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diff --git a/old/rtmt10.txt b/old/rtmt10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0e311ad --- /dev/null +++ b/old/rtmt10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,16269 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Roots of the Mountains, by William Morris +(#14 in our series by William Morris) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Roots of the Mountains + +Author: William Morris + +Release Date: July, 2004 [EBook #6050] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on October 24, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE ROOTS OF THE MOUNTAINS *** + + + + +Transcribed from the 1896 Longmans, Green, and Co. edition by David +Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk + + + + +THE ROOTS OF THE MOUNTAINS WHEREIN IS TOLD SOMEWHAT OF THE LIVES OF +THE MEN OF BURGDALE THEIR FRIENDS THEIR NEIGHBOURS THEIR FOEMEN AND +THEIR FELLOWS IN ARMS +BY WILLIAM MORRIS + + + + +Whiles carried o'er the iron road, +We hurry by some fair abode; +The garden bright amidst the hay, +The yellow wain upon the way, +The dining men, the wind that sweeps +Light locks from off the sun-sweet heaps - +The gable grey, the hoary roof, +Here now--and now so far aloof. +How sorely then we long to stay +And midst its sweetness wear the day, +And 'neath its changing shadows sit, +And feel ourselves a part of it. +Such rest, such stay, I strove to win +With these same leaves that lie herein. + + + +CHAPTER I. OF BURGSTEAD AND ITS FOLK AND ITS NEIGHBOURS + + + +Once upon a time amidst the mountains and hills and falling streams +of a fair land there was a town or thorp in a certain valley. This +was well-nigh encompassed by a wall of sheer cliffs; toward the East +and the great mountains they drew together till they went near to +meet, and left but a narrow path on either side of a stony stream +that came rattling down into the Dale: toward the river at that end +the hills lowered somewhat, though they still ended in sheer rocks; +but up from it, and more especially on the north side, they swelled +into great shoulders of land, then dipped a little, and rose again +into the sides of huge fells clad with pine-woods, and cleft here and +there by deep ghylls: thence again they rose higher and steeper, and +ever higher till they drew dark and naked out of the woods to meet +the snow-fields and ice-rivers of the high mountains. But that was +far away from the pass by the little river into the valley; and the +said river was no drain from the snow-fields white and thick with the +grinding of the ice, but clear and bright were its waters that came +from wells amidst the bare rocky heaths. + +The upper end of the valley, where it first began to open out from +the pass, was rugged and broken by rocks and ridges of water-borne +stones, but presently it smoothed itself into mere grassy swellings +and knolls, and at last into a fair and fertile plain swelling up +into a green wave, as it were, against the rock-wall which +encompassed it on all sides save where the river came gushing out of +the strait pass at the east end, and where at the west end it poured +itself out of the Dale toward the lowlands and the plain of the great +river. + +Now the valley was some ten miles of our measure from that place of +the rocks and the stone-ridges, to where the faces of the hills drew +somewhat anigh to the river again at the west, and then fell aback +along the edge of the great plain; like as when ye fare a-sailing +past two nesses of a river-mouth, and the main-sea lieth open before +you. + +Besides the river afore-mentioned, which men called the Weltering +Water, there were other waters in the Dale. Near the eastern pass, +entangled in the rocky ground was a deep tarn full of cold springs +and about two acres in measure, and therefrom ran a stream which fell +into the Weltering Water amidst the grassy knolls. Black seemed the +waters of that tarn which on one side washed the rocks-wall of the +Dale; ugly and aweful it seemed to men, and none knew what lay +beneath its waters save black mis-shapen trouts that few cared to +bring to net or angle: and it was called the Death-Tarn. + +Other waters yet there were: here and there from the hills on both +sides, but especially from the south side, came trickles of water +that ran in pretty brooks down to the river; and some of these sprang +bubbling up amidst the foot-mounds of the sheer-rocks; some had cleft +a rugged and strait way through them, and came tumbling down into the +Dale at diverse heights from their faces. But on the north side +about halfway down the Dale, one stream somewhat bigger than the +others, and dealing with softer ground, had cleft for itself a wider +way; and the folk had laboured this way wider yet, till they had made +them a road running north along the west side of the stream. Sooth +to say, except for the strait pass along the river at the eastern +end, and the wider pass at the western, they had no other way (save +one of which a word anon) out of the Dale but such as mountain goats +and bold cragsmen might take; and even of these but few. + +This midway stream was called the Wildlake, and the way along it +Wildlake's Way, because it came to them out of the wood, which on +that north side stretched away from nigh to the lip of the valley- +wall up to the pine woods and the high fells on the east and north, +and down to the plain country on the west and south. + +Now when the Weltering Water came out of the rocky tangle near the +pass, it was turned aside by the ground till it swung right up to the +feet of the Southern crags; then it turned and slowly bent round +again northward, and at last fairly doubled back on itself before it +turned again to run westward; so that when, after its second double, +it had come to flowing softly westward under the northern crags, it +had cast two thirds of a girdle round about a space of land a little +below the grassy knolls and tofts aforesaid; and there in that fair +space between the folds of the Weltering Water stood the Thorp +whereof the tale hath told. + +The men thereof had widened and deepened the Weltering Water about +them, and had bridged it over to the plain meads; and athwart the +throat of the space left clear by the water they had built them a +strong wall though not very high, with a gate amidst and a tower on +either side thereof. Moreover, on the face of the cliff which was +but a stone's throw from the gate they had made them stairs and +ladders to go up by; and on a knoll nigh the brow had built a watch- +tower of stone strong and great, lest war should come into the land +from over the hills. That tower was ancient, and therefrom the Thorp +had its name and the whole valley also; and it was called Burgstead +in Burgdale. + +So long as the Weltering Water ran straight along by the northern +cliffs after it had left Burgstead, betwixt the water and the cliffs +was a wide flat way fashioned by man's hand. Thus was the water +again a good defence to the Thorp, for it ran slow and deep there, +and there was no other ground betwixt it and the cliffs save that +road, which was easy to bar across so that no foemen might pass +without battle, and this road was called the Portway. For a long +mile the river ran under the northern cliffs, and then turned into +the midst of the Dale, and went its way westward a broad stream +winding in gentle laps and folds here and there down to the out-gate +of the Dale. But the Portway held on still underneath the rock-wall, +till the sheer-rocks grew somewhat broken, and were cumbered with +certain screes, and at last the wayfarer came upon the break in them, +and the ghyll through which ran the Wildlake with Wildlake's Way +beside it, but the Portway still went on all down the Dale and away +to the Plain-country. + +That road in the ghyll, which was neither wide nor smooth, the +wayfarer into the wood must follow, till it lifted itself out of the +ghyll, and left the Wildlake coming rattling down by many steps from +the east; and now the way went straight north through the woodland, +ever mounting higher, (because the whole set of the land was toward +the high fells,) but not in any cleft or ghyll. The wood itself +thereabout was thick, a blended growth of diverse kinds of trees, but +most of oak and ash; light and air enough came through their boughs +to suffer the holly and bramble and eglantine and other small wood to +grow together into thickets, which no man could pass without hewing a +way. But before it is told whereto Wildlake's Way led, it must be +said that on the east side of the ghyll, where it first began just +over the Portway, the hill's brow was clear of wood for a certain +space, and there, overlooking all the Dale, was the Mote-stead of the +Dalesmen, marked out by a great ring of stones, amidst of which was +the mound for the Judges and the Altar of the Gods before it. And +this was the holy place of the men of the Dale and of other folk +whereof the tale shall now tell. + +For when Wildlake's Way had gone some three miles from the Mote- +stead, the trees began to thin, and presently afterwards was a +clearing and the dwellings of men, built of timber as may well be +thought. These houses were neither rich nor great, nor was the folk +a mighty folk, because they were but a few, albeit body by body they +were stout carles enough. They had not affinity with the Dalesmen, +and did not wed with them, yet it is to be deemed that they were +somewhat akin to them. To be short, though they were freemen, yet as +regards the Dalesmen were they well-nigh their servants; for they +were but poor in goods, and had to lean upon them somewhat. No +tillage they had among those high trees; and of beasts nought save +some flocks of goats and a few asses. Hunters they were, and +charcoal-burners, and therein the deftest of men, and they could +shoot well in the bow withal: so they trucked their charcoal and +their smoked venison and their peltries with the Dalesmen for wheat +and wine and weapons and weed; and the Dalesmen gave them main good +pennyworths, as men who had abundance wherewith to uphold their +kinsmen, though they were but far-away kin. Stout hands had these +Woodlanders and true hearts as any; but they were few-spoken and to +those that needed them not somewhat surly of speech and grim of +visage: brown-skinned they were, but light-haired; well-eyed, with +but little red in their cheeks: their women were not very fair, for +they toiled like the men, or more. They were thought to be wiser +than most men in foreseeing things to come. They were much given to +spells, and songs of wizardry, and were very mindful of the old +story-lays, wherein they were far more wordy than in their daily +speech. Much skill had they in runes, and were exceeding deft in +scoring them on treen bowls, and on staves, and door-posts and roof- +beams and standing-beds and such like things. Many a day when the +snow was drifting over their roofs, and hanging heavy on the tree- +boughs, and the wind was roaring through the trees aloft and rattling +about the close thicket, when the boughs were clattering in the wind, +and crashing down beneath the weight of the gathering freezing snow, +when all beasts and men lay close in their lairs, would they sit long +hours about the house-fire with the knife or the gouge in hand, with +the timber twixt their knees and the whetstone beside them, +hearkening to some tale of old times and the days when their banner +was abroad in the world; and they the while wheedling into growth out +of the tough wood knots and blossoms and leaves and the images of +beasts and warriors and women. + +They were called nought save the Woodland-Carles in that day, though +time had been when they had borne a nobler name: and their abode was +called Carlstead. Shortly, for all they had and all they had not, +for all they were and all they were not, they were well-beloved by +their friends and feared by their foes. + +Now when Wildlake's Way was gotten to Carlstead, there was an end of +it toward the north; though beyond it in a right line the wood was +thinner, because of the hewing of the Carles. But the road itself +turned west at once and went on through the wood, till some four +miles further it first thinned and then ceased altogether, the ground +going down-hill all the way: for this was the lower flank of the +first great upheaval toward the high mountains. But presently, after +the wood was ended, the land broke into swelling downs and winding +dales of no great height or depth, with a few scattered trees about +the hillsides, mostly thorns or scrubby oaks, gnarled and bent and +kept down by the western wind: here and there also were yew-trees, +and whiles the hillsides would be grown over with box-wood, but none +very great; and often juniper grew abundantly. This then was the +country of the Shepherds, who were friends both of the Dalesmen and +the Woodlanders. They dwelt not in any fenced town or thorp, but +their homesteads were scattered about as was handy for water and +shelter. Nevertheless they had their own stronghold; for amidmost of +their country, on the highest of a certain down above a bottom where +a willowy stream winded, was a great earthwork: the walls thereof +were high and clean and overlapping at the entering in, and amidst of +it was a deep well of water, so that it was a very defensible place: +and thereto would they drive their flocks and herds when war was in +the land, for nought but a very great host might win it; and this +stronghold they called Greenbury. + +These Shepherd-Folk were strong and tall like the Woodlanders, for +they were partly of the same blood, but burnt they were both ruddy +and brown: they were of more words than the Woodlanders but yet not +many-worded. They knew well all those old story-lays, (and this +partly by the minstrelsy of the Woodlanders,) but they had scant +skill in wizardry, and would send for the Woodlanders, both men and +women, to do whatso they needed therein. They were very hale and +long-lived, whereas they dwelt in clear bright air, and they mostly +went light-clad even in the winter, so strong and merry were they. +They wedded with the Woodlanders and the Dalesmen both; at least +certain houses of them did so. They grew no corn; nought but a few +pot-herbs, but had their meal of the Dalesmen; and in the summer they +drave some of their milch-kine into the Dale for the abundance of +grass there; whereas their own hills and bents and winding valleys +were not plenteously watered, except here and there as in the bottom +under Greenbury. No swine they had, and but few horses, but of sheep +very many, and of the best both for their flesh and their wool. Yet +were they nought so deft craftsmen at the loom as were the Dalesmen, +and their women were not very eager at the weaving, though they +loathed not the spindle and rock. Shortly, they were merry folk +well-beloved of the Dalesmen, quick to wrath, though it abode not +long with them; not very curious in their houses and halls, which +were but little, and were decked mostly with the handiwork of the +Woodland-Carles their guests; who when they were abiding with them, +would oft stand long hours nose to beam, scoring and nicking and +hammering, answering no word spoken to them but with aye or no, +desiring nought save the endurance of the daylight. Moreover, this +shepherd-folk heeded not gay raiment over-much, but commonly went +clad in white woollen or sheep-brown weed. + +But beyond this shepherd-folk were more downs and more, scantily +peopled, and that after a while by folk with whom they had no kinship +or affinity, and who were at whiles their foes. Yet was there no +enduring enmity between them; and ever after war and battle came +peace; and all blood-wites were duly paid and no long feud followed: +nor were the Dalesmen and the Woodlanders always in these wars, +though at whiles they were. Thus then it fared with these people. + +But now that we have told of the folks with whom the Dalesmen had +kinship, affinity, and friendship, tell we of their chief abode, +Burgstead to wit, and of its fashion. As hath been told, it lay upon +the land made nigh into an isle by the folds of the Weltering Water +towards the uppermost end of the Dale; and it was warded by the deep +water, and by the wall aforesaid with its towers. Now the Dale at +its widest, to wit where Wildlake fell into it, was but nine furlongs +over, but at Burgstead it was far narrower; so that betwixt the wall +and the wandering stream there was but a space of fifty acres, and +therein lay Burgstead in a space of the shape of a sword-pommel: and +the houses of the kinships lay about it, amidst of gardens and +orchards, but little ordered into streets and lanes, save that a way +went clean through everything from the tower-warded gate to the +bridge over the Water, which was warded by two other towers on its +hither side. + +As to the houses, they were some bigger, some smaller, as the +housemates needed. Some were old, but not very old, save two only, +and some quite new, but of these there were not many: they were all +built fairly of stone and lime, with much fair and curious carved +work of knots and beasts and men round about the doors; or whiles a +wale of such-like work all along the house-front. For as deft as +were the Woodlanders with knife and gouge on the oaken beams, even so +deft were the Dalesmen with mallet and chisel on the face of the hewn +stone; and this was a great pastime about the Thorp. Within these +houses had but a hall and solar, with shut-beds out from the hall on +one side or two, with whatso of kitchen and buttery and out-bower men +deemed handy. Many men dwelt in each house, either kinsfolk, or such +as were joined to the kindred. + +Near to the gate of Burgstead in that street aforesaid and facing +east was the biggest house of the Thorp; it was one of the two +abovesaid which were older than any other. Its door-posts and the +lintel of the door were carved with knots and twining stems fairer +than other houses of that stead; and on the wall beside the door +carved over many stones was an image wrought in the likeness of a man +with a wide face, which was terrible to behold, although it smiled: +he bore a bent bow in his hand with an arrow fitted to its string, +and about the head of him was a ring of rays like the beams of the +sun, and at his feet was a dragon, which had crept, as it were, from +amidst of the blossomed knots of the door-post wherewith the tail of +him was yet entwined. And this head with the ring of rays about it +was wrought into the adornment of that house, both within and +without, in many other places, but on never another house of the +Dale; and it was called the House of the Face. Thereof hath the tale +much to tell hereafter, but as now it goeth on to tell of the ways of +life of the Dalesmen. + +In Burgstead was no Mote-hall or Town-house or Church, such as we wot +of in these days; and their market-place was wheresoever any might +choose to pitch a booth: but for the most part this was done in the +wide street betwixt the gate and the bridge. As to a meeting-place, +were there any small matters between man and man, these would the +Alderman or one of the Wardens deal with, sitting in Court with the +neighbours on the wide space just outside the Gate: but if it were +to do with greater matters, such as great manslayings and blood- +wites, or the making of war or ending of it, or the choosing of the +Alderman and the Wardens, such matters must be put off to the Folk- +mote, which could but be held in the place aforesaid where was the +Doom-ring and the Altar of the Gods; and at that Folk-mote both the +Shepherd-Folk and the Woodland-Carles foregathered with the Dalesmen, +and duly said their say. There also they held their great casts and +made offerings to the Gods for the Fruitfulness of the Year, the +ingathering of the increase, and in Memory of their Forefathers. +Natheless at Yule-tide also they feasted from house to house to be +glad with the rest of Midwinter, and many a cup drank at those feasts +to the memory of the fathers, and the days when the world was wider +to them, and their banners fared far afield. + +But besides these dwellings of men in the field between the wall and +the water, there were homesteads up and down the Dale whereso men +found it easy and pleasant to dwell: their halls were built of much +the same fashion as those within the Thorp; but many had a high +garth-wall cast about them, so that they might make a stout defence +in their own houses if war came into the Dale. + +As to their work afield; in many places the Dale was fair with growth +of trees, and especially were there long groves of sweet chestnut +standing on the grass, of the fruit whereof the folk had much gain. +Also on the south side nigh to the western end was a wood or two of +yew-trees very great and old, whence they gat them bow-staves, for +the Dalesmen also shot well in the bow. Much wheat and rye they +raised in the Dale, and especially at the nether end thereof. Apples +and pears and cherries and plums they had in plenty; of which trees, +some grew about the borders of the acres, some in the gardens of the +Thorp and the homesteads. On the slopes that had grown from the +breaking down here and there of the Northern cliffs, and which faced +the South and the Sun's burning, were rows of goodly vines, whereof +the folk made them enough and to spare of strong wine both white and +red. + +As to their beasts; swine they had a many, but not many sheep, since +herein they trusted to their trucking with their friends the +Shepherds; they had horses, and yet but a few, for they were stout in +going afoot; and, had they a journey to make with women big with +babes, or with children or outworn elders, they would yoke their oxen +to their wains, and go fair and softly whither they would. But the +said oxen and all their neat were exceeding big and fair, far other +than the little beasts of the Shepherd-Folk; they were either dun of +colour, or white with black horns (and those very great) and black +tail-tufts and ear-tips. Asses they had, and mules for the paths of +the mountains to the east; geese and hens enough, and dogs not a few, +great hounds stronger than wolves, sharp-nosed, long-jawed, dun of +colour, shag-haired. + +As to their wares; they were very deft weavers of wool and flax, and +made a shift to dye the thrums in fair colours; since both woad and +madder came to them good cheap by means of the merchants of the plain +country, and of greening weeds was abundance at hand. Good smiths +they were in all the metals: they washed somewhat of gold out of the +sands of the Weltering Water, and copper and tin they fetched from +the rocks of the eastern mountains; but of silver they saw little, +and iron they must buy of the merchants of the plain, who came to +them twice in the year, to wit in the spring and the late autumn just +before the snows. Their wares they bought with wool spun and in the +fleece, and fine cloth, and skins of wine and young neat both steers +and heifers, and wrought copper bowls, and gold and copper by weight, +for they had no stamped money. And they guested these merchants +well, for they loved them, because of the tales they told them of the +Plain and its cities, and the manslayings therein, and the fall of +Kings and Dukes, and the uprising of Captains. + +Thus then lived this folk in much plenty and ease of life, though not +delicately nor desiring things out of measure. They wrought with +their hands and wearied themselves; and they rested from their toil +and feasted and were merry: to-morrow was not a burden to them, nor +yesterday a thing which they would fain forget: life shamed them +not, nor did death make them afraid. + +As for the Dale wherein they dwelt, it was indeed most fair and +lovely, and they deemed it the Blessing of the Earth, and they trod +its flowery grass beside its rippled streams amidst its green tree- +boughs proudly and joyfully with goodly bodies and merry hearts. + + + +CHAPTER II. OF FACE-OF-GOD AND HIS KINDRED + + + +Tells the tale, that on an evening of late autumn when the weather +was fair, calm, and sunny, there came a man out of the wood hard by +the Mote-stead aforesaid, who sat him down at the roots of the +Speech-mound, casting down before him a roe-buck which he had just +slain in the wood. He was a young man of three and twenty summers; +he was so clad that he had on him a sheep-brown kirtle and leggings +of like stuff bound about with white leather thongs; he bore a short- +sword in his girdle and a little axe withal; the sword with fair +wrought gilded hilts and a dew-shoe of like fashion to its sheath. +He had his quiver at his back and bare in his hand his bow unstrung. +He was tall and strong, very fair of fashion both of limbs and face, +white-skinned, but for the sun's tanning, and ruddy-cheeked: his +beard was little and fine, his hair yellow and curling, cut somewhat +close, but for its length so plenteous, and so thick, that none could +fail to note it. He had no hat nor hood upon his head, nought but a +fillet of golden beads. + +As he sat down he glanced at the dale below him with a well-pleased +look, and then cast his eyes down to the grass at his feet, as though +to hold a little longer all unchanged the image of the fair place he +had just seen. The sun was low in the heavens, and his slant beams +fell yellow all up the dale, gilding the chestnut groves grown dusk +and grey with autumn, and the black masses of the elm-boughs, and +gleaming back here and there from the pools of the Weltering Water. +Down in the midmost meadows the long-horned dun kine were moving +slowly as they fed along the edges of the stream, and a dog was +bounding about with exceeding swiftness here and there among them. +At a sharply curved bight of the river the man could see a little +vermilion flame flickering about, and above it a thin blue veil of +smoke hanging in the air, and clinging to the boughs of the willows +anear; about it were a dozen menfolk clear to see, some sitting, some +standing, some walking to and fro, but all in company together: four +of were brown-clad and short-skirted like himself, and from above the +hand of one came a flash of light as the sun smote upon the steel of +his spear. The others were long-skirted and clad gayer, and amongst +them were red and blue and green and white garments, and they were +clear to be seen for women. Just as the young man looked up again, +those of them who were sitting down rose up, and those that were +strolling drew nigh, and they joined hands together, and fell to +dancing on the grass, and the dog and another one with him came up to +the dancers and raced about and betwixt them; and so clear to see +were they all and so little, being far away, that they looked like +dainty well-wrought puppets. + +The young man sat smiling at it for a little, and then rose up and +shouldered his venison, and went down into Wildlake's Way, and +presently was fairly in the Dale and striding along the Portway +beside the northern cliffs, whose greyness was gilded yet by the last +rays of the sun, though in a minute or two it would go under the +western rim. He went fast and cheerily, murmuring to himself +snatches of old songs; none overtook him on the road, but he overtook +divers folk going alone or in company toward Burgstead; swains and +old men, mothers and maidens coming from the field and the acre, or +going from house to house; and one or two he met but not many. All +these greeted him kindly, and he them again; but he stayed not to +speak with any, but went as one in haste. + +It was dusk by then he passed under the gate of Burgstead; he went +straight thence to the door of the House of the Face, and entered as +one who is at home, and need go no further, nor abide a bidding. + +The hall he came into straight out of the open air was long and +somewhat narrow and not right high; it was well-nigh dark now within, +but since he knew where to look, he could see by the flicker that +leapt up now and then from the smouldering brands of the hearth +amidmost the hall under the luffer, that there were but three men +therein, and belike they were even they whom he looked to find there, +and for their part they looked for his coming, and knew his step. + +He set down his venison on the floor, and cried out in a cheery +voice: 'Ho, Kettel! Are all men gone without doors to sleep so near +the winter-tide, that the Hall is as dark as a cave? Hither to me! +Or art thou also sleeping?' + +A voice came from the further side of the hearth: 'Yea, lord, asleep +I am, and have been, and dreaming; and in my dream I dealt with the +flesh-pots and the cake-board, and thou shalt see my dream come true +presently to thy gain.' + +Quoth another voice: 'Kettel hath had out that share of his dream +already belike, if the saw sayeth sooth about cooks. All ye have +been away, so belike he hath done as Rafe's dog when Rafe ran away +from the slain buck.' + +He laughed therewith, and Kettel with him, and a third voice joined +the laughter. The young man also laughed and said: 'Here I bring +the venison which my kinsman desired; but as ye see I have brought it +over-late: but take it, Kettel. When cometh my father from the +stithy?' + +Quoth Kettel: 'My lord hath been hard at it shaping the Yule-tide +sword, and doth not lightly leave such work, as ye wot, but he will +be here presently, for he has sent to bid us dight for supper +straightway.' + +Said the young man: 'Where are there lords in the dale, Kettel, or +hast thou made some thyself, that thou must be always throwing them +in my teeth?' + +'Son of the Alderman,' said Kettel, 'ye call me Kettel, which is no +name of mine, so why should I not call thee lord, which is no dignity +of thine, since it goes well over my tongue from old use and wont? +But here comes my mate of the kettle, and the women and lads. Sit +down by the hearth away from their hurry, and I will fetch thee the +hand-water.' + +The young man sat down, and Kettel took up the venison and went his +ways toward the door at the lower end of the hall; but ere he reached +it it opened, and a noisy crowd entered of men, women, boys, and +dogs, some bearing great wax candles, some bowls and cups and dishes +and trenchers, and some the boards for the meal. + +The young man sat quiet smiling and winking his eyes at the sudden +flood of light let into the dark place; he took in without looking at +this or the other thing the aspect of his Fathers' House, so long +familiar to him; yet to-night he had a pleasure in it above his wont, +and in all the stir of the household; for the thought of the wood +wherein he had wandered all day yet hung heavy upon him. Came one of +the girls and cast fresh brands on the smouldering fire and stirred +it into a blaze, and the wax candles were set up on the dais, so that +between them and the mew-quickened fire every corner of the hall was +bright. As aforesaid it was long and narrow, over-arched with stone +and not right high, the windows high up under the springing of the +roof-arch and all on the side toward the street; over against them +were the arches of the shut-beds of the housemates. The walls were +bare that evening, but folk were wont to hang up hallings of woven +pictures thereon when feasts and high-days were toward; and all along +the walls were the tenter-hooks for that purpose, and divers weapons +and tools were hanging from them here and there. About the dais +behind the thwart-table were now stuck for adornment leavy boughs of +oak now just beginning to turn with the first frosts. High up on the +gable wall above the tenter-hooks for the hangings were carven fair +imagery and knots and twining stems; for there in the hewn atone was +set forth that same image with the rayed head that was on the outside +wall, and he was smiting the dragon and slaying him; but here inside +the house all this was stained in fair and lively colours, and the +sun-like rays round the head of the image were of beaten gold. At +the lower end of the hall were two doors going into the butteries, +and kitchen, and other out-bowers; and above these doors was a loft +upborne by stone pillars, which loft was the sleeping chamber of the +goodman of the house; but the outward door was halfway between the +said loft and the hearth of the hall. + +So the young man took the shoes from his feet and then sat watching +the women and lads arraying the boards, till Kettel came again to him +with an old woman bearing the ewer and basin, who washed his feet and +poured the water over his hands, and gave him the towel with fair- +broidered ends to dry them withal. + +Scarce had he made an end of this ere through the outer door came in +three men and a young woman with them; the foremost of these was a +man younger by some two years than the first-comer, but so like him +that none might misdoubt that he was his brother; the next was an old +man with a long white beard, but hale and upright; and lastly came a +man of middle-age, who led the young woman by the hand. He was +taller than the first of the young men, though the other who entered +with him outwent him in height; a stark carle he was, broad across +the shoulders, thin in the flank, long-armed and big-handed; very +noble and well-fashioned of countenance, with a straight nose and +grey eyes underneath a broad brow: his hair grown somewhat scanty +was done about with a fillet of golden beads like the young men his +sons. For indeed this was their father, and the master of the House. + +His name was Iron-face, for he was the deftest of weapon-smiths, and +he was the Alderman of the Dalesmen, and well-beloved of them; his +kindred was deemed the noblest of the Dale, and long had they dwelt +in the House of the Face. But of his sons the youngest, the new- +comer, was named Hall-face, and his brother the elder Face-of-god; +which name was of old use amongst the kindred, and many great men and +stout warriors had borne it aforetime: and this young man, in great +love had he been gotten, and in much hope had he been reared, and +therefore had he been named after the best of the kindred. But his +mother, who was hight the Jewel, and had been a very fair woman, was +dead now, and Iron-face lacked a wife. + +Face-of-god was well-beloved of his kindred and of all the Folk of +the Dale, and he had gotten a to-name, and was called Gold-mane +because of the abundance and fairness of his hair. + +As for the young woman that was led in by Iron-face, she was the +betrothed of Face-of-god, and her name was the Bride. She looked +with such eyes of love on him when she saw him in the hall, as though +she had never seen him before but once, nor loved him but since +yesterday; though in truth they had grown up together and had seen +each other most days of the year for many years. She was of the +kindred with whom the chiefs and great men of the Face mostly wedded, +which was indeed far away kindred of them. She was a fair woman and +strong: not easily daunted amidst perils she was hardy and handy and +light-foot: she could swim as well as any, and could shoot well in +the bow, and wield sword and spear: yet was she kind and +compassionate, and of great courtesy, and the very dogs and kine +trusted in her and loved her. Her hair was dark red of hue, long and +fine and plenteous, her eyes great and brown, her brow broad and very +fair, her lips fine and red: her cheek not ruddy, yet nowise sallow, +but clear and bright: tall she was and of excellent fashion, but +well-knit and well-measured rather than slender and wavering as the +willow-bough. Her voice was sweet and soft, her words few, but +exceeding dear to the listener. In short, she was a woman born to be +the ransom of her Folk. + +Now as to the names which the menfolk of the Face bore, and they an +ancient kindred, a kindred of chieftains, it has been said that in +times past their image of the God of the Earth had over his treen +face a mask of beaten gold fashioned to the shape of the image; and +that when the Alderman of the Folk died, he to wit who served the God +and bore on his arm the gold-ring between the people and the altar, +this visor or face of God was laid over the face of him who had been +in a manner his priest, and therewith he was borne to mound; and the +new Alderman and priest had it in charge to fashion a new visor for +the God; and whereas for long this great kindred had been chieftains +of the people, they had been, and were all so named, that the word +Face was ever a part of their names. + + + +CHAPTER III. THEY TALK OF DIVERS MATTERS IN THE HALL + + + +Now Face-of-god, who is also called Gold-mane, rose up to meet the +new-comers, and each of them greeted him kindly, and the Bride kissed +him on the cheek, and he her in likewise; and he looked kindly on +her, and took her hand, and went on up the hall