joy, for they knew that the tidings were +good, when they looked on the face of the Hall-Sun and beheld the +pride of her beauty unmarred by doubt or pain. + +She led them forth to the dais, and there were the sick and the +elders gathered and some ancient men of the thralls: so she stepped +lightly up to her place, and stood under her namesake, the wondrous +lamp of ancient days. And thus she spake: + + +"On my soul there lies no burden, and no tangle of the fight +In plain or dale or wild-wood enmeshes now my sight. +I see the Markmen's wain-burg, and I see their warriors go +As men who wait for battle and the coming of the foe. +And they pass 'twixt the wood and the wain-burg within earshot of the +horn, +But over the windy meadows no sound thereof is borne, +And all is well amongst them. To the burg I draw anigh +And I see all battle-banners in the breeze of morning fly, +But no Wolfings round their banner and no warrior of the Shield, +No Geiring and no Hrossing in the burg or on the field." + + +She held her peace for a little while, and no one dared to speak; +then she lifted up her head and spake: + + +"Now I go by the lip of the wild-wood and a sound withal I hear, +As of men in the paths of the thicket, and a many drawing anear. +Then, muffled yet by the tree-boles, I hear the Shielding song, +And warriors blithe and merry with the battle of the strong. +Give back a little, Markmen, make way for men to pass +To your ordered battle-dwelling o'er the trodden meadow-grass, +For alive with men is the wild-wood and shineth with the steel, +And hath a voice most merry to tell of the Kindreds' weal, +'Twixt each tree a warrior standeth come back from the spear-strewn +way, +And forth they come from the wild-wood and a little band are they." + + +Then again was she silent; but her head sank not, as of one thinking, +as before it did, but she looked straight forward with bright eyes +and smiling, as she said: + + +"Lo, now the guests they are bringing that ye have not seen before; +Yet guests but ill-entreated; for they lack their shields of war, +No spear in the hand they carry and with no sax are girt. +Lo, these are the dreaded foemen, these once so strong to hurt; +The men that all folk fled from, the swift to drive the spoil, +The men that fashioned nothing but the trap to make men toil. +They drew the sword in the cities, they came and struck the stroke +And smote the shield of the Markmen, and point and edge they broke. +They drew the sword in the war-garth, they swore to bring aback +God's gifts from the Markmen houses where the tables never lack. +O Markmen, take the God-gifts that came on their own feet +O'er the hills through the Mirkwood thicket the Stone of Tyr to +meet!" + + +Again she stayed her song, which had been loud and joyous, and they +who heard her knew that the Kindreds had gained the day, and whilst +the Hall-Sun was silent they fell to talking of this fair day of +battle and the taking of captives. But presently she spread out her +hands again and they held their peace, and she said: + + +"I see, O Wolfing women, and many a thing I see, +But not all things, O elders, this eve shall ye learn of me, +For another mouth there cometh: the thicket I behold +And the Sons of Tyr amidst it, and I see the oak-trees old, +And the war-shout ringing round them; and I see the battle-lord +Unhelmed amidst of the mighty; and I see his leaping sword; +Strokes struck and warriors falling, and the streaks of spears I see, +But hereof shall the other tell you who speaketh after me. +For none other than the Shieldings from out the wood have come, +And they shift the turn with the Daylings to drive the folk-spear +home, +And to follow with the Wolfings and thrust the war-beast forth. +And so good men deem the tidings that they bid them journey north +On the feet of a Shielding runner, that Gisli hath to name; +And west of the water he wendeth by the way that the Wolfings came; +Now for sleep he tarries never, and no meat is in his mouth +Till the first of the Houses hearkeneth the tidings of the south; +Lo, he speaks, and the mead-sea sippeth, and the bread by the way +doth eat, +And over the Geiring threshold and outward pass his feet; +And he breasts the Burg of the Daylings and saith his happy word, +And stayeth to drink for a minute of the waves of Battle-ford. +Lone then by the stream he runneth, and wendeth the wild-wood road, +And dasheth through the hazels of the Oselings' fair abode, +And the Elking women know it, and their hearts are glad once more, +And ye--yea, hearken, Wolfings, for his feet are at the door." + + + +CHAPTER XII--TIDINGS OF THE BATTLE IN MIRKWOOD + + + +As the Hall-Sun made an end they heard in good sooth the feet of the +runner on the hard ground without the hall, and presently the door +opened and he came leaping over the threshold, and up to the table, +and stood leaning on it with one hand, his breast heaving with his +last swift run. Then he spake presently: + +"I am Gisli of the Shieldings: Otter sendeth me to the Hall-Sun; but +on the way I was to tell tidings to the Houses west of the Water: so +have I done. Now is my journey ended; for Otter saith: 'Let the +Hall-Sun note the tidings and send word of them by four of the +lightest limbed of the women, or by lads a-horseback, both west and +east of the Water; let her send the word as it seemeth to her, +whether she hath seen it or not. I will drink a short draught since +my running is over." + +Then a damsel brought him a horn of mead and let it come into his +hand, and he drank sighing with pleasure, while the damsel for +pleasure of him and his tidings laid her hand on his shoulder. Then +he set down the horn and spake: + +"We, the Shieldings, with the Geirings, the Hrossings, and the +Wolfings, three hundred warriors and more, were led into the Wood by +Thiodolf the War-duke, beside whom went Fox, who hath seen the +Romans. We were all afoot; for there is no wide way through the +Wood, nor would we have it otherwise, lest the foe find the thicket +easy. But many of us know the thicket and its ways; so we made not +the easy hard. I was near the War-duke, for I know the thicket and +am light-foot: I am a bowman. I saw Thiodolf that he was unhelmed +and bore no shield, nor had he any coat of fence; nought but a deer- +skin frock." + +As he said that word, the carline, who had drawn very near to him and +was looking hard at his face, turned and looked on the Hall-Sun and +stared at her till she reddened under those keen eyes: for in her +heart began to gather some knowledge of the tale of her mother and +what her will was. + +But Gisli went on: "Yet by his side was his mighty sword, and we all +knew it for Throng-plough, and were glad of it and of him and the +unfenced breast of the dauntless. Six hours we went spreading wide +through the thicket, not always seeing one another, but knowing one +another to be nigh; those that knew the thicket best led, the others +followed on. So we went till it was high noon on the plain and +glimmering dusk in the thicket, and we saw nought, save here and +there a roe, and here and there a sounder of swine, and coneys where +it was opener, and the sun shone and the grass grew for a little +space. So came we unto where the thicket ended suddenly, and there +was a long glade of the wild-wood, all set about with great oak-trees +and grass thereunder, which I knew well; and thereof the tale tells +that it was a holy place of the folk who abided in these parts before +the Sons of the Goths. Now will I drink." + +So he drank of the horn and said: "It seemeth that Fox had a deeming +of the way the Romans should come; so now we abided in the thicket +without that glade and lay quiet and hidden, spreading ourselves as +much about that lawn of the oak-trees as we might, the while Fox and +three others crept through the wood to espy what might be toward: +not long had they been gone ere we heard a war-horn blow, and it was +none of our horns: it was a long way off, but we looked to our +weapons: for men are eager for the foe and the death that cometh, +when they lie hidden in the thicket. A while passed, and again we +heard the horn, and it was nigher and had a marvellous voice; then in +a while was a little noise of men, not their voices, but footsteps +going warily through the brake to the south, and twelve men came +slowly and warily into that oak-lawn, and lo, one of them was Fox; +but he was clad in the raiment of the dastard of the Goths whom he +had slain. I tell you my heart beat, for I saw that the others were +Roman men, and one of them seemed to be a man of authority, and he +held Fox by the shoulder, and pointed to the thicket where we lay, +and something he said to him, as we saw by his gesture and face, but +his voice we heard not, for he spake soft. + +"Then of those ten men of his he sent back two, and Fox going between +them, as though he should be slain if he misled them; and he and the +eight abided there wisely and warily, standing silently some six feet +from each other, moving scarce at all, but looking like images +fashioned of brown copper and iron; holding their casting-spears +(which be marvellous heavy weapons) and girt with the sax. + +"As they stood there, not out of earshot of a man speaking in his +wonted voice, our War-duke made a sign to those about him, and we +spread very quietly to the right hand and the left of him once more, +and we drew as close as might be to the thicket's edge, and those who +had bows the nighest thereto. Thus then we abided a while again; and +again came the horn's voice; for belike they had no mind to come +their ways covertly because of their pride. + +"Soon therewithal comes Fox creeping back to us, and I saw him +whisper into the ear of the War-duke, but heard not the word he said. +I saw that he had hanging to him two Roman saxes, so I deemed he had +slain those two, and so escaped the Romans. Maidens, it were well +that ye gave me to drink again, for I am weary and my journey is +done." + +So again they brought him the horn, and made much of him; and he +drank, and then spake on. + +"Now heard we the horn's voice again quite close, and it was sharp +and shrill, and nothing like to the roar of our battle-horns: still +was the wood and no wind abroad, not even down the oak-lawn; and we +heard now the tramp of many men as they thrashed through the small +wood and bracken of the thicket-way; and those eight men and their +leader came forward, moving like one, close up to the thicket where I +lay, just where the path passed into the thicket beset by the Sons of +the Goths: so near they were that I could see the dints upon their +armour, and the strands of the wire on their sax-handles. Down then +bowed the tall bracken on the further side of the wood-lawn, the +thicket crashed before the march of men, and on they strode into the +lawn, a goodly band, wary, alert, and silent of cries. + +"But when they came into the lawn they spread out somewhat to their +left hands, that is to say on the west side, for that way was the +clear glade; but on the east the thicket came close up to them and +edged them away. Therein lay the Goths. + +"There they stayed awhile, and spread out but a little, as men +marching, not as men fighting. A while we let them be; and we saw +their captain, no big man, but dight with very fair armour and +weapons; and there drew up to him certain Goths armed, the dastards +of the folk, and another unarmed, an old man bound and bleeding. +With these Goths had the captain some converse, and presently he +cried out two or three words of Welsh in a loud voice, and the nine +men who were ahead shifted them somewhat away from us to lead down +the glade westward. + +"The prey had come into the net, but they had turned their faces +toward the mouth of it. + +"Then turned Thiodolf swiftly to the man behind him who carried the +war-horn, and every man handled his weapons: but that man +understood, and set the little end to his mouth, and loud roared the +horn of the Markmen, and neither friend nor foe misdoubted the tale +thereof. Then leaped every man to his feet, all bow-strings twanged +and the cast-spears flew; no man forebore to shout; each as he might +leapt out of the thicket and fell on with sword and axe and spear, +for it was from the bowmen but one shaft and no more. + +"Then might you have seen Thiodolf as he bounded forward like the +wild-cat on the hare, how he had no eyes for any save the Roman +captain. Foemen enough he had round about him after the two first +bounds from the thicket; for the Romans were doing their best to +spread, that they might handle those heavy cast-spears, though they +might scarce do it, just come out of the thicket as they were, and +thrust together by that onslaught of the kindreds falling on from two +sides and even somewhat from behind. To right and left flashed +Throng-plough, while Thiodolf himself scarce seemed to guide it: men +fell before him at once, and close at his heels poured the Wolfing +kindred into the gap, and in a minute of time was he amidst of the +throng and face to face with the gold-dight captain. + +"What with the sweep of Throng-plough and the Wolfing onrush, there +was space about him for a great stroke; he gave a side-long stroke to +his right and hewed down a tall Burgundian, and then up sprang the +white blade, but ere its edge fell he turned his wrist, and drove the +point through that Captain's throat just above the ending of his +hauberk, so that he fell dead amidst of his folk. + +"All the four kindreds were on them now, and amidst them, and needs +must they give way: but stoutly they fought; for surely no other +warriors might have withstood that onslaught of the Markmen for the +twinkling of an eye: but had the Romans had but the space to have +spread themselves out there, so as to handle their shot-weapons, many +a woman's son of us had fallen; for no man shielded himself in his +eagerness, but let the swiftness of the Onset of point-and-edge +shield him; which, sooth to say, is often a good shield, as here was +found. + +"So those that were unslain and unhurt fled west along the glade, but +not as dastards, and had not Thiodolf followed hard in the chase +according to his wont, they might even yet have made a fresh stand +and spread from oak-tree to oak-tree across the glade: but as it +befel, they might not get a fair offing so as to disentangle +themselves and array themselves in good order side by side; and +whereas the Markmen were fleet of foot, and in the woods they knew, +there were a many aliens slain in the chase or taken alive unhurt or +little hurt: but the rest fled this way and that way into the +thicket, with whom were some of the Burgundians; so there they abide +now as outcasts and men unholy, to be slain as wild-beasts one by one +as we meet them. + +"Such then was the battle in Mirkwood. Give me the mead-horn that I +may drink to the living and the dead, and the memory of the dead, and +the deeds of the living that are to be." + +So they brought him the horn, and he waved it over his head and drank +again and spake: + +"Sixty and three dead men of the Romans we counted there up and down +that oak-glade; and we cast earth over them; and three dead dastards +of the Goths, and we left them for the wolves to deal with. And +twenty-five men of the Romans we took alive to be for hostages if +need should be, and these did we Shielding men, who are not very +many, bring aback to the wain-burg; and the Daylings, who are a great +company, were appointed to enter the wood and be with Thiodolf; and +me did Otter bid to bear the tidings, even as I have told you. And I +have not loitered by the way." + +Great then was the joy in the Hall; and they took Gisli, and made +much of him, and led him to the bath, and clad him in fine raiment +taken from the coffer which was but seldom opened, because the cloths +it held were precious; and they set a garland of green wheat-ears on +his head. Then they fell to and spread the feast in the hall; and +they ate and drank and were merry. + +But as for speeding the tidings, the Hall-Sun sent two women and two +lads, all a-horseback, to bear the words: the women to remember the +words which she taught them carefully, the lads to be handy with the +horses, or in the ford, or the swimming of the deeps, or in the +thicket. So they went their ways, down the water: one pair went on +the western side, and the other crossed Mirkwood-water at the +shallows (for being Midsummer the water was but small), and went +along the east side, so that all the kindred might know of the +tidings and rejoice. + +Great was the glee in the Hall, though the warriors of the House were +away, and many a song and lay they sang: but amidst the first of the +singing they bethought them of the old woman, and would have bidden +her tell them some tale of times past, since she was so wise in the +ancient lore. But when they sought for her on all sides she was not +to be found, nor could anyone remember seeing her depart from the +Hall. But this had they no call to heed, and the feast ended, as it +began, in great glee. + +Albeit the Hall-Sun was troubled about the carline, both that she had +come, and that she had gone: and she determined that the next time +she met her she would strive to have of her a true tale of what she +was, and of all that was toward. + + + +CHAPTER XIII--THE HALL-SUN SAITH ANOTHER WORD + + + +It was no later than the next night, and a many of what thralls were +not with the host were about in the feast-hall with the elders and +lads and weaklings of the House; for last night's tidings had drawn +them thither. Gisli had gone back to his kindred and the wain-burg +in the Upper-mark, and the women were sitting, most of them, in the +Women's-Chamber, some of them doing what little summer work needed +doing about the looms, but more resting from their work in field and +acre. + +Then came the Hall-Sun forth from her room clad in glittering +raiment, and summoned no one, but went straight to her place on the +dais under her namesake the Lamp, and stood there a little without +speaking. Her face was pale now, her lips a little open, her eyes +set and staring as if they saw nothing of all that was round about +her. + +Now went the word through the Hall and the Women's-Chamber that the +Hall-Sun would speak again, and that great tidings were toward; so +all folk came flock-meal to the dais, both thralls and free; and +scarce were all gathered there, ere the Hall-Sun began speaking, and +said: + + +"The days of the world thrust onward, and men are born therein +A many and a many, and divers deeds they win +In the fashioning of stories for the kindreds of the earth, +A garland interwoven of sorrow and of mirth. +To the world a warrior cometh; from the world he passeth away, +And no man then may sunder his good from his evil day. +By the Gods hath he been tormented, and been smitten by the foe: +He hath seen his maiden perish, he hath seen his speech-friend go: +His heart hath conceived a joyance and hath brought it unto birth: +But he hath not carried with him his sorrow or his mirth. +He hath lived, and his life hath fashioned the outcome of the deed, +For the blossom of the people, and the coming kindreds' seed. + +"Thus-wise the world is fashioned, and the new sun of the morn +Where earth last night was desert beholds a kindred born, +That to-morrow and to-morrow blossoms all gloriously +With many a man and maiden for the kindreds yet to be, +And fair the Goth-folk groweth. And yet the story saith +That the deeds that make the summer make too the winter's death, +That summer-tides unceasing from out the grave may grow +And the spring rise up unblemished from the bosom of the snow. + +"Thus as to every kindred the day comes once for all +When yesterday it was not, and to-day it builds the hall, +So every kindred bideth the night-tide of the day, +Whereof it knoweth nothing, e'en when noon is past away. +E'en thus the House of the Wolfings 'twixt dusk and dark doth stand, +And narrow is the pathway with the deep on either hand. +On the left are the days forgotten, on the right the days to come, +And another folk and their story in the stead of the Wolfing home. +Do the shadows darken about it, is the even here at last? +Or is this but a storm of the noon-tide that the wind is driving +past? + +"Unscathed as yet it standeth; it bears the stormy drift, +Nor bows to the lightening flashing adown from the cloudy lift. +I see the hail of battle and the onslaught of the strong, +And they go adown to the folk-mote that shall bide there over long. +I see the slain-heaps rising and the alien folk prevail, +And the Goths give back before them on the ridge o'er the treeless +vale. +I see the ancient fallen, and the young man smitten dead, +And yet I see the War-duke shake Throng-plough o'er his head, +And stand unhelmed, unbyrnied before the alien host, +And the hurt men rise around him to win back battle lost; +And the wood yield up her warriors, and the whole host rushing on, +And the swaying lines of battle until the lost is won. +Then forth goes the cry of triumph, as they ring the captives round +And cheat the crow of her portion and heap the warriors' mound. +There are faces gone from our feast-hall not the least beloved nor +worst, +But the wane of the House of the Wolfings not yet the world hath +cursed. +The sun shall rise to-morrow on our cold and dewy roof, +For they that longed for slaughter were slaughtered far aloof." + + +She ceased for a little, but her countenance, which had not changed +during her song, changed not at all now: so they all kept silence +although they were rejoicing in this new tale of victory; for they +deemed that she was not yet at the end of her speaking. And in good +sooth she spake again presently, and said: + + +"I wot not what hath befallen nor where my soul may be, +For confusion is within me and but dimly do I see, +As if the thing that I look on had happed a while ago. +They stand by the tofts of a war-garth, a captain of the foe, +And a man that is of the Goth-folk, and as friend and friend they +speak, +But I hear no word they are saying, though for every word I seek. +And now the mist flows round me and blind I come aback +To the House-roof of the Wolfings and the hearth that hath no lack." + + +Her voice grew weaker as she spake the last words, and she sank +backward on to her chair: her clenched hands opened, the lids fell +down over her bright eyes, her breast heaved no more as it had done, +and presently she fell asleep. + +The folk were doubtful and somewhat heavy-hearted because of those +last words of hers; but they would not ask her more, or rouse her +from her sleep, lest they should grieve her; so they departed to +their beds and slept for what was yet left of the night. + + + +CHAPTER XIV--THE HALL-SUN IS CAREFUL CONCERNING THE PASSES OF THE +WOOD + + + +In the morning early folk arose; and the lads and women who were not +of the night-shift got them ready to go to the mead and the acres; +for the sunshine had been plenty these last days and the wheat was +done blossoming, and all must be got ready for harvest. So they +broke their fast, and got their tools into their hands: but they +were somewhat heavy-hearted because of those last words of the Hall- +Sun, and the doubt of last night still hung about them, and they were +scarcely as merry as men are wont to be in the morning. + +As for the Hall-Sun, she was afoot with the earliest, and was no +less, but mayhap more merry than her wont was, and was blithe with +all, both old and young. + +But as they were at the point of going she called to them, and said: + +"Tarry a little, come ye all to the dais and hearken to me." + +So they all gathered thereto, and she stood in her place and spake. + +"Women and elders of the Wolfings, is it so that I spake somewhat of +tidings last night?" + +"Yea," said they all. + +She said, "And was it a word of victory?" + +They answered "yea" again. + +"Good is that," she said; "doubt ye not! there is nought to unsay. +But hearken! I am nothing wise in war like Thiodolf or Otter of the +Laxings, or as Heriulf the Ancient was, though he was nought so wise +as they be. Nevertheless ye shall do well to take me for your +captain, while this House is bare of warriors." + +"Yea, yea," they said, "so will we." + +And an old warrior, hight Sorli, who sat in his chair, no longer +quite way-worthy, said: + +"Hall-Sun, this we looked for of thee; since thy wisdom is not wholly +the wisdom of a spae-wife, but rather is of the children of warriors: +and we know thine heart to be high and proud, and that thy death +seemeth to thee a small matter beside the life of the Wolfing House." + +Then she smiled and said, "Will ye all do my bidding?" + +And they all cried out heartily, "Yea, Hall-Sun, that will we." + +She said: "Hearken then; ye all know that east of Mirkwood-water, +when ye come to the tofts of the Bearings, and their Great Roof, the +thicket behind them is close, but that there is a wide way cut +through it; and often have I gone there: if ye go by that way, in a +while ye come to the thicket's end and to bare places where the rocks +crop up through the gravel and the woodland loam. There breed the +coneys without number; and wild-cats haunt the place for that sake, +and foxes; and the wood-wolf walketh there in summer-tide, and hard +by the she-wolf hath her litter of whelps, and all these have enough; +and the bald-head erne hangeth over it and the kite, and also the +kestril, for shrews and mice abound there. Of these things there is +none that feareth me, and none that maketh me afraid. Beyond this +place for a long way the wood is nowise thick, for first grow ash- +trees about the clefts of the rock and also quicken-trees, but not +many of either; and here and there a hazel brake easy to thrust +through; then comes a space of oak-trees scattered about the lovely +wood-lawn, and then at last the beech-wood close above but clear +beneath. This I know well, because I myself have gone so far and +further; and by this easy way have I gone so far to the south, that I +have come out into the fell country, and seen afar off the snowy +mountains beyond the Great Water. + +"Now fear ye not, but pluck up a heart! For either I have seen it or +dreamed it, or thought it, that by this road easy to wend the Romans +should come into the Mark. For shall not those dastards and traitors +that wear the raiment and bodies of the Goths over the hearts and the +lives of foemen, tell them hereof? And will they not have heard of +our Thiodolf, and this my holy namesake? + +"Will they not therefore be saying to themselves, 'Go to now, why +should we wrench the hinges off the door with plenteous labour, when +another door to the same chamber standeth open before us? This House +of the Wolfings is the door to the treasure chamber of the Markmen; +let us fall on that at once rather than have many battles for other +lesser matters, and then at last have to fight for this also: for +having this we have all, and they shall be our thralls, and we may +slaughter what we will, and torment what we will and deflower what we +will, and make our souls glad with their grief and anguish, and take +aback with us to the cities what we will of the thralls, that their +anguish and our joy may endure the longer.' Thus will they say: +therefore is it my rede that the strongest and hardiest of you women +take horse, a ten of you and one to lead besides, and ride the +shallows to the Bearing House, and tell them of our rede; which is to +watch diligently the ways of the wood; the outgate to the Mark, and +the places where the wood is thin and easy to travel on: and ye +shall bid them give you of their folk as many as they deem fittest +thereto to join your company, so that ye may have a chain of watchers +stretching far into the wilds; but two shall lie without the wood, +their horses ready for them to leap on and ride on the spur to the +wain-burg in the Upper-mark if any tidings befal. + +"Now of these eleven I ordain Hrosshild to be the leader and captain, +and to choose for her fellows the stoutest-limbed and heaviest-handed +of all the maidens here: art thou content Hrosshild?" + +Then stood Hrosshild forth and said nought, but nodded yea; and soon +was her choice made amid jests and laughter, for this seemed no hard +matter to them. + +So the ten got together, and the others fell off from them, and there +stood the ten maidens with Hrosshild, well nigh as strong as men, +clean-limbed and tall, tanned with sun and wind; for all these were +unwearied afield, and oft would lie out a-nights, since they loved +the lark's song better than the mouse's squeak; but as their kirtles +shifted at neck and wrist, you might see their skins as white as +privet-flower where they were wont to be covered. + +Then said the Hall-Sun: "Ye have heard the word, see ye to it, +Hrosshild, and take this other word also: Bid the Bearing stay-at- +homes bide not the sword and the torch at home if the Romans come, +but hie them over hither, to hold the Hall or live in the wild-wood +with us, as need may be; for might bides with many. + +"But ye maidens, take this counsel for yourselves; do ye each bear +with you a little keen knife, and if ye be taken, and it seem to you +that ye may not bear the smart of the Roman torments (for they be +wise in tormenting), but will speak and bewray us under them, then +thrust this little edge tool into the place of your bodies where the +life lieth closest, and so go to the Gods with a good tale in your +mouths: so may the Almighty God of Earth speed you, and the fathers +of the kindred!" + +So she spoke; and they made no delay but each one took what axe or +spear or sword she liked best, and two had their bows and quivers of +arrows; and so all folk went forth from the Hall. + +Soon were the horses saddled and bridled, and the maidens bestrode +them joyously and set forth on their way, going down the lanes of the +wheat, and rode down speedily toward the shallows of the water, and +all cried good speed after them. But the others would turn to their +day's work, and would go about their divers errands. But even as +they were at point to sunder, they saw a swift runner passing by +those maidens just where the acres joined the meadow, and he waved +his hand aloft and shouted to them, but stayed not his running for +them, but came up the lanes of the wheat at his swiftest: so they +knew at once that this was again a messenger from the host, and they +stood together and awaited his coming; and as he drew near they knew +him for Egil, the swiftest-footed of the Wolfings; and he gave a +great shout as he came among them; and he was dusty and wayworn, but +eager; and they received him with all love, and would have brought +him to the Hall to wash him and give him meat and drink, and cherish +him in all ways. + +But he cried out, "To the Speech-Hill first, to the Speech-Hill +first! But even before that, one word to thee, Hall-Sun! Saith +Thiodolf, Send ye watchers to look to the entrance into Mid-mark, +which is by the Bearing dwelling; and if aught untoward befalleth let +one ride on the spur with the tidings to the Wain-burg. For by that +way also may peril come." + +Then smiled some of the bystanders, and the Hall-Sun said: "Good is +it when the thought of a friend stirreth betimes in one's own breast. +The thing is done, Egil; or sawest thou not those ten women, and +Hrosshild the eleventh, as thou camest up into the acres?" + +Said Egil; "Fair fall thine hand, Hall-Sun! thou art the Wolfings' +Ransom. Wend we now to the Speech-Hill." + +So did they, and every thrall that was about the dwellings, man, +woman, and child fared with them, and stood about the Speech-Hill: +and the dogs went round about the edge of that assembly, wandering in +and out, and sometimes looking hard on some one whom they knew best, +if he cried out aloud. + +But the men-folk gave all their ears to hearkening, and stood as +close as they might. + +Then Egil clomb the Speech-Hill, and said. + + + +CHAPTER XV--THEY HEAR TELL OF THE BATTLE ON THE RIDGE + + + +"Ye have heard how the Daylings were appointed to go to help Thiodolf +in driving the folk-spear home to the heart of the Roman host. So +they went; but six hours thereafter comes one to Otter bidding him +send a great part of the kindreds to him; for that he had had tidings +that a great host of Romans were drawing near the wood-edge, but were +not entered therein, and that fain would he meet them in the open +field. + +"So the kindreds drew lots, and the lot fell first to the Elkings, +who are a great company, as ye know; and then to the Hartings, the +Beamings, the Alftings, the Vallings (also a great company), the +Galtings, (and they no lesser) each in their turn; and last of all to +the Laxings; and the Oselings prayed to go with the Elkings, and this +Otter deemed good, whereas a many of them be bowmen. + +"All these then to the number of a thousand or more entered the wood; +and I was with them, for in sooth I was the messenger. + +"No delay made we in the wood, nor went we over warily, trusting to +the warding of the wood by Thiodolf; and there were men with us who +knew the paths well, whereof I was one; so we speedily came through +into the open country. + +"Shortly we came upon our folk and the War-duke lying at the foot of +a little hill that went up as a buttress to a long ridge high above +us, whereon we set a watch; and a little brook came down the dale for +our drink. + +"Night fell as we came thither; so we slept for a while, but abode +not the morning, and we were afoot (for we had no horses with us) +before the moon grew white. We took the road in good order, albeit +our folk-banners we had left behind in the burg; so each kindred +raised aloft a shield of its token to be for a banner. So we went +forth, and some swift footmen, with Fox, who hath seen the Roman war- +garth, had been sent on before to spy out the ways of the foemen. + +"Two hours after sunrise cometh one of these, and telleth how he hath +seen the Romans, and how that they are but a short mile hence +breaking their fast, not looking for any onslaught; 'but,' saith he, +'they are on a high ridge whence they can see wide about, and be in +no danger of ambush, because the place is bare for the most part, nor +is there any cover except here and there down in the dales a few +hazels and blackthorn bushes, and the rushes of the becks in the +marshy bottoms, wherein a snipe may hide, or a hare, but scarce a +man; and note that there is no way up to that ridge but by a spur +thereof as bare as my hand; so ye will be well seen as ye wend up +thereto.' + +"So spake he in my hearing. But Thiodolf bade him lead on to that +spur, and old Heriulf, who was standing nigh, laughed merrily and +said: 'Yea, lead on, and speedily, lest the day wane and nothing +done save the hunting of snipes.' + +"So on we went, and coming to the hither side of that spur beheld +those others and Fox with them; and he held in his hand an arrow of +the aliens, and his face was all astir with half-hidden laughter, and +he breathed hard, and pointed to the ridge, and somewhat low down on +it we saw a steel cap and three spear-heads showing white from out a +little hollow in its side, but the men hidden by the hollow: so we +knew that Fox had been chased, and that the Romans were warned and +wary. + +"No delay made the War-duke, but led us up that spur, which was +somewhat steep; and as we rose higher we saw a band of men on the +ridge, a little way down it, not a many; archers and slingers mostly, +who