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diff --git a/2885.txt b/2885.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf69a50 --- /dev/null +++ b/2885.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8574 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The House of the Wolfings, by William Morris + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The House of the Wolfings + A Tale of the House of the Wolfings and All the Kindreds of the Mark Written in Prose and in Verse + + +Author: William Morris + +Release Date: May 4, 2005 [eBook #2885] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE OF THE WOLFINGS*** + + + + + + +Transcribed from the 1904 Longmans, Green, and Co. edition by David +Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk + + + + + +THE HOUSE OF THE WOLFINGS +A TALE OF THE HOUSE OF THE WOLFINGS AND ALL THE KINDREDS OF THE MARK +WRITTEN IN PROSE AND IN VERSE +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 Markmen, 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 Thing-stead, 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 war-gear 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 + kin, + 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 + 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 men-folk 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 bowmen: 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 hill 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 cleft 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 dawn-tide; 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 Battleford. + 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 way-worn, 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 handplay, 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 trysting-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 Godhead'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 foemen, 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 beech-wood 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 afield, 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 War-duke?" "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 Goth-folk: 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 bowshot, 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, hight 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 folk-mote 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 beech-wood; 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 greensward. + +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 noon-tide 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 handplay, 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 men-folk 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 THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE OF THE WOLFINGS*** + + +******* This file should be named 2885.txt or 2885.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/8/8/2885 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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