to the dais, +following his father and the old man; as for him, he was of the +kindred of the House, and was foster-father of Iron-face and of his +sons both; and his name was Stone-face: a stark warrior had he been +when he was young, and even now he could do a man's work in the +battlefield, and his understanding was as good as that of a man in +his prime. So went these and four others up on to the dais and sat +down before the thwart-table looking down the hall, for the meat was +now on the board; and of the others there were some fifty men and +women who were deemed to be of the kindred and sat at the endlong +tables. + +So then the Alderman stood up and made the sign of the Hammer over +the meat, the token of his craft and of his God. Then they fell to +with good hearts, for there was enough and to spare of meat and +drink. There was bread and flesh (though not Gold-mane's venison), +and leeks and roasted chestnuts of the grove, and red-cheeked apples +of the garth, and honey enough of that year's gathering, and medlars +sharp and mellow: moreover, good wine of the western bents went up +and down the hall in great gilded copper bowls and in mazers girt and +lipped with gold. + +But when they were full of meat, and had drunken somewhat, they fell +to speech, and Iron-face spake aloud to his son, who had but been +speaking softly to the Bride as one playmate to the other: but the +Alderman said: 'Scarce are the wood-deer grown, kinsman, when I must +needs eat sheep's flesh on a Thursday, though my son has lain abroad +in the woods all night to hunt for me.' + +And therewith he smiled in the young man's face; but Gold-mane +reddened and said: 'So is it, kinsman, I can hit what I can see; but +not what is hidden.' + +Iron-face laughed and said: 'Hast thou been to the Woodland-Carles? +are their women fairer than our cousins?' + +Face-of-god took up the Bride's hand in his and kissed it and laid it +to his cheek; and then turned to his father and said: 'Nay, father, +I saw not the Wood-carles, nor went to their abode; and on no day do +I lust after their women. Moreover, I brought home a roebuck of the +fattest; but I was over-late for Kettel, and the flesh was ready for +the board by then I came.' + +'Well, son,' quoth Iron-face, for he was merry, 'a roebuck is but a +little deer for such big men as are thou and I. But I rede thee take +the Bride along with thee the next time; and she shall seek whilest +thou sleepest, and hit when thou missest.' + +Then Face-of-god smiled, but he frowned somewhat also, and he said: +'Well were that, indeed! But if ye must needs drag a true tale out +of me: that roebuck I shot at the very edge of the wood nigh to the +Mote-stead as I was coming home: harts had I seen in the wood and +its lawns, and boars, and bucks, and loosed not at them: for indeed +when I awoke in the morning in that wood-lawn ye wot of, I wandered +up and down with my bow unbent. So it was that I fared as if I were +seeking something, I know not what, that should fill up something +lacking to me, I know not what. Thus I felt in myself even so long +as I was underneath the black boughs, and there was none beside me +and before me, and none to turn aback to: but when I came out again +into the sunshine, and I saw the fair dale, and the happy abode lying +before me, and folk abroad in the meads merry in the eventide; then +was I full fain of it, and loathed the wood as an empty thing that +had nought to give me; and lo you! all that I had been longing for in +the wood, was it not in this House and ready to my hand?--and that is +good meseemeth.' + +Therewith he drank of the cup which the Bride put into his hand after +she had kissed the rim, but when he had set it down again he spake +once more: + +'And yet now I am sitting honoured and well-beloved in the House of +my Fathers, with the holy hearth sparkling and gleaming down there +before me; and she that shall bear my children sitting soft and kind +by my side, and the bold lads I shall one day lead in battle drinking +out of my very cup: now it seems to me that amidst all this, the +dark cold wood, wherein abide but the beasts and the Foes of the +Gods, is bidding me to it and drawing me thither. Narrow is the Dale +and the World is wide; I would it were dawn and daylight, that I +might be afoot again.' + +And he half rose up from his place. But his father bent his brow on +him and said: 'Kinsman, thou hast a long tongue for a half-trained +whelp: nor see I whitherward thy mind is wandering, but if it be on +the road of a lad's desire to go further and fare worse. Hearken +then, I will offer thee somewhat! Soon shall the West-country +merchants be here with their winter truck. How sayest thou? hast +thou a mind to fare back with them, and look on the Plain and its +Cities, and take and give with the strangers? To whom indeed thou +shalt be nothing save a purse with a few lumps of gold in it, or +maybe a spear in the stranger's band on the stricken field, or a bow +on the wall of an alien city. This is a craft which thou mayst well +learn, since thou shalt be a chieftain; a craft good to learn, +however grievous it be in the learning. And I myself have been +there; for in my youth I desired sore to look on the world beyond the +mountains; so I went, and I filled my belly with the fruit of my own +desires, and a bitter meat was that; but now that it has passed +through me, and I yet alive, belike I am more of a grown man for +having endured its gripe. Even so may it well be with thee, son; so +go if thou wilt; and thou shalt go with my blessing, and with gold +and wares and wain and spearmen.' + +'Nay,' said Face-of-god, 'I thank thee, for it is well offered; but I +will not go, for I have no lust for the Plain and its Cities; I love +the Dale well, and all that is round about it; therein will I live +and die.' + +Therewith he fell a-musing; and the Bride looked at him anxiously, +but spake not. Sooth to say her heart was sinking, as though she +foreboded some new thing, which should thrust itself into their merry +life. + +But the old man Stone-face took up the word and said: + +'Son Gold-mane, it behoveth me to speak, since belike I know the +wild-wood better than most, and have done for these three-score and +ten years; to my cost. Now I perceive that thou longest for the wood +and the innermost of it; and wot ye what? This longing will at +whiles entangle the sons of our chieftains, though this Alderman that +now is hath been free therefrom, which is well for him. For, time +was this longing came over me, and I went whither it led me: +overlong it were to tell of all that befell me because of it, and how +my heart bled thereby. So sorry were the tidings that came of it, +that now meseemeth my heart should be of stone and not my face, had +it not been for the love wherewith I have loved the sons of the +kindred. Therefore, son, it were not ill if ye went west away with +the merchants this winter, and learned the dealings of the cities, +and brought us back tales thereof.' + +But Gold-mane cried out somewhat angrily, 'I tell thee, foster- +father, that I have no mind for the cities and their men and their +fools and their whores and their runagates. But as for the wood and +its wonders, I have done with it, save for hunting there along with +others of the Folk. So let thy mind be at ease; and for the rest, I +will do what the Alderman commandeth, and whatso my father craveth of +me.' + +'And that is well, son,' said Stone-face, 'if what ye say come to +pass, as sore I misdoubt me it will not. But well it were, well it +were! For such things are in the wood, yea and before ye come to its +innermost, as may well try the stoutest heart. Therein are Kobbolds, +and Wights that love not men, things unto whom the grief of men is as +the sound of the fiddle-bow unto us. And there abide the ghosts of +those that may not rest; and there wander the dwarfs and the +mountain-dwellers, the dealers in marvels, the givers of gifts that +destroy Houses; the forgers of the curse that clingeth and the murder +that flitteth to and fro. There moreover are the lairs of Wights in +the shapes of women, that draw a young man's heart out of his body, +and fill up the empty place with desire never to be satisfied, that +they may mock him therewith and waste his manhood and destroy him. +Nor say I much of the strong-thieves that dwell there, since thou art +a valiant sword; or of them who have been made Wolves of the Holy +Places; or of the Murder-Carles, the remnants and off-scourings of +wicked and wretched Folks--men who think as much of the life of a man +as of the life of a fly. Yet happiest is the man whom they shall +tear in pieces, than he who shall live burdened by the curse of the +Foes of the Gods.' + +The housemaster looked on his son as the old carle spake, and a cloud +gathered on his face a while; and when Stone-face had made an end he +spake: + +'This is long and evil talk for the end of a merry day, O fosterer! +Wilt thou not drink a draught, O Redesman, and then stand up and set +thy fiddle-bow a-dancing, and cause it draw some fair words after it? +For my cousin's face hath grown sadder than a young maid's should be, +and my son's eyes gleam with thoughts that are far away from us and +abroad in the wild-wood seeking marvels.' + +Then arose a man of middle-age from the top of the endlong bench on +the east side of the hall: a man tall, thin and scant-haired, with a +nose like an eagle's neb: he reached out his hand for the bowl, and +when they had given to him he handled it, and raised it aloft and +cried: + +'Here I drink a double health to Face-of-god and the Bride, and the +love that lieth between them, and the love betwixt them twain and +us.' + +He drank therewith, and the wine went up and down the hall, and all +men drank, both carles and queens, with shouting and great joy. Then +Redesman put down the cup (for it had come into his hands again), and +reached his hand to the wall behind him, and took down his fiddle +hanging there in its case, and drew it out and fell to tuning it, +while the hall grew silent to hearken: then he handled the bow and +laid it on the strings till they wailed and chuckled sweetly, and +when the song was well awake and stirring briskly, then he lifted up +his voice and sang: + + +The Minstrel saith: + +'O why on this morning, ye maids, are ye tripping + Aloof from the meadows yet fresh with the dew, +Where under the west wind the river is lipping + The fragrance of mint, the white blooms and the blue? + +For rough is the Portway where panting ye wander; + On your feet and your gown-hems the dust lieth dun; +Come trip through the grass and the meadow-sweet yonder, + And forget neath the willows the sword of the sun. + +The Maidens answer: + +Though fair are the moon-daisies down by the river, + And soft is the grass and the white clover sweet; +Though twixt us and the rock-wall the hot glare doth quiver, + And the dust of the wheel-way is dun on our feet; + +Yet here on the way shall we walk on this morning + Though the sun burneth here, and sweet, cool is the mead; +For here when in old days the Burg gave its warning, + Stood stark under weapons the doughty of deed. + +Here came on the aliens their proud words a-crying, + And here on our threshold they stumbled and fell; +Here silent at even the steel-clad were lying, + And here were our mothers the story to tell. + +Here then on the morn of the eve of the wedding + We pray to the Mighty that we too may bear +Such war-walls for warding of orchard and steading, + That the new days be merry as old days were dear.' + + +Therewith he made an end, and shouts and glad cries arose all about +the hall; and an old man arose and cried: 'A cup to the memory of +the Mighty of the Day of the Warding of the Ways.' For you must know +this song told of a custom of the Folk, held in memory of a time of +bygone battle, wherein they had overthrown a great host of aliens on +the Portway betwixt the river and the cliffs, two furlongs from the +gate of Burgstead. So now two weeks before Midsummer those maidens +who were presently to be wedded went early in the morning to that +place clad in very fair raiment, swords girt to their sides and +spears in their hands, and abode there on the highway from morn till +even as though they were a guard to it. And they made merry there, +singing songs and telling tales of times past: and at the sunsetting +their grooms came to fetch them away to the Feast of the Eve of the +Wedding. + +While the song was a-singing Face-of-god took the Bride's hand in his +and caressed it, and was soft and blithe with her; and she reddened +and trembled for pleasure, and called to mind wedding feasts that had +been, and fair brides that she had seen thereat, and she forgot her +fears and her heart was at peace again. + +And Iron-face looked well-pleased on the two from time to time, and +smiled, but forbore words to them. + +But up and down the hall men talked with one another about things +long ago betid: for their hearts were high and they desired deeds; +but in that fair Dale so happy were the years from day to day that +there was but little to tell of. So deepened the night and waned, +and Gold-mane and the Bride still talked sweetly together, and at +whiles kindly to the others; and by seeming he had clean forgotten +the wood and its wonders. + +Then at last the Alderman called for the cup of good-night, and men +drank thereof and went their ways to bed. + + + +CHAPTER IV. FACE-OF-GOD FARETH TO THE WOOD AGAIN + + + +When it was the earliest morning and dawn was but just beginning, +Face-of-god awoke and rose up from his bed, and came forth into the +hall naked in his shirt, and stood by the hearth, wherein the piled- +up embers were yet red, and looked about and could see nothing +stirring in the dimness: then he fetched water and washed the night- +tide off him, and clad himself in haste, and was even as he was +yesterday, save that he left his bow and quiver in their place and +took instead a short casting-spear; moreover he took a leathern scrip +and went therewith to the buttery, and set therein bread and flesh +and a little gilded beaker; and all this he did with but little +noise; for he would not be questioned, lest he should have to answer +himself as well as others. + +Thus he went quietly out of doors, for the door was but latched, +since no bolts or bars or locks were used in Burgstead, and through +the town-gate, which stood open, save when rumours of war were about. +He turned his face straight towards Wildlake's Way, walking briskly, +but at whiles looking back over his shoulder toward the East to note +what way was made by the dawning, and how the sky lightened above the +mountain passes. + +By then he was come to the place where the Maiden Ward was held in +the summer the dawn was so far forward that all things had their due +colours, and were clear to see in the shadowless day. It was a +bright morning, with an easterly air stirring that drave away the +haze and dried the meadows, which had otherwise been rimy; for it was +cold. Gold-mane lingered on the place a little, and his eyes fell on +the road, as dusty yet as in Redesman's song; for the autumn had been +very dry, and the strip of green that edged the outside of the way +was worn and dusty also. On the edge of it, half in the dusty road, +half on the worn grass, was a long twine of briony red-berried and +black-leaved; and right in the midst of the road were two twigs of +great-leaved sturdy pollard oak, as though they had been thrown aside +there yesterday by women or children a-sporting; and the deep white +dust yet held the marks of feet, some bare, some shod, crossing each +other here and there. Face-of-god smiled as he passed on, as a man +with a happy thought; for his mind showed him a picture of the Bride +as she would be leading the Maiden Ward next summer, and singing +first among the singers, and he saw her as clearly as he had often +seen her verily, and before him was the fashion of her hands and all +her body, and the little mark on her right wrist, and the place where +her arm whitened, because the sleeve guarded it against the sun, +which had long been pleasant unto him, and the little hollow in her +chin, and the lock of red-brown hair waving in the wind above her +brow, and shining in the sun as brightly as the Alderman's cunningest +work of golden wire. Soft and sweet seemed that picture, till he +almost seemed to hear her sweet voice calling to him, and desire of +her so took hold of the youth, that it stirred him up to go swiftlier +as he strode on, the day brightening behind him. + +Now was it nigh sunrise, and he began to meet folk on the way, though +not many; since for most their way lay afield, and not towards the +Burg. The first was a Woodlander, tall and gaunt, striding beside +his ass, whose panniers were laden with charcoal. The carle's +daughter, a little maiden of seven winters, riding on the ass's back +betwixt the panniers, and prattling to herself in the cold morning; +for she was pleased with the clear light in the east, and the smooth +wide turf of the meadows, as one who had not often been far from the +shadow of the heavy trees of the wood, and their dark wall round +about the clearing where they dwelt. Face-of-god gave the twain the +sele of the day in merry fashion as he passed them by, and the sober +dark-faced man nodded to him but spake no word, and the child stayed +her prattle to watch him as he went by. + +Then came the sound of the rattle of wheels, and, as he doubled an +angle of the rock-wall, he came upon a wain drawn by four dun kine, +wherein lay a young woman all muffled up against the cold with furs +and cloths; beside the yoke-beasts went her man, a well-knit trim- +faced Dalesman clad bravely in holiday raiment, girt with a goodly +sword, bearing a bright steel helm on his head, in his hand a long +spear with a gay red and white shaft done about with copper bands. +He looked merry and proud of his wain-load, and the woman was smiling +kindly on him from out of her scarlet and fur; but now she turned a +weary happy face on Gold-mane, for they knew him, as did all men of +the Dale. + +So he stopped when they met, for the goodman had already stayed his +slow beasts, and the goodwife had risen a little on her cushions to +greet him, yet slowly and but a little, for she was great with child, +and not far from her time. That knew Gold-mane well, and what was +toward, and why the goodman