abode us till we were within shot, and then sent a few shots at +us, and so fled. But two men were hurt with the sling-plummets, and +one, and he not grievously, with an arrow, and not one slain. + +"Thus we came up on to the ridge, so that there was nothing between +us and the bare heavens; thence we looked south-east and saw the +Romans wisely posted on the ridge not far from where it fell down +steeply to the north; but on the south, that is to say on their left +hands, and all along the ridge past where we were stayed, the ground +sloped gently to the south-west for a good way, before it fell, +somewhat steeply, into another long dale. Looking north we saw the +outer edge of Mirkwood but a little way from us, and we were glad +thereof; because ere we left our sleeping-place that morn Thiodolf +had sent to Otter another messenger bidding him send yet more men on +to us in case we should be hard-pressed in the battle; for he had had +a late rumour that the Romans were many. And now when he had looked +on the Roman array and noted how wise it was, he sent three swift- +foot ones to take stand on a high knoll which we had passed on the +way, that they might take heed where our folk came out from the wood +and give signal to them by the horn, and lead them to where the +battle should be. + +"So we stood awhile and breathed us, and handled our weapons some +half a furlong from the alien host. They had no earth rampart around +them, for that ridge is waterless, and they could not abide there +long, but they had pitched sharp pales in front of them and they +stood in very good order, as if abiding an onslaught, and moved not +when they saw us; for that band of shooters had joined themselves to +them already. Taken one with another we deemed them to be more than +we were; but their hauberked footmen with the heavy cast-spears not +so many as we by a good deal. + +"Now we were of mind to fall on them ere they should fall on us; so +all such of us as had shot-weapons spread out from our company and +went forth a little; and of the others Heriulf stood foremost along +with the leaders of the Beamings and the Elkings; but as yet Thiodolf +held aback and led the midmost company, as his wont was, and the more +part of the Wolfings were with him. + +"Thus we ordered ourselves, and awaited a little while yet what the +aliens should do; and presently a war-horn blew amongst them, and +from each flank of their mailed footmen came forth a many bowmen and +slingers and a band of horsemen; and drew within bowshot, the +shooters in open array yet wisely, and so fell to on us, and the +horsemen hung aback a little as yet. + +"Their arrow-shot was of little avail, their bowmen fell fast before +ours; but deadly was their sling-shot, and hurt and slew many and +some even in our main battle; for they slung round leaden balls and +not stones, and they aimed true and shot quick; and the men withal +were so light and lithe, never still, but crouching and creeping and +bounding here and there, that they were no easier to hit than coneys +amidst of the fern, unless they were very nigh. + +"Howbeit when this storm had endured a while, and we moved but +little, and not an inch aback, and gave them shot for shot, then was +another horn winded from amongst the aliens; and thereat the bowmen +cast down their bows, and the slingers wound their slings about their +heads, and they all came on with swords and short spears and +feathered darts, running and leaping lustily, making for our flanks, +and the horsemen set spurs to their horses and fell on in the very +front of our folk like good and valiant men-at-arms. + +"That saw Heriulf and his men, and they set up the war-whoop, and ran +forth to meet them, axe and sword aloft, terribly yet maybe somewhat +unwarily. The archers and slingers never came within sword-stroke of +them, but fell away before them on all sides; but the slingers fled +not far, but began again with their shot, and slew a many. Then was +a horn winded, as if to call back the horsemen, who, if they heard, +heeded not, but rode hard on our kindred like valiant warriors who +feared not death. Sooth to say, neither were the horses big or good, +nor the men fit for the work, saving for their hardihood; and their +spears were short withal and their bucklers unhandy to wield. + +"Now could it be seen how the Goths gave way before them to let them +into the trap, and then closed around again, and the axes and edge +weapons went awork hewing as in a wood; and Heriulf towered over all +the press, and the Wolf's-sister flashed over his head in the summer +morning. + +"Soon was that storm over, and we saw the Goths tossing up their +spears over the slain, and horses running loose and masterless adown +over the westward-lying slopes, and a few with their riders still +clinging to them. Yet some, sore hurt by seeming, galloping toward +the main battle of the Romans. + +"Unwarily then fared the children of Tyr that were with Heriulf; for +by this time they were well nigh within shot of the spears of those +mighty footmen of the Romans: and on their flanks were the slingers, +and the bowmen, who had now gotten their bows again; and our bowmen, +though they shot well and strong, were too few to quell them; and +indeed some of them had cast by their bows to join in Heriulf's +storm. Also the lie of the ground was against us, for it sloped up +toward the Roman array at first very gently, but afterwards steeply +enough to breathe a short-winded man. Also behind them were we of +the other kindreds, whom Thiodolf had ordered into the wedge-array; +and we were all ready to move forward, so that had they abided +somewhat, all had been well and better. + +"So did they not, but straightway set up the Victory-whoop and ran +forward on the Roman host. And these were so ordered that, as +aforesaid, they had before them sharp piles stuck into the earth and +pointed against us, as we found afterwards to our cost; and within +these piles stood the men some way apart from each other, so as to +handle their casting spears, and in three ranks were they ordered and +many spears could be cast at once, and if any in the front were +slain, his fellow behind him took his place. + +"So now the storm of war fell at once upon our folk, and swift and +fierce as was their onslaught yet were a many slain and hurt or ever +they came to the piles aforesaid. Then saw they death before them +and heeded it nought, but tore up the piles and dashed through them, +and fell in on those valiant footmen. Short is the tale to tell: +wheresoever a sword or spear of the Goths was upraised there were +three upon him, and saith Toti of the Beamings, who was hurt and +crawled away and yet lives, that on Heriulf there were six at first +and then more; and he took no thought of shielding himself, but +raised up the Wolf's-sister and hewed as the woodman in the thicket, +when night cometh and hunger is on him. There fell Heriulf the +Ancient and many a man of the Beamings and the Elkings with him, and +many a Roman. + +"But amidst the slain and the hurt our wedge-array moved forward +slowly now, warily shielded against the plummets and shafts on either +side; and when the Romans saw our unbroken array, and Thiodolf the +first with Throng-plough naked in his hand, they chased not such men +of ours unhurt or little hurt, as drew aback from before them: so +these we took amongst us, and when we had gotten all we might, and +held a grim face to the foe, we drew aback little by little, still +facing them till we were out of shot of their spears, though the shot +of the arrows and the sling-plummets ceased not wholly from us. Thus +ended Heriulf's Storm." + +Then he rested from his speaking for a while, and none said aught, +but they gazed on him as if he bore with him a picture of the battle, +and many of the women wept silently for Heriulf, and yet more of the +younger ones were wounded to the heart when they thought of the young +men of the Elkings, and the Beamings, since with both those houses +they had affinity; and they lamented the loves that they had lost, +and would have asked concerning their own speech-friends had they +durst. But they held their peace till the tale was told out to an +end. + +Then Egil spake again: + +"No long while had worn by in Heriulf's Storm, and though men's +hearts were nothing daunted, but rather angered by what had befallen, +yet would Thiodolf wear away the time somewhat more, since he hoped +for succour from the Wain-burg and the Wood; and he would not that +any of these Romans should escape us, but would give them all to Tyr, +and to be a following to Heriulf the Old and the Great. + +"So there we abided a while moving nought, and Thiodolf stood with +Throng-plough on his shoulder, unhelmed, unbyrnied, as though he +trusted to the kindred for all defence. Nor for their part did the +Romans dare to leave their vantage-ground, when they beheld what grim +countenance we made them. + +"Albeit, when we had thrice made as if we would fall on, and yet they +moved not, whereas it trieth a man sorely to stand long before the +foeman, and do nought but endure, and whereas many of our bowmen were +slain or hurt, and the rest too few to make head against the shot- +weapons of the aliens, then at last we began to draw nearer and a +little nearer, not breaking the wedge-array; and at last, just before +we were within shot of the cast-spears of their main battle, loud +roared our war-horn: then indeed we broke the wedge-array, but +orderly as we knew how, spreading out from right and left of the War- +duke till we were facing them in a long line: one minute we abode +thus, and then ran forth through the spear-storm: and even therewith +we heard, as it were, the echo of our own horn, and whoso had time to +think betwixt the first of the storm and the handstrokes of the +Romans deemed that now would be coming fresh kindreds for our +helping. + +"Not long endured the spear-rain, so swift we were, neither were we +in one throng as betid in Heriulf's Storm, but spread abroad, each +trusting in the other that none thought of the backward way. + +"Though we had the ground against us we dashed like fresh men at +their pales, and were under the weapons at once. Then was the battle +grim; they could not thrust us back, nor did we break their array +with our first storm; man hewed at man as if there were no foes in +the world but they two: sword met sword, and sax met sax; it was +thrusting and hewing with point and edge, and no long-shafted weapons +were of any avail; there we fought hand to hand and no man knew by +eyesight how the battle went two yards from where he fought, and each +one put all his heart in the stroke he was then striking, and thought +of nothing else. + +"Yet at the last we felt that they were faltering and that our work +was easier and our hope higher; then we cried our cries and pressed +on harder, and in that very nick of time there arose close behind us +the roar of the Markmen's horn and the cries of the kindreds +answering ours. Then such of the Romans as were not in the very act +of smiting, or thrusting, or clinging or shielding, turned and fled, +and the whoop of victory rang around us, and the earth shook, and +past the place of the slaughter rushed the riders of the Goths; for +they had sent horsemen to us, and the paths were grown easier for our +much treading of them. Then I beheld Thiodolf, that he had just +slain a foe, and clear was the space around him, and he rushed +sideways and caught hold of the stirrup of Angantyr of the Bearings, +and ran ten strides beside him, and then bounded on afoot swifter +than the red horses of the Bearings, urging on the chase, as his wont +was. + +"But we who were wearier, when we had done our work, stood still +between the living and the dead, between the freemen of the Mark and +their war-thralls. And in no long while there came back to us +Thiodolf and the chasers, and we made a great ring on the field of +the slain, and sang the Song of Triumph; and it was the Wolfing Song +that we sang. + +"Thus then ended Thiodolf's Storm." + +When he held his peace there was but little noise among the stay-at- +homes, for still were they thinking about the deaths of their kindred +and their lovers. But Egil spoke again. + +"Yet within that ring lay the sorrow of our hearts; for Odin had +called a many home, and there lay their bodies; and the mightiest was +Heriulf; and the Romans had taken him up from where he fell, and cast +him down out of the way, but they had not stripped him, and his hand +still gripped the Wolf's-sister. His shield was full of shafts of +arrows and spears; his byrny was rent in many places, his helm +battered out of form. He had been grievously hurt in the side and in +the thigh by cast-spears or ever he came to hand-blows with the +Romans, but moreover he had three great wounds from the point of the +sax, in the throat, in the side, in the belly, each enough for his +bane. His face was yet fair to look on, and we deemed that he had +died smiling. + +"At his feet lay a young man of the Beamings in a gay green coat, and +beside him was the head of another of his House, but his green-clad +body lay some yards aloof. There lay of the Elkings a many. Well +may ye weep, maidens, for them that loved you. Now fare they to the +Gods a goodly company, but a goodly company is with them. + +"Seventy and seven of the Sons of the Goths lay dead within the Roman +battle, and fifty-four on the slope before it; and to boot there were +twenty-four of us slain by the arrows and plummets of the shooters, +and a many hurt withal. + +"But there were no hurt men inside the Roman array or before it. All +were slain outright, for the hurt men either dragged themselves back +to our folk, or onward to the Roman ranks, that they might die with +one more stroke smitten. + +"Now of the aliens the dead lay in heaps in that place, for grim was +the slaughter when the riders of the Bearings and the Wormings fell +on the aliens; and a many of the foemen scorned to flee, but died +where they stood, craving no peace; and to few of them was peace +given. There fell of the Roman footmen five hundred and eighty and +five, and the remnant that fled was but little: but of the slingers +and bowmen but eighty and six were slain, for they were there to +shoot and not to stand; and they were nimble and fleet of foot, men +round of limb, very dark-skinned, but not foul of favour." + +Then he said: + + +"There are men through the dusk a-faring, our speech-fiends and our +kin, +No more shall they crave our helping, nor ask what work to win; +They have done their deeds and departed when they had holpen the +House, +So high their heads are holden, and their hurts are glorious +With the story of strokes stricken, and new weapons to be met, +And new scowling of foes' faces, and new curses unknown yet. +Lo, they dight the feast in Godhome, and fair are the tables spread, +Late come, but well-beloved is every war-worn head, +And the God-folk and the Fathers, as these cross the tinkling bridge, +Crowd round and crave for stories of the Battle on the Ridge." + + +Therewith he came down from the Speech-Hill and the women-folk came +round about him, and they brought him to the Hall, and washed him, +and gave him meat and drink; and then would he sleep, for he was +weary. + +Howbeit some of the women could not refrain themselves, but must +needs ask after their speech-friends who had been in the battle; and +he answered as he could, and some he made glad, and some sorry; and +as to some, he could not tell them whether their friends were alive +or dead. So he went to his place and fell asleep and slept long, +while the women went down to acre and meadow, or saw to the baking of +bread or the sewing of garments, or went far afield to tend the neat +and the sheep. + +Howbeit the Hall-Sun went not with them; but she talked with that old +warrior, Sorli, who was now halt and grown unmeet for the road, but +was a wise man; and she and he together with some old carlines and a +few young lads fell to work, and saw to many matters about the Hall +and the garth that day; and they got together what weapons there were +both for shot and for the hand-play, and laid them where they were +handy to come at, and they saw to the meal in the hall that there was +provision for many days; and they carried up to a loft above the +Women's-Chamber many great vessels of water, lest the fire should +take the Hall; and they looked everywhere to the entrances and +windows and had fastenings and bolts and bars fashioned and fitted to +them; and saw that all things were trim and stout. And so they +abided the issue. + + + +CHAPTER XVI--HOW THE DWARF-WROUGHT HAUBERK WAS BROUGHT AWAY FROM THE +HALL OF THE DAYLINGS + + + +Now it must be told that early in the morning, after the night when +Gisli had brought to the Wolfing Stead the tidings of the Battle in +the Wood, a man came riding from the south to the Dayling abode. It +was just before sunrise, and but few folk were stirring about the +dwellings. He rode up to the Hall and got off his black horse, and +tied it to a ring in the wall by the Man's-door, and went in +clashing, for he was in his battle-gear, and had a great wide-rimmed +helm on his head. + +Folk were but just astir in the Hall, and there came an old woman to +him, and looked on him and saw by his attire that he was a man of the +Goths and of the Wolfing kindred; so she greeted him kindly: but he +said: + +"Mother, I am come hither on an errand, and time presses." + +Said she: "Yea, my son, or what tidings bearest thou from the south? +for by seeming thou art new-come from the host." + +Said he: "The tidings are as yesterday, save that Thiodolf will lead +the host through the wild-wood to look for the Romans beyond it: +therefore will there soon be battle again. See ye, Mother, hast thou +here one that knoweth this ring of Thiodolf's, if perchance men doubt +me when I say that I am sent on my errand by him?" + +"Yea," she said, "Agni will know it; since he knoweth all the chief +men of the Mark; but what is thine errand, and what is thy name?" + +"It is soon told," said he, "I am a Wolfing hight Thorkettle, and I +come to have away for Thiodolf the treasure of the world, the Dwarf- +wrought Hauberk, which he left with you when we fared hence to the +south three days ago. Now let Agni come, that I may have it, for +time presses sorely." + +There were three or four gathered about them now, and a maiden of +them said: "Shall I bring Agni hither, mother?" + +"What needeth it?" said the carline, "he sleepeth, and shall be hard +to awaken; and he is old, so let him sleep. I shall go fetch the +hauberk, for I know where it is, and my hand may come on it as easily +as on mine own girdle." + +So she went her ways to the treasury where were the precious things +of the kindred; the woven cloths were put away in fair coffers to +keep them clean from the whirl of the Hall-dust and the reek; and the +vessels of gold and some of silver were standing on the shelves of a +cupboard before which hung a veil of needlework: but the weapons and +war-gear hung upon pins along the wall, and many of them had much +fair work on them, and were dight with gold and gems: but amidst +them all was the wondrous hauberk clear to see, dark grey and thin, +for it was so wondrously wrought that it hung in small compass. So +the carline took it down from the pin, and handled it, and marvelled +at it, and said: + +"Strange are the hands that have passed over thee, sword-rampart, and +in strange places of the earth have they dwelt! For no smith of the +kindreds hath fashioned thee, unless he had for his friend either a +God or a foe of the Gods. Well shalt thou wot of the tale of sword +and spear ere thou comest back hither! For Thiodolf shall bring thee +where the work is wild." + +Then she went with the hauberk to the new-come warrior, and made no +delay, but gave it to him, and said: + +"When Agni awaketh, I shall tell him that Thorkettle of the Wolfings +hath borne aback to Thiodolf the Treasure of the World, the Dwarf- +wrought Hauberk." + +Then Thorkettle took it and turned to go; but even therewith came old +Asmund from out of his sleeping-place, and gazed around the Hall, and +his eyes fell on the shape of the Wolfing as he was going out of the +door, and he asked the carline. + +"What doeth he here? What tidings is there from the host? For my +soul was nought unquiet last night." + +"It is a little matter," she said; "the War-duke hath sent for the +wondrous Byrny that he left in our treasury when he departed to meet +the Romans. Belike there shall be a perilous battle, and few hearts +need a stout sword-wall more than Thiodolf's." + +As she spoke, Thorkettle had passed the door, and got into his +saddle, and sat his black horse like a mighty man as he slowly rode +down the turf bridge that led into the plain. And Asmund went to the +door and stood watching him till he set spurs to his horse, and +departed a great gallop to the south. Then said Asmund: + + +"What then are the Gods devising, what wonders do they will? +What mighty need is on them to work the kindreds ill, +That the seed of the Ancient Fathers and a woman of their kin +With her all unfading beauty must blend herself therein? +Are they fearing lest the kindreds should grow too fair and great, +And climb the stairs of God-home, and fashion all their fate, +And make all earth so merry that it never wax the worse, +Nor need a gift from any, nor prayers to quench the curse? +Fear they that the Folk-wolf, growing as the fire from out the spark +Into a very folk-god, shall lead the weaponed Mark +From wood to field and mountain, to stand between the earth +And the wrights that forge its thraldom and the sword to slay its +mirth? +Fear they that the sons of the wild-wood the Loathly Folk shall +quell, +And grow into Gods thereafter, and aloof in God-home dwell? + + +Therewith he turned back into the Hall, and was heavy-hearted and +dreary of aspect; for he was somewhat foreseeing; and it may not be +hidden that this seeming Thorkettle was no warrior of the Wolfings, +but the Wood-Sun in his likeness; for she had the power and craft of +shape-changing. + + + +CHAPTER XVII--THE WOOD-SUN SPEAKETH WITH THIODOLF + + + +Now the Markmen laid Heriulf in howe on the ridge-crest where he had +fallen, and heaped a mighty howe over him that could be seen from +far, and round about him they laid the other warriors of the +kindreds. For they deemed it was fittest that they should lie on the +place whose story they had fashioned. But they cast earth on the +foemen lower down on the westward-lying bents. + +The sun set amidst their work, and night came on; and Thiodolf was +weary and would fain rest him and sleep: but he had many thoughts, +and pondered whitherward he should lead the folk, so as to smite the +Romans once again, and he had a mind to go apart and be alone for +rest and slumber; so he spoke to a man of the kindred named Solvi in +whom he put all trust, and then he went down from the ridge, and into +a little dale on the southwest side thereof, a furlong from the place +of the battle. A beck ran down that dale, and the further end of it +was closed by a little wood of yew trees, low, but growing thick +together, and great grey stones were scattered up and down on the +short grass of the dale. Thiodolf went down to the brook-side, and +to a place where it trickled into a pool, whence it ran again in a +thin thread down the dale, turning aside before it reached the yew- +wood to run its ways under low ledges of rock into a wider dale. He +looked at the pool and smiled to himself as if he had thought of +something that pleased him; then he drew a broad knife from his side, +and fell to cutting up turfs till he had what he wanted; and then he +brought stones to the place, and built a dam across the mouth of the +pool, and sat by on a great stone to watch it filling. + +As he sat he strove to think about the Roman host and how he should +deal with it; but despite himself his thoughts wandered, and made for +him pictures of his life that should be when this time of battle was +over; so that he saw nothing of the troubles that were upon his hands +that night, but rather he saw himself partaking in the deeds of the +life of man. There he was between the plough-stilts in the acres of +the kindred when the west wind was blowing over the promise of early +spring; or smiting down the ripe wheat in the hot afternoon amidst +the laughter and merry talk of man and maid; or far away over +Mirkwood-water watching the edges of the wood against the prowling +wolf and lynx, the stars just beginning to shine over his head, as +now they were; or wending the windless woods in the first frosts +before the snow came, the hunter's bow or javelin in hand: or coming +back from the wood with the quarry on the sledge across the snow, +when winter was deep, through the biting icy wind and the whirl of +the drifting snow, to the lights and music of the Great Roof, and the +merry talk therein and the smiling of the faces glad to see the +hunting-carles come back; and the full draughts of mead, and the +sweet rest a night-tide when the north wind was moaning round the +ancient home. + +All seemed good and fair to him, and whiles he looked around him, and +saw the long dale lying on his left hand and the dark yews in its +jaws pressing up against the rock-ledges of the brook, and on his +right its windings as the ground rose up to the buttresses of the +great ridge. The moon was rising over it, and he heard the voice of +the brook as it tinkled over the stones above him; and the whistle of +the plover and the laugh of the whimbrel came down the dale sharp and +clear in the calm evening; and sounding far away, because the great +hill muffled them, were the voices of his fellows on the ridge, and +the songs of the warriors and the high-pitched cries of the watch. +And this also was a part of the sweet life which was, and was to be; +and he smiled and was happy and loved the days that were coming, and +longed for them, as the young man longs for the feet of his maiden at +the try sting-place. + +So as he sat there, the dreams wrapping him up from troublous +thoughts, at last slumber overtook him, and the great warrior of the +Wolfings sat nodding like an old carle in the chimney ingle, and he +fell asleep, his dreams going with him, but all changed and turned to +folly and emptiness. + +He woke with a start in no long time; the night was deep, the wind +had fallen utterly, and all sounds were stilled save the voice of the +brook, and now and again the cry of the watchers of the Goths. The +moon was high and bright, and the little pool beside him glittered +with it in all its ripples; for it was full now and trickling over +the lip of his dam. So he arose from the stone and did off his war- +gear, casting Throng-plough down into the grass beside him, for he +had been minded to bathe him, but the slumber was still on him, and +he stood musing while the stream grew stronger and pushed off first +one of his turfs and then another, and rolled two or three of the +stones over, and then softly thrust all away and ran with a gush down +the dale, filling all the little bights by the way for a minute or +two; he laughed softly thereat, and stayed the undoing of his kirtle, +and so laid himself down on the grass beside the stone looking down +the dale, and fell at once into a dreamless sleep. + +When he awoke again, it was yet night, but the moon was getting lower +and the first beginnings of dawn were showing in the sky over the +ridge; he lay still a moment gathering his thoughts and striving to +remember where he was, as is the wont of men waking from deep sleep; +then he leapt to his feet, and lo, he was face to face with a woman, +and she who but the Wood-Sun? and he wondered not, but reached out +his hand to touch her, though he had not yet wholly cast off the +heaviness of slumber or remembered the tidings of yesterday. + +She drew aback a little from him, and his eyes cleared of the +slumber, and he saw her that she was scantily clad in black raiment, +barefoot, with no gold ring on her arms or necklace on her neck, or +crown about her head. But she looked so fair and lovely even in that +end of the night-tide, that he remembered all her beauty of the day +and the sunshine, and he laughed aloud for joy of the sight of her, +and said: + +"What aileth thee, O Wood-Sun, and is this a new custom of thy +kindred and the folk of God-home that their brides array themselves +like thralls new-taken, and as women who have lost their kindred and +are outcast? Who then hath won the Burg of the Anses, and clomb the +rampart of God-home?" + +But she spoke from where she stood in a voice so sweet, that it +thrilled to the very marrow of his bones. + + +"I have dwelt a while with sorrow since we met, we twain, in the +wood: +I have mourned, while thou hast been merry, who deemest the war-play +good. +For I know the heart of the wilful and how thou wouldst cast away +The rampart of thy life-days, and the wall of my happy day. +Yea I am the thrall of Sorrow; she hath stripped my raiment off +And laid sore stripes upon me with many a bitter scoff. +Still bidding me remember that I come of the God-folk's kin, +And yet for all my godhead no love of thee may win." + + +Then she looked longingly at him a while and at last could no longer +refrain her, but drew nigh him and took his hands in hers, and kissed +his mouth, and said as she caressed him: + + +"O where are thy wounds, beloved? how turned the spear from thy +breast, +When the storm of war blew strongest, and the best men met the best? +Lo, this is the tale of to-day: but what shall to-morrow tell? +That Thiodolf the Mighty in the fight's beginning fell; +That there came a stroke ill-stricken, there came an aimless thrust, +And the life of the people's helper lay quenched in the summer dust." + + +He answered nothing, but smiled as though the sound of her voice and +the touch of her hand were pleasant to him, for so much love there +was in her, that her very grief was scarcely grievous. But she said +again: + + +"Thou sayest it: I am outcast; for a God that lacketh mirth +Hath no more place in God-home and never a place on earth. +A man grieves, and he gladdens, or he dies and his grief is gone; +But what of the grief of the Gods, and the sorrow never undone? +Yea verily I am the outcast. When first in thine arms I lay +On the blossoms of the woodland my godhead passed away; +Thenceforth unto thee was I looking for the light and the glory of +life +And the Gods' doors shut behind me till the day of the uttermost +strife. +And now thou hast taken my soul, thou wilt cast it into the night, +And cover thine head with the darkness, and turn thine eyes from the +light. +Thou wouldst go to the empty country where never a seed is sown +And never a deed is fashioned, and the place where each is alone; +But I thy thrall shall follow, I shall come where thou seemest to +lie, +I shall sit on the howe that hides thee, and thou so dear and nigh! +A few bones white in their war-gear that have no help or thought, +Shall be Thiodolf the Mighty, so nigh, so dear--and nought." + + +His hands strayed over her shoulders and arms, caressing them, and he +said softly and lovingly: + + +"I am Thiodolf the Mighty: but as wise as I may be +No story of that grave-night mine eyes can ever see, +But rather the tale of the Wolfings through the coming days of earth, +And the young men in their triumph and the maidens in their mirth; +And morn's promise every evening, and each day the promised morn, +And I amidst it ever reborn and yet reborn. +This tale I know, who have seen it, who have felt the joy and pain, +Each fleeing, each pursuing, like the links of the draw-well's chain: +But that deedless tide of the grave-mound, and the dayless nightless +day, +E'en as I strive to see it, its image wanes away. +What say'st thou of the grave-mound? shall I be there at all +When they lift the Horn of Remembrance, and the shout goes down the +hall, +And they drink the Mighty War-duke and Thiodolf the old? +Nay rather; there where the youngling that longeth to be bold +Sits gazing through the hall-reek and sees across the board +A vision of the reaping of the harvest of the sword, +There shall Thiodolf be sitting; e'en there shall the youngling be +That once in the ring of the hazels gave up his life to thee." + + +She laughed as he ended, and her voice was sweet, but bitter was her +laugh. Then she said: + + +"Nay thou shalt be dead, O warrior, thou shalt not see the Hall +Nor the children of thy people 'twixt the dais and the wall. +And I, and I shall be living; still on thee shall waste my thought: +I shall long and lack thy longing; I shall pine for what is nought." + + +But he smiled again, and said: + +"Not on earth shall I learn this wisdom; and how shall I learn it +then +When I lie alone in the grave-mound, and have no speech with men? +But for thee,--O doubt it nothing that my life shall live in thee, +And so shall we twain be loving in the days that yet shall be." + + +It was as if she heard him not; and she fell aback from him a little +and stood silently for a while as one in deep thought; and then +turned and went a few paces from him, and stooped down and came back +again with something in her arms (and it was the hauberk once more), +and said suddenly: + + +"O Thiodolf, now tell me for what cause thou wouldst not bear +This grey wall of the hammer in the tempest of the spear? +Didst thou doubt my faith, O Folk-wolf, or the counsel of the Gods, +That thou needs must cast thee naked midst the flashing battle-rods, +Or is thy pride so mighty that it seemed to thee indeed +That death was a better guerdon than the love of the God-head's +seed?" + + +But Thiodolf said: "O Wood-Sun, this thou hast a right to ask of me, +why I have not worn in the battle thy gift, the Treasure of the +World, the Dwarf-wrought Hauberk! And what is this that thou sayest? +I doubt not thy faith towards me and thine abundant love: and as for +the rede of the Gods, I know it not, nor may I know it, nor turn it +this way nor that: and as for thy love and that I would choose death +sooner, I know not what thou meanest; I will not say that I love thy +love better than life itself; for these two, my life and my love, are +blended together and may not be sundered. + +"Hearken therefore as to the Hauberk: I wot well that it is for no +light matter that thou wouldst have me bear thy gift, the wondrous +hauberk, into battle; I deem that some doom is wrapped up in it; +maybe that I shall fall before the foe if I wear it not; and that if +I wear it, somewhat may betide me which is unmeet to betide a warrior +of the Wolfings. Therefore will I tell thee why I have fought in two +battles with the Romans with unmailed body, and why I left the +hauberk, (which I see that thou bearest in thine arms) in the Roof of +the Daylings. For when I entered therein, clad in the hauberk, there +came to meet me an ancient man, one of the very valiant of days past, +and he looked on me with the eyes of love, as though he had been the +very father of our folk, and I the man that was to come after him to +carry on the life thereof. But when he saw the hauberk and touched +it, then was his love smitten cold with sadness and he spoke words of +evil omen; so that putting this together with thy words about the +gift, and that thou didst in a manner compel me to wear it, I could +not but deem that this mail is for the ransom of a man and the ruin +of a folk. + +"Wilt thou say that it is not so? then will I wear the hauberk, and +live and die happy. But if thou sayest that I have deemed aright, +and that a curse goeth with the hauberk, then either for the sake of +the folk I will not wear the gift and the curse, and I shall die in +great glory, and because of me the House shall live; or else for thy +sake I shall bear it and live, and the House shall live or die as may +be, but I not helping, nay I no longer of the House nor in it. How +sayest thou?" + +Then she said: + + +"Hail be thy mouth, beloved, for that last word of thine, +And the hope that thine heart conceiveth and the hope that is born in +mine. +Yea, for a man's delivrance was the hauberk born indeed +That once more the mighty warrior might help the folk at need. +And where is the curse's dwelling if thy life be saved to dwell +Amidst the Wolfing warriors and the folk that loves thee well +And the house where the high Gods left thee to be cherished well +therein? + +"Yea more: I have told thee, beloved, that thou art not of the kin; +The blood in thy body is blended of the wandering Elking race, +And one that I may not tell of, who in God-home hath his place, +And who changed his shape to beget thee in the wild-wood's leafy +roof. +How then shall the doom of the Wolfings be woven in the woof +Which the Norns for thee have shuttled? or shall one man of war +Cast down the tree of the Wolfings on the roots that spread so far? +O friend, thou art wise and mighty, but other men have lived +Beneath the Wolfing roof-tree whereby the folk has thrived." + + +He reddened at her word; but his eyes looked eagerly on her. She +cast down the hauberk, and drew one step nigher to him. She knitted +her brows, her face waxed terrible, and her stature seemed to grow +greater, as she lifted up her gleaming right arm, and cried out in a +great voice. + + +"Thou Thiodolf the Mighty! Hadst thou will to cast the net +And tangle the House in thy trouble, it is I would slay thee yet; +For 'tis I and I that love them, and my sorrow would I give, +And thy life, thou God of battle, that the Wolfing House might live." + + +Therewith she rushed forward, and cast herself upon him, and threw +her arms about him, and strained him to her bosom, and kissed his +face, and he her in likewise, for there was none to behold them, and +nought but the naked heaven was the roof above their heads. + +And now it was as if the touch of her face and her body, and the +murmuring of her voice changed and soft close to his ear, as she +murmured mere words of love to him, drew him away from the life of +deeds and doubts and made a new world for him, wherein he beheld all +those fair pictures of the happy days that had been in his musings +when first he left the field of the dead. + +So they sat down on the grey stone together hand in hand, her head +laid upon his shoulder, no otherwise than if they had been two +lovers, young and without renown in days of deep peace. + +So as they sat, her foot smote on the cold hilts of the sword, which +Thiodolf had laid down in the grass; and she stooped and took it up, +and laid it across her knees and his as they sat there; and she +looked on Throng-plough as he lay still in the sheath, and smiled on +him, and saw that the peace-strings were not yet wound about his +hilts. So she drew him forth and raised him up in her hand, and he +gleamed white and fearful in the growing dawn, for all things had now +gotten their colours again, whereas amidst their talking had the +night worn, and the moon low down was grown white and pale. + +But she leaned aside, and laid her cheek against Thiodolf's, and he +took the sword out of her hand and set it on his knees again, and +laid his right hand on it, and said: + + +"Two things by these blue edges in the face of the dawning I swear; +And first this warrior's ransom in the coming fight to bear, +And evermore to love thee who hast given me second birth. +And by the sword I swear it, and by the Holy Earth, +To live for the House of the Wolfings, and at last to die for their +need. +For though I trow thy saying that I am not one of their seed, +Nor yet by the hand have been taken and unto the Father shown +As a very son of the Fathers, yet mid them hath my body grown; +And I am the guest of their Folk-Hall, and each one there is my +friend. +So with them is my joy and sorrow, and my life, and my death in the +end. +Now whatso doom hereafter my coming days shall bide, +Thou speech-friend, thou deliverer, thine is this dawning-tide." + + +She spoke no word to him; but they rose up and went hand in hand down +the dale, he still bearing his naked sword over his shoulder, and +thus they went together into the yew-copse at the dale's end. There +they abode till after the rising of the sun, and each to each spake +many loving words at their departure; and the Wood-Sun went her ways +at her will. + +But Thiodolf went up the dale again, and set Throng-plough in his +sheath, and wound the peace-strings round him. Then he took up the +hauberk from the grass whereas the Wood-Sun had cast it, and did it +on him, as it were of the attire he was wont to carry daily. So he +girt Throng-plough to him, and went soberly up to the ridge-top to +the folk, who were just stirring in the early morning. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII--TIDINGS BROUGHT TO THE WAIN-BURG + + + +Now it must be told of Otter and they of the Wain-burg how they had +the tidings of the overthrow of the Romans on the Ridge, and that +Egil had left them on his way to Wolf-stead. They were joyful of the +tale, as was like to be, but eager also to strike their stroke at the +foe-men, and in that mood they abode fresh tidings. + +It has been told how Otter had sent the Bearings and the Wormings to +the aid of Thiodolf and his folk, and these two were great kindreds, +and they being gone, there abode with Otter, one man with another, +thralls and freemen, scant three thousand men: of these many were +bowmen good to fight from behind a wall or fence, or some such cover, +but scarce meet to withstand a shock in the open field. However it +was deemed at this time in the Wain-burg that Thiodolf and his men +would soon return to them; and in any case, they said, he lay between +the Romans and the Mark, so that they had but little doubt; or rather +they feared that the Romans might draw aback from the Mark before +they could be met in battle again, for as aforesaid they were eager +for the fray. + +Now it was in the cool of the evening two days after the Battle on +the Ridge, that the men, both freemen and thralls, had been +disporting themselves in the plain ground without the Burg in casting +the spear and putting the stone, and running races a-foot and a- +horseback, and now close on sunset three young men, two of the +Laxings and one of the Shieldings, and a grey old thrall of that same +House, were shooting a match with the bow, driving their shafts at a +rushen roundel hung on a pole which the old thrall had dight. Men +were peaceful and happy, for the time was fair and calm, and, as +aforesaid, they dreaded not the Roman Host any more than if they were +Gods dwelling in God-home. The shooters were deft men, and they of +the Burg were curious to note their deftness, and many were breathed +with the games wherein they had striven, and thought it good to rest, +and look on the new sport: so they sat and stood on the grass about +the shooters on three sides, and the mead-horn went briskly from man +to man; for there was no lack of meat and drink in the Burg, whereas +the kindreds that lay nighest to it had brought in abundant +provision, and women of the kindreds had come to them, and not a few +were there scattered up and down among the carles. + +Now the Shielding man, Geirbald by name, had just loosed at the mark, +and had shot straight and smitten the roundel in the midst, and a +shout went up from the onlookers thereat; but that shout was, as it +were, lined with another, and a cry that a messenger was riding +toward the Burg: thereat most men looked round toward the wood, +because their minds were set on fresh tidings from Thiodolf's +company, but as it happened it was from the north and the side toward +Mid-mark that they on the outside of the throng had seen the rider +coming; and presently the word went from man to man that so it was, +and that the new comer was a young man on a grey horse, and would +speedily be amongst them; so they wondered what the tidings might be, +but yet they did not break up the throng, but abode in their places +that they might receive the messenger more orderly; and as the rider +drew near, those who were nighest to him perceived that it was a +woman. + +So men made way before the grey horse, and its rider, and the horse +was much spent and travel-worn. So the woman rode right into the +ring of warriors, and drew rein there, and lighted down slowly and +painfully, and when she was on the ground could scarce stand for +stiffness; and two or three of the swains drew near her to help her, +and knew her at once for Hrosshild of the Wolfings, for she was well- +known as a doughty woman. + +Then she said: "Bring me to Otter the War-duke; or bring him hither +to me, which were best, since so many men are gathered together; and +meanwhile give me to drink; for I am thirsty and weary." + +So while one went for Otter, another reached to her the mead-horn, +and she had scarce done her draught, ere Otter was there, for they +had found him at the gate of the Burg. He had many a time been in +the Wolfing Hall, so he knew her at once and said: + +"Hail, Hrosshild! how farest thou?" + +She said: "I fare as the bearer of evil tidings. Bid thy folk do on +their war-gear and saddle their horses, and make no delay; for now +presently shall the Roman host be in Mid-mark!" + +Then cried Otter: "Blow up the war-horn! get ye all to your weapons +and be ready to leap on your horses, and come ye to the Thing in good +order kindred by kindred: later on ye shall hear Hrosshild's story +as she shall tell it to me!" + +Therewith he led her to a grassy knoll that was hard by, and set her +down thereon and himself beside her, and said: + +"Speak now, damsel, and fear not! For now shall one fate go over us +all, either to live together or die together as the free children of +Tyr, and friends of the Almighty God of the Earth. How camest thou +to meet the Romans and know of their ways and to live thereafter?" + +She said: "Thus it was: the Hall-Sun bethought her how that the +eastern ways into Mid-mark that bring a man to the thicket behind the +Roof of the Bearings are nowise hard, even for an host; so she sent +ten women, and me the eleventh to the Bearing dwelling and the road +through the thicket aforesaid; and we were to take of the Bearing +stay-at-homes whomso we would that were handy, and then all we to +watch the ways for fear of the Romans. And methinks she has had some +vision of their ways, though mayhap not altogether clear. + +"Anyhow we came to the Bearing dwellings, and they gave us of their +folk eight doughty women and two light-foot lads, and so we were +twenty and one in all. + +"So then we did as the Hall-Sun bade us, and ordained a chain of +watchers far up into the waste; and these were to sound a point of +war upon their horns each to each till the sound thereof should come +to us who lay with our horses hoppled ready beside us in the fair +plain of the Mark outside the thicket. + +"To be short, the horns waked us up in the midst of yesternight, and +of the watches also came to us the last, which had heard the sound +amidst the thicket, and said that it was certainly the sound of the +Goths' horn, and the note agreed on. Therefore I sent a messenger at +once to the Wolfing Roof to say what was toward; but to thee I would +not ride until I had made surer of the tidings; so I waited awhile, +and then rode into the wild-wood; and a long tale I might make both +of the waiting and the riding, had I time thereto; but this is the +end of it; that going warily a little past where the thicket thinneth +and the road endeth, I came on three of those watches or links in the +chain we had made, and half of another watch or link; that is to say +six women, who were come together after having blown their horns and +fled (though they should rather have abided in some lurking-place to +espy whatever might come that way) and one other woman, who had been +one of the watch much further off, and had spoken with the furthest +of all, which one had seen the faring of the Roman Host, and that it +was very great, and no mere band of pillagers or of scouts. And, +said this fleer (who was indeed half wild with fear), that while they +were talking together, came the Romans upon them, and saw them; and a +band of Romans beat the wood for them when they fled, and she, the +fleer, was at point to be taken, and saw two taken indeed, and haled +off by the Roman scourers of the wood. But she escaped and so came +to the others on the skirts of the thicket, having left of her skin +and blood on many a thornbush and rock by the way. + +"Now when I heard this, I bade this fleer get her home to the +Bearings as swiftly as she might, and tell her tale; and she went +away trembling, and scarce knowing whether her feet were on earth or +on water or on fire; but belike failed not to come there, as no +Romans were before her. + +"But for the others, I sent one to go straight to Wolf-stead on the +heels of the first messenger, to tell the Hall-Sun what had befallen, +and other five I set to lurk in the thicket, whereas none could +lightly lay hands on them, and when they had new tidings, to flee to +Wolf-stead as occasion might serve them; and for myself I tarried +not, but rode on the spur to tell thee hereof. + +"But my last word to thee, Otter, is that by the Hall-sun's bidding +the Bearings will not abide fire and steel at their own stead, but +when they hear true tidings of the Romans being hard at hand, will +take with them all that is not too hot or too heavy to carry, and go +their ways unto Wolf-stead: and the tidings will go up and down the +Mark on both sides of the water, so that whatever is of avail for +defence will gather there at our dwelling, and if we fall, goodly +shall be the howe heaped over us, even if ye come not in time. + +"Now have I told thee what I needs must and there is no need to +question me more, for thou hast it all--do thou what thou hast to +do!" + +With that word she cast herself down on the grass by the mound-side, +and was presently asleep, for she was very weary. + +But all the time she had been telling her tale had the horn been +sounding, and there were now a many warriors gathered and more coming +in every moment: so Otter stood up on the mound after he had bidden +a man of his House to bring him his horse and war-gear, and abided a +little, till, as might be said, the whole host was gathered: then he +bade cry silence, and spake: + +"Sons of Tyr, now hath an Host of the Romans gotten into the Mark; a +mighty host, but not so mighty that it may not be met. Few words are +best: let the Steerings, who are not many, but are men well-tried in +war and wisdom abide in the Burg along with the fighting thralls: +but let the Burg be broken up and moved from the place, and let its +warders wend towards Mid-mark, but warily and without haste, and each +night let them make the wain-garth and keep good watch. + +"But know ye that the Romans shall fall with all their power on the +Wolfing dwellings, deeming that when they have that, they shall have +all that is ours with ourselves also. For there is the Hall-Sun +under the Great Roof, and there hath Thiodolf, our War-duke, his +dwelling-place; therefore shall all of us, save those that abide with +the wains, take horse, and ride without delay, and cross the water at +Battleford, so that we may fall upon the foe before they come west of +the water; for as ye know there is but one ford whereby a man wending +straight from the Bearings may cross Mirkwood-water, and it is like +that the foe will tarry at the Bearing stead long enough to burn and +pillage it. + +"So do ye order yourselves according to your kindreds, and let the +Shieldings lead. Make no more delay! But for me I will now send a +messenger to Thiodolf to tell him of the tidings, and then speedily +shall he be with us. Geirbald, I see thee; come hither!" + +Now Geirbald stood amidst the Shieldings, and when Otter had spoken, +he came forth bestriding a white horse, and with his bow slung at his +back. Said Otter: "Geirbald, thou shalt ride at once through the +wood, and find Thiodolf; and tell him the tidings, and that in nowise +he follow the Roman fleers away from the Mark, nor to heed anything +but the trail of the foemen through the south-eastern heaths of +Mirkwood, whether other Romans follow him or not: whatever happens +let him lead the Goths by that road, which for him is the shortest, +towards the defence of the Wolfing dwellings. Lo thou, my ring for a +token! Take it and depart in haste. Yet first take thy fellow +Viglund the Woodman with thee, lest if perchance one fall, the other +may bear the message. Tarry not, nor rest till thy word be said!" + +Then turned Geirbald to find Viglund who was anigh to him, and he +took the ring, and the twain went their ways without more ado, and +rode into the wild-wood. + +But about the wain-burg was there plenteous stir of men till all was +ordered for the departure of the host, which was no long while, for +there was nothing to do but on with the war-gear and up on to the +horse. + +Forth then they went duly ordered in their kindreds towards the head +of the Upper-mark, riding as swiftly as they might without breaking +their array. + + + +CHAPTER XIX--THOSE MESSENGERS COME TO THIODOLF + + + +Of Geirbald and Viglund the tale tells that they rode the woodland +paths as speedily as they might. They had not gone far, and were +winding through a path amidst of a thicket mingled of the hornbeam +and holly, betwixt the openings of which the bracken grew exceeding +tall, when Viglund, who was very fine-eared, deemed that he heard a +horse coming to meet them: so they lay as close as they might, and +drew back their horses behind a great holly-bush lest it should be +some one or more of the foes who had fled into the wood when the +Romans were scattered in that first fight. But as the sound drew +nearer, and it was clearly the footsteps of a great horse, they +deemed it would be some messenger from Thiodolf, as indeed it turned +out: for as the new-comer fared on, somewhat unwarily, they saw a +bright helm after the fashion of the Goths amidst of the trees, and +then presently they knew by his attire that he was of the Bearings, +and so at last they knew him to be Asbiorn of the said House, a +doughty man; so they came forth to meet him and he drew rein when he +saw armed men, but presently beholding their faces he knew them and +laughed on them, and said: + +"Hail fellows! what tidings are toward?" + +"These," said Viglund, "that thou art well met, since now shalt thou +turn back and bring us to Thiodolf as speedily as may be." + +But Asbiorn laughed and said: "Nay rather turn about with me; or why +are ye so grim of countenance?" + +"Our errand is no light one," said Geirbald, "but thou, why art thou +so merry?" + +"I have seen the Romans fall," said he, "and belike shall soon see +more of that game: for I am on an errand to Otter from Thiodolf: +the War-duke, when he had questioned some of those whom we took on +the Day of the Ridge, began to have a deeming that the Romans had +beguiled us, and will fall on the Mark by the way of the south-east +heaths: so now is he hastening to fetch a compass and follow that +road either to overtake them or prevent them; and he biddeth Otter +tarry not, but ride hard along the water to meet them if he may, or +ever they have set their hands to the dwellings of my House. And +belike when I have done mine errand to Otter I shall ride with him to +look on these burners and slayers once more; therefore am I merry. +Now for your tidings, fellows." + +Said Geirbald: "Our tidings are that both our errands are prevented, +and come to nought: for Otter hath not tarried, but hath ridden with +all his folk toward the stead of thine House. So shalt thou indeed +see these burners and slayers if thou ridest hard; since we have +tidings that the Romans will by now be in Mid-mark. And as for our +errand, it is to bid Thiodolf do even as he hath done. Hereby may we +see how good a pair of War-dukes we have gotten, since each thinketh +of the same wisdom. Now take we counsel together as to what we shall +do; whether we shall go back to Otter with thee, or thou go back to +Thiodolf with us; or else each go the road ordained for us." + +Said Asbiorn: "To Otter will I ride as I was bidden, that I may look +on the burning of our roof, and avenge me of the Romans afterwards; +and I bid you, fellows, ride with me, since fewer men there are with +Otter, and he must be the first to bide the brunt of battle." + +"Nay," said Geirbald, "as for me ye must even lose a man's aid; for +to Thiodolf was I sent, and to Thiodolf will I go: and bethink thee +if this be not best, since Thiodolf hath but a deeming of the ways of +the Romans and we wot surely of them. Our coming shall make him the +speedier, and the less like to turn back if any alien band shall +follow after him. What sayest thou, Viglund?" + +Said Viglund: "Even as thou, Geirbald: but for myself I deem I may +well turn back with Asbiorn. For I would serve the House in battle +as soon as may be; and maybe we shall slaughter these kites of the +cities, so that Thiodolf shall have no work to do when he cometh." + +Said Asbiorn; "Geirbald, knowest thou right well the ways through the +wood and on the other side thereof, to the place where Thiodolf +abideth? for ye see that night is at hand." + +"Nay, not over well," said Geirbald. + +Said Asbiorn: "Then I rede thee take Viglund with thee; for he +knoweth them yard by yard, and where they be hard and where they be +soft. Moreover it were best indeed that ye meet Thiodolf betimes; +for I deem not but that he wendeth leisurely, though always warily, +because he deemeth not that Otter will ride before to-morrow morning. +Hearken, Viglund! Thiodolf will rest to-night on the other side of +the water, nigh to where the hills break off into the sheer cliffs +that are called the Kites' Nest, and the water runneth under them, +coming from the east: and before him lieth the easy ground of the +eastern heaths where he is minded to wend to-morrow betimes in the +morning: and if ye do your best ye shall be there before he is upon +the road, and sure it is that your tidings shall hasten him." + +"Thou sayest sooth," saith Geirbald, "tarry we no longer; here sunder +our ways; farewell!" + +"Farewell," said he, "and thou, Viglund, take this word in parting, +that belike thou shalt yet see the Romans, and strike a stroke, and +maybe be smitten. For indeed they be most mighty warriors." + +Then made they no delay but rode their ways either side. And +Geirbald and Viglund rode over rough and smooth all night, and were +out of the thick wood by day-dawn: and whereas they rode hard, and +Viglund knew the ways well, they came to Mirkwood-water before the +day was old, and saw that the host was stirring, but not yet on the +way. And or ever they came to the water's edge, they were met by +Wolfkettle of the Wolfings, and Hiarandi of the Elkings, and three +others who were but just come from the place where the hurt men lay +down in a dale near the Great Ridge; there had Wolfkettle and +Hiarandi been tending Toti of the Beamings, their fellow-in-arms, who +had been sorely hurt in the battle, but was doing well, and was like +to live. So when they saw the messengers, they came up to them and +hailed them, and asked them if the tidings were good or evil. + +"That is as it may be," said Geirbald, "but they are short to tell; +the Romans are in Mid-mark, and Otter rideth on the spur to meet +them, and sendeth us to bid Thiodolf wend the heaths to fall in on +them also. Nor may we tarry one minute ere we have seen Thiodolf." + +Said Wolfkettle, "We will lead you to him; he is on the east side of +the water, with all his host, and they are hard on departing." + +So they went down the ford, which was not very deep; and Wolfkettle +rode the ford behind Geirbald, and another man behind Viglund; but +Hiarandi went afoot with the others beside the horses, for he was a +very tall man. + +But as they rode amidst the clear water Wolfkettle lifted up his +voice and sang: + + +"White horse, with what are ye laden as ye wade the shallows warm, +But with tidings of the battle, and the fear of the fateful storm? +What loureth now behind us, what pileth clouds before, +On either hand what gathereth save the stormy tide of war? +Now grows midsummer mirky, and fallow falls the morn, +And dusketh the Moon's Sister, and the trees look overworn; +God's Ash tree shakes and shivers, and the sheer cliff standeth white +As the bones of the giants' father when the Gods first fared to +fight." + + +And indeed the morning had grown mirky and grey and threatening, and +from far away the thunder growled, and the face of the Kite's Nest +showed pale and awful against a dark steely cloud; and a few drops of +rain pattered into the smooth water before them from a rag of the +cloud-flock right over head. They were in mid stream now, for the +water was wide there; on the eastern bank were the warriors +gathering, for they had beheld the faring of those men, and the voice +of Wolfkettle came to them across the water, so they deemed that +great tidings were toward, and would fain know on what errand those +were come. + +Then the waters of the ford deepened till Hiarandi was wading more +than waist-deep, and the water flowed over Geirbald's saddle; then +Wolfkettle laughed, and turning as he sat, dragged out his sword, and +waved it from east to west and sang: + + +"O sun, pale up in heaven, shrink from us if thou wilt, +And turn thy face from beholding the shock of guilt with guilt! +Stand still, O blood of summer! and let the harvest fade, +Till there be nought but fallow where once was bloom and blade! +O day, give out but a glimmer of all thy flood of light, +If it be but enough for our eyen to see the road of fight! +Forget all else and slumber, if still ye let us wake, +And our mouths shall make the thunder, and our swords shall the +lightening make, +And we shall be the storm-wind and drive the ruddy rain, +Till the joy of our hearts in battle bring back the day again." + + +As he spake that word they came up through the shallow water dripping +on to the bank, and they and the men who abode them on the bank +shouted together for joy of fellowship, and all tossed aloft their +weapons. The man who had ridden behind Viglund slipped off on to the +ground; but Wolfkettle abode in his place behind Geirbald. + +So the messengers passed on, and the others closed up round about +them, and all the throng went up to where Thiodolf was sitting on a +rock beneath a sole ash-tree, the face of the Kite's Nest rising +behind him on the other side of a bight of the river. There he sat +unhelmed with the dwarf-wrought hauberk about him, holding Throng- +plough in its sheath across his knees, while he gave word to this and +that man concerning the order of the host. + +So when they were come thither, the throng opened that the messengers +might come forward; for by this time had many more drawn near to +hearken what was toward. There they sat on their horses, the white +and the grey, and Wolfkettle stood by Geirbald's bridle rein, for he +had now lighted down; and a little behind him, his head towering over +the others, stood Hiarandi great and gaunt. The ragged cloud had +drifted down south-east now and the rain fell no more, but the sun +was still pale and clouded. + +Then Thiodolf looked gravely on them, and spake: + + +"What do ye sons of the War-shield? what tale is there to tell? +Is the kindred fallen tangled in the grasp of the fallow Hell? +Crows the red cock over the homesteads, have we met the foe too late? +For meseems your brows are heavy with the shadowing o'er of fate." + + +But Geirbald answered: + + +"Still cold with dew in the morning the Shielding Roof-ridge stands, +Nor yet hath grey Hell bounden the Shielding warriors' hands; +But lo, the swords, O War-duke, how thick in the wind they shake, +Because we bear the message that the battle-road ye take, +Nor tarry for the thunder or the coming on of rain, +Or the windy cloudy night-tide, lest your battle be but vain. +And this is the word that Otter yestre'en hath set in my mouth; +Seek thou the trail of the Aliens of the Cities of the South, +And thou shalt find it leading o'er the heaths to the beechen-wood, +And thence to the stony places where the foxes find their food; +And thence to the tangled thicket where the folkway cleaves it +through, +To the eastern edge of Mid-mark where the Bearings deal and do." + + +Then said Thiodolf in a cold voice, "What then hath befallen Otter?" + +Said Geirbald: + + +"When last I looked upon Otter, all armed he rode the plain, +With his whole host clattering round him like the rush of the summer +rain; +To the right or the left they looked not but they rode through the +dusk and the dark +Beholding nought before them but the dream of the foes in the Mark. +So he went; but his word fled from him and on my horse it rode, +And again it saith, O War-duke seek thou the Bear's abode, +And tarry never a moment for ought that seems of worth, +For there shall ye find the sword-edge and the flame of the foes of +the earth. + + +"Tarry not, Thiodolf, nor turn aback though a new foe followeth on +thine heels. No need to question me more; I have no more to tell, +save that a woman brought these tidings to us, whom the Hall-Sun had +sent with others to watch the ways: and some of them had seen the +Romans, who are a great host and no band stealing forth to lift the +herds." + +Now all those round about him heard his words, for he spake with a +loud voice; and they knew what the bidding of the War-duke would be; +so they loitered not, but each man went about his business of looking +to his war-gear and gathering to the appointed place of his kindred. +And even while Geirbald had been speaking, had Hiarandi brought up +the man who bore the great horn, who when Thiodolf leapt to his feet +to find him, was close at hand. So he bade him blow the war-blast, +and all men knew the meaning of that voice of the horn, and every man +armed him in haste, and they who had horses (and these were but the +Bearings and the Warnings), saddled them, and mounted, and from mouth +to mouth went the word that the Romans were gotten into Mid-mark, and +were burning the Bearing abodes. So speedily was the whole host +ready for the way, the Wolfings at the head of all. Then came forth +Thiodolf from the midst of his kindred, and they raised him upon a +great war-shield upheld by many men, and he stood thereon and spake: + + +"O sons of Tyr, ye have vanquished, and sore hath been your pain; +But he that smiteth in battle must ever smite again; +And thus with you it fareth, and the day abideth yet +When ye shall hold the Aliens as the fishes in the net. +On the Ridge ye slew a many; but there came a many more +From their strongholds by the water to their new-built garth of war, +And all these have been led by dastards o'er the way our feet must +tread +Through the eastern heaths and the beechwood to the door of the +Bearing stead, +Now e'en yesterday I deemed it, but I durst not haste away +Ere the word was borne to Otter and 'tis he bids haste to-day; +So now by day and by night-tide it behoveth us to wend +And wind the reel of battle and weave its web to end. +Had ye deemed my eyes foreseeing, I would tell you of my sight, +How I see the folk delivered and the Aliens turned to flight, +While my own feet wend them onwards to the ancient Father's Home. +But belike these are but the visions that to many a man shall come +When he goeth adown to the battle, and before him riseth high +The wall of valiant foemen to hide all things anigh. +But indeed I know full surely that no work that we may win +To-morrow or the next day shall quench the Markmen's kin. +On many a day hereafter shall their warriors carry shield; +On many a day their maidens shall drive the kine afield, +On many a day their reapers bear sickle in the wheat +When the golden wind-wrought ripple stirs round the feast-hall's +feet. +Lo, now is the day's work easy--to live and overcome, +Or to die and yet to conquer on the threshold of the Home." + + +And therewith he gat him down and went a-foot to the head of the +Wolfing band, a great shout going with him, which was mingled with +the voice of the war-horn that bade away. + +So fell the whole host into due array, and they were somewhat over +three thousand warriors, all good and tried men and meet to face the +uttermost of battle in the open field; so they went their ways with +all the speed that footmen may, and in fair order; and the sky +cleared above their heads, but the distant thunder still growled +about the world. Geirbald and Viglund joined themselves to the +Wolfings and went a-foot along with Wolfkettle; but Hiarandi went +with his kindred who were second in the array. + + + +CHAPTER XX--OTTER AND HIS FOLK COME INTO MID-MARK + + + +Otter and his folk rode their ways along Mirkwood-water, and made no +stay, except now and again to breathe their horses, till they came to +Battleford in the early morning; there they baited their horses, for +the grass was good in the meadow, and the water easy to come at. + +So after they had rested there a short hour, and had eaten what was +easy for them to get, they crossed the ford, and wended along +Mirkwood-water between the wood and the river, but went slower than +before lest they should weary their horses; so that it was high-noon +before they had come out of the woodland way into Mid-mark; and at +once as soon as the whole plain of the Mark opened out before them, +they saw what most of them looked to see (since none doubted +Hrosshild's tale), and that was a column of smoke rising high and +straight up into the air, for the afternoon was hot and windless. +Great wrath rose in their hearts thereat, and many a strong man +trembled for anger, though none for fear, as Otter raised his right +hand and stretched it out towards that token of wrack and ruin; yet +they made no stay, nor did they quicken their pace much; because they +knew that they should come to Bearham before night-fall, and they +would not meet the Romans way-worn and haggard; but they rode on +steadily, a terrible company of wrathful men. + +They passed by the dwellings of the kindreds, though save for the +Galtings the houses on the east side of the water between the +Bearings and the wild-wood road were but small; for the thicket came +somewhat near to the water and pinched the meadows. But the Galtings +were great hunters and trackers of the wild-wood, and they of the +Geddings, the Erings and the Withings, which were smaller Houses, +lived somewhat on the take of fish from Mirkwood-water (as did the +Laxings also of the Nether-mark), for thereabout were there goodly +pools and eddies, and sun-warmed shallows therewithal for the +spawning of the trouts; as there were eyots in the water, most of +which tailed off into a gravelly shallow at their lower ends. + +Now as the riders of the Goths came over against the dwellings of the +Withings, they saw