wore his fine clothes, and why the wain +was decked with oak-boughs and the yoke-beasts with their best gilded +bells and copper-adorned harness. For it was a custom with many of +the kindreds that the goodwife should fare to her father's house to +lie in with her first babe, and the day of her coming home was made a +great feast in the house. So then Face-of-god cried out: 'Hail to +thee, O Warcliff! Shrewd is the wind this morning, and thou dost +well to heed it carefully, this thine orchard, this thy garden, this +thy fair apple-tree! To a good hall thou wendest, and the Wine of +Increase shall be sweet there this even.' + +Then smiled Warcliff all across his face, and the goodwife hung her +head and reddened. Said the goodman: 'Wilt thou not be with us, son +of the Alderman, as surely thy father shall be?' + +'Nay,' said Face-of-god, 'though I were fain of it: my own matters +carry me away.' + +'What matters?' said Warcliff; 'perchance thou art for the cities +this autumn?' + +Face-of-god answered somewhat stiffly: 'Nay, I am not;' and then +more kindly, and smiling, 'All roads lead not down to the Plain, +friend.' + +'What road then farest thou away from us?' said the goodwife. + +'The way of my will,' he answered. + +'And what way is that?' said she; 'take heed, lest I get a longing to +know. For then must thou needs tell me, or deal with the carle there +beside thee.' + +'Nay, goodwife,' said Face-of-god, 'let not that longing take thee; +for on that matter I am even as wise as thou. Now good speed to thee +and to the new-comer!' + +Therewith he went close up to the wain, and reached out his hand to +her, and she gave him hers and he kissed it, and so went his ways +smiling kindly on them. Then the carle cried to his kine, and they +bent down their heads to the yoke; and presently, as he walked on, he +heard the rumble of the wain mingling with the tinkling of their +bells, which in a little while became measured and musical, and +sounded above the creaking of the axles and the rattle of the gear +and the roll of the great wheels over the road: and so it grew +thinner and thinner till it all died away behind him. + +He was now come to where the river turned away from the sheer rock- +wall, which was not so high there as in most other places, as there +had been in old time long screes from the cliff, which had now grown +together, with the waxing of herbs and the washing down of the earth +on to them, and made a steady slope or low hill going down riverward. +Over this the road lifted itself above the level of the meadows, +keeping a little way from the cliffs, while on the other side its +bank was somewhat broken and steep here and there. As Face-of-god +came up to one of these broken places, the sun rose over the eastern +pass, and the meadows grew golden with its long beams. He lingered, +and looked back under his hand, and as he did so heard the voices and +laughter of women coming up from the slope below him, and presently a +young woman came struggling up the broken bank with hand and knee, +and cast herself down on the roadside turf laughing and panting. She +was a long-limbed light-made woman, dark-faced and black-haired: +amidst her laughter she looked up and saw Gold-mane, who had stopped +at once when he saw her; she held out her hands to him, and said +lightly, though her face flushed withal: + +'Come hither, thou, and help the others to climb the bank; for they +are beaten in the race, and now must they do after my will; that was +the forfeit.' + +He went up to her, and took her hands and kissed them, as was the +custom of the Dale, and said: + +'Hail to thee, Long-coat! who be they, and whither away this morning +early?' + +She looked hard at him, and fondly belike, as she answered slowly: +'They be the two maidens of my father's house, whom thou knowest; and +our errand, all three of us, is to Burgstead, the Feast of the Wine +of Increase which shall be drunk this even.' + +As she spake came another woman half up the bank, to whom went Face- +of-god, and, taking her hands, drew her up while she laughed merrily +in his face: he saluted her as he had Long-coat, and then with a +laugh turned about to wait for the third; who came indeed, but after +a little while, for she had abided, hearing their voices. Her also +Gold-mane drew up, and kissed her hands, and she lay on the grass by +Long-coat, but the second maiden stood up beside the young man. She +was white-skinned and golden-haired, a very fair damsel, whereas the +last-comer was but comely, as were well-nigh all the women of the +Dale. + +Said Face-of-god, looking on the three: 'How comes it, maidens, that +ye are but in your kirtles this sharp autumn morning? or where have +ye left your gowns or your cloaks?' + +For indeed they were clad but in close-fitting blue kirtles of fine +wool, embroidered about the hems with gold and coloured threads. + +The last-comer laughed and said: 'What ails thee, Gold-mane, to be +so careful of us, as if thou wert our mother or our nurse? Yet if +thou must needs know, there hang our gowns on the thorn-bush down +yonder; for we have been running a match and a forfeit; to wit, that +she who was last on the highway should go down again and bring them +up all three; and now that is my day's work: but since thou art +here, Alderman's son, thou shalt go down instead of me and fetch them +up.' + +But he laughed merrily and outright, and said: 'That will I not, for +there be but twenty-four hours in the day, and what between eating +and drinking and talking to fair maidens, I have enough to do in +every one of them. Wasteful are ye women, and simple is your +forfeit. Now will I, who am the Alderman's son, give forth a doom, +and will ordain that one of you fetch up the gowns yourselves, and +that Long-coat be the one; for she is the fleetest-footed and ablest +thereto. Will ye take my doom? for later on I shall not be wiser.' + +'Yea,' said the fair woman, 'not because thou art the Alderman's son, +but because thou art the fairest man of the Dale, and mayst bid us +poor souls what thou wilt.' + +Face-of-god reddened at her words, and the speaker and the last-comer +laughed; but Long-coat held her peace: she cast one very sober look +on him, and then ran lightly down the bent; he drew near the edge of +it, and watched her going; for her light-foot slimness was fair to +look on: and he noted that when she was nigh the thorn-bush whereon +hung the bright-broidered gowns, and deemed belike that she was not +seen, she kissed both her hands where he had kissed them erst. + +Thereat he drew aback and turned away shyly, scarce looking at the +other twain, who smiled on him with somewhat jeering looks; but he +bade them farewell and departed speedily; and if they spoke, it was +but softly, for he heard their voices no more. + +He went on under the sunlight which was now gilding the outstanding +stones of the cliffs, and still his mind was set upon the Bride; and +his meeting with the mother of the yet unborn baby, and with the +three women with their freshness and fairness, did somehow turn his +thought the more upon her, since she was the woman who was to be his +amongst all women, for she was far fairer than any one of them; and +through all manner of life and through all kinds of deeds would he be +with her, and know more of her fairness and kindness than any other +could: and him-seemed he could see pictures of her and of him amidst +all these deeds and ways. + +Now he went very swiftly; for he was eager, though he knew not for +what, and he thought but little of the things on which his eyes fell. +He met none else on the road till he was come to Wildlake's Way, +though he saw folk enough down in the meadows; he was soon amidst the +first of the trees, and without making any stay set his face east and +somewhat north, that is, toward the slopes that led to the great +mountains. He said to himself aloud, as he wended the wood: +'Strange! yestereven I thought much of the wood, and I set my mind on +not going thither, and this morning I thought nothing of it, and here +am I amidst its trees, and wending towards its innermost.' + +His way was easy at first, because the wood for a little space was +all of beech, so that there was no undergrowth, and he went lightly +betwixt the tall grey and smooth boles; albeit his heart was nought +so gay as it was in the dale amidst the sunshine. After a while the +beech-wood grew thinner, and at last gave out altogether, and he came +into a space of rough broken ground with nought but a few scrubby +oaks and thorn-bushes growing thereon here and there. The sun was +high in the heavens now, and shone brightly down on the waste, though +there were a few white clouds high up above him. The rabbits +scuttled out of the grass before him; here and there he turned aside +from a stone on which lay coiled an adder sunning itself; now and +again both hart and hind bounded away from before him, or a sounder +of wild swine ran grunting away toward closer covert. But nought did +he see but the common sights and sounds of the woodland; nor did he +look for aught else, for he knew this part of the woodland +indifferent well. + +He held on over this treeless waste for an hour or more, when the +ground began to be less rugged, and he came upon trees again, but +thinly scattered, oak and ash and hornbeam not right great, with +thickets of holly and blackthorn between them. The set of the ground +was still steadily up to the east and north-east, and he followed it +as one who wendeth an assured way. At last before him seemed to rise +a wall of trees and thicket; but when he drew near to it, lo! an +opening in a certain place, and a little path as if men were wont to +thread the tangle of the wood thereby; though hitherto he had noted +no slot of men, nor any sign of them, since he had plunged into the +deep of the beech-wood. He took the path as one who needs must, and +went his ways as it led. In sooth it was well-nigh blind, but he was +a deft woodsman, and by means of it skirted many a close thicket that +had otherwise stayed him. So on he went, and though the boughs were +close enough overhead, and the sun came through but in flecks, he +judged that it was growing towards noon, and he wotted well that he +was growing aweary. For he had been long afoot, and the more part of +the time on a rough way, or breasting a slope which was at whiles +steep enough. + +At last the track led him skirting about an exceeding close thicket +into a small clearing, through which ran a little woodland rill +amidst rushes and dead leaves: there was a low mound near the +eastern side of this wood-lawn, as though there had been once a +dwelling of man there, but no other sign or slot of man was there. + +So Face-of-god made stay in that place, casting himself down beside +the rill to rest him and eat and drink somewhat. Whatever thoughts +had been with him through the wood (and they been many) concerning +his House and his name, and his father, and the journey he might make +to the cities of the Westland, and what was to befall him when he was +wedded, and what war or trouble should be on his hands--all this was +now mingled together and confused by this rest amidst his weariness. +He laid down his scrip, and drew his meat from it and ate what he +would, and dipping his gilded beaker into the brook, drank water +smacking of the damp musty savour of the woodland; and then his head +sank back on a little mound in the short turf, and he fell asleep at +once. A long dream he had in short space; and therein were blent his +thoughts of the morning with the deeds of yesterday; and other +matters long forgotten in his waking hours came back to his slumber +in unordered confusion: all which made up for him pictures clear, +but of little meaning, save that, as oft befalls in dreams, whatever +he was a-doing he felt himself belated. + +When he awoke, smiling at something strange in his gone-by dream, he +looked up to the heavens, thinking to see signs of the even at hand, +for he seemed to have been dreaming so long. The sky was thinly +overcast by now, but by his wonted woodcraft he knew the whereabouts +of the sun, and that it was scant an hour after noon. He sat there +till he was wholly awake, and then drank once more of the woodland +water; and he said to himself, but out loud, for he was fain of the +sound of a man's voice, though it were but his own: + +'What is mine errand hither? Whither wend I? What shall I have done +to-morrow that I have hitherto left undone? Or what manner of man +shall I be then other than I am now?' + +Yet though he said the words he failed to think the thought, or it +left him in a moment of time, and he thought but of the Bride and her +kindness. Yet that abode with him but a moment, and again he saw +himself and those two women on the highway edge, and Long-coat +lingering on the slope below, kissing his kisses on her hands; and he +was sorry that she desired him over-much, for she was a fair woman +and a friendly. But all that also flowed from him at once, and he +had no thought in him but that he also desired something that he +lacked: and this was a burden to him, and he rose up frowning, and +said to himself, 'Am I become a mere sport of dreams, whether I sleep +or wake? I will go backward--or forward, but will think no more.' + +Then he ordered his gear again, and took the path onward and upward +toward the Great Mountains; and the track was even fainter than +before for a while, so that he had to seek his way diligently. + + + +CHAPTER V. FACE-OF-GOD FALLS IN WITH MENFOLK ON THE MOUNTAIN + + + +Now he plodded on steadily, and for a long time the forest changed +but little, and of wild things he saw only a few of those that love +the closest covert. The ground still went up and up, though at +whiles were hollows, and steeper bents out of them again, and the +half-blind path or slot still led past the close thickets and fallen +trees, and he made way without let or hindrance. At last once more +the wood began to thin, and the trees themselves to be smaller and +gnarled and ill-grown: therewithal the day was waning, and the sky +was quite clear again as the afternoon grew into a fair autumn +evening. + +Now the trees failed altogether, and the slope grown steeper was +covered with heather and ling; and looking up, he saw before him +quite near by seeming in the clear even (though indeed they were yet +far away) the snowy peaks flushed with the sinking sun against the +frosty dark-grey eastern sky; and below them the dark rock-mountains, +and below these again, and nigh to him indeed, the fells covered with +pine-woods and looking like a wall to the heaths he trod. + +He stayed a little while and turned his head to look at the way +whereby he had come; but that way a swell of the oak-forest hid +everything but the wood itself, making a wall behind him as the pine- +wood made a wall before. There came across him then a sharp memory +of the boding words which Stone-face had spoken last night, and he +felt as if he were now indeed within the trap. But presently he +laughed and said: 'I am a fool: this comes of being alone in the +dark wood and the dismal waste, after the merry faces of the Dale had +swept away my foolish musings of yesterday and the day before. Lo! +here I stand, a man of the Face, sword and axe by my side; if death +come, it can but come once; and if I fear not death, what shall make +me afraid? The Gods hate me not, and will not hurt me; and they are +not ugly, but beauteous.' + +Therewith he strode on again, and soon came to a place where the +ground sank into a shallow valley and the ling gave place to grass +for a while, and there were tall old pines scattered about, and +betwixt them grey rocks; this he passed through, climbing a steep +bent out of it, and the pines were all about him now, though growing +wide apart, till at last he came to where they thickened into a wood, +not very close, wherethrough he went merrily, singing to himself and +swinging his spear. He was soon through this wood, and came on to a +wide well-grassed wood-lawn, hedged by the wood aforesaid on three +sides, but sloping up slowly toward the black wall of the thicker +pine-wood on the fourth side, and about half a furlong overthwart and +endlong. The sun had set while he was in the last wood, but it was +still broad daylight on the wood-lawn, and as he stood there he was +ware of a house under the pine-wood on the other side, built long and +low, much like the houses of the Woodland-Carles, but rougher +fashioned and of unhewn trees. He gazed on it, and said aloud to +himself as his wont was: + +'Marvellous! here is a dwelling of man, scarce a day's journey from +Burgstead; yet have I never heard tell of it: may happen some of the +Woodland-Carles have built it, and are on some errand of hunting +peltries up in the mountains, or maybe are seeking copper and tin +among the rocks. Well, at least let us go see what manner of men +dwell there, and if they are minded for a guest to-night; for fain +were I of a bed beneath a roof, and of a board with strong meat and +drink on it.' + +Therewith he set forward, not heeding much that the wood he had +passed through was hard on his left hand; but he had gone but twenty +paces when he saw a red thing at the edge of the wood, and then a +glitter, and a spear came whistling forth, and smote his own spear so +hard close to the steel that it flew out of his hand; then came a +great shout, and a man clad in a scarlet kirtle ran forth on him. +Face-of-god had his axe in his hand in a twinkling, and ran at once +to meet his foe; but the man had the hill on his side as he rushed on +with a short-sword in his hand. Axe and sword clashed together for a +moment of time, and then both the men rolled over on the grass +together, and Face-of-god as he fell deemed that he heard the shrill +cry of a woman. Now Face-of-god found that he was the nethermost, +for if he was strong, yet was his foe stronger; the axe had flown out +of his hand also, while the strange man still kept a hold of his +short-sword; and presently, though he still struggled all he could, +he saw the man draw back his hand to smite with the said sword; and +at that nick of time the foeman's knee was on his breast, his left +hand was doubled back behind him, and his right wrist was gripped +hard in the stranger's left hand. Even therewith his ears, sharpened +by the coming death, heard the sound of footsteps and fluttering +raiment drawing