people, mostly women, driving up the beasts from +the meadow towards the garth; but upon the tofts about their +dwellings were gathered many folk, who had their eyes turned toward +the token of ravage that hung in the sky above the fair plain; but +when these beheld the riding of the host, they tossed up their arms +to them and whatever they bore in them, and the sound of their shrill +cry (for they were all women and young lads) came down the wind to +the ears of the riders. But down by the river on a swell of the +ground were some swains and a few thralls, and among them some men +armed and a-horseback; and these, when they perceived the host coming +on turned and rode to meet them; and as they drew near they shouted +as men overjoyed to meet their kindred; and indeed the fighting-men +of their own House were riding in the host. And the armed men were +three old men, and one very old with marvellous long white hair, and +four long lads of some fifteen winters, and four stout carles of the +thralls bearing bows and bucklers, and these rode behind the swains; +so they found their own kindred and rode amongst them. + +But when they were all jingling and clashing on together, the dust +arising from the sun-dried turf, the earth shaking with the thunder +of the horse-hoofs, then the heart of the long-hoary one stirred +within him as he bethought him of the days of his youth, and to his +old nostrils came the smell of the horses and the savour of the sweat +of warriors riding close together knee to knee adown the meadow. So +he lifted up his voice and sang: + + + "Rideth lovely along + The strong by the strong; + Soft under his breath + Singeth sword in the sheath, + And shield babbleth oft + Unto helm-crest aloft; +How soon shall their words rise mid wrath of the battle +Into wrangle unheeded of clanging and rattle, +And no man shall note then the gold on the sword +When the runes have no meaning, the mouth-cry no word, +When all mingled together, the war-sea of men +Shall toss up the steel-spray round fourscore and ten. + + "Now as maids burn the weed + Betwixt acre and mead, + So the Bearings' Roof + Burneth little aloof, + And red gloweth the hall + Betwixt wall and fair wall, +Where often the mead-sea we sipped in old days, +When our feet were a-weary with wending the ways; +When the love of the lovely at even was born, +And our hands felt fair hands as they fell on the horn. +There round about standeth the ring of the foe +Tossing babes on their spears like the weeds o'er the low. + + "Ride, ride then! nor spare + The red steeds as ye fare! + Yet if daylight shall fail, + By the fire-light of bale + Shall we see the bleared eyes + Of the war-learned, the wise. +In the acre of battle the work is to win, +Let us live by the labour, sheaf-smiting therein; +And as oft o'er the sickle we sang in time past +When the crake that long mocked us fled light at the last, +So sing o'er the sword, and the sword-hardened hand +Bearing down to the reaping the wrath of the land." + + +So he sang; and a great shout went up from his kindred and those +around him, and it was taken up all along the host, though many knew +not why they shouted, and the whole host quickened its pace, and went +a great trot over the smooth meadow. + +So in no long while were they come over against the stead of the +Erings, and thereabouts were no beasts a-field, and no women, for all +the neat were driven into the garth of the House; but all they who +were not war-fit were standing without doors looking down the Mark +towards the reek of the Bearing dwellings, and these also sent a cry +of welcome toward the host of their kindred. But along the river- +bank came to meet the host an armed band of two old men, two youths +who were their sons, and twelve thralls who were armed with long +spears; and all these were a-horseback: so they fell in with their +kindred and the host made no stay for them, but pressed on over- +running the meadow. And still went up that column of smoke, and +thicker and blacker it grew a-top, and ruddier amidmost. + +So came they by the abode of the Geddings, and there also the neat +and sheep were close in the home-garth: but armed men were lying or +standing about the river bank, talking or singing merrily none +otherwise than though deep peace were on the land; and when they saw +the faring of the host they sprang to their feet with a shout and gat +to their horses at once: they were more than the other bands had +been, for the Geddings were a greater House; they were seven old men, +and ten swains, and ten thralls bearing long spears like to those of +the Erings; and no sooner had they fallen in with their kindred, than +the men of the host espied a greater company yet coming to meet them: +and these were of the folk of the Galtings; and amongst them were ten +warriors in their prime, because they had but of late come back from +the hunting in the wood and had been belated from the muster of the +kindreds; and with them were eight old men and fifteen lads, and +eighteen thralls; and the swains and thralls all bore bows besides +the swords that they were girt withal, and not all of them had +horses, but they who had none rode behind the others: so they joined +themselves to the host, shouting aloud; and they had with them a +great horn that they blew on till they had taken their place in the +array; and whereas their kindred was with Thiodolf, they followed +along with the hinder men of the Shieldings. + +So now all the host went on together, and when they had passed the +Galting abodes, there was nothing between them and Bearham, nor need +they look for any further help of men; there were no beasts afield +nor any to herd them, and the stay-at-homes were within doors +dighting them for departure into the wild-wood if need should be: +but a little while after they had passed these dwellings came into +the host two swains of about twenty winters, and a doughty maid, +their sister, and they bare no weapons save short spears and knives; +they were wet and dripping with the water, for they had just swum +Mirkwood-water. They were of the Wolfing House, and had been +shepherding a few sheep on the west side of the water, when they saw +the host faring to battle, and might not refrain them, but swam their +horses across the swift deeps to join their kindred to live and die +with them. The tale tells that they three fought in the battles that +followed after, and were not slain there, though they entered them +unarmed, but lived long years afterwards: of them need no more be +said. + +Now, when the host was but a little past the Galting dwellings men +began to see the flames mingled with the smoke of the burning, and +the smoke itself growing thinner, as though the fire had over- +mastered everything and was consuming itself with its own violence; +and somewhat afterwards, the ground rising, they could see the +Bearing meadow and the foemen thereon: yet a little further, and +from the height of another swelling of the earth they could see the +burning houses themselves and the array of the Romans; so there they +stayed and breathed their horses a while. And they beheld how of the +Romans a great company was gathered together in close array betwixt +the ford and the Bearing Hall, but nigher unto the ford, and these +were a short mile from them; but others they saw streaming out from +the burning dwellings, as if their work were done there, and they +could not see that they had any captives with them. Other Romans +there were, and amongst them men in the attire of the Goths, busied +about the river banks, as though they were going to try the ford. + +But a little while abode Otter in that place, and then waved his arm +and rode on and all the host followed; and as they drew nigher, +Otter, who was wise in war, beheld the Romans and deemed them a great +host, and the very kernel and main body of them many more than all +his company; and moreover they were duly and well arrayed as men +waiting a foe; so he knew that he must be wary or he would lose +himself and all his men. + +So he stayed his company when they were about two furlongs from them, +and the main body of the foe stirred not, but horsemen and slingers +came forth from its sides and made on toward the Goths, and in three +or four minutes were within bowshot of them. Then the bowmen of the +Goths slipped down from their horses and bent their bows and nocked +their arrows and let fly, and slew and hurt many of the horsemen, who +endured their shot but for a minute or two and then turned rein and +rode back slowly to their folk, and the slingers came not on very +eagerly whereas they were dealing with men a-horseback, and the +bowmen of the Goths also held them still. + +Now turned Otter to his folk and made them a sign, which they knew +well, that they should get down from their horses; and when they were +afoot the leaders of tens and hundreds arrayed them, into the wedge- +array, with the bowmen on either flank: and Otter smiled as he +beheld this adoing and that the Romans meddled not with them, belike +because they looked to have them good cheap, since they were but a +few wild men. + +But when they were all arrayed he sat still on his horse and spake to +them short and sharply, saying: + +"Men of the Goths, will ye mount your horses again and ride into the +wood and let it cover you, or will ye fight these Romans?" They +answered him with a great shout and the clashing of their weapons on +their shields. "That is well," quoth Otter, "since we have come so +far; for I perceive that the foe will come to meet us, so that we +must either abide their shock or turn our backs. Yet must we fight +wisely or we are undone, and Thiodolf in risk of undoing; this have +we to do if we may, to thrust in between them and the ford, and if we +may do that, there let us fight it out, till we fall one over +another. But if we may not do it, then will we not throw our lives +away but do the foemen what hurt we may without mingling ourselves +amongst them, and so abide the coming of Thiodolf; for if we get not +betwixt them and the ford we may in no case hinder them from +crossing. And all this I tell you that ye may follow me wisely, and +refrain your wrath that ye may live yet to give it the rein when the +time comes." + +So he spake and got down from his horse and drew his sword and went +to the head of the wedge-array and began slowly to lead forth; but +the thralls and swains had heed of the horses, and they drew aback +with them towards the wood which was but a little way from them. + +But for Otter he led his men down towards the ford, and when the +Romans saw that, their main body began to move forward, faring slant- +wise, as a crab, down toward the ford; then Otter hastened somewhat, +as he well might, since his men were well learned in war and did not +break their array; but now by this time were those burners of the +Romans come up with the main battle, and the Roman captain sent them +at once against the Goths, and they advanced boldly enough, a great +cloud of men in loose array who fell to with arrows and slings on the +wedge-array and slew and hurt many: yet did not Otter stay his folk; +but it was ill going for them, for their unshielded sides were turned +to the Romans, nor durst Otter scatter his bowmen out from the wedge- +array, lest the Romans, who were more than they, should enter in +amongst them. Ever he gazed earnestly on the main battle of the +Romans, and what they were doing, and presently it became clear to +him that they would outgo him and come to the ford, and then he +wotted well that they would set on him just when their light-armed +were on his flank and his rearward, and then it would go hard but +they would break their array and all would be lost: therefore he +slacked his pace and went very slowly and the Romans went none the +slower for that; but their light-armed grew bolder and drew more +together as they came nigher to the Goths, as though they would give +them an onset; but just at that nick of time Otter passed the word +down the ranks, and, waving his sword, turned sharply to the right +and fell with all the wedge-array on the clustering throng of the +light-armed, and his bowmen spread out now from the right flank of +the wedge-array, and shot sharp and swift and the bowmen on the left +flank ran forward swiftly till they had cleared the wedge-array and +were on the flank of the light-armed Romans; and they, what between +the onset of the swordsmen and spearmen of the Goths, and their sharp +arrows, knew not which way to turn, and a great slaughter befell +amongst them, and they of them were the happiest who might save +themselves by their feet. + +Now after this storm, and after these men had been thrust away, Otter +stayed not, but swept round about the field toward the horses; and +indeed he looked to it that the main-battle of the Romans should +follow him, but they did not, but stayed still to receive the fleers +of their light-armed. And this indeed was the goodhap of the Goths; +for they were somewhat disordered by their chase of the light-armed, +and they smote and spared not, their hearts being full of bitter +wrath, as might well be; for even as they turned on the Romans, they +beheld the great roof of the Bearings fall in over the burned hall, +and a great shower of sparks burst up from its fall, and there were +the ragged gables left standing, licked by little tongues of flame +which could not take hold of them because of the clay which filled +the spaces between the great timbers and was daubed over them. And +they saw that all the other houses were either alight or smouldering, +down to the smallest cot of a thrall, and even the barns and booths +both great and little. + +Therefore, whereas the Markmen were far fewer in all than the Roman +main-battle, and whereas this same host was in very good array, no +doubt there was that the Markmen would have been grievously handled +had the Romans fallen on; but the Roman Captain would not have it so: +for though he was a bold man, yet was his boldness that of the wolf, +that falleth on when he is hungry and skulketh when he is full. He +was both young and very rich, and a mighty man among his townsmen, +and well had he learned that ginger is hot in the mouth, and though +he had come forth to the war for the increasing of his fame, he had +no will to die among the Markmen, either for the sake of the city of +Rome, or of any folk whatsoever, but was liefer to live for his own +sake. Therefore was he come out to vanquish easily, that by his fame +won he might win more riches and dominion in Rome; and he was well +content also to have for his own whatever was choice amongst the +plunder of these wild-men (as he deemed them), if it were but a fair +woman or two. So this man thought, It is my business to cross the +ford and come to Wolfstead, and there take the treasure of the tribe, +and have a stronghold there, whence we may slay so many of these +beasts with little loss to us that we may march away easily and with +our hands full, even if Maenius with his men come not to our aid, as +full surely he will: therefore as to these angry men, who be not +without might and conduct in battle, let us remember the old saw that +saith 'a bridge of gold to a fleeing foe,' and let them depart with +no more hurt of Romans, and seek us afterwards when we are fenced +into their stead, which shall then be our stronghold: even so spake +he to his Captains about him. + +For it must be told that he had no tidings of the overthrow of the +Romans on the Ridge; nor did he know surely how many fighting-men the +Markmen might muster, except by the report of those dastards of the +Goths; and though he had taken those two women in the wastes, yet had +he got no word from them, for they did as the Hall-Sun bade them, +when they knew that they would be questioned with torments, and +smiting themselves each with a little sharp knife, so went their ways +to the Gods. + +Thus then the Roman Captain let the Markmen go their ways, and turned +toward the ford, and the Markmen went slowly now toward their horses. +Howbeit there were many of them who murmured against Otter, saying +that it was ill done to have come so far and ridden so hard, and then +to have done so little, and that were to-morrow come, they would not +be led away so easily: but now they said it was ill; for the Romans +would cross the water, and make their ways to Wolfstead, none +hindering them, and would burn the dwellings and slay the old men and +thralls, and have away the women and children and the Hall-Sun the +treasure of the Markmen. In sooth, they knew not that a band of the +Roman light-armed had already crossed the water, and had fallen upon +the dwellings of the Wolfings; but that the old men and younglings +and thralls of the House had come upon them as they were entangled +amidst the tofts and the garths, and had overcome them and slain +many. + +Thus went Otter and his men to their horses when it was now drawing +toward sunset (for all this was some while adoing), and betook them +to a rising ground not far from the wood-side, and there made what +sort of a garth they might, with their horses and the limbs of trees +and long-shafted spears; and they set a watch and abode in the garth +right warily, and lighted no fires when night fell, but ate what meat +they had with them, which was but little, and so sleeping and +watching abode the morning. But the main body of the Romans did not +cross the ford that night, for they feared lest they might go astray +therein, for it was an ill ford to those that knew not the water: so +they abode on the bank nigh to the water's edge, with the mind to +cross as soon as it was fairly daylight. + +Now Otter had lost of his men some hundred and twenty slain or +grievously hurt, and they had away with them the hurt men and the +bodies of the slain. The tale tells not how many of the Romans were +slain, but a many of their light-armed had fallen, since the Markmen +had turned so hastily upon them, and they had with them many of the +best bowmen of the Mark. + + + +CHAPTER XXI--THEY BICKER ABOUT THE FORD + + + +In the grey of the morning was Otter afoot with the watchers, and +presently he got on his horse and peered over the plain, but the mist +yet hung low on it, so that he might see nought for a while; but at +last he seemed to note something coming toward the host from the +upper water above the ford, so he rode forward to meet it, and lo, it +was a lad of fifteen winters, naked save his breeches, and wet from +the river; and Otter drew rein, and the lad said to him: "Art thou +the Warduke?" "Yea," said Otter. + +Said the lad, "I am Ali, the son of Grey, and the Hall-Sun hath sent +me to thee with this word: 'Are ye coming? Is Thiodolf at hand? +For I have seen the Roof-ridge red in the sunlight as if it were +painted with cinnabar.'" + +Said Otter, "Art thou going back to Wolfstead, son?" + +"Yea, at once, my father," said Ali. + +"Then tell her," said Otter, "that Thiodolf is at hand, and when he +cometh we shall both together fall upon the Romans either in crossing +the ford or in the Wolfing meadow; but tell her also that I am not +strong enough to hinder the Romans from crossing." + +"Father," said Ali, "the Hall-Sun saith: Thou art wise in war; now +tell us, shall we hold the Hall against the Romans that ye may find +us there? For we have discomfited their vanguard already, and we +have folk who can fight; but belike the main battle of the Romans +shall get the upper hand of us ere ye come to our helping: belike it +were better to leave the hall, and let the wood cover us." + +"Now is this well asked," said Otter; "get thee back, my son, and bid +the Hall-Sun trust not to warding of the Hall, for the Romans are a +mighty host: and this day, even when Thiodolf cometh hither, shall +be hard for the Gothfolk: let her hasten lest these thieves come +upon her hastily; let her take the Hall-Sun her namesake, and the old +men and children and the women, and let those fighting folk she hath +be a guard to all this in the wood. And hearken moreover; it will, +maybe, be six hours ere Thiodolf cometh; tell her I will cast the +dice for life or death, and stir up these Romans now at once, that +they may have other things to think of than burning old men and women +and children in their dwellings; thus may she reach the wood +unhindered. Hast thou all this in thine head? Then go thy ways." + +But the lad lingered, and he reddened and looked on the ground and +then he said: "My father, I swam the deeps, and when I reached this +bank, I crept along by the mist and the reeds toward where the Romans +are, and I came near to them, and noted what they were doing; and I +tell thee that they are already stirring to take the water at the +ford. Now then do what thou wilt." + +Therewith he turned about, and went his way at once, running like a +colt which has never felt halter or bit. + +But Otter rode back hastily and roused certain men in whom he +trusted, and bid them rouse the captains and all the host and bid men +get to horse speedily and with as little noise as might be. So did +they, and there was little delay, for men were sleeping with one eye +open, as folk say, and many were already astir. So in a little while +they were all in the saddle, and the mist yet stretched low over the +meadow; for the morning was cool and without wind. Then Otter bade +the word be carried down the ranks that they should ride as quietly +as may be and fare through the mist to do the Romans some hurt, but +in nowise to get entangled in their ranks, and all men to heed well +the signal of turning and drawing aback; and therewith they rode off +down the meadow led by men who could have led them through the dark +night. + +But for the Romans, they were indeed getting ready to cross the ford +when the mist should have risen; and on the bank it was thinning +already and melting away; for a little air of wind was beginning to +breathe from the north-east and the sunrise, which was just at hand; +and the bank, moreover, was stonier and higher than the meadow's +face, which fell away from it as a shallow dish from its rim: +thereon yet lay the mist like a white wall. + +So the Romans and their friends the dastards of the Goths had well +nigh got all ready, and had driven stakes into the water from bank to +bank to mark out the safe ford, and some of their light-armed and +most of their Goths were by now in the water or up on the Wolfing +meadow with the more part of their baggage and wains; and the rest of +the host was drawn up in good order, band by band, waiting the word +to take the water, and the captain was standing nigh to the river +bank beside their God the chief banner of the Host. + +Of a sudden one of the dastards of the Goths who was close to the +Captain cried out that he heard horse coming; but because he spake in +the Gothic tongue, few heeded; but even therewith an old leader of a +hundred cried out the same tidings in the Roman tongue, and all men +fell to handling their weapons; but before they could face duly +toward the meadow, came rushing from out of the mist a storm of +shafts that smote many men, and therewithal burst forth the sound of +the Markmen's war-horn, like the roaring of a hundred bulls mingled +with the thunder of horses at the gallop; and then dark over the wall +of mist showed the crests of the riders of the Mark, though scarce +were their horses seen till their whole war-rank came dark and +glittering into the space of the rising-ground where the mist was but +a haze now, and now at last smitten athwart by the low sun just +arisen. + +Therewith came another storm of shafts, wherein javelins and spears +cast by the hand were mingled with the arrows: but the Roman ranks +had faced the meadow and the storm which it yielded, swiftly and +steadily, and they stood fast and threw their spears, albeit not with +such good aim as might have been, because of their haste, so that few +were slain by them. And the Roman Captain still loth to fight with +the Goths in earnest for no reward, and still more and more believing +that this was the only band of them that he had to look to, bade +those who were nighest the ford not to tarry for the onset of a few +wild riders, but to go their ways into the water; else by a sudden +onrush might the Romans have entangled Otter's band in their ranks, +and so destroyed all. As it was the horsemen fell not on the Roman +ranks full in face, but passing like a storm athwart the ranks to the +right, fell on there where they were in thinnest array (for they were +gathered to the ford as aforesaid), and slew some and drave some into +the deeps and troubled the whole Roman host. + +So now the Roman Captain was forced to take new order, and gather all +his men together, and array his men for a hard fight; and by now the +mist was rolling off from the face of the whole meadow and the sun +was bright and hot. His men serried their ranks, and the front rank +cast their spears, and slew both men and horses of the Goths as those +rode along their front casting their javelins, and shooting here and +there from behind their horses if occasion served, or making a shift +to send an arrow even as they sat a-horseback; then the second rank +of the Romans would take the place of the first, and cast in their +turn, and they who had taken the water turned back and took their +place behind the others, and many of the light-armed came with them, +and all the mass of them flowed forward together, looking as if it +might never be broken. But Otter would not abide the shock, since he +had lost men and horses, and had no mind to be caught in the sweep of +their net; so he made the sign, and his Company drew off to right and +left, yet keeping within bow-shot, so that the bowmen still loosed at +the Romans. + +But they for their part might not follow afoot men on untired horses, +and their own horse was on the west side with the baggage, and had it +been there would have been but of little avail, as the Roman Captain +knew. So they stood awhile making grim countenance, and then slowly +drew back to the ford under cover of their light-armed who shot at +the Goths as they rode forward, but abode not their shock. + +But Otter and his folk followed after the Romans again, and again did +them some hurt, and at last drew so nigh, that once more the Romans +stormed forth, and once more smote a stroke in the air; nor even so +would the Markmen cease to meddle with them, though never would Otter +suffer his men to be mingled with them. At the last the Romans, +seeing that Otter would not walk into the open trap, and growing +weary of this bickering, began to take the water little by little, +while a strong Company kept face to the Markmen; and now Otter saw +that they would not be hindered any longer, and he had lost many men, +and even now feared lest he should be caught in the trap, and so lose +all. And on the other hand it was high noon by now, so that he had +given respite to the stay-at-homes of the Wolfings, so that they +might get them into the wood. So he drew out of bowshot and bade his +men breathe their horses and rest themselves and eat something; and +they did so gladly, since they saw that they might not fall upon the +Romans to live and die for it until Thiodolf was come, or until they +knew that he was not coming. But the Romans crossed the ford in good +earnest and were soon all gathered together on the western bank +making them ready for the march to Wolfstead. And it must be told +that the Roman Captain was the more deliberate about this because +after the overthrow of his light-armed there the morning before, he +thought that the Roof was held by warriors of the kindreds, and not +by a few old men, and women, and lads. Therefore he had no fear of +their escaping him. Moreover it was this imagination of his, to wit +that a strong band of warriors was holding Wolf-stead, that made him +deem there were no more worth thinking about of the warriors of the +Mark save Otter's Company and the men in the Hall of the Wolfings. + + + +CHAPTER XXII--OTTER FALLS ON AGAINST HIS WILL + + + +It was with the same imagination working in him belike that the Roman +Captain set none to guard the ford on the westward side of Mirkwood- +water. The Romans tarried there but a little hour, and then went +their ways; but Otter sent a man on a swift horse to watch them, and +when they were clean gone for half an hour, he bade his folk to +horse, and they departed, all save a handful of the swains and +elders, who were left to tell the tidings to Thiodolf when he should +come into Mid-mark. + +So Otter and his folk crossed the ford, and drew up in good order on +the westward bank, and it was then somewhat more than three hours +after noon. He had been there but a little while before he noted a +stir in the Bearing meadow, and lo, it was the first of Thiodolf's +folk, who had gotten out of the wood and had fallen in with the men +whom he had left behind. And these first were the riders of the +Bearings, and the Wormings, (for they had out-gone the others who +were afoot). It may well be thought how fearful was their anger when +they set eyes on the smouldering ashes of the dwellings; nor even +when those folk of Otter had told them all they had to tell could +some of them refrain them from riding off to the burnt houses to seek +for the bodies of their kindred. But when they came there, and +amidst the ashes could find no bones, their hearts were lightened, +and yet so mad wroth they were, that some could scarce sit their +horses, and great tears gushed from the eyes of some, and pattered +down like hail-stones, so eager were they to see the blood of the +Romans. So they rode back to where they had left their folk talking +with them of Otter; and the Bearings were sitting grim upon their +horses and somewhat scowling on Otter's men. Then the foremost of +those who had come back from the houses waved his hand toward the +ford, but could say nought for a while; but the captain and chief of +the Bearings, a grizzled man very big of body, whose name was +Arinbiorn, spake to that man and said; "What aileth thee Sweinbiorn +the Black? What hast thou seen?" + + +He said: + + +"Now red and grey is the pavement of the Bearings' house of old: +Red yet is the floor of the dais, but the hearth all grey and cold. +I knew not the house of my fathers; I could not call to mind +The fashion of the building of that Warder of the Wind. +O wide were grown the windows, and the roof exceeding high! +For nought there was to look on 'twixt the pavement and the sky. +But the tie-beam lay on the dais, and methought its staining fair; +For rings of smoothest charcoal were round it here and there, +And the red flame flickered o'er it, and never a staining wight +Hath red earth in his coffer so clear and glittering bright, +And still the little smoke-wreaths curled o'er it pale and blue. +Yea, fair is our hall's adorning for a feast that is strange and +new." + + +Said Arinbiorn: "What sawest thou therein, O Sweinbiorn, where sat +thy grandsire at the feast? Where were the bones of thy mother +lying?" + +Said Sweinbiorn: + + +"We sought the feast-hall over, and nought we found therein +Of the bones of the ancient mothers, or the younglings of the kin. +The men are greedy, doubtless, to lose no whit of the prey, +And will try if the hoary elders may yet outlive the way +That leads to the southland cities, till at last they come to stand +With the younglings in the market to be sold in an alien land." + + +Arinbiorn's brow lightened somewhat; but ere he could speak again an +ancient thrall of the Galtings spake and said: + +"True it is, O warriors of the Bearings, that we might not see any +war-thralls being led away by the Romans when they came away from the +burning dwellings; and we deem it certain that they crossed the water +before the coming of the Romans, and that they are now with the stay- +at-homes of the Wolfings in the wild-wood behind the Wolfing +dwellings, for we hear tell that the War-duke would not that the +Hall-Sun should hold the Hall against the whole Roman host." + +Then Sweinbiorn tossed up his sword into the air and caught it by the +hilts as it fell, and cried out: "On, on to the meadow, where these +thieves abide us!" Arinbiorn spake no word, but turned his horse and +rode down to the ford, and all men followed him; and of the Bearings +there were an hundred warriors save one, and of the Wormings eighty +and seven. + +So rode they over the meadow and into the ford and over it, and +Otter's company stood on the bank to meet them, and shouted to see +them; but the others made but little noise as they crossed the water. + +So when they were on the western bank Arinbiorn came among them of +Otter, and cried out: "Where then is Otter, where is the War-duke, +is he alive or dead?" + +And the throng opened to him and Otter stood facing him; and +Arinbiorn spake and said: "Thou art alive and unhurt, War-duke, when +many have been hurt and slain; and methinks thy company is little +minished though the kindred of the Bearings lacketh a roof; and its +elders and women and children are gone into captivity. What is this? +Was it a light thing that gangrel thieves should burn and waste in +Mid-mark and depart unhurt, that ye stand here with clean blades and +cold bodies?" + +Said Otter: "Thou grievest for the hurt of thine House, Arinbiorn; +but this at least is good, that though ye have lost the timber of +your house ye have not lost its flesh and blood; the shell is gone, +but the kernel is saved: for thy folk are by this time in the wood +with the Wolfing stay-at-homes, and among these are many who may +fight on occasion, so they are safe as for this time: the Romans may +not come at them to hurt them." + +Said Arinbiorn: "Had ye time to learn all this, Otter, when ye fled +so fast before the Romans, that the father tarried not for the son, +nor the son for the father?" + +He spoke in a loud voice so that many heard him, and some deemed it +evil; for anger and dissension between friends seemed abroad; but +some were so eager for battle, that the word of Arinbiorn seemed good +to them, and they laughed for pride and anger. + +Then Otter answered meekly, for he was a wise man and a bold: "We +fled not, Arinbiorn, but as the sword fleeth, when it springeth up +from the iron helm to fall on the woollen coat. Are we not now of +more avail to you, O men of the Bearings, than our dead corpses would +have been?" + +Arinbiorn answered not, but his face waxed red, as if he were +struggling with a weight hard to lift: then said Otter: + +"But when will Thiodolf and the main battle be with us?" + +Arinbiorn answered calmly: "Maybe in a little hour from now, or +somewhat more." + +Said Otter: "My rede is that we abide him here, and when we are all +met and well ordered together, fall on the Romans at once: for then +shall we be more than they; whereas now we are far fewer, and +moreover we shall have to set on them in their ground of vantage." + +Arinbiorn answered nothing; but an old man of the Bearings, one +Thorbiorn, came up and spake: + +"Warriors, here are we talking and taking counsel, though this is no +Hallowed Thing to bid us what we shall do, and what we shall forbear; +and to talk thus is less like warriors than old women wrangling over +the why and wherefore of a broken crock. Let the War-duke rule here, +as is but meet and right. Yet if I might speak and not break the +peace of the Goths, then would I say this, that it might be better +for us to fall on these Romans at once before they have cast up a +dike about them, as Fox telleth is their wont, and that even in an +hour they may do much." + +As he spake there was a murmur of assent about him, but Otter spake +sharply, for he was grieved. + +"Thorbiorn, thou art old, and shouldest not be void of prudence. Now +it had been better for thee to have been in the wood to-day to order +the women and the swains according to thine ancient wisdom than to +egg on my young warriors to fare unwarily. Here will I abide +Thiodolf." + +Then Thorbiorn reddened and was wroth; but Arinbiorn spake: + +"What is this to-do? Let the War-duke rule as is but right: but I +am now become a man of Thiodolf's company; and he bade me haste on +before to help all I might. Do thou as thou wilt, Otter: for +Thiodolf shall be here in an hour's space, and if much diking shall +be done in an hour, yet little slaying, forsooth, shall be done, and +that especially if the foe is all armed and slayeth women and +children. Yea if the Bearing women be all slain, yet shall not Tyr +make us new ones out of the stones of the waste to wed with the +Galtings and the fish-eating Houses?