near; something dark came between him and the sky; +there was the sound of a great stroke, and the big man loosened his +grip and fell off him to one side. + +Face-of-god leapt up and ran to his axe and got hold of it; but +turning round found himself face to face with a tall woman holding in +her hand a stout staff like the limb of a tree. She was calm and +smiling, though forsooth it was she who had stricken the stroke and +stayed the sword from his throat. His hand and axe dropped down to +his side when he saw what it was that faced him, and that the woman +was young and fair; so he spake to her and said: + +'What aileth, maiden? is this man thy foe? doth he oppress thee? +shall I slay him?' + +She laughed and said: 'Thou art open-handed in thy proffers: he +might have asked the like concerning thee but a minute ago.' + +'Yea, yea,' said Gold-mane, laughing also, 'but he asked it not of +thee.' + +'That is sooth,' she said, 'but since thou hast asked me, I will tell +thee that if thou slay him it will be my harm as well as his; and in +my country a man that taketh a gift is not wont to break the giver's +head with it straightway. The man is my brother, O stranger, and +presently, if thou wilt, thou mayst be eating at the same board with +him. Or if thou wilt, thou mayst go thy ways unhurt into the wood. +But I had liefer of the twain that thou wert in our house to-night; +for thou hast a wrong against us.' + +Her voice was sweet and clear, and she spake the last words kindly, +and drew somewhat nigher to Gold-mane. Therewithal the smitten man +sat up, and put his hand to his head, and quoth he: + +'Angry is my sister! good it is to wear the helm abroad when she +shaketh the nut-trees.' + +' Nay,' said she, 'it is thy luck that thou wert bare-headed, else +had I been forced to smite thee on the face. Thou churl, since when +hath it been our wont to thrust knives into a guest, who is come of +great kin, a man of gentle heart and fair face? Come hither and +handsel him self-doom for thy fool's onset!' + +The man rose to his feet and said: 'Well, sister, least said, +soonest mended. A clout on the head is worse than a woman's chiding; +but since ye have given me one, ye may forbear the other.' + +Therewith he drew near to them. He was a very big-made man, most +stalwarth, with dark red hair and a thin pointed beard; his nose was +straight and fine, his eyes grey and well-opened, but somewhat fierce +withal. Yet was he in nowise evil-looking; he seemed some thirty +summers old. He was clad in a short scarlet kirtle, a goodly +garment, with a hood of like web pulled off his head on to his +shoulders: he bore a great gold ring on his left arm, and a collar +of gold came down on to his breast from under his hood. + +As for the woman, she was clad in a long white linen smock, and over +it a short gown of dark blue woollen, and she had skin shoes on her +feet. + +Now the man came up to Face-of-god, and took his hand and said: 'I +deemed thee a foe, and I may not have over-many foes alive: but it +seems that thou art to be a friend, and that is well and better; so +herewith I handsel thee self-doom in the matter of the onslaught.' + +Then Face-of-god laughed and said: 'The doom is soon given forth; +against the tumble on the grass I set the clout on the head; there is +nought left over to pay to any man's son.' + +Said the scarlet-clad man: 'Belike by thine eyes thou art a true +man, and wilt not bewray me. Now is there no foeman here, but rather +maybe a friend both now and in time to come.' Therewith he cast his +arms about Face-of-god and kissed him. But Face-of-god turned about +to the woman and said: 'Is the peace wholly made?' + +She shook her head and said soberly: 'Nay, thou art too fair for a +woman to kiss.' + +He flushed red, as his wont was when a woman praised him; yet was his +heart full of pleasure and well-liking. But she laid her hand on his +shoulder and said: 'Now is it for thee to choose betwixt the wild- +wood and the hall, and whether thou wilt be a guest or a wayfarer +this night.' + +As she touched him there took hold of him a sweetness of pleasure he +had never felt erst, and he answered: 'I will be thy guest and not +thy stranger.' + +'Come then,' she said, and took his hand in hers, so that he scarce +felt the earth under his feet, as they went all three together toward +the house in the gathering dusk, while eastward where the peaks of +the great mountains dipped was a light that told of the rising of the +moon. + + + +CHAPTER VI. OF FACE-OF-GOD AND THOSE MOUNTAIN-DWELLERS + + + +A yard or two from the threshold Gold-mane hung back a moment, +entangled in some such misgiving as a man is wont to feel when he is +just about to do some new deed, but is not yet deep in the story; his +new friends noted that, for they smiled each in their own way, and +the woman drew her hand away from his. Face-of-god held out his +still as though to take hers again, and therewithal he changed +countenance and said as though he had stayed but to ask that +question: + +'Tell me thy name, tall man; and thou, fair woman, tell me thine; for +how can we talk together else?' + +The man laughed outright and said: 'The young chieftain thinks that +this house also should be his! Nay, young man, I know what is in thy +thought, be not ashamed that thou art wary; and be assured! We shall +hurt thee no more than thou hast been hurt. Now as to my name; the +name that was born with me is gone: the name that was given me hath +been taken from me: now I belike must give myself a name, and that +shall be Wild-wearer; but it may be that thou thyself shalt one day +give me another, and call me Guest.' + +His sister gazed at him solemnly as he spoke, and Face-of-god +beholding her the while, deemed that her beauty grew and grew till +she seemed as aweful as a Goddess; and into his mind it came that +this over-strong man and over-lovely woman were nought mortal, and +they withal dealing with him as father and mother deal with a wayward +child: then for a moment his heart failed him, and he longed for the +peace of Burgdale, and even the lonely wood. But therewith she +turned to him and let her hand come into his again, and looked kindly +on him and said: 'And as for me, call me the Friend; the name is +good and will serve for many things.' + +He looked down from her face and his eyes lighted on her hand, and +when he noted even amid the evening dusk how fair and lovely it was +fashioned, and yet as though it were deft in the crafts that the +daughters of menfolk use, his fear departed, and the pleasure of his +longing filled his heart, and he drew her hand to him to kiss it; but +she held it back. Then he said: 'It is the custom of the Dale to +all women.' + +So she let him kiss her hand, heeding the kiss nothing, and said +soberly: + +'Then art thou of Burgdale, and if it were lawful to guess, I would +say that thy name is Face-of-god, of the House of the Face.' + +'Even so it is,' said he, 'but in the Dale those that love me do +mostly call me Gold-mane.' + +'It is well named,' she said, 'and seldom wilt thou be called +otherwise, for thou wilt be well-beloved. But come in now, Gold- +mane, for night is at hand, and here have we meat and lodging such as +an hungry and weary man may take; though we be broken people, +dwellers in the waste.' + +Therewith she led him gently over the threshold into the hall, and it +seemed to him as if she were the fairest and the noblest of all the +Queens of ancient story. + +When he was in the house he looked and saw that, rough as it was +without it lacked not fairness within. The floor was of hard-trodden +earth strewn with pine-twigs, and with here and there brown bearskins +laid on it: there was a standing table near the upper end athwart +the hall, and a days beyond that, but no endlong table. Gold-mane +looked to the shut-beds, and saw that they were large and fair, +though there were but a few of them; and at the lower end was a loft +for a sleeping chamber dight very fairly with broidered cloths. The +hangings on the walls, though they left some places bare which were +hung with fresh boughs, were fairer than any he had ever seen, so +that he deemed that they must come from far countries and the City of +Cities: therein were images wrought of warriors and fair women of +old time and their dealings with the Gods and the Giants, and +Wondrous wights; and he deemed that this was the story of some great +kindred, and that their token and the sign of their banner must needs +be the Wood-wolf, for everywhere was it wrought in these pictured +webs. Perforce he looked long and earnestly at these fair things, +for the hall was not dark yet, because the brands on the hearth were +flaming their last, and when Wild-wearer beheld him so gazing, he +stood up and looked too for a moment, and then smote his right hand +on the hilt of his sword, and turned away and strode up and down the +hall as one in angry thought. + +But the woman, even the Friend, bestirred herself for the service of +the guest, and brought water for his hands and feet, and when she had +washed him, bore him the wine of Welcome and drank to him and bade +him drink; and he all the while was shamefaced; for it was to him as +if one of the Ladies of the Heavenly Burg were doing him service. +Then she went away by a door at the lower end of the hall, and Wild- +wearer came and sat down by Gold-mane, and fell a-talking with him +about the ways of the Dalesmen, and their garths, and the pastures +and growths thereof; and what temper the carles themselves were of; +which were good men, which were ill, which was loved and which +scorned; no otherwise than if he had been the goodman of some +neighbouring dale; and Gold-mane told him whatso he knew, for he saw +no harm therein. + +After a while the outer door opened, and there came in a woman of +some five-and-twenty winters, trimly and strongly built; short- +skirted she was and clad as a hunter, with a bow in her hand and a +quiver at her back: she unslung a pouch, which she emptied at Wild- +wearer's feet of a leash of hares and two brace of mountain grouse; +of Face-of-god she took but little heed. + +Said Wild-wearer: 'This is good for to-morrow, not for to-day; the +meat is well-nigh on the board.' + +Then Gold-mane smiled, for he called to mind his home-coming of +yesterday. But the woman said: + +'The fault is not mine; she told me of the coming guest but three +hours agone.' + +'Ay?' said Wild-wearer, 'she looked for a guest then?' + +'Yea, certes,' said the woman, 'else why went I forth this afternoon, +as wearied as I was with yesterday?' + +'Well, well,' said Wild-wearer, 'get to thy due work or go play; I +meddle not with meat! and for thee all jests are as bitter earnest.' + +'And with thee, chief,' she said, 'it is no otherwise; surely I am +made on thy model.' + +'Thy tongue is longer, friend,' said he; 'now tarry if thou wilt, and +if the supper's service craveth thee not.' + +She turned away with one keen look at Face-of-god, and departed +through the door at the lower end of the hall. + +By this time the hall was dusk, for there were no candles there, and +the hearth-fire was but smouldering. Wild-wearer sat silent and +musing now, and Face-of-god spake not, for he was deep in wild and +happy dreams. At last the lower door opened and the fair woman came +into the hall with a torch in either hand, after whom came the +huntress, now clad in a dark blue kirtle, and an old woman yet +straight and hale; and these twain bore in the victuals and the +table-gear. Then the three fell to dighting the board, and when it +was all ready, and Gold-mane and Wild-wearer were set down to it, and +with them the fair woman and the huntress, the old woman threw good +store of fresh brands on the hearth, so that the light shone into +every corner; and even therewith the outer door opened, and four more +men entered, whereof one was old, but big and stalwarth, the other +three young: they were all clad roughly in sheep-brown weed, but had +helms upon their heads and spears in their hands and great swords +girt to their sides; and they seemed doughty men and ready for +battle. One of the young men cast down by the door the carcass of a +big-horned mountain sheep, and then they all trooped off to the out- +bower by the lower door, and came back presently fairly clad and +without their weapons. Wild-wearer nodded to them kindly, and they +sat at table paying no more heed to Face-of-god than to cast him a +nod for salutation. + +Then said the old woman to them: 'Well, lads, have ye been doing or +sleeping?' + +'Sleeping, mother,' said one of the young men, 'as was but due after +last night was, and to-morrow shall be.' + +Said the huntress: 'Hold thy peace, Wood-wise, and let thy tongue +help thy teeth to deal with thy meat; for this is not the talking +hour.' + +'Nay, Bow-may,' said another of the swains, 'since here is a new man, +now is the time to talk to him.' + +Said the huntress: ''Tis thine hands that talk best, Wood-wont; it +is not they that shall bring thee to shame.' + +Spake the third: 'What have we to do with shame here, far away from +dooms and doomers, and elders, and wardens, and guarded castles? If +the new man listeth to speak, let him speak; or to fight, then let +him; it shall ever be man to man.' + +Then spake the old woman: 'Son Wood-wicked, hold thy peace, and +forget the steel that ever eggeth thee on to draw.' + +Therewith she set the last matters on the board, while the three +swains sat and eyed Gold-mane somewhat fiercely, now that words had +stirred them, and he had sat there saying nothing, as one who was +better than they, and contemned them; but now spake Wild-wearer: + +'Whoso hungreth let him eat! Whoso would slumber, let him to bed. +But he who would bicker, it must needs be with me. Here is a man of +the Dale, who hath sought the wood in peace, and hath found us. His +hand is ready and his heart is guileless: if ye fear him, run away +to the wood, and come back when he is gone; but none shall mock him +while I sit by: now, lads, be merry and blithe with the guest.' + +Then the young men greeted Gold-mane, and the old man said: 'Art +thou of Burgstead? then wilt thou be of the House of the Face, and +thy name will be Face-of-god; for that man is called the fairest of +the Dale, and there shall be none fairer than thou.' + +Face-of-god laughed and said: 'There be but few mirrors in Burgdale, +and I have no mind to journey west to the cities to see what manner +of man I be: that were ill husbandry. But now I have heard the +names of the three swains, tell me thy name, father!' + +Spake the huntress: 'This is my father's brother, and his name is +Wood-father; or ye shall call him so: and I am called Bow-may +because I shoot well in the bow: and this old carline is my eme's +wife, and now belike my mother, if I need one. But thou, fair-faced +Dalesman, little dost thou need a mirror in the Dale so long as women +abide there; for their faces shall be instead of mirrors to tell thee +whether thou be fair and lovely.' + +Thereat they all laughed and fell to their victual, which was +abundant, of wood-venison and mountain-fowl, but of bread was no +great plenty; wine lacked not, and that of the best; and Gold-mane +noted that the cups and the apparel of the horns and mazers were not +of gold nor gilded copper, but of silver; and he marvelled thereat, +for in the Dale silver was rare. + +So they ate and drank, and Gold-mane looked ever on the Friend, and +spake much with her, and he deemed her friendly indeed, and she +seemed most pleased when he spoke best, and led him on to do so. +Wild-wearer was but of few words, and those somewhat harsh; yet was +he as a man striving to be courteous and blithe; but of the others +Bow-may was the greatest speaker. + +Wild-wearer called healths to the Sun, and the Moon, and the Hosts of +Heaven; to the Gods of the Earth; to the Woodwights; and to the +Guest. Other healths also he called, the meaning of which was dark +to Gold-mane; to wit, the Jaws of the Wolf; the Silver Arm; the Red +Hand; the Golden Bushel; and the Ragged Sword. But when he asked the +Friend concerning these names what they might signify, she shook her +head and answered not. + +At last Wild-wearer cried out: 'Now, lads, the night weareth and the +guest is weary: therefore whoso of you hath in him any minstrelsy, +now let him make it, for later on it shall be over-late.' + +Then arose Wood-wont and went to his shut-bed and groped therein, and +took from out of it a fiddle in its case; and he opened the case and +drew from it a very goodly fiddle, and he stood on the floor amidst +of the hall and Bow-may his cousin with him; and he laid his bow on +the fiddle and woke up song in it, and when it was well awake she +fell a-singing, and he to answering her song, and at the last all +they of the house sang together; and this is the meaning of the words +which they sang: + + +She singeth. + +Now is the rain upon the day, + And every water's wide; +Why busk ye then to wear the way, + And whither will ye ride? + +He singeth. + +Our kine are on the eyot still, + The eddies lap them round; +All dykes the wind-worn waters fill, + And waneth grass and ground. + +She singeth. + +O ride ye to the river's brim + In war-weed fair to see? +Or winter waters will ye swim + In hauberks to the knee? + +He singeth. + +Wild is the day, and dim with rain, + Our sheep are warded ill; +The wood-wolves gather for the plain, + Their ravening maws to fill. + +She singeth. + +Nay, what is this, and what have ye, + A hunter's band, to bear +The Banner of our Battle-glee + The skulking wolves to scare? + +He singeth. + +O women, when we wend our ways + To deal with death and dread, +The Banner of our Fathers' Days + Must flap the wind o'erhead. + +She singeth. + +Ah, for the maidens that ye leave! + Who now shall save the hay? +What grooms shall kiss our lips at eve, + When June hath mastered May? + +He singeth. + +The wheat is won, the seed is sown, + Here toileth many a maid, +And ere the hay knee-deep hath grown + Your grooms the grass shall wade. + +They sing all together. + +Then fair befall the mountain-side + Whereon the play shall be! +And fair befall the summer-tide + That whoso lives shall see. + + +Face-of-god thought the song goodly, but to the others it was well +known. Then said Wood-father: + +'O foster-son, thy foster-brother hath sung well for a wood abider; +but we are deeming that his singing shall be but as a starling to a +throstle matched against thy new-come guest. Therefore, Dalesman, +sing us a song of the Dale, and if ye will, let it be of gardens and +pleasant houses of stone, and fair damsels therein, and swains with +them who toil not over-much for a scant livelihood, as do they of the +waste, whose heads may not be seen in the Holy Places.' + +Said Gold-mane: 'Father, it is ill to set the words of a lonely man +afar from his kin against the song that cometh from the heart of a +noble house; yet may I not gainsay thee, but will sing to thee what I +may call to mind, and it is called the Song of the Ford.' + +Therewith he sang in a sweet and clear voice: and this is the +meaning of his words: + + +In hay-tide, through the day new-born, + Across the meads we come; +Our hauberks brush the blossomed corn + A furlong short of home. + +Ere yet the gables we behold + Forth flasheth the red sun, +And smites our fallow helms and cold + Though all the fight be done. + +In this last mend of mowing-grass + Sweet doth the clover smell, +Crushed neath our feet red with the pass + Where hell was blent with hell. + +And now the willowy stream is nigh, + Down wend we to the ford; +No shafts across its fishes fly, + Nor flasheth there a sword. + +But lo! what gleameth on the bank + Across the water wan, +As when our blood the mouse-ear drank + And red the river ran? + +Nay, hasten to the ripple clear, + Look at the grass beyond! +Lo ye the dainty band and dear + Of maidens fair and fond! + +Lo how they needs must take the stream! + The water hides their feet; +On fair kind arms the gold doth gleam, + And midst the ford we meet. + +Up through the garden two and two, + And on the flowers we drip; +Their wet feet kiss the morning dew + As lip lies close to lip. + +Here now we sing; here now we stay: + By these grey walls we tell +The love that lived from out the fray, + The love that fought and fell. + + +When he was done they all said that he had sung well, and that the +song was sweet. Yet did Wild-wearer smile somewhat; and Bow-may said +outright: 'Soft is the song, and hath been made by lads and +minstrels rather than by warriors.' + +'Nay, kinswoman,' said Wood-father, 'thou art hard to please; the +guest is kind, and hath given us that I asked for, and I give him all +thanks therefor.' + +Face-of-god smiled, but he heeded little what they said, for as he +sang he had noted that the Friend looked kindly on him; and he +thought he saw that once or twice she put out her hand as if to touch +him, but drew it back again each time. She spake after a little and +said: + +'Here now hath been a stream of song running betwixt the Mountain and +the Dale even as doth a river; and this is good to come between our +dreams of what hath been and what shall be.' Then she turned to +Gold-mane, and said to him scarce loud enough for all to hear: + +'Herewith I bid thee good-night, O Dalesman; and this other word I +have to thee: heed not what befalleth in the night, but sleep thy +best, for nought shall be to thy scathe. And when thou wakest in the +morning, if we are yet here, it is well; but if we are not, then +abide us no long while, but break thy fast on the victual thou wilt +find upon the board, and so depart and go thy ways home. And yet +thou mayst look to it to see us again before thou diest.' + +Therewith she held out her hand to him, and he took it and kissed it; +and she went to her chamber-aloft at the lower end of the hall. And +when she was gone, once more he had a deeming of her that she was of +the kindred of the Gods. At her departure him-seemed that the hall +grew dull and small and smoky, and the night seemed long to him and +doubtful the coming of the day. + + + +CHAPTER VII. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE FRIEND ON THE MOUNTAIN + + + +So now went all men to bed; and Face-to-god's shut-bed was over +against the outer door and toward the lower end of the hall, and on +the panel about it hung the weapons and shields of men. Fair was +that chamber and roomy, and the man was weary despite his eagerness, +so that he went to sleep as soon as his head touched the pillow; but +within a while (he deemed about two hours after midnight) he was +awaked by the clattering of the weapons against the panel, and the +sound of men's hands taking them down; and when he was fully awake, +he heard withal men going up and down the house as if on errands: +but he called to mind what the Friend had said to him, and he did not +so much as turn himself toward the hall; for he said: 'Belike these +men are outlaws and Wolves of the Holy Places, yet by seeming they +are good fellows and nought churlish, nor have I to do with taking up +the feud against them. I will abide the morning. Yet meseemeth that +she drew me hither: for what cause?' + +Therewith he fell asleep again, and dreamed no more. But when he +awoke the sun was shining broad upon the hall-floor, and he sat up +and listened, but could hear no sound save the moaning of the wind in +the pine-boughs and the chatter of the starlings about the gables of +the house; and the place seemed so exceeding lonely to him that he +was in a manner feared by that loneliness. + +Then he arose and clad himself, and went forth into the hall and +gazed about him, and at first he deemed indeed that there was no one +therein. But at last he looked and beheld the upper gable and there +underneath a most goodly hanging was the glorious shape of a woman +sitting on a bench covered over with a cloth of gold and silver; and +he looked and looked to see if the woman might stir, and if she were +alive, and she turned her head toward him, and lo it was the Friend; +and his heart rose to his mouth for wonder and fear and desire. For +now he doubted whether the other folk were aught save shows and +shadows, and she the Goddess who had fashioned them out of nothing +for his bewilderment, presently to return to nothing. + +Yet whatever he might fear or doubt, he went up the hall towards her +till he was quite nigh to her, and there he stood silent, wondering +at her beauty and desiring her kindness. + +Grey-eyed she was like her brother; but her hair the colour of red +wheat: her lips full and red, her chin round, her nose fine and +straight. Her hands and all her body fashioned exceeding sweetly and +delicately; yet not as if she were an image of which the like might +be found if the craftsman were but deft enough to make a perfect +thing, but in such a way that there was none like to her for those +that had eyes to behold her as she was; and none could ever be made +like to her, even by such a master-craftsman as could fashion a body +without a blemish. + +She was clad in a white smock, whose hems were broidered with gold +wire and precious gems of the Mountains, and over that a gown woven +of gold and silver: scarce hath the world such another. On her head +was a fillet of gold and gems, and there were wondrous gold rings on +her arms: her feet lay bare on the dark grey wolf-skin that was +stretched before her. + +She smiled kindly upon his solemn and troubled face, and her voice +sounded strangely familiar to him coming from all that loveliness, as +she said: 'Hail, Face-of-god! here am I left alone, although I +deemed last night that I should be gone with the others. Therefore +am I fain to show myself to thee in fairer array than yesternight; +for though we dwell in the wild-wood, from the solace of folk, yet +are we not of thralls' blood. But come now, I bid thee break thy +fast and talk with me a little while; and then shalt thou depart in +peace.' + +Spake Face-of-god, and his voice trembled as he spake: 'What art +thou? Last night I deemed at whiles once and again that thou wert of +the Gods; and now that I behold thee thus, and it is broad daylight, +and of those others is no more to be seen than if they had never +lived, I cannot but deem that it is even so, and that thou comest +from the City that shall never perish. Now if thou be a goddess, I +have nought to pray thee, save to slay me speedily if thou hast a +mind for my death. But if thou art a woman--' + +She broke in: 'Gold-mane, stay thy prayer and hold thy peace for +this time, lest thou repent when repentance availeth not. And this I +say because I am none of the Gods nor akin to them, save far off +through the generations, as art thou also, and all men of goodly +kindred. Now I bid thee eat thy meat, since 'tis ill talking betwixt +a full man and a fasting; and I have dight it myself with mine own +hands; for Bow-may and the Wood-mother went away with the rest three +hours before dawn. Come sit and eat as thou hast a hardy heart; as +forsooth thou shouldest do if I were a very goddess. Take heed, +friend, lest I take thee for some damsel of the lower Dale arrayed in +Earl's garments.' + +She laughed therewith, and leaned toward him and put forth her hand +to him, and he took it and caressed it; and the exceeding beauty of +her body and of the raiment which was as it were a part of her and +her loveliness, made her laughter and her friendly words strange to +him, as if one did not belong to the other; as in a dream it might +be. Nevertheless he did as she bade him, and sat at the board and +ate, while she leaned forward on the arm of her chair and spake to +him in friendly wise. And he wondered as she spake that she knew so +much of him and his: and he kept saying to himself: 'She drew me +hither; wherefore did she so?' + +But she said: 'Gold-mane, how fareth thy father the Alderman? is he +as good a wright as ever?' + +He told her: Yea, that ever was his hammer on the iron, the copper, +and the gold, and that no wright in the Dale was as deft as he. + +Said she: 'Would he not have had thee seek to the Cities, to see the +ways of the outer world?' + +'Yea,' said he. + +She said: 'Thou wert wise to naysay that offer; thou shalt have +enough to do in the Dale and round about it in twelve months' time.' + +'Art thou foresighted?' said he. + +'Folk have called me so,' she said, 'but I wot not. But thy brother +Hall-face, how fareth he?' + +'Well;' said he, 'to my deeming he is the Sword of our House, and the +Warrior of the Dale, if the days were ready for him.' + +'And Stone-face, that stark ancient,' she said, 'doth he still love +the Folk of the Dale, and hate all other folks?' + +'Nay,' he said, 'I know not that, but I know that he loveth as, and +above all me and my father.' + +Again she spake: 'How fareth the Bride, the fair maid to whom thou +art affianced?' + +As she spake, it was to him as if his heart was stricken cold; but he +put a force upon himself, and neither reddened nor whitened, nor +changed countenance in any way; so he answered: + +'She was well the eve of yesterday.' Then he remembered what she +was, and her beauty and valour, and he constrained himself to say: +'Each day she groweth fairer; there is no man's son and no daughter +of woman that does not love her; yea, the very beasts of field and +fold love her.' + +The Friend looked at him steadily and spake no word, but a red flush +mounted to her cheeks and brow and changed her face; and he marvelled +thereat; for still he misdoubted that she was a Goddess. But it +passed away in a moment, and she smiled and said: + +'Guest, thou seemest to wonder that I know concerning thee and the +Dale and thy kindred. But now shalt thou wot that I have been in the +Dale once and again, and my brother oftener still; and that I have +seen thee before yesterday.' + +'That is marvellous,' quoth he, 'for sure am I that I have not seen +thee.' + +'Yet thou hast seen me,' she said; 'yet not altogether as I am now;' +and therewith she smiled on him friendly. + +'How is this?' said he; 'art thou a skin-changer?' + +'Yea, in a fashion,' she said. 'Hearken! dost thou perchance +remember a day of last summer when there was a market holden in +Burgstead; and there stood in the way over against the House of the +Face a tall old carle who was trucking deer-skins for diverse gear; +and with him was a queen, tall and dark-skinned, somewhat well- +liking, her hair bound up in a white coif so that none of it could be +seen; by the token that she had a large stone of mountain blue set in +silver stuck in the said coif?' + +As she spoke she set her hand to her bosom and drew something from +it, and held forth her hand to Gold-mane, and lo amidst the palm the +great blue stone set in silver. + +'Wondrous as a dream is this,' said Face-of-god, 'for these twain I +remember well, and what followed.' + +She said: 'I will tell thee that. There came a man of the Shepherd- +Folk, drunk or foolish, or both, who began to chaffer with the big +carle; but ever on the queen were his eyes set, and presently he put +forth his hand to her to clip her, whereon the big carle hove up his +fist and smote him, so that he fell to earth noseling. Then ran the +folk together to hale off the stranger and help the shepherd, and it +was like that the stranger should be mishandled. Then there thrust +through the press a young man with yellow hair and grey eyes, who +cried out, "Fellows, let be! The stranger had the right of it; this +is no matter to make a quarrel or a court case of. Let the market go +on! This man and maid are true folk." So when the folk heard the +young man and his bidding, they forebore and let the carle and the +queen be, and the shepherd went his ways little hurt. Now then, who +was this young man?' + +Quoth Gold-mane: 'It was even I, and meseemeth it was no great deed +to do.' + +'Yea,' she said, 'and the big carle was my brother, and the tall +queen, it was myself.' + +'How then,' said he, 'for she was as dark-skinned as a dwarf, and +thou so bright and fair?' + +She said: 'Well, if the woods are good for nothing else, yet are +they good for the growing of herbs, and I know the craft of simpling; +and with one of these herbs had I stained my skin and my brother's +also. And it showed the darker beneath the white coif.' + +'Yea,' said he, 'but why must ye needs fare in feigned shapes? Ye +would have been welcome guests in the Dale howsoever ye had come.' + +'I may not tell thee hereof as now,' said she. + +Said Gold-mane: 'Yet thou mayst belike tell me wherefore was that +thy brother desired to slay me yesterday, if he knew me, who I was.' + +'Gold-mane,' she said, 'thou art not slain, so little story need be +made of that: for the rest, belike he knew thee not at that moment. +So it falls with us, that we look to see foes rather than friends in +the wild-woods. Many uncouth things are therein. Moreover, I must +tell thee of my brother that whiles he is as the stalled bull late +let loose, and nothing is good to him save battle and onset; and then +is he blind and knows not friend from foe.' Said Face-of-god: 'Thou +hast asked of me and mine; wilt thou not tell me of thee and thine?' + +'Nay,' she said, 'not as now; thou must betake thee to the way. +Whither wert thou wending when thou happenedst upon us?' + +He said: 'I know not; I was seeking something, but I knew not what-- +meseemeth that now I have found it.' + +'Art thou for the great mountains seeking gems?' she said. 'Yet go +not thither to-day: for who knoweth what thou shalt meet there that +shall be thy foe?' + +He said: 'Nay, nay; I have nought to do but to abide here as long as +I may, looking upon thee and hearkening to thy voice.' + +Her eyes were upon his, but yet she did not seem to see him, and for +a while she answered not; and still he wondered that mere words +should come from so fair a thing; for whether she moved foot, or +hand, or knee, or turned this way or that, each time she stirred it +was a caress to his very heart. + +He spake again: 'May I not abide here a while? What scathe may be +in that?' + +'It is not so,' she said; 'thou must depart, and that straightway: +lo, there lieth thy spear which the Wood-mother hath brought in from +the waste. Take thy gear to thee and wend thy ways. Have patience! +I will lead thee to the place where we first met and there give thee +farewell.' + +Therewith she arose and he also perforce, and when they came to the +doorway she stepped across the threshold and then turned back and +gave him her hand and so led him forth, the sun flashing back from +her golden raiment. Together they went over the short grey grass of +that hillside till they came to the place where he had arisen from +that wrestle with her brother. There she stayed him and said: + +'This is the place; here must we part.' + +But his heart failed him and he faltered in his speech as he said: + +'When shall I see thee again? Wilt thou slay me if I seek to thee +hither once more?' + +'Hearken,' she said, 'autumn is now a-dying into winter: let winter +and its snows go past: nor seek to me hither; for me thou should'st +not find, but thy death thou mightest well fall in with; and I would +not that thou shouldest die. When winter is gone, and spring is on +the land, if thou hast not forgotten us thou shalt meet us again. +Yet shalt thou go further than this Woodland Hall. In Shadowy Vale +shalt thou seek to me then, and there will I talk with thee.' + +'And where,' said he, 'is Shadowy Vale? for thereof have I never +heard tell.' + +She said: 'The token when it cometh to thee shall show thee thereof +and the way thither. Art thou a babbler, Gold-mane?' + +He said: 'I have won no prize for babbling hitherto.' + +She said: 'If thou listest to babble concerning what hath befallen +thee on the Mountain, so do, and repent it once only, that is, thy +life long.' + +'Why should I say any word thereof?' said he. 