--this is easy to be done +forsooth. Yea, easier than fighting the Romans and overcoming them!" + +And he was very wrath, and turned away; and again there was a murmur +and a hum about him. But while these had been speaking aloud, +Sweinbiorn had been talking softly to some of the younger men, and +now he shook his naked sword in the air and spake aloud and sang: + + +"Ye tarry, Bears of Battle! ye linger, Sons of the Worm! +Ye crouch adown, O kindreds, from the gathering of the storm! +Ye say, it shall soon pass over and we shall fare afield +And reap the wheat with the war-sword and winnow in the shield. +But where shall be the corner wherein ye then shall abide, +And where shall be the woodland where the whelps of the bears shall +hide +When 'twixt the snowy mountains and the edges of the sea +These men have swept the wild-wood and the fields where men may be +Of every living sword-blade, and every quivering spear, +And in the southland cities the yoke of slaves ye bear? +Lo ye! whoever follows I fare to sow the seed +Of the days to be hereafter and the deed that comes of deed." + + +Therewith he waved his sword over his head, and made as if he would +spur onward. But Arinbiorn thrust through the press and outwent him +and cried out: + +"None goeth before Arinbiorn the Old when the battle is pitched in +the meadows of the kindred. Come, ye sons of the Bear, ye children +of the Worm! And come ye, whosoever hath a will to see stout men +die!" + +Then on he rode nor looked behind him, and the riders of the Bearings +and the Wormings drew themselves out of the throng, and followed him, +and rode clattering over the meadow towards Wolfstead. A few of the +others rode with them, and yet but a few. For they remembered the +holy Folk-mote and the oath of the War-duke, and how they had chosen +Otter to be their leader. Howbeit, man looked askance at man, as if +in shame to be left behind. + +But Otter bethought him in the flash of a moment, "If these men ride +alone, they shall die and do nothing; and if we ride with them it may +be that we shall overthrow the Romans, and if we be vanquished, it +shall go hard but we shall slay many of them, so that it shall be the +easier for Thiodolf to deal with them." + +Then he spake hastily, and bade certain men abide at the ford for a +guard; then he drew his sword and rode to the front of his folk, and +cried out aloud to them: + +"Now at last has come the time to die, and let them of the Markmen +who live hereafter lay us in howe. Set on, Sons of Tyr, and give not +your lives away, but let them be dearly earned of our foemen." + +Then all shouted loudly and gladly; nor were they otherwise than +exceeding glad; for now had they forgotten all other joys of life +save the joy of fighting for the kindred and the days to be. + +So Otter led them forth, and when he heard the whole company +clattering and thundering on the earth behind him and felt their +might enter into him, his brow cleared, and the anxious lines in the +face of the old man smoothed themselves out, and as he rode along the +soul so stirred within him that he sang out aloud: + + +"Time was when hot was the summer and I was young on the earth, +And I grudged me every moment that lacked its share of mirth. +I woke in the morn and was merry and all the world methought +For me and my heart's deliverance that hour was newly wrought. +I have passed through the halls of manhood, I have reached the doors +of eld, +And I have been glad and sorry, but ever have upheld +My heart against all trouble that none might call me sad, +But ne'er came such remembrance of how my heart was glad +In the afternoon of summer 'neath the still unwearied sun +Of the days when I was little and all deeds were hopes to be won, +As now at last it cometh when e'en in such-like tide, +For the freeing of my trouble o'er the fathers' field I ride." + + +Many men perceived that he sang, and saw that he was merry, howbeit +few heard his very words, and yet all were glad of him. + +Fast they rode, being wishful to catch up with the Bearings and the +Wormings, and soon they came anigh them, and they, hearing the +thunder of the horse-hoofs, looked and saw that it was the company of +Otter, and so slacked their speed till they were all joined together +with joyous shouting and laughter. So then they ordered the ranks +anew and so set forward in great joy without haste or turmoil toward +Wolfstead and the Romans. For now the bitterness of their fury and +the sourness of their abiding wrath were turned into the mere joy of +battle; even as the clear red and sweet wine comes of the ugly +ferment and rough trouble of the must. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII--THIODOLF MEETETH THE ROMANS IN THE WOLFING MEADOW + + + +It was scarce an hour after this that the footmen of Thiodolf came +out of the thicket road on to the meadow of the Bearings; there saw +they men gathered on a rising ground, and they came up to them and +saw how some of them were looking with troubled faces towards the +ford and what lay beyond it, and some toward the wood and the coming +of Thiodolf. But these were they whom Otter had bidden abide +Thiodolf there, and he had sent two messengers to them for Thiodolf's +behoof that he might have due tidings so soon as he came out of the +thicket: the first told how Otter had been compelled in a manner to +fall on the Romans along with the riders of the Bearings and the +Wormings, and the second who had but just then come, told how the +Markmen had been worsted by the Romans, and had given back from the +Wolfing dwellings, and were making a stand against the foemen in the +meadow betwixt the ford and Wolfstead. + +Now when Thiodolf heard of these tidings he stayed not to ask long +questions, but led the whole host straightway down to the ford, lest +the remnant of Otter's men should be driven down there, and the +Romans should hold the western bank against him. + +At the ford there was none to withstand them, nor indeed any man at +all; for the men whom Otter had set there, when they heard that the +battle had gone against their kindred, had ridden their ways to join +them. So Thiodolf crossed over the ford, he and his in good order +all afoot, he like to the others; but for him he was clad in the +Dwarf-wrought Hauberk, but was unhelmeted and bare no shield. +Throng-plough was naked in his hand as he came up all dripping on to +the bank and stood in the meadow of the Wolfings; his face was stern +and set as he gazed straight onward to the place of the fray, but he +did not look as joyous as his wont was in going down to the battle. + +Now they had gone but a short way from the ford before the noise of +the fight and the blowing of horns came down the wind to them, but it +was a little way further before they saw the fray with their eyes; +because the ground fell away from the river somewhat at first, and +then rose and fell again before it went up in one slope toward the +Wolfing dwellings. + +But when they were come to the top of the next swelling of the +ground, they beheld from thence what they had to deal with; for there +round about a ground of vantage was the field black with the Roman +host, and in the midst of it was a tangle of struggling men and +tossing spears, and glittering swords. + +So when they beheld the battle of their kindred they gave a great +shout and hastened onward the faster; and they were ordered into the +wedge-array and Thiodolf led them, as meet it was. And now even as +they who were on the outward edge of the array and could see what was +toward were looking on the battle with eager eyes, there came an +answering shout down the wind, which they knew for the voice of the +Goths amid the foemen, and then they saw how the ring of the Romans +shook and parted, and their array fell back, and lo the company of +the Markmen standing stoutly together, though sorely minished; and +sure it was that they had not fled or been scattered, but were ready +to fall one over another in one band, for there were no men +straggling towards the ford, though many masterless horses ran here +and there about the meadow. Now, therefore, none doubted but that +they would deliver their friends from the Romans, and overthrow the +foemen. + +But now befel a wonder, a strange thing to tell of. The Romans soon +perceived what was adoing, whereupon the half of them turned about to +face the new comers, while the other half still withstood the company +of Otter: the wedge-array of Thiodolf drew nearer and nearer till it +was hard on the place where it should spread itself out to storm down +on the foe, and the Goths beset by the Romans made them ready to fall +on from their side. There was Thiodolf leading his host, and all men +looking for the token and sign to fall on; but even as he lifted up +Throng-plough to give that sign, a cloud came over his eyes and he +saw nought of all that was before him, and he staggered back as one +who hath gotten a deadly stroke, and so fell swooning to the earth, +though none had smitten him. Then stayed was the wedge-array even at +the very point of onset, and the hearts of the Goths sank, for they +deemed that their leader was slain, and those who were nearest to him +raised him up and bore him hastily aback out of the battle; and the +Romans also had beheld him fall, and they also deemed him dead or +sore hurt, and shouted for joy and loitered not, but stormed forth on +the wedge-array like valiant men; for it must be told that they, who +erst out-numbered the company of Otter, were now much out-numbered, +but they deemed it might well be that they could dismay the Goths +since they had been stayed by the fall of their leader; and Otter's +company were wearied with sore fighting against a great host. +Nevertheless these last, who had not seen the fall of Thiodolf (for +the Romans were thick between him and them) fell on with such +exceeding fury that they drove the Romans who faced them back on +those who had set on the wedge-array, which also stood fast +undismayed; for he who stood next to Thiodolf, a man big of body, and +stout of heart, bight Thorolf, hove up a great axe and cried out +aloud: + +"Here is the next man to Thiodolf! here is one who will not fall till +some one thrusts him over, here is Thorolf of the Wolfings! Stand +fast and shield you, and smite, though Thiodolf be gone untimely to +the Gods!" + +So none gave back a foot, and fierce was the fight about the wedge- +array; and the men of Otter--but there was no Otter there, and many +another man was gone, and Arinbiorn the Old led them--these stormed +on so fiercely that they cleft their way through all and joined +themselves to their kindred, and the battle was renewed in the +Wolfing meadow. But the Romans had this gain, that Thiodolf's men +had let go their occasion for falling on the Romans with their line +spread out so that every man might use his weapons; yet were the +Goths strong both in valiancy and in numbers, nor might the Romans +break into their array, and as aforesaid the Romans were the fewer, +for it was less than half of their host that had pursued the Goths +when they had been thrust back from their fierce onset: nor did more +than the half seem needed, so many of them had fallen along with +Otter the War-duke and Sweinbiorn of the Bearings, that they seemed +to the Romans but a feeble band easy to overcome. + +So fought they in the Wolfing meadow in the fifth hour after high- +noon, and neither yielded to the other: but while these things were +a-doing, men laid Thiodolf adown aloof from the battle under a +doddered oak half a furlong from where the fight was a-doing, round +whose bole clung flocks of wool from the sheep that drew around it in +the hot summer-tide and rubbed themselves against it, and the ground +was trodden bare of grass round the bole, and close to the trunk was +worn into a kind of trench. There then they laid Thiodolf, and they +wondered that no blood came from him, and that there was no sign of a +shot-weapon in his body. + +But as for him, when he fell, all memory of the battle and what had +gone before it faded from his mind, and he passed into sweet and +pleasant dreams wherein he was a lad again in the days before he had +fought with the three Hun-Kings in the hazelled field. And in these +dreams he was doing after the manner of young lads, sporting in the +meadows, backing unbroken colts, swimming in the river, going a- +hunting with the elder carles. And especially he deemed that he was +in the company of one old man who had taught him both wood-craft and +the handling of weapons: and fair at first was his dream of his +doings with this man; he was with him in the forge smithying a sword- +blade, and hammering into its steel the thin golden wires; and +fishing with an angle along with him by the eddies of Mirkwood-water; +and sitting with him in an ingle of the Hall, the old man telling a +tale of an ancient warrior of the Wolfings hight Thiodolf also: then +suddenly and without going there, they were in a little clearing of +the woods resting after hunting, a roe-deer with an arrow in her +lying at their feet, and the old man was talking, and telling +Thiodolf in what wise it was best to go about to get the wind of a +hart; but all the while there was going on the thunder of a great +gale of wind through the woodland boughs, even as the drone of a bag- +pipe cleaves to the tune. Presently Thiodolf arose and would go +about his hunting again, and stooped to take up his spear, and even +therewith the old man's speech stayed, and Thiodolf looked up, and +lo, his face was white like stone, and he touched him, and he was +hard as flint, and like the image of an ancient god as to his face +and hands, though the wind stirred his hair and his raiment, as they +did before. Therewith a great pang smote Thiodolf in his dream, and +he felt as if he also were stiffening into stone, and he strove and +struggled, and lo, the wild-wood was gone, and a white light empty of +all vision was before him, and as he moved his head this became the +Wolfing meadow, as he had known it so long, and thereat a soft +pleasure and joy took hold of him, till again he looked, and saw +there no longer the kine and sheep, and the herd-women tending them, +but the rush and turmoil of that fierce battle, the confused +thundering noise of which was going up to the heavens; for indeed he +was now fully awake again. + +So he stood up and looked about; and around him was a ring of the +sorrowful faces of the warriors, who had deemed that he was hurt +deadly, though no hurt could they find upon him. But the Dwarf- +wrought Hauberk lay upon the ground beside him; for they had taken it +off him to look for his hurts. + +So he looked into their faces and said: "What aileth you, ye men? I +am alive and unhurt; what hath betided?" + +And one said: "Art thou verily alive, or a man come back from the +dead? We saw thee fall as thou wentest leading us against the foe as +if thou hadst been smitten by a thunder-bolt, and we deemed thee dead +or grievously hurt. Now the carles are fighting stoutly, and all is +well since thou livest yet." + +So he said: "Give me the point and edges that I know, that I may +smite myself therewith and not the foemen; for I have feared and +blenched from the battle." + +Said an old warrior: "If that be so, Thiodolf, wilt thou blench +twice? Is not once enough? Now let us go back to the hard handplay, +and if thou wilt, smite thyself after the battle, when we have once +more had a man's help of thee." + +Therewith he held out Throng-plough to him by the point, and Thiodolf +took hold of the hilts and handled it and said: "Let us hasten, +while the Gods will have it so, and while they are still suffering me +to strike a stroke for the kindred." + +And therewith he brandished Throng-plough, and went forth toward the +battle, and the heart grew hot within him, and the joy of waking life +came back to him, the joy which but erewhile he had given to a mere +dream. + +But the old man who had rebuked him stooped down and lifted the +Hauberk from the ground, and cried out after him, "O Thiodolf, and +wilt thou go naked into so strong a fight? and thou with this so +goodly sword-rampart?" + +Thiodolf stayed a moment, and even therewith they looked, and lo! the +Romans giving back before the Goths and the Goths following up the +chase, but slowly and steadily. Then Thiodolf heeded nothing save +the battle, but ran forward hastily, and those warriors followed him, +the old man last of all holding the Hauberk in his hand, and +muttering: + + +"So fares hot blood to the glooming and the world beneath the grass; +And the fruit of the Wolfings' orchard in a flash from the world must +pass. +Men say that the tree shall blossom in the garden of the folk, +And the new twig thrust him forward from the place where the old one +broke, +And all be well as aforetime: but old and old I grow, +And I doubt me if such another the folk to come shall know." + + +And he still hurried forward as fast as his old body might go, so +that he might wrap the safeguard of the Hauberk round Thiodolf's +body. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV--THE GOTHS ARE OVERTHROWN BY THE ROMANS + + + +Now rose up a mighty shout when Thiodolf came back to the battle of +the kindreds, for many thought he had been slain; and they gathered +round about him, and cried out to him joyously out of their hearts of +good-fellowship, and the old man who had rebuked Thiodolf, and who +was Jorund of the Wolfings, came up to him and reached out to him the +Hauberk, and he did it on scarce heeding; for all his heart and soul +was turned toward the battle of the Romans and what they were a- +doing; and he saw that they were falling back in good order, as men +out-numbered, but undismayed. So he gathered all his men together +and ordered them afresh; for they were somewhat disarrayed with the +fray and the chase: and now he no longer ordered them in the wedge +array, but in a line here three deep, here five deep, or more, for +the foes were hard at hand, and outnumbered, and so far overcome, +that he and all men deemed it a little matter to give these their +last overthrow, and then onward to Wolf-stead to storm on what was +left there and purge the house of the foemen. Howbeit Thiodolf +bethought him that succour might come to the Romans from their main- +battle, as they needed not many men there, since there was nought to +fear behind them: but the thought was dim within him, for once more +since he had gotten the Hauberk on him the earth was wavering and +dream-like: he looked about him, and nowise was he as in past days +of battle when he saw nought but the foe before him, and hoped for +nothing save the victory. But now indeed the Wood-Sun seemed to him +to be beside him, and not against his will, as one besetting and +hindering him, but as though his own longing had drawn her thither +and would not let her depart; and whiles it seemed to him that her +beauty was clearer to be seen than the bodies of the warriors round +about him. For the rest he seemed to be in a dream indeed, and, as +men do in dreams, to be for ever striving to be doing something of +more moment than anything which he did, but which he must ever leave +undone. And as the dream gathered and thickened about him the foe +before him changed to his eyes, and seemed no longer the stern brown- +skinned smooth-faced men under their crested iron helms with their +iron-covered shields before them, but rather, big-headed men, small +of stature, long-bearded, swart, crooked of body, exceeding foul of +aspect. And he looked on and did nothing for a while, and his head +whirled as though he had been grievously smitten. + +Thus tarried the kindreds awhile, and they were bewildered and their +hearts fell because Thiodolf did not fly on the foemen like a falcon +on the quarry, as his wont was. But as for the Romans, they had now +stayed, and were facing their foes again, and that on a vantage- +ground, since the field sloped up toward the Wolfing dwelling; and +they gathered heart when they saw that the Goths tarried and forbore +them. But the sun was sinking, and the evening was hard at hand. + +So at last Thiodolf led forward with Throng-plough held aloft in his +right hand; but his left hand he held out by his side, as though he +were leading someone along. And as he went, he muttered: "When will +these accursed sons of the nether earth leave the way clear to us, +that we may be alone and take pleasure each in each amidst of the +flowers and the sun?" + +Now as the two hosts drew near to one another, again came the sound +of trumpets afar off, and men knew that this would be succour coming +to the Romans from their main-battle, and the Romans thereon shouted +for joy, and the host of the kindreds might no longer forbear, but +rushed on fiercely against them; and for Thiodolf it was now come to +this, that so entangled was he in his dream that he rather went with +his men than led them. Yet had he Throng-plough in his right hand, +and he muttered in his beard as he went, "Smite before! smite behind! +and smite on the right hand! but never on the left!" + +Thus then they met, and as before, neither might the Goths sweep the +Romans away, nor the Romans break the Goths into flight; yet were +many of the kindred anxious and troubled, since they knew that aid +was coming to the Romans, and they heard the trumpets sounding nearer +and more joyous; and at last, as the men of the kindreds were growing +a-wearied with fighting, they heard those horns as it were in their +very ears, and the thunder of the tramp of footmen, and they knew +that a fresh host of men was upon them; then those they had been +fighting with opened before them, falling aside to the right and the +left, and the fresh men passing between them, fell on the Goths like +the waters of a river when a sluice-gate is opened. They came on in +very good order, never breaking their ranks, but swift withal, +smiting and pushing before them, and so brake through the array of +the Goth-folk, and drave them this way and that way down the slopes. + +Yet still fought the warriors of the kindred most valiantly, making +stand and facing the foe again and again in knots of a score or two +score, or maybe ten score; and though many a man was slain, yet +scarce any one before he had slain or hurt a Roman; and some there +were, and they the oldest, who fought as if they and the few about +them were all the host that was left to the folk, and heeded not that +others were driven back, or that the Romans gathered about them, +cutting them off from all succour and aid, but went on smiting till +they were felled with many strokes. + +Howbeit the array of the Goths was broken and many were slain, and +perforce they must give back, and it seemed as if they would be +driven into the river and all be lost. + +But for Thiodolf, this befell him: that at first, when those fresh +men fell on, he seemed, as it were, to wake unto himself again, and +he cried aloud the cry of the Wolf, and thrust into the thickest of +the fray, and slew many and was hurt of none, and for a moment of +time there was an empty space round about him, such fear he cast even +into the valiant hearts of the foemen. But those who had time to see +him as they stood by him noted that he was as pale as a dead man, and +his eyes set and staring; and so of a sudden, while he stood thus +threatening the ring of doubtful foemen, the weakness took him again, +Throng-plough tumbled from his hand, and he fell to earth as one +dead. + +Then of those who saw him some deemed that he had been striving +against some secret hurt till he could do no more; and some that +there was a curse abroad that had fallen upon him and upon all the +kindreds of the Mark; some thought him dead and some swooning. But, +dead or alive, the warriors would not leave their War-duke among the +foemen, so they lifted him, and gathered about him a goodly band that +held its own against all comers, and fought through the turmoil +stoutly and steadily; and others gathered to them, till they began to +be something like a host again, and the Romans might not break them +into knots of desperate men any more. + +Thus they fought their way, Arinbiorn of the Bearings leading them +now, with a mind to make a stand for life or death on some vantage- +ground; and so, often turning upon the Romans, they came in array +ever growing more solid to the rising ground looking one way over the +ford and the other to the slopes where the battle had just been. +There they faced the foe as men who may be slain, but will be driven +no further; and what bowmen they had got spread out from their flanks +and shot on the Romans, who had with them no light-armed, or slingers +or bowmen, for they had left them at Wolf-stead. So the Romans stood +a while, and gave breathing-space to the Markmen, which indeed was +the saving of them: for if they had fallen on hotly and held to it +steadily, it is like that they would have passed over all the bodies +of the Markmen: for these had lost their leader, either slain, as +some thought, or, as others thought, banned from leadership by the +Gods; and their host was heavy-hearted; and though it is like that +they would have stood there till each had fallen over other, yet was +their hope grown dim, and the whole folk brought to a perilous and +fearful pass, for if these were slain or scattered there were no more +but they, and nought between fire and the sword and the people of the +Mark. + +But once again the faint-heart folly of the Roman Captain saved his +foes: for whereas he once thought that the whole power of the +Markmen lay in Otter and his company, and deemed them too little to +meddle with, so now he ran his head into the other hedge, and deemed +that Thiodolf's company was but a part of the succour that was at +hand for the Goths, and that they were over-big for him to meddle +with. + +True it is also that now dark night was coming on, and the land was +unknown to the Romans, who moreover trusted not wholly to the +dastards of the Goths who were their guides and scouts: furthermore +the wood was at hand, and they knew not what it held; and with all +this and above it all, it is to be said that over them also had +fallen a dread of some doom anear; for those habitations amidst of +the wild-woods were terrible to them as they were dear to the Goths; +and the Gods of their foemen seemed to be lying in wait to fall upon +them, even if they should slay every man of the kindreds. + +So now having driven back the Goths to that height over the ford, +which indeed was no stronghold, no mountain, scarce a hill even, +nought but a gentle swelling of the earth, they forebore them; and +raising up the whoop of victory drew slowly aback, picking up their +own dead and wounded, and slaying the wounded Markmen. They had with +them also some few captives, but not many; for the fighting had been +to the death between man and man on the Wolfing Meadow. + + + +CHAPTER XXV--THE HOST OF THE MARKMEN COMETH INTO THE WILD-WOOD + + + +Yet though the Romans were gone, the Goth-folk were very hard bested. +They had been overthrown, not sorely maybe if they had been in an +alien land, and free to come and go as they would; yet sorely as +things were, because the foeman was sitting in their own House, and +they must needs drag him out of it or perish: and to many the days +seemed evil, and the Gods fighting against them, and both the +Wolfings and the other kindreds bethought them of the Hall-Sun and +her wisdom and longed to hear of tidings concerning her. + +But now the word ran through the host that Thiodolf was certainly not +slain. Slowly he had come to himself, and yet was not himself, for +he sat among his men gloomy and silent, clean contrary to his wont; +for hitherto he had been a merry man, and a joyous fellow. + +Amidst of the ridge whereon the Markmen now abode, there was a ring +made of the chief warriors and captains and wise men who had not been +slain or grievously hurt in the fray, and amidst them all sat +Thiodolf on the ground, his chin sunken on his breast, looking more +like a captive than the leader of a host amidst of his men; and that +the more as his scabbard was empty; for when Throng-plough had fallen +from his hand, it had been trodden under foot, and lost in the +turmoil. There he sat, and the others in that ring of men looked +sadly upon him; such as Arinbiorn of the Bearings, and Wolfkettle and +Thorolf of his own House, and Hiarandi of the Elkings, and Geirbald +the Shielding, the messenger of the woods, and Fox who had seen the +Roman Garth, and many others. It was night now, and men had lighted +fires about the host, for they said that the Romans knew where to +find them if they listed to seek; and about those fires were men +eating and drinking what they might come at, but amidmost of that +ring was the biggest fire, and men turned them towards it for counsel +and help, for elsewhere none said, "What do we?" for they were heavy- +hearted and redeless, since the Gods had taken the victory out of +their hands just when they seemed at point to win it. + +But amidst all this there was a little stir outside that biggest +ring, and men parted, and through them came a swain amongst the +chiefs, and said, "Who will lead me to the War-duke?" + +Thiodolf, who was close beside the lad, answered never a word; but +Arinbiorn said; "This man here sitting is the War-duke: speak to +him, for he may hearken to thee: but first who art thou?" + +Said the lad; "My name is Ali the son of Grey, and I come with a +message from the Hall-Sun and the stay-at-homes who are in the +Woodland." + +Now when he named the Hall-Sun Thiodolf started and looked up, and +turning to his left-hand said, "And what sayeth thy daughter?" + +Men did not heed that he said THY daughter, but deemed that he said +MY daughter, since he was wont as her would-be foster-father to call +her so. But Ali spake: + +"War-duke and ye chieftains, thus saith the Hall-Sun: 'I know that +by this time Otter hath been slain and many another, and ye have been +overthrown and chased by the Romans, and that now there is little +counsel in you except to abide the foe where ye are and there to die +valiantly. But now do my bidding and as I am bidden, and then +whosoever dieth or liveth, the kindreds shall vanquish that they may +live and grow greater. Do ye thus: the Romans think no otherwise +but to find you here to-morrow or else departed across the water as +broken men, and they will fall upon you with their whole host, and +then make a war-garth after their manner at Wolf-stead and carry fire +and the sword and the chains of thralldom into every House of the +Mark. Now therefore fetch a compass and come into the wood on the +north-west of the houses and make your way to the Thing-stead of the +Mid-mark. For who knoweth but that to-morrow we may fall upon these +thieves again? Of this shall ye hear more when we may speak together +and take counsel face to face; for we stay-at-homes know somewhat +closely of the ways of these Romans. Haste then! let not the grass +grow over your feet! + +"'But to thee, Thiodolf, have I a word to say when we meet; for I wot +that as now thou canst not hearken to my word.' Thus saith the Hall- +Sun." + +"Wilt thou speak, War-duke?" said Arinbiorn. But Thiodolf shook his +head. Then said Arinbiorn; "Shall I speak for thee?" and Thiodolf +nodded yea. Then said Arinbiorn: "Ali son of Grey, art thou going +back to her that sent thee?" + +"Yea," said the lad, "but in your company, for ye will be coming +straightway and I know all the ways closely; and there is need for a +guide through the dark night as ye will see presently." + +Then stood up Arinbiorn and said: "Chiefs and captains, go ye +speedily and array your men for departure: bid them leave all the +fires burning and come their ways as silently as maybe; for now will +we wend this same hour before moonrise into the Wild-wood and the +Thing-stead of Mid-mark; thus saith the War-duke." + +But when they were gone, and Arinbiorn and Thiodolf were left alone, +Thiodolf lifted up his head and spake slowly and painfully: + +"Arinbiorn, I thank thee: and thou dost well to lead this folk: +since as for me that is somewhat that weighs me down, and I know not +whether it be life or death; therefore I may no longer be your +captain, for twice now have I blenched from the battle. Yet command +me, and I will obey, set a sword in my hand and I will smite, till +the God snatches it out of my hand, as he did Throng-plough to-day." + +"And that is well," said Arinbiorn, "it may be that ye shall meet +that God to-morrow, and heave up sword against him, and either +overcome him or go to thy fathers a proud and valiant man." + +So they spake, and Thiodolf stood up and seemed of better cheer. But +presently the whole host was afoot, and they went their ways warily +with little noise, and wound little by little about the Wolfing +meadow and about the acres towards the wood at the back of the +Houses; and they met nothing by the way except an out-guard of the +Romans, whom they slew there nigh silently, and bore away their +bodies, twelve in number, lest the Romans when they sent to change +the guard, should find the slain and have an inkling of the way the +Goths were gone; but now they deemed that the Romans might think +their guard fled, or perchance that they had been carried away by the +Gods of the woodland folk. + +So came they into the wood, and Arinbiorn and the chiefs were for +striking the All-men's road to the Thing-stead and so coming thither; +but the lad Ali when he heard it laughed and said: + +"If ye would sleep to-night ye shall wend another way. For the Hall- +Sun hath had us at work cumbering it against the foe with great trees +felled with limbs, branches, and all. And indeed ye shall find the +Thing-stead fenced like a castle, and the in-gate hard to find; yet +will I bring you thither." + +So did he without delay, and presently they came anigh the Thing- +stead; and the place was fenced cunningly, so that if men would enter +they must go by a narrow way that had a fence of tree-trunks on each +side wending inward like the maze in a pleasance. Thereby now wended +the host all afoot, since it was a holy place and no beast must set +foot therein, so that the horses were left without it: so slowly and +right quietly once more they came into the garth of the Thing-stead; +and lo, a many folk there, of the Wolfings and the Bearings and other +kindreds, who had gathered thereto; and albeit these were not +warriors in their prime, yet were there none save the young children +and the weaker of the women but had weapons of some kind; and they +were well ordered, standing or sitting in ranks like folk awaiting +battle. There were booths of boughs and rushes set up for shelter of +the feebler women and the old men and children along the edges of the +fence, for the Hall-Sun had bidden them keep the space clear round +about the Doom-ring and the Hill-of-Speech as if for a mighty folk- +mote, so that the warriors might have room to muster there and order +their array. There were some cooking-fires lighted about the +aforesaid booths, but neither many nor great, and they were screened +with wattle from the side that lay toward the Romans; for the Hall- +Sun would not that they should hold up lanterns for their foemen to +find them by. Little noise there was in that stronghold, moreover, +for the hearts of all who knew their right hands from their left were +set on battle and the destruction of the foe that would destroy the +kindreds. + +Anigh the Speech-Hill, on its eastern side, had the bole of a slender +beech tree been set up, and at the top of it a cross-beam was nailed +on, and therefrom hung the wondrous lamp, the Hall-Sun, glimmering +from on high, and though its light was but a glimmer amongst the +mighty wood, yet was it also screened on three sides from the sight +of the chance wanderer by wings of thin plank. But beneath her +namesake as beforetime in the Hall sat the Hall-Sun, the maiden, on a +heap of faggots, and she was wrapped in a dark blue cloak from under +which gleamed the folds of the fair golden-broidered gown she was +wont to wear at folk-motes, and her right hand rested on a naked +sword that lay across her knees: beside her sat the old man Sorli, +the Wise in War, and about her were slim lads and sturdy maidens and +old carles of the thralls or freedmen ready to bear the commands that +came from her mouth; for she and Sorli were the captains of the stay- +at-homes. + +Now came Thiodolf and Arinbiorn and other leaders into the ring of +men before her, and she greeted them kindly and said: + +"Hail, Sons of Tyr! now that I behold you again it seemeth to me as +if all were already won: the time of waiting hath been weary, and we +have borne the burden of fear every day from morn till even, and in +the waking hour we presently remembered it. But now ye are come, +even if this Thing-stead were lighted by the flames of the Wolfing +Roof instead of by these moonbeams; even if we had to begin again and +seek new dwellings, and another water and other meadows, yet great +should grow the kindreds of the Men who have dwelt in the Mark, and +nought should overshadow them: and though the beasts and the Romans +were dwelling in their old places, yet should these kindreds make new +clearings in the Wild-wood; and they with their deeds should cause +other waters to be famous, that as yet have known no deeds of man; +and they should compel the Earth to bear increase round about their +dwelling-places for the welfare of the kindreds. O Sons of Tyr, +friendly are your faces, and undismayed, and the Terror of the +Nations has not made you afraid any more than would the onrush of the +bisons that feed adown the grass hills. Happy is the eve, O children +of the Goths, yet shall to-morrow morn be happier." + +Many heard what she spake, and a murmur of joy ran through the ranks +of men: for they deemed her words to forecast victory. + +And now amidst her speaking, the moon, which had arisen on Mid-mark, +when the host first entered into the wood, had overtopped the tall +trees that stood like a green wall round about the Thing-stead, and +shone down on that assembly, and flashed coldly back from the arms of +the warriors. And the Hall-Sun cast off her dark blue cloak and +stood up in her golden-broidered raiment, which flashed back the grey +light like as it had been an icicle hanging from the roof of some +hall in the midnight of Yule, when the feast is high within, and +without the world is silent with the night of the ten-weeks' frost. + +Then she spake again: "O War-duke, thy mouth is silent; speak to +this warrior of the Bearings that he bid the host what to do; for +wise are ye both, and dear are the minutes of this night and should +not be wasted; since they bring about the salvation of the Wolfings, +and the vengeance of the Bearings, and the hope renewed of all the +kindreds." + +Then Thiodolf abode a while with his head down cast; his bosom +heaved, and he set his left hand to his swordless scabbard, and his +right to his throat, as though he were sore troubled with something +he might not tell of: but at last he lifted up his head and spoke to +Arinbiorn, but slowly and painfully, as he had spoken before: + +"Chief of the Bearings, go up on to the Hill of Speech, and speak to +the folk out of thy wisdom, and let them know that to-morrow early +before the sun-rising those that may, and are not bound by the Gods +against it, shall do deeds according to their might, and win rest for +themselves, and new days of deeds for the kindreds." + +Therewith he ceased, and let his head fall again, and the Hall-Sun +looked at him askance. But Arinbiorn clomb the Speech-Hill and said: + +"Men of the kindreds, it is now a few days since we first met the +Romans and fought with them; and whiles we have had the better, and +whiles the worse in our dealings, as oft in war befalleth: for they +are men, and we no less than men. But now look to it what ye will +do; for we may no longer endure these outlanders in our houses, and +we must either die or get our own again: and that is not merely a +few wares stored up for use, nor a few head of neat, nor certain +timbers piled up into a dwelling, but the life we have made in the +land we have made. I show you no choice, for no choice there is. +Here are we bare of everything in the wild-wood: for the most part +our children are crying for us at home, our wives are longing for us +in our houses, and if we come not to them in kindness, the Romans +shall come to them in grimness. Down yonder in the plain, moreover, +is our wain-burg slowly drawing near to us, and with it is much +livelihood of ours, which is a little thing, for we may get more; but +also there are our banners of battle and the tokens of the kindred, +which is a great thing. And between all this and us there lieth but +little; nought but a band of valiant men, and a few swords and +spears, and a few wounds, and the hope of death amidst the praise of +the people; and this ye have to set out to wend across within two or +three hours. I will not ask if ye will do so, for I wot that even so +ye will; therefore when I have done, shout not, nor clash sword on +shield, for we are no great way off that house of ours wherein dwells +the foe that would destroy us. Let each man rest as he may, and +sleep if he may with his war-gear on him and his weapons by his side, +and when he is next awakened by the captains and the leaders of +hundreds and scores, let him not think that it is night, but let him +betake himself to his place among his kindred and be ready to go +through the wood with as little noise as may be. Now all is said +that the War-duke would have me say, and to-morrow shall those see +him who are foremost in falling upon the foemen, for he longeth +sorely for his seat on the days of the Wolfing Hall." + +So he spake, and even as he bade them, they made no sound save a +joyous murmur; and straightway the more part of them betook +themselves to sleep as men who must busy themselves about a weighty +matter; for they were wise in the ways of war. So sank all the host +to the ground save those who were appointed as watchers of the night, +and Arinbiorn and Thiodolf and the Hall-Sun; they three yet stood +together; and Arinbiorn said: + +"Now it seems to me not so much as if we had vanquished the foe and +were safe and at rest, but rather as if we had no foemen and never +have had. Deep peace is on me, though hitherto I have been deemed a +wrathful man, and it is to me as if the kindreds that I love had +filled the whole earth, and left no room for foemen: even so it may +really be one day. To-night it is well, yet to-morrow it shall be +better. What thine errand may be, Thiodolf, I scarce know; for +something hath changed in thee, and thou art become strange to us. +But as for mine errand, I will tell it thee; it is that I am seeking +Otter of the Laxings, my friend and fellow, whose wisdom my +foolishness drave under the point and edge of the Romans, so that he +is no longer here; I am seeking him, and to-morrow I think I shall +find him, for he hath not had time to travel far, and we shall be +blithe and merry together. And now will I sleep; for I have bidden +the watchers awaken me if any need be. Sleep thou also, Thiodolf! +and wake up thine old self when the moon is low." Therewith he laid +himself down under the lee of the pile of faggots, and was presently +asleep. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI--THIODOLF TALKETH WITH THE WOOD-SUN + + + +Now were Thiodolf and the Hall-Sun left alone together standing by +the Speech-Hill; and the moon was risen high in the heavens above the +tree-tops of the wild-wood. Thiodolf scarce stirred, and he still +held his head bent down as one lost in thought. + +Then said the Hall-Sun, speaking softly amidst the hush of the camp: + +"I have said that the minutes of this night are dear, and they are +passing swiftly; and it may be that thou wilt have much to say and to +do before the host is astir with the dawning. So come thou with me a +little way, that thou mayst hear of new tidings, and think what were +best to do amidst them." + +And without more ado she took him by the hand and led him forth, and +he went as he was led, not saying a word. They passed out of the +camp into the wood, none hindering, and went a long way where under +the beech-leaves there was but a glimmer of the moonlight, and +presently Thiodolf's feet went as it were of themselves; for they had +hit a path that he knew well and over-well. + +So came they to that little wood-lawn where first in this tale +Thiodolf met the Wood-Sun; and the stone seat there was not empty now +any more than it was then; for thereon sat the Wood-Sun, clad once +more in her glittering raiment. Her head was sunken down, her face +hidden by her hands; neither did she look up when she heard their +feet on the grass, for she knew who they were. + +Thiodolf lingered not; for a moment it was to him as if all that past +time had never been, and its battles and hurry and hopes and fears +but mere shows, and the unspoken words of a dream. He went straight +up to her and sat down by her side and put his arm about her +shoulders, and strove to take her hand to caress it; but she moved +but little, and it was as if she heeded him not. And the Hall-Sun +stood before them and looked at them for a little while; and then she +fell to speech; but at the first sound of her voice, it seemed that +the Wood-Sun trembled, but still she hid her face. Said the Hall- +Sun: + + +"Two griefs I see before me in mighty hearts grown great; +And to change both these into gladness out-goes the power of fate. +Yet I, a lonely maiden, have might to vanquish one +Till it melt as the mist of the morning before the summer sun. +O Wood-Sun, thou hast borne me, and I were fain indeed +To give thee back thy gladness; but thou com'st of the Godhead's +seed, +And herein my might avails not; because I can but show +Unto these wedded sorrows the truth that the heart should know +Ere the will hath wielded the hand; and for thee, I can tell thee +nought +That thou hast not known this long while; thy will and thine hand +have wrought, +And the man that thou lovest shall live in despite of Gods and of +men, +If yet thy will endureth. But what shall it profit thee then +That after the fashion of Godhead thou hast gotten thee a thrall +To be thine and never another's, whatso in the world may befall? +Lo! yesterday this was a man, and to-morrow it might have been +The very joy of the people, though never again it were seen; +Yet a part of all they hoped for through all the lapse of years, +To make their laughter happy and dull the sting of tears; +To quicken all remembrance of deeds that never die, +And death that maketh eager to live as the days go by. +Yea, many a deed had he done as he lay in the dark of the mound; +As the seed-wheat plotteth of spring, laid under the face of the +ground +That the foot of the husbandman treadeth, that the wind of the winter +wears, +That the turbid cold flood hideth from the constant hope of the +years. +This man that should leave in his death his life unto many an one +Wilt thou make him a God of the fearful who live lone under the sun? +And then shalt thou have what thou wouldedst when amidst of the +hazelled field +Thou kissed'st the mouth of the helper, and the hand of the people's +shield, +Shalt thou have the thing that thou wouldedst when thou broughtest me +to birth, +And I, the soul of the Wolfings, began to look on earth? +Wilt thou play the God, O mother, and make a man anew, +A joyless thing and a fearful? Then I betwixt you two, +'Twixt your longing and your sorrow will cast the sundering word, +And tell out all the story of that rampart of the sword! +I shall bid my mighty father make choice of death in life, +Or life in death victorious and the crowned end of strife." + + +Ere she had ended, the Wood-Sun let her hands fall down, and showed +her face, which for all its unpaled beauty looked wearied and +anxious; and she took Thiodolf's hand in hers, while she looked with +eyes of love upon the Hall-Sun, and Thiodolf laid his cheek to her +cheek, and though he smiled not, yet he seemed as one who is happy. +At last the Wood-Sun spoke and said: + + +"Thou sayest sooth, O daughter: I am no God of might, +Yet I am of their race, and I think with their thoughts and see with +their sight, +And the threat of the doom did I know of, and yet spared not to lie: +For I thought that the fate foreboded might touch and pass us by, +As the sword that heweth the war-helm and cleaveth a cantle away, +And the cunning smith shall mend it and it goeth again to the fray; +If my hand might have held for a moment, yea, even against his will, +The life of my beloved! But Weird is the master still: +And this man's love of my body and his love of the ancient kin +Were matters o'er mighty to deal with and the game withal to win. +Woe's me for the waning of all things, and my hope that needs must +fade +As the fruitless sun of summer on the waste where nought is made! +And now farewell, O daughter, thou mayst not see the kiss +Of the hapless and the death-doomed when I have told of this; +Yet once again shalt thou see him, though I no more again, +Fair with the joy that hopeth and dieth not in vain." + + +Then came the Hall-Sun close to her, and knelt down by her, and laid +her head upon her knees and wept for love of her mother, who kissed +her oft and caressed her; and Thiodolf's hand strayed, as it were, on +to his daughter's head, and he looked kindly on her, though scarce +now as if he knew her. Then she arose when she had kissed her mother +once more, and went her ways from that wood-lawn into the woods +again, and so to the Folk-mote of her people. + +But when those twain were all alone again, the Wood-Sun spoke: "O +Thiodolf canst thou hear me and understand?" + +"Yea," he said, "when thou speakest of certain matters, as of our +love together, and of our daughter that came of our love." + +"Thiodolf," she said, "How long shall our love last?" + +"As long as our life," he said. + +"And if thou diest to-day, where then shall our love be?" said the +Wood-Sun. + +He said, "I must now say, I wot not; though time was I had said, It +shall abide with the soul of the Wolfing Kindred." + +She said: "And when that soul dieth, and the kindred is no more?" + +"Time agone," quoth he, "I had said, it shall abide with the Kindreds +of the Earth; but now again I say, I wot not." + +"Will the Earth hide it," said she, "when thou diest and art borne to +mound?" + +"Even so didst thou say when we spake together that other night," +said he; "and now I may say nought against thy word." + +"Art thou happy, O Folk-Wolf?" she said. + +"Why dost thou ask me?" said he; "I know not; we were sundered and I +longed for thee; thou art here; it is enough." + +"And the people of thy Kindred?" she said, "dost thou not long for +them?" + +He said; "Didst thou not say that I was not of them? Yet were they +my friends, and needed me, and I loved them: but by this evening +they will need me no more, or but little; for they will be victorious +over their foes: so hath the Hall-Sun foretold. What then! shall I +take all from thee to give little to them?" + +"Thou art wise," she said; "Wilt thou go to battle to-day?" + +"So it seemeth," said he. + +She said: "And wilt thou bear the Dwarf-wrought Hauberk? for if thou +dost, thou wilt live, and if thou dost not, thou wilt die." + +"I will bear it," said he, "that I may live to love thee." + +"Thinkest thou that any evil goes with it?" said she. + +There came into his face a flash of his ancient boldness as he +answered: "So it seemed to me yesterday, when I fought clad in it +the first time; and I fell unsmitten on the meadow, and was shamed, +and would have slain myself but for thee. And yet it is not so that +any evil goes with it; for thou thyself didst say that past night +that there was no evil weird in it." + +She said: "How then if I lied that night?" + +Said he; "It is the wont of the Gods to lie, and be unashamed, and +men-folk must bear with it." + +"Ah! how wise thou art!" she said; and was silent for a while, and +drew away from him a little, and clasped her hands together and wrung +them for grief and anger. Then she grew calm again, and said: + +"Wouldest thou die at my bidding?" + +"Yea," said he, "not because thou art of the Gods, but because thou +hast become a woman to me, and I love thee." + +Then was she silent some while, and at last she said, "Thiodolf, wilt +thou do off the Hauberk if I bid thee?" + +"Yea, yea," said he, "and let us depart from the Wolfings, and their +strife, for they need us not." + +She was silent once more for a longer while still, and at last she +said in a cold voice; "Thiodolf, I bid thee arise, and put off the +Hauberk from thee." + +He looked at her wondering, not at her words, but at the voice +wherewith she spake them; but he arose from the stone nevertheless, +and stood stark in the moonlight; he set his hand to the collar of +the war-coat, and undid its clasps, which were of gold and blue +stones, and presently he did the coat from off him and let it slide +to the ground where it lay in a little grey heap that looked but a +handful. Then he sat down on the stone again, and took her hand and +kissed her and caressed her fondly, and she him again, and they spake +no word for a while: but at the last he spake in measure and rhyme +in a low voice, but so sweet and clear that it might have been heard +far in the hush of the last hour of the night: + + +"Dear now are this dawn-dusk's moments as is the last of the light +When the foemen's ranks are wavering, and the victory feareth night; +And of all the time I have loved thee of these am I most fain, +When I know not what shall betide me, nor what shall be my gain. +But dear as they are, they are waning, and at last the time is come +When no more shall I behold thee till I wend to Odin's Home. +Now is the time so little that once hath been so long +That I fain would ask thee pardon wherein I have done thee wrong, +That thy longing might be softer, and thy love more sweet to have. +But in nothing have I wronged thee, there is nought that I may crave. +Strange too! as the minutes fail me, so do my speech-words fail, +Yet strong is the joy within me for this hour that crowns the tale." + + +Therewith he clipped her and caressed her, and she spake nothing for +a while; and he said; "Thy face is fair and bright; art thou not +joyous of these minutes?" + +She said: "Thy words are sweet; but they pierce my heart like a +sharp knife; for they tell me of thy death and the ending of our +love." + +Said he; "I tell thee nothing, beloved, that thou hast not known: is +it not for this that we have met here once more?" + +She answered after a while; "Yea, yea; yet mightest thou have lived." + +He laughed, but not scornfully or bitterly and said: + +"So thought I in time past: but hearken, beloved; If I fall to-day, +shall there not yet be a minute after the stroke hath fallen on me, +wherein I shall know that the day is won and see the foemen fleeing, +and wherein I shall once again deem I shall never die, whatever may +betide afterwards, and though the sword lieth deep in my breast? And +shall I not see then and know that our love hath no end?" + +Bitter grief was in her face as she heard him. But she spake and +said: "Lo here the Hauberk which thou hast done off thee, that thy +breast might be the nearer to mine! Wilt thou not wear it in the +fight for my sake?" + +He knit his brows somewhat, and said: + +"Nay, it may not be: true it is that thou saidest that no evil weird +went with it, but hearken! Yesterday I bore it in the fight, and ere +I mingled with the foe, before I might give the token of onset, a +cloud came before my eyes and thick darkness wrapped me around, and I +fell to the earth unsmitten; and so was I borne out of the fight, and +evil dreams beset me of evil things, and the dwarfs that hate +mankind. Then I came to myself, and the Hauberk was off me, and I +rose up and beheld the battle, that the kindreds were pressing on the +foe, and I thought not then of any past time, but of the minutes that +were passing; and I ran into the fight straightway: but one followed +me with that Hauberk, and I did it on, thinking of nought but the +battle. Fierce then was the fray, yet I faltered in it; till the +fresh men of the Romans came in upon us and broke up our array. Then +my heart almost broke within me, and I faltered no more, but rushed +on as of old, and smote great strokes all round about: no hurt I +got, but once more came that ugly mist over my eyes, and again I fell +unsmitten, and they bore me out of battle: then the men of our folk +gave back and were overcome; and when I awoke from my evil dreams, we +had gotten away from the fight and the Wolfing dwellings, and were on +the mounds above the ford cowering down like beaten men. There then +I sat shamed among the men who had chosen me for their best man at +the Holy Thing, and lo I was their worst! Then befell that which +never till then had befallen me, that life seemed empty and worthless +and I longed to die and be done with it, and but for the thought of +thy love I had slain myself then and there. + +"Thereafter I went with the host to the assembly of the stay-at-homes +and fleers, and sat before the Hall-Sun our daughter, and said the +words which were put into my mouth. But now must I tell thee a hard +and evil thing; that I loved them not, and was not of them, and +outside myself there was nothing: within me was the world and nought +without me. Nay, as for thee, I was not sundered from thee, but thou +wert a part of me; whereas for the others, yea, even for our +daughter, thine and mine, they were but images and shows of men, and +I longed to depart from them, and to see thy body and to feel thine +heart beating. And by then so evil was I grown that my very shame +had fallen from me, and my will to die: nay, I longed to live, thou +and I, and death seemed hateful to me, and the deeds before death +vain and foolish. + +"Where then was my glory and my happy life, and the hope of the days +fresh born every day, though never dying? Where then was life, and +Thiodolf that once had lived? + +"But now all is changed once more; I loved thee never so well as now, +and great is my grief that we must sunder, and the pain of farewell +wrings my heart. Yet since I am once more Thiodolf the Mighty, in my +heart there is room for joy also. Look at me, O Wood-Sun, look at +me, O beloved! tell me, am I not fair with the fairness of the +warrior and the helper of the folk? Is not my voice kind, do not my +lips smile, and mine eyes shine? See how steady is mine hand, the +friend of the folk! For mine eyes are cleared again, and I can see +the kindreds as they are, and their desire of life and scorn of +death, and this is what they have made me myself. Now therefore +shall they and I together earn the merry days to come, the winter +hunting and the spring sowing, the summer haysel, the ingathering of +harvest, the happy rest of midwinter, and Yuletide with the memory of +the Fathers, wedded to the hope of the days to be. Well may they bid +me help them who have holpen me! Well may they bid me die who have +made me live! + +"For whereas thou sayest that I am not of their blood, nor of their +adoption, once more I heed it not. For I have lived with them, and +eaten and drunken with them, and toiled with them, and led them in +battle and the place of wounds and slaughter; they are mine and I am +theirs; and through them am I of the whole earth, and all the +kindreds of it; yea, even of the foemen, whom this day the edges in +mine hand shall smite. + +"Therefore I will bear the Hauberk no more in battle; and belike my +body but once more: so shall I have lived and death shall not have +undone me. + +"Lo thou, is not this the Thiodolf whom thou hast loved? no +changeling of the Gods, but the man in whom men have trusted, the +friend of Earth, the giver of life, the vanquisher of death?" + +And he cast himself upon her, and strained her to his bosom and +kissed her, and caressed her, and awoke the bitter-sweet joy within +her, as he cried out: + +"O remember this, and this, when at last I am gone from thee!" + +But when they sundered her face was bright, but the tears were on it, +and she said: "O Thiodolf, thou wert fain hadst thou done a wrong to +me so that I might forgive thee; now wilt thou forgive me the wrong I +have done thee?" + +"Yea," he said, "Even so would I do, were we both to live, and how +much more if this be the dawn of our sundering day! What hast thou +done?" + +She said: "I lied to thee concerning the Hauberk when I said that no +evil weird went with it: and this I did for the saving of thy life." + +He laid his hand fondly on her head, and spake smiling: "Such is the +wont of the God-kin, because they know not the hearts of men. Tell +me all the truth of it now at last." + +She said: + + +"Hear then the tale of the Hauberk and the truth there is to tell: +There was a maid of the God-kin, and she loved a man right well, +Who unto the battle was wending; and she of her wisdom knew +That thence to the folk-hall threshold should come back but a very +few; +And she feared for her love, for she doubted that of these he should +not be; +So she wended the wilds lamenting, as I have lamented for thee; +And many wise she pondered, how to bring her will to pass +(E'en as I for thee have pondered), as her feet led over the grass, +Till she lifted her eyes in the wild-wood, and lo! she stood before +The Hall of the Hollow-places; and the Dwarf-lord stood in the door +And held in his hand the Hauberk, whereon the hammer's blow +The last of all had been smitten, and the sword should be hammer now. +Then the Dwarf beheld her fairness, and the wild-wood many-leaved +Before his eyes was reeling at the hope his heart conceived; +So sorely he longed for her body; and he laughed before her and +cried, +'O Lady of the Disir, thou farest wandering wide +Lamenting thy beloved and the folkmote of the spear, +But if amidst of the battle this child of the hammer he bear +He shall laugh at the foemen's edges and come back to thy lily breast +And of all the days of his life-time shall his coming years be best.' +Then she bowed adown her godhead and sore for the Hauberk she prayed; +But his greedy eyes devoured her as he stood in the door and said; +'Come lie in mine arms! Come hither, and we twain the night to wake! +And then as a gift of the morning the Hauberk shall ye take.' +So she humbled herself before him, and entered into the cave, +The dusky, the deep-gleaming, the gem-strewn golden grave. +But he saw not her girdle loosened, or her bosom gleam on his love, +For she set the sleep-thorn in him, that he saw, but might not move, +Though the bitter salt tears burned him for the anguish of his greed; +And she took the hammer's offspring, her unearned morning meed, +And went her ways from the rock-hall and was glad for her warrior's +sake. +But behind her dull speech followed, and the voice of the hollow +spake: +'Thou hast left me bound in anguish, and hast gained thine heart's +desire; +Now I would that the dewy night-grass might be to thy feet as the +fire, +And shrivel thy raiment about thee, and leave thee bare to the flame, +And no way but a fiery furnace for the road whereby ye came! +But since the folk of God-home we may not slay nor smite, +And that fool of the folk that thou lovest, thou hast saved in my +despite, +Take with thee, thief of God-home, this other word I say: +Since the safeguard wrought in the ring-mail I may not do away +I lay this curse upon it, that whoso weareth the same, +Shall save his life in the battle, and have the battle's shame; +He shall live through wrack and ruin, and ever have the worse, +And drag adown his kindred, and bear the people's curse.' + +"Lo, this the tale of the Hauberk, and I knew it for the truth: +And little I thought of the kindreds; of their day I had no ruth; +For I said, They are doomed to departure; in a little while must they +wane, +And nought it helpeth or hindreth if I hold my hand or refrain. +Yea, thou wert become the kindred, both thine and mine; and thy birth +To me was the roofing of heaven, and the building up of earth. +I have loved, and I must sorrow; thou hast lived, and thou must die; +Ah, wherefore were there others in the world than thou and I?" + + +He turned round to her and clasped her strongly in his arms again, +and kissed her many times and said: + + +"Lo, here art thou forgiven; and here I say farewell! +Here the token of my wonder which my words may never tell; +The wonder past all thinking, that my love and thine should blend; +That thus our lives should mingle, and sunder in the end! +Lo, this, for the last remembrance of the mighty man I was, +Of thy love and thy forbearing, and all that came to pass! +Night wanes, and heaven dights her for the kiss of sun and earth; +Look up, look last upon me on this morn of the kindreds' mirth!" + + +Therewith he arose and lingered no minute longer, but departed, going +as straight towards the Thing-stead and the Folk-mote of his kindred +as the swallow goes to her nest in the hall-porch. He looked not +once behind him, though a bitter wailing rang through the woods and +filled his heart with the bitterness of her woe and the anguish of +the hour of sundering. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII--THEY WEND TO THE MORNING BATTLE + + + +Now when Thiodolf came back to the camp the signs of dawn were plain +in the sky, the moon was low and sinking behind the trees, and he saw +at once that the men were stirring and getting ready for departure. +He looked gladly and blithely at the men he fell in with, and they at +him, and scarce could they refrain a shout when they beheld his face +and the brightness of it. He went straight up to where the Hall-Sun +was yet sitting under her namesake, with Arinbiorn standing before +her amidst of a ring of leaders of hundreds and scores: but old +Sorli sat by her side clad in all his war-gear. + +When Thiodolf first came into that ring of men they looked doubtfully +at him, as if they dreaded somewhat, but when they had well beheld +him their faces cleared, and they became joyous. + +He went straight up to Arinbiorn and kissed the old warrior, and said +to him, "I give thee good morrow, O leader of the Bearings! Here now +is come the War-duke! and meseems that we should get to work as +speedily as may be, for lo the dawning!" + +"Hail to thine hand, War-duke!" said Arinbiorn joyously; "there is no +more to do but to take thy word concerning the order wherein we shall +wend; for all men are armed and ready." + +Said Thiodolf; "Lo ye, I lack war-gear and weapons! Is there a good +sword hereby, a helm, a byrny and a shield? For hard will be the +battle, and we must fence ourselves all we may." + +"Hard by," said Arinbiorn, "is the war-gear of Ivar of our House, who +is dead in the night of his hurts gotten in yesterday's battle: thou +and he are alike in stature, and with a good will doth he give them +to thee, and they are goodly things, for he comes of smithying blood. +Yet is it a pity of Throng-plough that he lieth on the field of the +slain." + +But Thiodolf smiled and said: "Nay, Ivar's blade shall serve my turn +to-day; and thereafter shall it be seen to, for then will be time for +many things." + +So they went to fetch him the weapons; but he said to Arinbiorn, +"Hast thou numbered the host? What are the gleanings of the Roman +sword?" + +Said Arinbiorn: "Here have we more than three thousand three hundred +warriors of the host fit for battle: and besides this here are +gathered eighteen hundred of the Wolfings and the Bearings, and of +the other Houses, mostly from over the water, and of these nigh upon +seven hundred may bear sword or shoot shaft; neither shall ye hinder +them from so doing if the battle be joined." + +Then said Thiodolf: "We shall order us into three battles; the +Wolfings and the Bearings to lead the first, for this is our +business; but others of the smaller Houses this side the water to be +with us; and the Elkings and Galtings and the other Houses of the +Mid-mark on the further side of the water to be in the second, and +with them the more part of the Nether-mark; but the men of Up-mark to +be in the third, and the stay-at-homes to follow on with them: and +this third battle to let the wood cover them till they be needed, +which may not be till the day of fight draws to an end, when all +shall be needed: for no Roman man must be left alive or untaken by +this even, or else must we all go to the Gods together. Hearken, +Arinbiorn. I am not called fore-sighted, and yet meseems I see +somewhat how this day shall go; and it is not to be hidden that I +shall not see another battle until the last of all battles is at +hand. But be of good cheer, for I shall not die till the end of the +fight, and once more I shall be a man's help unto you. Now the first +of the Romans we meet shall not be able to stand before us, for they +shall be unready, and when their men are gotten ready and are +fighting with us grimly, ye of the second battle shall hear the war- +token, and shall fall on, and they shall be dismayed when they see so +many fresh men come into the fight; yet shall they stand stoutly; for +they are valiant men, and shall not all be taken unawares. Then, if +they withstand us long enough, shall the third battle come forth from +the wood, and fall on either flank of them, and the day shall be won. +But I think not that they shall withstand us so long, but that the +men of Up-mark and the stay-at-homes shall have the chasing of them. +Now get me my war-gear, and let the first battle get them to the +outgate of the garth." + +So they brought him his arms; and meanwhile the Hall-Sun spake to one +of the Captains, and he turned and went away a little space, and then +came back, having with him three strong warriors of the Wolfings, and +he brought them before the Hall-Sun, who said to them: + +"Ye three, Steinulf, Athalulf, and Grani the Grey, I have sent for +you because ye are men both mighty in battle and deft wood-wrights +and house-smiths; ye shall follow Thiodolf closely, when he winneth +into the Roman garth, yet shall ye fight wisely, so that ye be not +slain, or at least not all; ye shall enter the Hall with Thiodolf, +and when ye are therein, if need be, ye shall run down the Hall at +your swiftest, and mount up into the loft betwixt the Middle-hearth +and the Women's-Chamber, and there shall ye find good store of water +in vats and tubs, and this ye shall use for quenching the fire of the +Hall if the foemen fire it, as is not unlike to be." + +Then Grani spoke for the others and said he would pay all heed to her +words, and they departed to join their company. + +Now was Thiodolf armed; and Arinbiorn, turning about before he went +to his place, beheld him and knit his brow, and said: "What is this, +Thiodolf? Didst thou not swear to the Gods not to bear helm or +shield in the battles of this strife? yet hast thou Ivar's helm on +thine head and his shield ready beside thee: wilt thou forswear +thyself? so doing shalt thou bring woe upon the House." + +"Arinbiorn," said Thiodolf, "where didst thou hear tell of me that I +had made myself the thrall of the Gods? The oath that I sware was +sworn when mine heart was not whole towards our people; and now will +I break it that I may keep what of good intent there was in it, and +cast away the rest. Long is the story; but if we journey together +to-night I will tell it thee. Likewise I will tell it to the Gods if +they look sourly upon me when I see them, and all shall be well." + +He smiled as he spoke, and Arinbiorn smiled on him in turn and went +his ways to array the host. But when he was gone Thiodolf was alone +in that place with the Hall-Sun, and he turned to her, and kissed +her, and caressed her fondly, and spake and said: + + +"So fare we, O my daughter, to the sundering of the ways; +Short is my journey henceforth to the door that ends my days, +And long the road that lieth as yet before thy feet. +How fain were I that thy journey from day to day were sweet +With peace to thee and pleasure; that a noble warrior's hand +In its early days might lead thee adown the flowery land, +And thy children in its noon-tide cling round about thy gown, +And the wise that thy womb has carried when the sun is going down, +Be thy happy fellow-farers to tell the tale of Earth, +But I wot that for no such sweetness did we bring thee unto birth, +But to be the soul of the Wolfings till the other days should come, +And the fruit of the kindreds' harvest with thee is garnered home. +Yet if for no blithe faring thy life-day is ordained, +Yet peace that long endureth maybe thy soul hath gained; +And thy sorrow of this even thy latest grief shall be, +The grief wherewith thou singest the death-song over me." + + +She looked up at him and smiled, though the tears were on her face; +then she said: + + +"Though to-day the grief beginneth yet the bitterness is done. +Though my body wendeth barren 'neath the beams of the quickening sun, +Yet remembrance still abideth, and long after the days of my life +Shall I live in the tale of the morning, when they tell of the ending +of strife; +And the deeds of this little hand, and the thought conceived in my +heart, +And never again henceforward from the folk shall I fare apart. +And if of the Earth, my father, thou hast tidings in thy place +Thou shalt hear how they call me the Ransom and the Mother of happy +days." + + +Then she wept outright for a brief space, and thereafter she said: + + +"Keep this in thine heart, O father, that I shall remember all +Since thou liftedst the she-wolf's nursling in the oak-tree's leafy +hall. +Yea, every time I remember when hand in hand we went +Amidst the shafts of the beech-trees, and down to the youngling bent +The Folk-wolf in his glory when the eve of fight drew nigh; +And every time I remember when we wandered joyfully +Adown the sunny meadow and lived a while of life +'Midst the herbs and the beasts and the waters so free from fear and +strife, +That thy years and thy might and thy wisdom, I had no part therein; +But thou wert as the twin-born brother of the maiden slim and thin, +The maiden shy in the feast-hall and blithe in wood and field. +Thus have we fared, my father; and e'en now when thou bearest shield, +On the last of thy days of mid-earth, twixt us 'tis even so +That the heart of my like-aged brother is the heart of thee that I +know." + + +Then the bitterness of tears stayed her speech, and he spake no word +more, but took her in his arms a while and soothed her and fondled +her, and then they parted, and he went with great strides towards the +outgoing of the Thing-stead. + +There he found the warriors of his House and of the Bearings and the +lesser Houses of Mid-mark, all duly ordered for wending through the +wood. The dawn was coming on apace, but the wood was yet dark. But +whereas the Wolfings led, and each man of them knew the wood like his +own hand, there was no straying or disarray, and in less than a half- +hour's space Thiodolf and the first battle were come to the wood +behind the hazel-trees at the back of the hall, and before them was +the dawning round about the Roof of the Kindred; the eastern heavens +were brightening, and they could see all things clear without the +wood. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII--OF THE STORM OF DAWNING + + + +Then Thiodolf bade Fox and two others steal forward, and see what of +foemen was before them; so they fell to creeping on towards the open: +but scarcely had they started, before all men could hear the tramp of +men drawing nigh; then Thiodolf himself took with him a score of his +House and went quietly toward the wood-edge till they were barely +within the shadow of the beechwood; and he looked forth and saw men +coming straight towards their lurking-place. And those he saw were a +good many, and they were mostly of the dastards of the Goths; but +with them was a Captain of an Hundred of the Romans, and some others +of his kindred; and Thiodolf deemed that the Goths had been bidden to +gather up some of the night-watchers and enter the wood and fall on +the stay-at-homes. So he bade his men get them aback, and he himself +abode still at the very wood's edge listening intently with his sword +bare in his hand. And he noted that those men of the foe stayed in +the daylight outside the wood, but a few yards from it, and, by +command as it seemed, fell silent and spake no word; and the morn was +very still, and when the sound of their tramp over the grass had +ceased, Thiodolf could hear the tramp of more men behind them. And +then he had another thought, to wit that the Romans had sent scouts +to see if the Goths yet abided on the vantage-ground by the ford, and +that when they had found them gone, they were minded to fall on them +unawares in the refuge of the Thing-stead and were about to do so by +the counsel and leading of the dastard Goths; and that this was one +body of the host led by those dastards, who knew somewhat of the +woods. So he drew aback speedily, and catching hold of Fox by the +shoulder (for he had taken him alone with him) he bade him creep +along through the wood toward the Thing-stead, and bring back speedy +word whether there were any more foemen near the wood thereaway; and +he himself came to his men, and ordered them for onset, drawing them +up in a shallow half moon, with the bowmen at the horns thereof, with +the word to loose at the Romans as soon as they heard the war-horn +blow: and all this was done speedily and with little noise, for they +were well nigh so arrayed already. + +Thus then they waited, and there was more than a glimmer of light +even under the beechen leaves, and the eastern sky was yellowing to +sunrise. The other warriors were like hounds in the leash eager to +be slipped; but Thiodolf stood calm and high-hearted turning over the +memory of past days, and the time he thought of seemed long to him, +but happy. + +Scarce had a score of minutes passed, and the Romans before them, who +were now gathered thick behind those dastards of the Goths, had not +moved, when back comes Fox and tells how he has come upon a great +company of the Romans led by their thralls of the Goths who were just +entering the wood, away there towards the Thing-stead. + +"But, War-duke," says he, "I came also across our own folk of the +second battle duly ordered in the wood ready to meet them; and they +shall be well dealt with, and the sun shall rise for us and not for +them." + +Then turns Thiodolf round to those nighest to him and says, but still +softly: + + +"Hear ye a word, O people, of the wisdom of the foe! +Before us thick they gather, and unto the death they go. +They fare as lads with their cur-dogs who have stopped a fox's earth, +And standing round the spinny, now chuckle in their mirth, +Till one puts by the leafage and trembling stands astare +At the sight of the Wood wolf's father arising in his lair - +They have come for our wives and our children, and our sword-edge +shall they meet; +And which of them is happy save he of the swiftest feet?" + + +Speedily then went that word along the ranks of the Kindred, and men +were merry with the restless joy of battle: but scarce had two +minutes passed ere suddenly the stillness of the dawn was broken by +clamour and uproar; by shouts and shrieks, and the clashing of +weapons from the wood on their left hand; and over all arose the roar +of the Markmen's horn, for the battle was joined with the second +company of the Kindreds. But a rumour and murmur went from the +foemen before Thiodolf's men; and then sprang forth the loud sharp +word of the captains commanding and rebuking, as if the men were +doubtful which way they should take. + +Amidst all which Thiodolf brandished his sword, and cried out in a +great voice: + + +"Now, now, ye War-sons! +Now the Wolf waketh! +Lo how the Wood-beast +Wendeth in onset. +E'en as his feet fare +Fall on and follow!" + + +And he led forth joyously, and terrible rang the long refrained +gathered shout of his battle as his folk rushed on together devouring +the little space between their ambush and the hazel-beset green- +sward. + +In the twinkling of an eye the half-moon had lapped around the Roman- +Goths and those that were with them; and the dastards made no stand +but turned about at once, crying out that the Gods of the Kindreds +were come to aid and none could withstand them. But these fleers +thrust against the band of Romans who were next to them, and bore +them aback, and great was the turmoil; and when Thiodolf's storm fell +full upon them, as it failed not to do, so close were they driven +together that scarce could any man raise his hand for a stroke. For +behind them stood a great company of those valiant spearmen of the +Romans, who would not give way if anywise they might hold it out: +and their ranks were closely serried, shield nigh touching shield, +and their faces turned toward the foe; and so arrayed, though they +might die, they scarce knew how to flee. As they might these thrust +and hewed at the fleers, and gave fierce words but few to the Roman- +Goths, driving them back against their foemen: but the fleers had +lost the cunning of their right hands, and they had cast away their +shields and could not defend their very bodies against the wrath of +the kindreds; and when they strove to flee to the right hand or to +the left, they were met by the horns of the half-moon, and the arrows +began to rain in upon them, and from so close were they shot at that +no shaft failed to smite home. + +There then were the dastards slain; and their bodies served for a +rampart against the onrush of the Markmen to those Romans who had +stood fast. To them were gathering more and more every minute, and +they faced the Goths steadily with their hard brown visages and +gleaming eyes above their iron-plated shields; not casting their +spears, but standing closely together, silent, but fierce. The light +was spread now over all the earth; the eastern heavens were grown +golden-red, flecked here and there with little crimson clouds: this +battle was fallen near silent, but to the North was great uproar of +shouts and cries, and the roaring of the war-horns, and the shrill +blasts of the brazen trumpets. + +Now Thiodolf, as his wont was when he saw that all was going well, +had refrained himself of hand-strokes, but was here and there and +everywhere giving heart to his folk, and keeping them in due order, +and close array, lest the Romans should yet come among them. But he +watched the ranks of the foe, and saw how presently they began to +spread out beyond his, and might, if it were not looked to, take them +in flank; and he was about to order his men anew to meet them, when +he looked on his left hand and saw how Roman men were pouring thick +from the wood out of all array, followed by a close throng of the +kindreds: for on this side the Romans were outnumbered and had +stumbled unawares into the ambush of the Markmen, who had fallen on +them straightway and disarrayed them from the first. This flight of +their folk the Romans saw also, and held their men together, +refraining from the onset, as men who deem that they will have enough +to do to stand fast. + +But the second battle of the Markmen, (who were of the Nether-mark, +mingled with the Mid-mark) fought wisely, for they swept those fleers +from before them, slaying many and driving the rest scattering, yet +held the chase for no long way, but wheeling about came sidelong on +toward the battle of the Romans and Thiodolf. And when Thiodolf saw +that, he set up the whoop of victory, he and his, and fell fiercely +on the Romans, casting everything that would fly, as they rushed on +to the handplay; so that there was many a Roman slain with the Roman +spears that those who had fallen had left among their foemen. + +Now the Roman captains perceived that it availed not to tarry till +the men of the Mid and Nether-marks fell upon their flank; so they +gave command, and their ranks gave back little by little, facing +their foes, and striving to draw themselves within the dike and +garth, which, after their custom, they had already cast up about the +Wolfing Roof, their stronghold. + +Now as fierce as was the onset of the Markmen, the main body of the +Romans could not be hindered from doing this much before the men of +the second battle were upon them; but Thiodolf and Arinbiorn with +some of the mightiest brake their array in two places and entered in +amongst them. And wrath so seized upon the soul of Arinbiorn for the +slaying of Otter, and his own fault towards him, that he cast away +his shield, and heeding no strokes, first brake his sword in the +press, and then, getting hold of a great axe, smote at all before him +as though none smote at him in turn; yea, as though he were smiting +down tree-boles for a match against some other mighty man; and all +the while amidst the hurry, strokes of swords and spears rained on +him, some falling flatwise and some glancing sideways, but some true +and square, so that his helm was smitten off and his hauberk rent +adown, and point and edge reached his living flesh; and he had thrust +himself so far amidst the foe that none could follow to shield him, +so that at last he fell shattered and rent at the foot of the new +clayey wall cast up by the Romans, even as Thiodolf and a band with +him came cleaving the press, and the Romans closed the barriers +against friend and foe, and cast great beams adown, and masses of +iron and lead and copper taken from the smithying-booths of the +Wolfings, to stay them if it were but a little. + +Then Thiodolf bestrode the fallen warrior, and men of his House were +close behind him, for wisely had he fought, cleaving the press like a +wedge, helping his friends that they might help him, so that they all +went forward together. But when he saw Arinbiorn fall he cried out: + +"Woe's me, Arinbiorn! that thou wouldest not wait for me; for the day +is young yet, and over-young!" + +There then they cleared the space outside the gate, and lifted up the +Bearing Warrior, and bare him back from the rampart. For so fierce +had been the fight and so eager the storm of those that had followed +after him that they must needs order their battle afresh, since +Thiodolf's wedge which he had driven into the Roman host was but of a +few and the foe had been many and the rampart and the shot-weapons +were close anigh. Wise therefore it seemed to abide them of the +second battle and join with them to swarm over the new-built slippery +wall in the teeth of the Roman shot. + +In this, the first onset of the Morning Battle, some of the Markmen +had fallen, but not many, since but a few had entered outright into +the Roman ranks; and when they first rushed on from the wood but +three of them were slain, and the slaughter was all of the dastards +and the Romans; and afterwards not a few of the Romans were slain, +what by Arinbiorn, what by the others; for they were fighting +fleeing, and before their eyes was the image of the garth-gate which +was behind them; and they stumbled against each other as they were +driven sideways against the onrush of the Goths, nor were they now +standing fair and square to them, and they were hurried and confused +with the dread of the onset of them of the two Marks. + +As yet Thiodolf had gotten no great hurt, so that when he heard that +Arinbiorn's soul had passed away he smiled and said: + +"Yea, yea, Arinbiorn might have abided the end, for ere then shall +the battle be hard." + +So now the Wolfings and the Bearings met joyously the kindreds of the +Nether Mark and the others of the second battle, and they sang the +song of victory arrayed in good order hard by the Roman rampart, +while bowstrings twanged and arrows whistled, and sling-stones hummed +from this side and from that. + +And of their song of victory thus much the tale telleth: + + + "Now hearken and hear + Of the day-dawn of fear, + And how up rose the sun + On the battle begun. + All night lay a-hiding, + Our anger abiding, + Dark down in the wood + The sharp seekers of blood; +But ere red grew the heaven we bore them all bare, +For against us undriven the foemen must fare; +They sought and they found us, and sorrowed to find, +For the tree-boles around us the story shall mind, +How fast from the glooming they fled to the light, +Yeasaying the dooming of Tyr of the fight. + + "Hearken yet and again + How the night gan to wane, + And the twilight stole on + Till the world was well won! + E'en in such wise was wending + A great host for our ending; + On our life-days e'en so + Stole the host of the foe; +Till the heavens grew lighter, and light grew the world, +And the storm of the fighter upon them was hurled, +Then some fled the stroke, and some died and some stood, +Till the worst of the storm broke right out from the wood, +And the war-shafts were singing the carol of fear, +The tale of the bringing the sharp swords anear. + + "Come gather we now, + For the day doth grow. + Come, gather, ye bold, + Lest the day wax old; + Lest not till to-morrow + We slake our sorrow, + And heap the ground + With many a mound. +Come, war-children, gather, and clear we the land! +In the tide of War-father the deed is to hand. +Clad in gear that we gilded they shrink from our sword; +In the House that we builded they sit at the board; +Come, war-children, gather, come swarm o'er the wall +For the feast of War-father to sweep out the Hall!" + + +Now amidst of their singing the sun rose upon the earth, and gleamed +in the arms of men, and lit the faces of the singing warriors as they +stood turned toward the east. + +In this first onset of battle but twenty and three Markmen were slain +in all, besides Arinbiorn; for, as aforesaid, they had the foe at a +disadvantage. And this onset is called in the tale the Storm of +Dawning. + + + +CHAPTER XXI--OF THIODOLF'S STORM + + + +The Goths tarried not over their victory; they shot with all the +bowmen that they had against the Romans on the wall, and therewith +arrayed themselves to fall on once more. And Thiodolf, now that the +foe were covered by a wall, though it was but a little one, sent a +message to the men of the third battle, them of Up-mark to wit, to +come forward in good array and help to make a ring around the Wolfing +Stead, wherein they should now take the Romans as a beast is taken in +a trap. Meanwhile, until they came, he sent other men to the wood to +bring tree-boles to batter the gate, and to make bridges whereby to +swarm over the wall, which was but breast-high on the Roman side, +though they had worked at it ceaselessly since yesterday morning. + +In a long half-hour, therefore, the horns of the men of Up-mark +sounded, and they came forth from the wood a very great company, for +with them also were the men of the stay-at-homes and the homeless, +such of them as were fit to bear arms. Amongst these went the Hall- +Sun surrounded by a band of the warriors of Up-mark; and before her +was borne her namesake the Lamp as a sign of assured victory. But +these stay-at-homes with the Hall-Sun were stayed by the command of +Thiodolf on the crown of the slope above the dwellings, and stood +round about the Speech-Hill, on the topmost of which stood the Hall- +Sun, and the wondrous Lamp, and the men who warded her and it. + +When the Romans saw the new host come forth from the wood, they might +well think that they would have work enough to do that day; but when +they saw the Hall-Sun take her stand on the Speech-Hill with the men- +at-arms about her, and the Lamp before her, then dread of the Gods +fell upon them, and they knew that the doom had gone forth against +them. Nevertheless they were not men to faint and die because the +Gods were become their foes, but they were resolved rather to fight +it out to the end against whatsoever might come against them, as was +well seen afterwards. + +Now they had made four gates to their garth according to their +custom, and at each gate within was there a company of their +mightiest men, and each was beset by the best of the Markmen. +Thiodolf and his men beset the western gate where they had made that +fierce onset. And the northern gate was beset by the Elkings and +some of the kindreds of the Nether-mark; and the eastern gate by the +rest of the men of Nether-mark; and the southern gate by the kindreds +of Up-mark. + +All this the Romans noted, and they saw how that the Markmen were now +very many, and they knew that they were men no less valiant than +themselves, and they perceived that Thiodolf was a wise Captain; and +in less than two hours' space from the Storm of Dawning they saw +those men coming from the wood with plenteous store of tree-trunks to +bridge their ditch and rampart; and they considered how the day was +yet very young, so that they might look for no shelter from the +night-tide; and as for any aid from their own folk at the war-garth +aforesaid, they hoped not for it, nor had they sent any messenger to +the Captain of the garth; nor did they know as yet of his overthrow +on the Ridge. + +Now therefore there seemed to be but two choices before them; either +to abide within the rampart they had cast up, or to break out like +valiant men, and either die in the storm, or cleave a way through, +whereby they might come to their kindred and their stronghold south- +east of the Mark. + +This last way then they chose; or, to say the truth, it was their +chief captain who chose it for them, though they were nothing loth +thereto: for this man was a mocker, yet hot-headed, unstable, and +nought wise in war, and heretofore had his greed minished his +courage; yet now, being driven into a corner, he had courage enough +and to spare, but utterly lacked patience; for it had been better for +the Romans to have abided one or two onsets from the Goths, whereby +they who should make the onslaught would at the least have lost more +men than they on whom they should fall, before they within stormed +forth on them; but their pride took away from the Romans their last +chance. But their captain, now that he perceived, as he thought, +that the game was lost and his life come to its last hour wherein he +would have to leave his treasure and pleasure behind him, grew +desperate and therewith most fierce and cruel. So all the captives +whom they had taken (they were but two score and two, for the wounded +men they had slain) he caused to be bound on the chairs of the high- +seat clad in their war-gear with their swords or spears made fast to +their right hands, and their shields to their left hands; and he said +that the Goths should now hold a Thing wherein they should at last +take counsel wisely, and abstain from folly. For he caused store of +faggots and small wood smeared with grease and oil to be cast into +the hall that it might be fired, so that it and the captives should +burn up altogether; "So," said he, "shall we have a fair torch for +our funeral fire;" for it was the custom of the Romans to burn their +dead. + +Thus, then, he did; and then he caused men to do away the barriers +and open all the four gates of the new-made garth, after he had +manned the wall with the slingers and bowmen, and slain the horses, +so that the woodland folk should have no gain of them. Then he +arrayed his men at the gates and about them duly and wisely, and bade +those valiant footmen fall on the Goths who were getting ready to +fall on them, and to do their best. But he himself armed at all +points took his stand at the Man's-door of the Hall, and swore by all +the Gods of his kindred that he would not move a foot's length from +thence either for fire or for steel. + +So fiercely on that fair morning burned the hatred of men about the +dwellings of the children of the Wolf of the Goths, wherein the +children of the Wolf of Rome were shut up as in a penfold of +slaughter. + +Meanwhile the Hall-Sun standing on the Hill of Speech beheld it all, +looking down into the garth of war; for the new wall was no hindrance +to her sight, because the Speech-Hill was high and but a little way +from the Great Roof; and indeed she was within shot of the Roman +bowmen, though they were not very deft in shooting. + +So now she lifted up her voice and sang so that many heard her; for +at this moment of time there was a lull in the clamour of battle both +within the garth and without; even as it happens when the thunder- +storm is just about to break on the world, that the wind drops dead, +and the voice of the leaves is hushed before the first great and near +flash of lightening glares over the fields. + +So she sang: + + +"Now the latest hour cometh and the ending of the strife; +And to-morrow and to-morrow shall we take the hand of life, +And wend adown the meadows, and skirt the darkling wood, +And reap the waving acres, and gather in the good. +I see a wall before me built up of steel and fire, +And hurts and heart-sick striving, and the war-wright's fierce +desire; +But there-amidst a door is, and windows are therein; +And the fair sun-litten meadows and the Houses of the kin +Smile on me through the terror my trembling life to stay, +That at my mouth now flutters, as fain to flee away. +Lo e'en as the little hammer and the blow-pipe of the wright +About the flickering fire deals with the silver white, +And the cup and its beauty groweth that shall be for the people's +feast, +And all men are glad to see it from the greatest to the least; +E'en so is the tale now fashioned, that many a time and oft +Shall be told on the acre's edges, when the summer eve is soft; +Shall be hearkened round the hall-blaze when the mid-winter night +The kindreds' mirth besetteth, and quickeneth man's delight, +And we that have lived in the story shall be born again and again +As men feast on the bread of our earning, and praise the grief-born +grain." + + +As she made an end of singing, those about her understood her words, +that she was foretelling victory, and the peace of the Mark, and for +joy they raised a shrill cry; and the warriors who were nighest to +her took it up, and it spread through the whole host round about the +garth, and went up into the breath of the summer morning and went +down the wind along the meadow of the Wolfings, so that they of the +wain-burg, who were now drawing somewhat near to Wolf-stead heard it +and were glad. + +But the Romans when they heard it knew that the heart of the battle +was reached, and they cast back that shout wrathfully and fiercely, +and made toward the foe. + +Therewithal those mighty men fell on each other in the narrow passes +of the garth; for fear was dead and buried in that Battle of the +Morning. + +On the North gate Hiarandi of the Elkings was the point of the +Markmen's wedge, and first clave the Roman press. In the Eastern +gate it was Valtyr, Otter's brother's son, a young man and most +mighty. In the South gate it was Geirbald of the Shieldings, the +Messenger. + +In the west gate Thiodolf the War-duke gave one mighty cry like the +roar of an angry lion, and cleared a space before him for the +wielding of Ivar's blade; for at that moment he had looked up to the +Roof of the Kindred and had beheld a little stream of smoke curling +blue out of a window thereof, and he knew what had betided, and how +short was the time before them. But his wrathful cry was taken up by +some who had beheld that same sight, and by others who saw nought but +the Roman press, and terribly it rang over the swaying struggling +crowd. + +Then fell the first rank of the Romans before those stark men and +mighty warriors; and they fell even where they stood, for on neither +side could any give back but for a little space, so close the press +was, and the men so eager to smite. Neither did any crave peace if +he were hurt or disarmed; for to the Goths it was but a little thing +to fall in hot blood in that hour of love of the kindred, and longing +for the days to be. And for the Romans, they had had no mercy, and +now looked for none: and they remembered their dealings with the +Goths, and saw before them, as it were, once more, yea, as in a +picture, their slayings and quellings, and lashings, and cold +mockings which they had dealt out to the conquered foemen without +mercy, and now they longed sore for the quiet of the dark, when their +hard lives should be over, and all these deeds forgotten, and they +and their bitter foes should be at rest for ever. + +Most valiantly they fought; but the fury of their despair could not +deal with the fearless hope of the Goths, and as rank after rank of +them took the place of those who were hewn down by Thiodolf and the +Kindred, they fell in their turn, and slowly the Goths cleared a +space within the gates, and then began to spread along the wall +within, and grew thicker and thicker. Nor did they fight only at the +gates; but made them bridges of those tree-trunks, and fell to +swarming over the rampart, till they had cleared it of the bowmen and +slingers, and then they leaped down and fell upon the flanks of the +Romans; and the host of the dead grew, and the host of the living +lessened. + +Moreover the stay-at-homes round about the Speech-Hill, and that band +of the warriors of Up-mark who were with them, beheld the Great Roof +and saw the smoke come gushing out of the windows, and at last saw +the red flames creep out amidst it and waver round the window jambs +like little banners of scarlet cloth. Then they could no longer +refrain themselves, but ran down from the Speech-Hill and the slope +about it with great and fierce cries, and clomb the wall where it was +unmanned, helping each other with hand and back, both stark warriors, +and old men and lads and women: and thus they gat them into the +garth and fell upon the lessening band of the Romans, who now began +to give way hither and thither about the garth, as they best might. + +Thus it befell at the West-gate, but at the other gates it was no +worser, for there was no diversity of valour between the Houses; nay, +whereas the more part and the best part of the Romans faced the onset +of Thiodolf, which seemed to them the main onset, they were somewhat +easier to deal with elsewhere than at the West gate; and at the East +gate was the place first won, so that Valtyr and his folk were the +first to clear a space within the gate, and to tell the tale shortly +(for can this that and the other sword-stroke be told of in such a +medley?) they drew the death-ring around the Romans that were before +them, and slew them all to the last man, and then fell fiercely on +the rearward of them of the North gate, who still stood before +Hiarandi's onset. There again was no long tale to tell of, for +Hiarandi was just winning the gate, and the wall was cleared of the +Roman shot-fighters, and the Markmen were standing on the top +thereof, and casting down on the Romans spears and baulks of wood and +whatsoever would fly. There again were the Romans all slain or put +out of the fight, and the two bands of the kindred joined together, +and with what voices the battle-rage had left them cried out for joy +and fared on together to help to bind the sheaves of war which +Thiodolf's sickle had reaped. And now it was mere slaying, and the +Romans, though they still fought in knots of less than a score, yet +fought on and hewed and thrust without more thought or will than the +stone has when it leaps adown the hill-side after it has first been +set agoing. + +But now the garth was fairly won and Thiodolf saw that there was no +hope for the Romans drawing together again; so while the kindreds +were busied in hewing down those knots of desperate men, he gathered +to him some of the wisest of his warriors, amongst whom were Steinulf +and Grani the Grey, the deft wood-wrights (but Athalulf had been +grievously hurt by a spear and was out of the battle), and drave a +way through the confused turmoil which still boiled in the garth +there, and made straight for the Man's-door of the Hall. Soon he was +close thereto, having hewn away all fleers that hindered him, and the +doorway was before him. But on the threshold, the fire and flames of +the kindled hall behind him, stood the Roman Captain clad in gold- +adorned armour and surcoat of sea-born purple; the man was cool and +calm and proud, and a mocking smile was on his face: and he bore his +bright blade unbloodied in his hand. + +Thiodolf stayed a moment of time, and their eyes met; it had gone +hard with the War-duke, and those eyes glittered in his pale face, +and his teeth were close set together; though he had fought wisely, +and for life, as he who is most valiant ever will do, till he is +driven to bay like the lone wood-wolf by the hounds, yet had he been +sore mishandled. His helm and shield were gone, his hauberk rent; +for it was no dwarf-wrought coat, but the work of Ivar's hand: the +blood was running down from his left arm, and he was hurt in many +places: he had broken Ivar's sword in the medley, and now bore in +his hand a strong Roman short-sword, and his feet stood bloody on the +worn earth anigh the Man's-door. + +He looked into the scornful eyes of the Roman lord for a little +minute and then laughed aloud, and therewithal, leaping on him with +one spring, turned sideways, and dealt him a great buffet on his ear +with his unarmed left hand, just as the Roman thrust at him with his +sword, so that the Captain staggered forward on to the next man +following, which was Wolfkettle the eager warrior, who thrust him +through with his sword and shoved him aside as they all strode into +the hall together. Howbeit no sword fell from the Roman Captain as +he fell, for Thiodolf's side bore it into the Hall of the Wolfings. + +Most wrathful were those men, and went hastily, for their Roof was +full of smoke, and the flames flickered about the pillars and the +wall here and there, and crept up to the windows aloft; yet was it +not wholly or fiercely burning; for the Roman fire-raisers had been +hurried and hasty in their work. Straightway then Steinulf and Grani +led the others off at a run towards the loft and the water; but +Thiodolf, who went slowly and painfully, looked and beheld on the +dais those men bound for the burning, and he went quietly, and as a +man who has been sick, and is weak, up on to the dais, and said: + +"Be of good cheer, O brothers, for the kindreds have vanquished the +foemen, and the end of strife is come." + +His voice sounded strange and sweet to them amidst the turmoil of the +fight without; he laid down his sword on the table, and drew a little +sharp knife from his girdle and cut their bonds one by one and loosed +them with his blood-stained hands; and each one as he loosed him he +kissed and said to him, "Brother, go help those who are quenching the +fire; this is the bidding of the War-duke." + +But as he loosed one after other he was longer and longer about it, +and his words were slower. At last he came to the man who was bound +in his own high-seat close under the place of the wondrous Lamp, the +Hall-Sun, and he was the only one left bound; that man was of the +Wormings and was named Elfric; he loosed him and was long about it; +and when he was done he smiled on him and kissed him, and said to +him: + +"Arise, brother! go help the quenchers of the fire, and leave to me +this my chair, for I am weary: and if thou wilt, thou mayst bring me +of that water to drink, for this morning men have forgotten the mead +of the reapers!" + +Then Elfric arose, and Thiodolf sat in his chair, and leaned back his +head; but Elfric looked at him for a moment as one scared, and then +ran his ways down the hall, which now was growing noisy with the +hurry and bustle of the quenchers of the fire, to whom had divers +others joined themselves. + +There then from a bucket which was still for a moment he filled a +wooden bowl, which he caught up from the base of one of the hall- +pillars, and hastened up the Hall again; and there was no man nigh +the dais, and Thiodolf yet sat in his chair, and the hall was dim +with the rolling smoke, and Elfric saw not well what the War-duke was +doing. So he hastened on, and when he was close to Thiodolf he trod +in something wet, and his heart sank for he knew that it was blood; +his foot slipped therewith and as he put out his hand to save himself +the more part of the water was spilled, and mingled with the blood. +But he went up to Thiodolf and said to him, "Drink, War-duke! here +hath come a mouthful of water." + +But Thiodolf moved not for his word, and Elfric touched him, and he +moved none the more. + +Then Elfric's heart failed him and he laid his hand on the War-duke's +hand, and looked closely into his face; and the hand was cold and the +face ashen-pale; and Elfric laid his hand on his side, and he felt +the short-sword of the Roman leader thrust deep therein, besides his +many other hurts. + +So Elfric knew that he was dead, and he cast the bowl to the earth, +and lifted up his hands and wailed out aloud, like a woman who hath +come suddenly on her dead child, and cried out in a great voice: + +"Hither, hither, O men in this hall, for the War-duke of the Markmen +is dead! O ye people, Hearken! Thiodolf the Mighty, the Wolfing is +dead!" + +And he was a young man, and weak with the binding and the waiting for +death, and he bowed himself adown and crouched on the ground and wept +aloud. + +But even as he cried that cry, the sunlight outside the Man's-door +was darkened, and the Hall-Sun came over the threshold in her ancient +gold-embroidered raiment, holding in her hand her namesake the +wondrous Lamp; and the spears and the war-gear of warriors gleamed +behind her; but the men tarried on the threshold till she turned +about and beckoned to them, and then they poured in through the +Man's-door, their war-gear rent and they all befouled and disarrayed +with the battle, but with proud and happy faces: as they entered she +waved her hand to them to bid them go join the quenchers of the fire; +so they went their ways. + +But she went with unfaltering steps up to the dais, and the place +where the chain of the Lamp hung down from amidst the smoke-cloud +wavering a little in the gusts of the hall. Straightway she made the +Lamp fast to its chain, and dealt with its pulleys with a deft hand +often practised therein, and then let it run up toward the smoke- +hidden Roof till it gleamed in its due place once more, a token of +the salvation of the Wolfings and the welfare of all the kindreds. + +Then she turned toward Thiodolf with a calm and solemn face, though +it was very pale and looked as if she would not smile again. Elfric +had risen up and was standing by the board speechless and the passion +of sobs still struggling in his bosom. She put him aside gently, and +went up to Thiodolf and stood above him, and looked down on his face +a while: then she put forth her hand and closed his eyes, and +stooped down and kissed his face. Then she stood up again and faced +the Hall and looked and saw that many were streaming in, and that +though the smoke was still eddying overhead, the fire was well nigh +quenched within; and without the sound of battle had sunk and died +away. For indeed the Markmen had ended their day's work before +noontide that day, and the more part of the Romans were slain, and to +the rest they had given peace till the Folk-mote should give Doom +concerning them; for pity of these valiant men was growing in the +hearts of the valiant men who had vanquished them, now that they +feared them no more. + +And this second part of the Morning Battle is called Thiodolf's +Storm. + +So now when the Hall-Sun looked and beheld that the battle was done +and the fire quenched, and when she saw how every man that came into +the Hall looked up and beheld the wondrous Lamp and his face +quickened into joy at the sight of it; and how most looked up at the +high-seat and Thiodolf lying leaned back therein, her heart nigh +broke between the thought of her grief and of the grief of the Folk +that their mighty friend was dead, and the thought of the joy of the +days to be and all the glory that his latter days had won. But she +gathered heart, and casting back the dark tresses of her hair, she +lifted up her voice and cried out till its clear shrillness sounded +throughout all the Roof: + +"O men in this Hall the War-duke is dead! O people hearken! for +Thiodolf the Mighty hath changed his life: Come hither, O men, Come +hither, for this is true, that Thiodolf is dead!" + + + +CHAPTER XXX--THIODOLF IS BORNE OUT OF THE HALL AND OTTER IS LAID +BESIDE HIM + + + +So when they heard her voice they came thither flockmeal, and a great +throng mingled of many kindreds was in the Hall, but with one consent +they made way for the Children of the Wolf to stand nearest to the +dais. So there they stood, the warriors mingled with the women, the +swains with the old men, the freemen with the thralls: for now the +stay-at-homes of the House were all gotten into the garth, and the +more part of them had flowed into the feast-hall when they knew that +the fire was slackening. + +All these now had heard the clear voice of the Hall-Sun, or others +had told them what had befallen; and the wave of grief had swept +coldly over them amidst their joy of the recoverance of their +dwelling-place; yet they would not wail nor cry aloud, even to ease +their sorrow, till they had heard the words of the Hall-Sun, as she +stood facing them beside their dead War-duke. + +Then she spake: "O Sorli the Old, come up hither! thou hast been my +fellow in arms this long while." + +So the old man came forth, and went slowly in his clashing war-gear +up on to the dais. But his attire gleamed and glittered, since over- +old was he to thrust deep into the press that day, howbeit he was +wise in war. So he stood beside her on the dais holding his head +high, and proud he looked, for all his thin white locks and sunken +eyes. + +But again said the Hall-Sun: "Canst thou hear me, Wolfkettle, when I +bid thee stand beside me, or art thou, too, gone on the road to +Valhall?" + +Forth then strode that mighty warrior and went toward the dais: +nought fair was his array to look on; for point and edge had rent it +and stained it red, and the flaring of the hall-flames had blackened +it; his face was streaked with black withal, and his hands were as +the hands of a smith among the thralls who hath wrought unwashen in +the haste and hurry when men look to see the war-arrow abroad. But +he went up on to the dais and held up his head proudly, and looked +forth on to the hall-crowd with eyes that gleamed fiercely from his +stained and blackened face. + +Again the Hall-Sun said: "Art thou also alive, O Egil the messenger? +Swift are thy feet, but not to flee from the foe: Come up and stand +with us!" + +Therewith Egil clave the throng; he was not so roughly dealt with as +was Wolfkettle, for he was a bowman, and had this while past shot +down on the Romans from aloof; and he yet held his bended bow in his +hand. He also came up on to the dais and stood beside Wolfkettle +glancing down on the hall-crowd, looking eagerly from side to side. + +Yet again the Hall-Sun spake: "No aliens now are dwelling in the +Mark; come hither, ye men of the kindreds! Come thou, our brother +Hiarandi of the Elkings, for thy sisters, our wives, are fain of +thee. Come thou, Valtyr of the Laxings, brother's son of Otter; do +thou for the War-duke what thy father's brother had done, had he not +been faring afar. Come thou, Geirbald of the Shieldings the +messenger! Now know we the deeds of others and thy deeds. Come, +stand beside us for a little!" + +Forth then they came in their rent and battered war-gear: and the +tall Hiarandi bore but the broken truncheon of his sword; and Valtyr +a woodman's axe notched and dull with work; and Geirbald a Roman +cast-spear, for his own weapons had been broken in the medley; and he +came the last of the three, going as a belated reaper from the acres. +There they stood by the others and gazed adown the hall-throng. + +But the Hall-Sun spake again: "Agni of the Daylings, I see thee now. +How camest thou into the hard hand-play, old man? Come hither and +stand with us, for we love thee. Angantyr of the Bearings, fair was +thy riding on the day of the Battle on the Ridge! Come thou, be with +us. Shall the Beamings whose daughters we marry fail the House of +the Wolf to-day? Geirodd, thou hast no longer a weapon, but the +fight is over, and this hour thou needest it not. Come to us, +brother! Gunbald of the Vallings, the Falcon on thy shield is dim +with the dint of point and edge, but it hath done its work to ward +thy valiant heart: Come hither, friend! Come all ye and stand with +us!" + +As she named them so they came, and they went up on to the dais and +stood altogether; and a terrible band of warriors they looked had the +fight been to begin over again, and they to meet death once more. +And again spake the Hall-Sun: + +"Steinulf and Grani, deft are your hands! Take ye the stalks of the +war blossoms, the spears of the kindreds, and knit them together to +make a bier for our War-duke, for he is weary and may not go afoot. +Thou Ali, son of Grey; thou hast gone errands for me before; go forth +now from the garth, and wend thy ways toward the water, and tell me +when thou comest back what thou hast seen of the coming of the wain- +burg. For by this time it should be drawing anigh." + +So Ali went forth, and there was silence of words for a while in the +Hall; but there arose the sound of the wood-wrights busy with the +wimble and the hammer about the bier. No long space had gone by when +Ali came back into the hall panting with his swift running; and he +cried out: + +"O Hall-Sun, they are coming; the last wain hath crossed the ford, +and the first is hard at hand: bright are their banners in the sun." + +Then said the Hall-Sun: "O warriors, it is fitting that we go to +meet our banners returning from the field, and that we do the Gods to +wit what deeds we have done; fitting is it also that Thiodolf our +War-duke wend with us. Now get ye into your ordered bands, and go we +forth from the fire-scorched hall, and out into the sunlight, that +the very earth and the heavens may look upon the face of our War- +duke, and bear witness that he hath played his part as a man. + +Then without more words the folk began to stream out of the Hall, and +within the garth which the Romans had made they arrayed their +companies. But when they were all gone from the Hall save they who +were on the dais, the Hall-Sun took the waxen torch which she had +litten and quenched at the departure of the host to battle, and now +she once more kindled it at the flame of the wondrous Lamp, the Hall- +Sun. But the wood-wrights brought the bier which they had made of +the spear-shafts of the kindred, and they laid thereon a purple cloak +gold-embroidered of the treasure of the Wolfings, and thereon was +Thiodolf laid. + +Then those men took him up; to wit, Sorli the Old, and Wolfkettle and +Egil, all these were of the Wolfing House; Hiarandi of the Elkings +also, and Valtyr of the Laxings, Geirbald of the Shieldings, Agni of +the Daylings, Angantyr of the Bearings, Geirodd of the Beamings, +Gunbald of the Vallings: all these, with the two valiant wood- +wrights, Steinulf and Grani, laid hand to the bier. + +So they bore it down from the dais, and out at the Man's-door into +the sunlight, and the Hall-Sun followed close after it, holding in +her hand the Candle of Returning. It was an hour after high-noon of +a bright midsummer day when she came out into the garth; and the +smoke from the fire-scorched hall yet hung about the trees of the +wood-edge. She looked neither down towards her feet nor on the right +side or the left, but straight before her. The ordered companies of +the kindreds hid the sight of many fearful things from her eyes; +though indeed the thralls and women had mostly gleaned the dead from +the living both of friend and foe, and were tending the hurt of +either host. Through an opening in the ranks moreover could they by +the bier behold the scanty band of Roman captives, some standing up, +looking dully around them, some sitting or lying on the grass talking +quietly together, and it seemed by their faces that for them the +bitterness of death was passed. + +Forth then fared the host by the West gate, where Thiodolf had done +so valiantly that day, and out on to the green amidst the booths and +lesser dwellings. Sore then was the heart of the Hall-Sun, as she +looked forth over dwelling, and acre, and meadow, and the blue line +of the woods beyond the water, and bethought her of all the familiar +things that were within the compass of her eyesight, and remembered +the many days of her father's loving-kindness, and the fair words +wherewith he had solaced her life-days. But of the sorrow that wrung +her heart nothing showed in her face, nor was she paler now than her +wont was. For high was her courage, and she would in no wise mar +that fair day and victory of the kindreds with grief for what was +gone, whereas so much of what once was, yet abided and should abide +for ever. + +Then fared they down through the acres, where what was yet left of +the wheat was yellowing toward harvest, and the rye hung grey and +heavy; for bright and hot had the weather been all through these +tidings. Howbeit much of the corn was spoiled by the trampling of +the Roman bands. + +So came they into the fair open meadow and saw before them the wains +coming to meet them with their folk; to wit a throng of stout carles +of the thrall-folk led by the war-wise and ripe men of the Steerings. +Bright was the gleaming of the banner-wains, though for the lack of +wind the banners hung down about their staves; the sound of the +lowing of the bulls and the oxen, the neighing of horses and bleating +of the flocks came up to the ears of the host as they wended over the +meadow. + +They made stay at last on the rising ground, all trampled and in +parts bloody, where yesterday Thiodolf had come on the fight between +the remnant of Otter's men and the Romans: there they opened their +ranks, and made a ring round about a space, amidmost of which was a +little mound whereon was set the bier of Thiodolf. The wains and +their warders came up with them and drew a garth of the wains round +about the ring of men with the banners of the kindreds in their due +places. + +There was the Wolf and the Elk, the Falcon, the Swan, the Boar, the +Bear, and the Green-tree: the Willow-bush, the Gedd, the Water-bank +and the Wood-Ousel, the Steer, the Mallard and the Roe-deer: all +these were of the Mid-mark. But of the Upper-mark were the Horse and +the Spear, and the Shield, and the Daybreak, and the Dale, and the +Mountain, and the Brook, and the Weasel, and the Cloud, and the Hart. + +Of the Nether-mark were the Salmon, and the Lynx, and the Ling worm, +the Seal, the Stone, and the Sea-mew; the Buck-goat, the Apple-tree, +the Bull, the Adder, and the Crane. + +There they stood in the hot sunshine three hours after noon; and a +little wind came out of the west and raised the pictured cloths upon +the banner-staves, so that the men could now see the images of the +tokens of their Houses and the Fathers of old time. + +Now was there silence in the ring of men; but it opened presently and +through it came all-armed warriors bearing another bier, and lo, +Otter upon it, dead in his war-gear with many a grievous wound upon +his body. For men had found him in an ingle of the wall of the Great +Roof, where he had been laid yesterday by the Romans when his company +and the Bearings with the Wormings made their onset: for the Romans +had noted his exceeding valour, and when they had driven off the +Goths some of them brought him dead inside their garth, for they +would know the name and dignity of so valorous a man. + +So now they bore him to the mound where Thiodolf lay and set the bier +down beside Thiodolf's, and the two War-dukes of the Markmen lay +there together: and when the warriors beheld that sight, they could +not forbear, but some groaned aloud, and some wept great tears, and +they clashed their swords on their shields and the sound of their +sorrow and their praise went up to the summer heavens. + +Now the Hall-Sun holding aloft the waxen torch lifted up her voice +and said: + + +"O warriors of the Wolfings, by the token of the flame +That here in my right hand flickers, ye are back at the House of the +Name, +And there yet burneth the Hall-Sun beneath the Wolfing Roof, +And the flame that the foemen quickened hath died out far aloof. +Ye gleanings of the battle, lift up your hearts on high, +For the House of the War-wise Wolfings and the Folk undoomed to die. +But ye kindreds of the Markmen, the Wolfing guests are ye, +And to-night we hold the high-tide, and great shall the feasting be, +For to-day by the road that we know not a many wend their ways +To the Gods and the ancient Fathers, and the hope of the latter days. +And how shall their feet be cumbered if we tangle them with woe, +And the heavy rain of sorrow drift o'er the road they go? +They have toiled, and their toil was troublous to make the days to +come; +Use ye their gifts in gladness, lest they grieve for the Ancient +Home! +Now are our maids arraying that fire-scorched Hall of ours +With the treasure of the Wolfings and the wealth of summer flowers, +And this eve the work before you will be the Hall to throng +And purge its walls of sorrow and quench its scathe and wrong." + + +She looked on the dead Thiodolf a moment, and then glanced from him +to Otter and spake again: + + +"O kindreds, here before you two mighty bodies lie; +Henceforth no man shall see them in house and field go by +As we were used to behold them, familiar to us then +As the wind beneath the heavens and the sun that shines on men; +Now soon shall there be nothing of their dwelling-place to tell, +Save the billow of the meadows, the flower-grown grassy swell! +Now therefore, O ye kindreds, if amidst you there be one +Who hath known the heart of the War-dukes, and the deeds their hands +have done, +Will not the word be with him, while yet your hearts are hot, +Of our praise and long remembrance, and our love that dieth not? +Then let him come up hither and speak the latest word +O'er the limbs of the battle-weary and the hearts outworn with the +sword." + + +She held her peace, and there was a stir in the ring of men: for +they who were anigh the Dayling banner saw an old warrior sitting on +a great black horse and fully armed. He got slowly off his horse and +walked toward the ring of warriors, which opened before him; for all +knew him for Asmund the old, the war-wise warrior of the Daylings, +even he who had lamented over the Hauberk of Thiodolf. He had taken +horse the day before, and had ridden toward the battle, but was +belated, and had come up with them of the wain-burg just as they had +crossed the water. + + + +CHAPTER XXXI--OLD ASMUND SPEAKETH OVER THE WAR-DUKES: THE DEAD ARE +LAID IN MOUND + + + +Now while all looked on, he went to the place where lay the bodies of +the War-dukes, and looked down on the face of Otter and said: + + +"O Otter, there thou liest! and thou that I knew of old, +When my beard began to whiten, as the best of the keen and the bold, +And thou wert as my youngest brother, and thou didst lead my sons +When we fared forth over the mountains to meet the arrowy Huns, +And I smiled to see thee teaching the lore that I learned thee erst. +O Otter, dost thou remember how the Goth-folk came by the worst, +And with thee in mine arms I waded the wide shaft-harrowed flood +That lapped the feet of the mountains with its water blent with +blood; +And how in the hollow places of the mountains hidden away +We abode the kindreds' coming as the wet night bideth day? +Dost thou remember, Otter, how many a joy we had, +How many a grief remembered has made our high-tide glad? +O fellow of the hall-glee! O fellow of the field! +Why then hast thou departed and left me under shield? +I the ancient, I the childless, while yet in the Laxing hall +Are thy brother's sons abiding and their children on thee call. + +"O kindreds of the people! the soul that dwelt herein, +This goodly way-worn body, was keen for you to win +Good days and long endurance. Who knoweth of his deed +What things for you it hath fashioned from the flame of the fire of +need? +But of this at least well wot we, that forth from your hearts it came +And back to your hearts returneth for the seed of thriving and fame. +In the ground wherein ye lay it, the body of this man, +No deed of his abideth, no glory that he wan, +But evermore the Markmen shall bear his deeds o'er earth, +With the joy of the deeds that are coming, the garland of his worth." + + +He was silent a little as he stood looking down on Otter's face with +grievous sorrow, for all that his words were stout. For indeed, as +he had said, Otter had been his battle-fellow and his hall-fellow, +though he was much younger than Asmund; and they had been standing +foot to foot in that battle wherein old Asmund's sons were slain by +his side. + +After a while he turned slowly from looking at Otter to gaze upon +Thiodolf, and his body trembled as he looked, and he opened his mouth +to speak; but no word came from it; and he sat down upon the edge of +the bier, and the tears began to gush out of his old eyes, and he +wept aloud. Then they that saw him wondered; for all knew the +stoutness of his heart, and how he had borne more burdens than that +of eld, and had not cowered down under them. But at last he arose +again, and stood firmly on his feet, and faced the folk-mote, and in +a voice more like the voice of a man in his prime than of an old man, +he sang: + + + "Wild the storm is abroad + Of the edge of the sword! + Far on runneth the path + Of the war-stride of wrath! + The Gods hearken and hear + The long rumour of fear + From the meadows beneath + Running fierce o'er the heath, +Till it beats round their dwelling-place builded aloof +And at last all up-swelling breaks wild o'er their roof, +And quencheth their laughter and crieth on all, +As it rolleth round rafter and beam of the Hall, +Like the speech of the thunder-cloud tangled on high, +When the mountain-halls sunder as dread goeth by. + + "So they throw the door wide + Of the Hall where they bide, + And to murmuring song + Turns that voice of the wrong, + And the Gods wait a-gaze + For that Wearer of Ways: + For they know he hath gone + A long journey alone. +Now his feet are they hearkening, and now is he come, +With his battle-wounds darkening the door of his home, +Unbyrnied, unshielded, and lonely he stands, +And the sword that he wielded is gone from his hands - +Hands outstretched and bearing no spoil of the fight, +As speechless, unfearing, he stands in their sight. + + "War-father gleams + Where the white light streams + Round kings of old + All red with gold, + And the Gods of the name + With joy aflame. + All the ancient of men + Grown glorious again: +Till the Slains-father crieth aloud at the last: +'Here is one that belieth no hope of the past! +No weapon, no treasure of earth doth he bear, +No gift for the pleasure of Godhome to share; +But life his hand bringeth, well cherished, most sweet; +And hark! the Hall singeth the Folk-wolf to greet!' + + "As the rain of May + On earth's happiest day, + So the fair flowers fall + On the sun-bright Hall + As the Gods rise up + With the greeting-cup, + And the welcoming crowd + Falls to murmur aloud. +Then the God of Earth speaketh; sweet-worded he saith, +'Lo, the Sun ever seeketh Life fashioned of death; +And to-day as he turneth the wide world about +On Wolf-stead he yearneth; for there without doubt +Dwells the death-fashioned story, the flower of all fame. +Come hither new Glory, come Crown of the Name!'" + + +All men's hearts rose high as he sang, and when he had ended arose +the clang of sword and shield and went ringing down the meadow, and +the mighty shout of the Markmen's joy rent the heavens: for in sooth +at that moment they saw Thiodolf, their champion, sitting among the +Gods on his golden chair, sweet savours around him, and sweet sound +of singing, and he himself bright-faced and merry as no man on earth +had seen him, for as joyous a man as he was. + +But when the sound of their exultation sank down, the Hall-Sun spake +again: + + +"Now wendeth the sun westward, and weary grows the Earth +Of all the long day's doings in sorrow and in mirth; +And as the great sun waneth, so doth my candle wane, +And its flickering flame desireth to rest and die again. +Therefore across the meadows wend we aback once more +To the holy Roof of the Wolfings, the shrine of peace and war. +And these that once have loved us, these warriors images, +Shall sit amidst our feasting, and see, as the Father sees +The works that menfolk fashion and the rest of toiling hands, +When his eyes look down from the mountains and the heavens above all +lands, +And up from the flowery meadows and the rolling deeps of the sea. +There then at the feast with our champions familiar shall we be +As oft we are with the Godfolk, when in story-rhymes and lays +We laugh as we tell of their laughter, and their deeds of other days. + +"Come then, ye sons of the kindreds who hither bore these twain! +Take up their beds of glory, and fare we home again, +And feast as men delivered from toil unmeet to bear, +Who through the night are looking to the dawn-tide fresh and fair +And the morn and the noon to follow, and the eve and its morrow morn, +All the life of our deliv'rance and the fair days yet unborn." + + +So she spoke, and a murmur arose as those valiant men came forth +again. But lo, now were they dight in fresh and fair raiment and +gleaming war-array. For while all this was a-doing and a-saying, +they had gotten them by the Hall-Sun's bidding unto the wains of +their Houses, and had arrayed them from the store therein. + +So now they took up the biers, and the Hall-Sun led them, and they +went over the meadow before the throng of the kindreds, who followed +them duly ordered, each House about its banner; and when they were +come through the garth which the Romans had made to the Man's-door of +the Hall, there were the women of the House freshly attired, who cast +flowers on the living men of the host, and on the dead War-dukes, +while they wept for pity of them. So went the freemen of the Houses +into the Hall, following the Hall-Sun, and the bearers of the War- +dukes; but the banners abode without in the garth made by the Romans; +and the thralls arrayed a feast for themselves about the wains of the +kindreds in the open place before their cots and the smithying booths +and the byres. + +And as the Hall-Sun went into the Hall, she thrust down the candle +against the threshold of the Man's-door, and so quenched it. + +Long were the kindreds entering, and when they were under the Roof of +the Wolfings, they looked and beheld Thiodolf set in his chair once +more, and Otter set beside him; and the chiefs and leaders of the +House took their places on the dais, those to whom it was due, and +the Hall-Sun sat under the wondrous Lamp her namesake. + +Now was the glooming falling upon the earth; but the Hall was bright +within even as the Hall-Sun had promised. Therein was set forth the +Treasure of the Wolfings; fair cloths were hung on the walls, goodly +broidered garments on the pillars: goodly brazen cauldrons and fair- +carven chests were set down in nooks where men could see them well, +and vessels of gold and silver were set all up and down the tables of +the feast. The pillars also were wreathed with flowers, and flowers +hung garlanded from the walls over the precious hangings; sweet gums +and spices were burning in fair-wrought censers of brass, and so many +candles were alight under the Roof, that scarce had it looked more +ablaze when the Romans had litten the faggots therein for its burning +amidst the hurry of the Morning Battle. + +There then they fell to feasting, hallowing in the high-tide of their +return with victory in their hands: and the dead corpses of Thiodolf +and Otter, clad in precious glistering raiment, looked down on them +from the High-seat, and the kindreds worshipped them and were glad; +and they drank the Cup to them before any others, were they Gods or +men. + +But before the feast was hallowed in, came Ali the son of Grey up to +the High-seat, bearing something in his hand: and lo! it was Throng- +plough, which he had sought all over the field where the Markmen had +been overcome by the Romans, and had found it at last. All men saw +him how he held it in his hand now as he went up to the Hall-Sun and +spake to her. But she kissed the lad on the forehead, and took +Throng-plough, and wound the peace-strings round him and laid him on +the board before Thiodolf; and then she spake softly as if to +herself, yet so that some heard her: + +"O father, no more shalt thou draw Throng-plough from the sheath till +the battle is pitched in the last field of fight, and the sons of the +fruitful Earth and the sons of Day meet Swart and his children at +last, when the change of the World is at hand. Maybe I shall be with +thee then: but now and in meanwhile, farewell, O mighty hand of my +father!" + +Thus then the Houses of the Mark held their High-tide of Returning +under the Wolfing Roof with none to blame them or make them afraid: +and the moon rose and the summer night wore on towards dawn, and +within the Roof and without was there feasting and singing and +harping and the voice of abundant joyance: for without the Roof +feasted the thralls and the strangers, and the Roman war-captives. + +But on the morrow the kindreds laid their dead men in mound betwixt +the Great Roof and the Wild-wood. In one mound they laid them with +the War-dukes in their midst, and Arinbiorn by Otter's right side; +and Thiodolf bore Throng-plough to mound with him. + +But a little way from the mound of their own dead, toward the south +they laid the Romans, a great company, with their Captain in the +midst: and they heaped a long mound over them not right high; so +that as years wore, and the feet of men and beasts trod it down, it +seemed a mere swelling of the earth not made by men's hands; and +belike men knew not how many bones of valiant men lay beneath; yet it +had a name which endured for long, to wit, the Battle-toft. + +But the mound whereunder the Markmen were laid was called Thiodolf's +Howe for many generations of men, and many are the tales told of him; +for men were loth to lose him and forget him: and in the latter days +men deemed of him that he sits in that Howe not dead but sleeping, +with Throng-plough laid before him on the board; and that when the +sons of the Goths are at their sorest need and the falcons cease to +sit on the ridge of the Great Roof of the Wolfings, he will wake and +come forth from the Howe for their helping. But none have dared to +break open that Howe and behold what is therein. + +But that swelling of the meadow where the Goths had their overthrow +at the hands of the Romans, and Thiodolf fell to earth unwounded, got +a name also, and was called the Swooning Knowe; and it kept that name +long after men had forgotten wherefore it was so called. + +Now when all this was done, and the warriors of the kindreds were +departed each to his own stead, the Wolfings gathered in wheat- +harvest, and set themselves to make good all that the Romans had +undone; and they cleansed and mended their Great Roof and made it +fairer than before, and took from it all signs of the burning, save +that they left the charring and marks of the flames on one tie-beam, +the second from the dais, for a token of the past tidings. Also when +Harvest was over the Wolfings, the Beamings, the Galtings, and the +Elkings, set to work with the Bearings to rebuild their Great Roof +and the other dwellings and booths which the Romans had burned; and +right fair was that house. + +But the Wolfings throve in field and fold, and they begat children +who grew up to be mighty men and deft of hand, and the House grew +more glorious year by year. + +The tale tells not that the Romans ever fell on the Mark again; for +about this time they began to stay the spreading of their dominion, +or even to draw in its boundaries somewhat. + +AND THIS IS ALL THAT THE TALE HAS TO TELL CONCERNING THE HOUSE OF THE +WOLFINGS AND THE KINDREDS OF THE MARK. + + + +Footnotes: + +{1} Welsh with these men means Foreign, and is used for all people of +Europe who are not of Gothic or Teutonic blood. + +{2} i.e. Foreigners: see note {1} + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The House of the Wolfings, by William Morris + diff --git a/old/hswlf10.zip b/old/hswlf10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9abad6d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/hswlf10.zip |