'Dost thou not know +the sweetness of such a tale untold?' + +He spake as one who is somewhat wrathful, and she answered humbly and +kindly: + +'Well is that. Bide thou the token that shall lead thee to Shadowy +Vale. Farewell now.' + +She drew her hand from his, and turned and went her ways swiftly to +the house: he could not choose but gaze on her as she went +glittering-bright and fair in that grey place of the mountains, till +the dark doorway swallowed up her beauty. Then he turned away and +took the path through the pine-woods, muttering to himself as he +went: + +'What thing have I done now that hitherto I had not done? What +manner of man am I to-day other than the man I was yesterday?' + + + +CHAPTER VIII. FACE-OF-GOD COMETH HOME AGAIN TO BURGSTEAD + + + +Face-of-God went back through the wood by the way he had come, paying +little heed to the things about him. For whatever he thought of +strayed not one whit from the image of the Fair Woman of the +Mountain-side. + +He went through the wood swiftlier than yesterday, and made no stay +for noon or aught else, nor did he linger on the road when he was +come into the Dale, either to speak to any or to note what they did. +So he came to the House of the Face about dusk, and found no man +within the hall either carle or queen. So he cried out on the folk, +and there came in a damsel of the house, whom he greeted kindly and +she him again. He bade her bring the washing-water, and she did so +and washed his feet and his hands. She was a fair maid enough, as +were most in the Dale, but he heeded her little; and when she was +done he kissed not her cheek for her pains, as his wont was, but let +her go her ways unthanked. But he went to his shut-bed and opened +his chest, and drew fair raiment from it, and did off his wood-gear, +and did on him a goodly scarlet kirtle fairly broidered, and a collar +with gems of price therein, and other braveries. And when he was so +attired he came out into the hall, and there was old Stone-face +standing by the hearth, which was blazing brightly with fresh brands, +so that things were clear to see. + +Stone-face noted Gold-mane's gay raiment, for he was not wont to wear +such attire, save on the feasts and high days when he behoved to. So +the old man smiled and said: + +'Welcome back from the Wood! But what is it? Hast thou been wedded +there, or who hath made thee Earl and King?' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Foster-father, sooth it is that I have been to +the wood, but there have I seen nought of manfolk worse than myself. +Now as to my raiment, needs must I keep it from the moth. And I am +weary withal, and this kirtle is light and easy to me. Moreover, I +look to see the Bride here again, and I would pleasure her with the +sight of gay raiment upon me.' + +'Nay,' said Stone-face, 'hast thou not seen some woman in the wood +arrayed like the image of a God? and hath she not bidden thee thus to +worship her to-night? For I know that such wights be in the wood, +and that such is their wont.' + +Said Gold-mane: 'I worship nought save the Gods and the Fathers. +Nor saw I in the wood any such as thou sayest.' + +Therewith Stone-face shook his head; but after a while he said: + +'Art thou for the wood to-morrow?' + +'Nay,' said Gold-mane angrily, knitting his brows. + +'The morrow of to-morrow,' said Stone-face, 'is the day when we look +to see the Westland merchants: after all, wilt thou not go hence +with them when they wend their ways back before the first snows +fall?' + +'Nay,' said he, 'I have no mind to it, fosterer; cease egging me on +hereto.' + +Then Stone-face shook his head again, and looked on him long, and +muttered: 'To the wood wilt thou go to-morrow or next day; or some +day when doomed is thine undoing.' + +Therewith entered the service and torches, and presently after came +the Alderman with Hall-face; and Iron-face greeted his son and said +to him: 'Thou hast not hit the time to do on thy gay raiment, for +the Bride will not be here to-night; she bideth still at the Feast at +the Apple-tree House: or wilt thou be there, son?' + +'Nay,' said Face-of-god, 'I am over-weary. And as for my raiment, it +is well; it is for thine honour and the honour of the name.' + +So to table they went, and Iron-face asked his son of his ways again, +and whether he was quite fixed in his mind not to go down to the +Plain and the Cities: 'For,' said he, 'the morrow of to-morrow shall +the merchants be here, and this were great news for them if the son +of the Alderman should be their faring-fellow back.' + +But Face-of-god answered without any haste or heat: 'Nay, father, it +may not be: fear not, thou shalt see that I have a good will to work +and live in the Dale.' + +And in good sooth, though he was a young man and loved mirth and the +ways of his own will, he was a stalwarth workman, and few could mow a +match with him in the hay-month and win it; or fell trees as +certainly and swiftly, or drive as straight and clean a furrow +through the stiff land of the lower Dale; and in other matters also +was he deft and sturdy. + + + +CHAPTER IX. THOSE BRETHREN FARE TO THE YEWWOOD WITH THE BRIDE + + + +Next morning Face-of-god dight himself for work, and took his axe; +for his brother Hall-face had bidden him go down with him to the Yew- +wood and cut timber there, since he of all men knew where to go +straight to the sticks that would quarter best for bow-staves; +whereas the Alderman had the right of hewing in that wood. So they +went forth, those brethren, from the House of the Face, but when they +were gotten to the gate, who should be there but the Bride awaiting +them, and she with an ass duly saddled for bearing the yew-sticks. +Because Hall-face had told her that he and belike Gold-mane were +going to hew in the wood, and she thought it good to be of the +company, as oft had befallen erst. When they met she greeted Face- +of-god and kissed him as her wont was; and he looked upon her and saw +how fair she was, and how kind and friendly were her eyes that beheld +him, and how her whole face was eager for him as their lips parted. +Then his heart failed him, when he knew that he no longer desired her +as she did him, and he said within himself: + +'Would that she had been of our nighest kindred! Would that I had +had a sister and that this were she!' + +So the three went along the highway down the Dale, and Hall-face and +the Bride talked merrily together and laughed, for she was happy, +since she knew that Gold-mane had been to the wood and was back safe +and much as he had been before. So indeed it seemed of him; for +though at first he was moody and of few words, yet presently he +cursed himself for a mar-sport, and so fell into the talk, and +enforced himself to be merry; and soon he was so indeed; for he +thought: 'She drew me thither: she hath a deed for me to do. I +shall do the deed and have my reward. Soon will the spring-tide be +here, and I shall be a young man yet when it comes.' + +So came they to the place where he had met the three maidens +yesterday; there they also turned from the highway; and as they went +down the bent, Gold-mane could not but turn his eyes on the beauty of +the Bride and the lovely ways of her body: but presently he +remembered all that had betid, and turned away again as one who is +noting what it behoves him not to note. And he said to himself: +'Where art thou, Gold-mane? Whose art thou? Yea, even if that had +been but a dream that I have dreamed, yet would that this fair woman +were my sister!' + +So came they to the Yew-wood, and the brethren fell to work, and the +Bride with them, for she was deft with the axe and strong withal. +But at midday they rested on the green slope without the Yew-wood; +and they ate bread and flesh and onions and apples, and drank red +wine of the Dale. And while they were resting after their meat, the +Bride sang to them, and her song was a lay of time past; and here ye +have somewhat of it: + + +'Tis over the hill and over the dale + Men ride from the city fast and far, +If they may have a soothfast tale, + True tidings of the host of war. + +And first they hap on men-at-arms, + All clad in steel from head to foot: +Now tell true tale of the new-come harms, + And the gathered hosts of the mountain-root. + +Fair sirs, from murder-carles we flee, + Whose fashion is as the mountain-trolls'; +No man can tell how many they be, + And the voice of their host as the thunder rolls. + +They were weary men at the ending of day, + But they spurred nor stayed for longer word. +Now ye, O merchants, whither away? + What do ye there with the helm and the sword? + +O we must fight for life and gear, + For our beasts are spent and our wains are stayed, +And the host of the Mountain-men draws near, + That maketh all the world afraid. + +They left the chapmen on the hill, + And through the eve and through the night +They rode to have true tidings still, + And were there on the way when the dawn was bright. + +O damsels fair, what do ye then + To loiter thus upon the way, +And have no fear of the Mountain-men, + The host of the carles that strip and slay? + +O riders weary with the road, + Come eat and drink on the grass hereby! +And lay you down in a fair abode + Till the midday sun is broad and high; + +Then unto you shall we come aback, + And lead you forth to the Mountain-men, +To note their plenty and their lack, + And have true tidings there and then. + +'Tis over the hill and over the dale + They ride from the mountain fast and far; +And now have they learned a soothfast tale, + True tidings of the host of war. + +It was summer-tide and the Month of Hay, + And men and maids must fare afield; +But we saw the place were the bow-staves lay, + And the hall was hung with spear and shield. + +When the moon was high we drank in the hall, + And they drank to the guests and were kind and blithe, +And they said: Come back when the chestnuts fall, + And the wine-carts wend across the hythe. + +Come oft and o'er again, they said; + Wander your ways; but we abide +For all the world in the little stead; + For wise are we, though the world be wide. + +Yea, come in arms if ye will, they said; + And despite your host shall we abide +For life or death in the little stead; + For wise are we, though the world be wide. + + +So she made an end and looked at the fairness of the dale spreading +wide before her, and a robin came nigh from out of a thorn-bush and +sung his song also, the sweet herald of coming winter; and the +lapwings wheeled about, black and white, above the meadow by the +river, sending forth their wheedling pipe as they hung above the soft +turf. + +She felt the brothers near her, and knew their friendliness from of +old, and she was happy; nor had she looked closer at Gold-mane would +she have noted any change in him belike; for the meat and the good +wine, and the fair sunny time, and the Bride's sweet voice, and the +ancient song softened his heart while it fed the desire therein. + +So in a while they arose from their rest and did what was left them +of their work, and so went back to Burgstead through the fair +afternoon; by seeming all three in all content. But yet Gold-mane, +as from time to time he looked upon the Bride, kept saying to +himself: 'O if she had been but my sister! sweet had the kinship +been!' + + + +CHAPTER X. NEW TIDINGS IN THE DALE + + + +It was three days thereafter that Gold-mane, leading an ass, went +along the highway to fetch home certain fleeces which were needed for +the house from a stead a little west of Wildlake; but he had gone +scant half a mile ere he fell in with a throng of folk going to +Burgstead. They were of the Shepherds; they had weapons with them, +and some were clad in coats of fence. They went along making a great +noise, for they were all talking each to each at the same time, and +seemed very hot and eager about some matter. When they saw Gold-mane +anigh, they stopped, and the throng opened as if to let him into +their midmost; so he mingled with them, and they stood in a ring +about him and an old man more ill-favoured than it was the wont of +the Dalesmen to be. + +For he was long, stooping, gaunt and spindle-shanked, his hands big +and crippled with gout: his cheeks were red after an old man's +fashion, covered with a crimson network like a pippin; his lips thin +and not well hiding his few teeth; his nose long like a snipe's neb. +In short, a shame and a laughing-stock to the Folk, and a man whom +the kindreds had in small esteem, and that for good reasons. + +Face-of-god knew him at once for a notable close-fist and starve-all +fool of the Shepherds; and his name was now become Penny-thumb the +Lean, whatever it might once have been. + +So Face-of-god greeted all men, and they him again; and he said: +'What aileth you, neighbours? Your weapons, are bare, but I see not +that they be bloody. What is it, goodman Penny-thumb?' + +Penny-thumb did but groan for all answer; but a stout carle who stood +by with a broad grin on his face answered and said: + +'Face-of-god, evil tidings be abroad; the strong-thieves of the wood +are astir; and some deem that the wood-wights be helping them.' + +'Yea, and what is the deed they have done?' said Gold-mane. + +Said the carle: 'Thou knowest Penny-thumb's abode?' + +'Yea surely,' said Face-of-god; 'fair are the water-meadows about it; +great gain of cheese can be gotten thence.' + +'Hast thou been within the house?' said the carle. + +'Nay,' said Gold-mane. + +Then spake Penny-thumb: 'Within is scant gear: we gather for others +to scatter; we make meat for others' mouths.' + +The carle laughed: 'Sooth is that,' said he, 'that there is little +gear therein now; for the strong-thieves have voided both hall and +bower and byre.' + +'And when was that?' said Face-of-god. + +'The night before last night,' said the carle, 'the door was smitten +on, and when none answered it was broken down.' + +'Yea,' quoth Penny-thumb, 'a host entered, and they in arms.' + +'No host was within,' said the carle, 'nought but Penny-thumb and his +sister and his sister's son, and three carles that work for him; and +one of them, Rusty to wit, was the worst man of the hill-country. +These then the host whereof the goodman telleth bound, but without +doing them any scathe; and they ransacked the house, and took away +much gear; yet left some.' + +'Thou liest,' said Penny-thumb; 'they took little and left none.' + +Thereat all men laughed, for this seemed to them good game, and +another man said: 'Well, neighbour Penny-thumb, if it was so little, +thou hast done unneighbourly in giving us such a heap of trouble +about it.' + +And they laughed again, but the first carle said: 'True it is, +goodman, that thou wert exceeding eager to raise the hue and cry +after that little when we happed upon thee and thy housemates bound +in your chairs yesterday morning. Well, Alderman's son, short is the +tale to tell: we could not fail to follow the gear, and the slot led +us into the wood, and ill is the going there for us shepherds, who +are used to the bare downs, save Rusty, who was a good woodsman and +lifted the slot for us; so he outwent us all, and ran out of sight of +us, so presently we came upon him dead-slain, with the manslayer's +spear in his breast. What then could we do but turn back again, for +now was the wood blind now Rusty was dead, and we knew not whither to +follow the fray; and the man himself was but little loss: so back we +turned, and told goodman Penny-thumb of all this, for we had left him +alone in his hall lamenting his gear; so we bided to-day's morn, and +have come out now, with our neighbour and the spear, and the dead +corpse of Rusty. Stand aside, neighbours, and let the Alderman's son +see it.' + +They did so, and there was the corpse of a thin-faced tall wiry man, +somewhat foxy of aspect, lying on a hand-bier covered with black +cloth. + +'Yea, Face-of-god,' said the carle, 'he is not good to see now he is +dead, yet alive was he worser: but, look you, though the man was no +good man, yet was he of our people, and the feud is with us; so we +would see the Alderman, and do him to wit of the tidings, that he may +call the neighbours together to seek a blood-wite for Rusty and +atonement for the ransacking. Or what sayest thou?' + +'Have ye the spear that ye found in Rusty?' quoth Gold-mane. + +'Yea verily,' said the carle. 'Hither with it, neighbours; give it +to the Alderman's son.' + +So the spear came into his hand, and he looked at it and said: + +'This is no spear of the smiths' work of the Dale, as my father will +tell you. We take but little keep of the forging of spearheads here, +so that they be well-tempered and made so as to ride well on the +shaft; but this head, daintily is it wrought, the blood-trench as +clean and trim as though it were an Earl's sword. See you withal +this inlaying of runes on the steel? It is done with no tin or +copper, but with very silver; and these bands about the shaft be of +silver also. It is a fair weapon, and the owner hath a loss of it +greater than his gain in the slaying of Rusty; and he will have left +it in the wound so that he might be known hereafter, and that he +might be said not to have murdered Rusty but to have slain him. Or +how think ye?' + +They all said that this seemed like to be; but that if the man who +had slain Rusty were one of the ransackers they might have a blood- +wite of him, if they could find him. Gold-mane said that so it was, +and therewithal he gave the shepherds good-speed and went on his way. + +But they came to Burgstead and found the Alderman, and in due time +was a Court held, and a finding uttered, and outlawry given forth for +the manslaying and the ransacking against certain men unknown. As +for the spear, it was laid up in the House of the Face. + +But Face-of-god pondered these matters in his mind, for such +ransackings there had been none of in late years; and he said to +himself that his friends of the Mountain must have other folk, of +which the Dalesmen knew nought, whose gear they could lift, or how +could they live in that place. And he marvelled that they should +risk drawing the Dalesmen's wrath upon them; whereas they of the Dale +were strong men not easily daunted, albeit peaceable enough if not +stirred to wrath. For in good sooth he had no doubt concerning that +spear, whose it was and whence it came: for that very weapon had +been leaning against the panel of his shut-bed the night he slept on +the Mountain, and all the other spears that he saw there were more or +less of the same fashion, and adorned with silver. + +Albeit all that he knew, and all that he thought of, he kept in his +own heart and said nothing of it. + +So wore the autumn into early winter; and the Westland merchants came +in due time, and departed without Face-of-god, though his father made +him that offer one last time. He went to and fro about his work in +the Dale, and seemed to most men's eyes nought changed from what he +had been. But the Bride noted that he saw her less often than his +wont was, and abode with her a lesser space when he met her; and she +could not think what this might mean; nor had she heart to ask him +thereof, though she was sorry and grieved, but rather withdrew her +company from him somewhat; and when she perceived that he noted it +not, and made no question of it, then was she the sorrier. + +But the first winter-snow came on with a great storm of wind from the +north-east, so that no man stirred abroad who was not compelled +thereto, and those who went abroad risked life and limb thereby. +Next morning all was calm again, and the snow was deep, but it did +not endure long, for the wind shifted to the southwest and the thaw +came, and three days after, when folk could fare easily again up and +down the Dale, came tidings to Burgstead and the Alderman from the +Lower Dale, how a house called Greentofts had been ransacked there, +and none knew by whom. Now the goodman of Greentofts was little +loved of the neighbours: he was grasping and overbearing, and had +often cowed others out of their due: he was very cross-grained, both +at home and abroad: his wife had fled from his hand, neither did his +sons find it good to abide with him: therewithal he was wealthy of +goods, a strong man and a deft man-at-arms. When his sons and his +wife departed from him, and none other of the Dalesmen cared to abide +with him, he went down into the Plain, and got thence men to be with +him for hire, men who were not well seen to in their own land. These +to the number of twelve abode with him, and did his bidding whenso it +pleased them. Two more had he had who had been slain by good men of +the Dale for their masterful ways; and no blood-wite had been paid +for them, because of their ill-doings, though they had not been made +outlaws. This man of Greentofts was called Harts-bane after his +father, who was a great hunter. + +Now the full tidings of the ransacking were these: The storm began +two hours before sunset, and an hour thereafter, when it was quite +dark, for without none could see because the wind was at its height +and the drift of the snow was hard and full, the hall-door flew open; +and at first men thought it had been the wind, until they saw in the +dimness (for all lights but the fire on the hearth had been quenched) +certain things tumbling in which at first they deemed were wolves; +but when they took swords and staves against them, lo they were met +by swords and axes, and they saw that the seeming wolves were men +with wolf-skins drawn over them. So the new-comers cowed them that +they threw down their weapons, and were bound in their places; but +when they were bound, and had had time to note who the ransackers +were, they saw that there were but six of them all told, who had +cowed and bound Harts-bane and his twelve masterful men; and this +they deemed a great shaming to them, as might well be. + +So then the stead was ransacked, and those wolves took away what they +would, and went their ways through the fierce storm, and none could +tell whether they had lived or died in it; but at least neither the +men nor their prey were seen again; nor did they leave any slot, for +next morning the snow lay deep over everything. + +No doubt had Gold-mane but that these ransackers were his friends of +the Mountain; but he held his peace, abiding till the winter should +be over. + + + +CHAPTER XI. MEN MAKE OATH AT BURGSTEAD ON THE HOLY BOAR + + + +A week after the ransacking at Greentofts the snow and the winter +came on in earnest, and all the Dale lay in snow, and men went on +skids when they fared up and down the Dale or on the Mountain. + +All was now tidingless till Yule over, and in Burgstead was there +feasting and joyance enough; and especially at the House of the Face +was high-tide holden, and the Alderman and his sons and Stone-face +and all the kindred and all their men sat in glorious attire within +the hall; and many others were there of the best of the kindreds of +Burgstead who had been bidden. + +Face-of-god sat between his father and Stone-face; and he looked up +and down the tables and the hall and saw not the Bride, and his heart +misgave him because she was not there, and he wondered what had +befallen and if she were sick of sorrow. + +But Iron-face beheld him how he gazed about, and he laughed; for he +was exceeding merry that night and fared as a young man. Then he +said to his son: 'Whom seekest thou, son? is there someone lacking?' + +Face-of-god reddened as one who lies unused to it, and said: + +'Yea, kinsman, so it is that I was seeking the Bride my kinswoman.' + +'Nay,' said Iron-face, 'call her not kinswoman: therein is ill-luck, +lest it seem that thou art to wed one too nigh thine own blood. Call +her the Bride only: to thee and to me the name is good. Well, son, +desirest thou sorely to see her?' + +'Yea, yea, surely,' said Face-of-god; but his eyes went all about the +hall still, as though his mind strayed from the place and that home +of his. + +Said Iron-face: 'Have patience, son, thou shalt see her anon, and +that in such guise as shall please thee.' + +Therewithal came the maidens with the ewers of wine, and they filled +all horns and beakers, and then stood by the endlong tables on either +side laughing and talking with the carles and the older women; and +the hall was a fair sight to see, for the many candles burned bright +and the fire on the hearth flared up, and those maids were clad in +fair raiment, and there was none of them but was comely, and some +were fair, and some very fair: the walls also were hung with goodly +pictured cloths, and the image of the God of the Face looked down +smiling terribly from the gable-end above the high-seat. + +Thus as they sat they heard the sound of a horn winded close outside +the hall door, and the door was smitten on. Then rose Iron-face +smiling merrily, and cried out: + +'Enter ye, whether ye be friends or foes: for if ye be foemen, yet +shall ye keep the holy peace of Yule, unless ye be the foes of all +kindreds and nations, and then shall we slay you.' + +Thereat some who knew what was toward laughed; but Gold-mane, who had +been away from Burgstead some days past, marvelled and knit his +brows, and let his right hand fall on his sword-hilt. For this folk, +who were of merry ways, were wont to deal diversely with the Yule- +tide customs in the manner of shows; and he knew not that this was +one of them. + +Now was the Outer door thrown open, and there entered seven men, +whereof two were all-armed in bright war-gear, and two bore slug- +horns, and two bore up somewhat on a dish covered over with a piece +of rich cloth, and the seventh stood before them all wrapped up in a +dark fur mantle. + +Thus they stood a moment; and when he saw their number, back to Gold- +mane's heart came the thought of those folk on the Mountain: for +indeed he was somewhat out of himself for doubt and longing, else +would he have deemed that all this was but a Yule-tide play. + +Now the men with the slug-horns set them to their mouths and blew a +long blast; while the first of the new-comers set hand to the clasps +of the fur cloak and let it fall to the ground, and lo! a woman +exceeding beauteous, clad in glistering raiment of gold and fine web; +her hair wreathed with bay, and in her hand a naked sword with +goodly-wrought golden hilt and polished blue-gleaming blade. + +Face-of-god started up in his sear, and stared like a man new-wakened +from a strange dream: because for one moment he deemed verily that +it was the Woman of the Mountain arrayed as he had last seen her, and +he cried aloud 'The Friend, the Friend!' + +His father brake out into loud laughter thereat, and clapped his son +on the shoulder and said: 'Yea, yea, lad, thou mayst well say the +Friend; for this is thine old playmate whom thou hast been looking +round the hall for, arrayed this eve in such fashion as is meet for +her goodliness and her worthiness. Yea, this is the Friend indeed!' + +Then waxed Face-of-god as red as blood for shame, and he sat him down +in his place again: for now he wotted what was toward, and saw that +this fair woman was the Bride. + +But Stone-face from the other side looked keenly on him. + +Then blew the horns again, and the Bride stepped daintily up the +hall, and the sweet odour of her raiment went from her about the +fire-warmed dwelling, and her beauty moved all hearts with love. So +stood she at the high-table; and those two who bore the burden set it +down thereon and drew off the covering, and lo! there was the Holy +Boar of Yule on which men were wont to make oath of deeds that they +would do in the coming year, according to the custom of their +forefathers. Then the Bride laid the goodly sword beside the dish, +and then went round the table and sat down betwixt Face-of-god and +Stone-face, and turned kindly to Gold-mane, and was glad; for now was +his fair face as its wont was to be. He in turn smiled upon her, for +she was fair and kind and his fellow for many a day. + +Now the men-at-arms stood each side the Boar, and out from them on +each side stood the two hornsmen: then these blew up again, whereon +the Alderman stood up and cried: + +'Ye sons of the brave who have any deed that ye may be desirous of +doing, come up, come lay your hand on the sword, and the point of the +sword to the Holy Beast, and swear the oath that lieth on your +hearts.' + +Therewith he sat down, and there strode a man up the hall, strong- +built and sturdy, but short of stature; black-haired, red-bearded, +and ruddy-faced: and he stood on the dais, and took up the sword and +laid its point on the Boar, and said: + +'I am Bristler, son of Brightling, a man of the Shepherds. Here by +the Holy Boar I swear to follow up the ransackers of Penny-thumb and +the slayers of Rusty. And I take this feud upon me, although they be +no good men, because I am of the kin and it falleth to me, since +others forbear; and when the Court was hallowed hereon I was away out +of the Dale and the Downs. So help me the Warrior, and the God of +the Earth.' + +Then the Alderman nodded his head to him kindly, and reached him out +a cup of wine, and as he drank there went up a rumour of praise from +the hall; and men said that his oath was manly and that he was like +to keep it; for he was a good man-at-arms and a stout heart. + +Then came up three men of the Shepherds and two of the Dale and swore +to help Bristler in his feud, and men thought it well sworn. + +After that came a braggart, a man very gay of his raiment, and swore +with many words that if he lived the year through he would be a +captain over the men of the Plain, and would come back again with +many gifts for his friends in the Dale. This men deemed foolishly +sworn, for they knew the man; so they jeered at him and laughed as he +went back to his place ashamed. + +Then swore three others oaths not hard to be kept, and men laughed +and were merry. + +At last uprose the Alderman, and said: 'Kinsmen, and good fellows, +good days and peaceable are in the Dale as now; and of such days +little is the story, and little it availeth to swear a deed of +derring-do: yet three things I swear by this Beast; and first to +gainsay no man's asking if I may perform it; and next to set right +above law and mercy above custom; and lastly, if the days change and +war cometh to us or we go to meet it, I will be no backwarder in the +onset than three fathoms behind the foremost. So help me the +Warrior, and the God of the Face and the Holy Earth!' + +Therewith he sat down, and all men shouted for joy of him, and said +that it was most like that he would keep his oath. + +Last of all uprose Face-of-god and took up the sword and looked at +it; and so bright was the blade that he saw in it the image of the +golden braveries which the Bride bore, and even some broken image of +her face. Then he handled the hilt and laid the point on the Boar, +and cried: + +'Hereby I swear to wed the fairest woman of the Earth before the year +is worn to an end; and that whether the Dalesmen gainsay me or the +men beyond the Dale. So help me the Warrior, and the God of the Face +and the Holy Earth!' + +Therewith he sat down; and once more men shouted for the love of him +and of the Bride, and they said he had sworn well and like a +chieftain. + +But the Bride noted him that neither were his eyes nor his voice like +to their wont as he swore, for she knew him well; and thereat was she +ill at ease, for now whatever was new in him was to her a threat of +evil to come. + +Stone-face also noted him, and he knew the young man better than all +others save the Bride, and he saw withal that she was ill-pleased, +and he said to himself: 'I will speak to my fosterling to-morrow if +I may find him alone.' + +So came the swearing to an end, and they fell to on their meat and +feasted on the Boar of Atonement after they had duly given the Gods +their due share, and the wine went about the hall and men were merry +till they drank the parting cup and fared to rest in the shut-beds, +and whereso else they might in the Hall and the House, for there were +many men there. + + + +CHAPTER XII. STONE-FACE TELLETH CONCERNING THE WOOD-WIGHTS + + + +Early on the morrow Gold-mane arose and clad himself and went out-a- +doors and over the trodden snow on to the bridge over the Weltering +Water, and there betook himself into one of the coins of safety built +over the up-stream piles; there he leaned against the wall and turned +his face to the Thorp, and fell to pondering on his case. And first +he thought about his oath, and how that he had sworn to wed the +Mountain Woman, although his kindred and her kindred should gainsay +him, yea and herself also. Great seemed that oath to him, yet at +that moment he wished he had made it greater, and made all the +kindred, yea and the Bride herself, sure of the meaning of the words +of it: and he deemed himself a dastard that he had not done so. +Then he looked round him and beheld the winter, and he fell into mere +longing that the spring were come and the token from the Mountain. +Things seemed too hard for him to deal with, and he between a mighty +folk and two wayward women; and he went nigh to wish that he had +taken his father's offer and gone down to the Cities; and even had he +met his bane: well were that! And, as young folk will, he set to +work making a picture of his deeds there, had he been there. He +showed himself the stricken fight in the plain, and the press, and +the struggle, and the breaking of the serried band, and himself +amidst the ring of foemen doing most valiantly, and falling there at +last, his shield o'er-heavy with the weight of foemen's spears for a +man to uphold it. Then the victory of his folk and the lamentation +and praise over the slain man of the Mountain Dales, and the burial +of the valiant warrior, the praising weeping folk meeting him at the +City-gate, laid stark and cold in his arms on the gold-hung garlanded +bier. + +There ended his dream, and he laughed aloud and said: 'I am a fool! +All this were good and sweet if I should see it myself; and forsooth +that is how I am thinking of it, as if I still alive should see +myself dead and famous!' + +Then he turned a little and looked at the houses of the Thorp lying +dark about the snowy ways under the starlit heavens of the winter +morning: dark they were indeed and grey, save where here and there +the half-burned Yule-fire reddened the windows of a hall, or where, +as in one place, the candle of some early waker shone white in a +chamber window. There was scarce a man astir, he deemed, and no +sound reached him save the crowing of the cocks muffled by their +houses, and a faint sound of beasts in the byres. + +Thus he stood a while, his thoughts wandering now, till presently he +heard footsteps coming his way down the street and turned toward +them, and lo it was the old man Stone-face. He had seen Gold-mane go +out, and had risen and followed him that he might talk with him +apart. Gold-mane greeted him kindly, though, sooth to say, he was +but half content to see him; since he doubted, what was verily the +case, that his foster-father would give him many words, counselling +him to refrain from going to the wood, and this was loathsome to him; +but he spake and said: + +'Meseems, father, that the eastern sky is brightening toward dawn.' + +'Yea,' quoth Stone-face. + +'It will be light in an hour,' said Face-of-god. + +'Even so,' said Stone-face. + +'And a fair day for the morrow of Yule,' said the swain. + +'Yea,' said Stone-face, 'and what wilt thou do with the fair day? +Wilt thou to the wood?' + +'Maybe, father,' said Gold-mane; 'Hall-face and some of the swains +are talking of elks up the fells which may be trapped in the drifts, +and if they go a-hunting them, I may go in their company.' + +'Ah, son,' quoth Stone-face, 'thou wilt look to see other kind of +beasts than elks. Things may ye fall in with there who may not be +impounded in the snow like to elks, but can go light-foot on the top +of the soft drift from one place to another.' + +Said Gold-mane: 'Father, fear me not; I shall either refrain me from +the wood, or if I go, I shall go to hunt the wood-deer with other +hunters. But since thou hast come to me, tell me more about the +wood, for thy tales thereof are fair.' + +'Yea,' said Stone-face, 'fair tales of foul things, as oft it +befalleth in the world. Hearken now! if thou deemest that what thou +seekest shall come readier to thine hand because of the winter and +the snow, thou errest. For the wights that waylay the bodies and +souls of the mighty in the wild-wood heed such matters nothing; yea +and at Yule-tide are they most abroad, and most armed for the fray. +Even such an one have I seen time agone, when the snow was deep and +the wind was rough; and it was in the likeness of a woman clad in +such raiment as the Bride bore last night, and she trod the snow +light-foot in thin raiment where it would scarce bear the skids of a +deft snow-runner. Even so she stood before me; the icy wind blew her +raiment round about her, and drifted the hair from her garlanded head +toward me, and she as fair and fresh as in the midsummer days. Up +the fell she fared, sweetest of all things to look on, and beckoned +on me to follow; on me, the Warrior, the Stout-heart; and I followed, +and between us grief was born; but I it was that fostered that child +and not she. Always when she would be, was she merry and lovely; and +even so is she now, for she is of those that be long-lived. And I +wot that thou hast seen even such an one!' + +'Tell me more of thy tales, foster-father,' said Gold-mane, 'and fear +not for me!' + +'Ah, son,' he said, 'mayst thou have no such tales to tell to those +that shall be young when thou art old. Yet hearken! We sat in the +hall together and there was no third; and methought that the birds +sang and the flowers bloomed, and sweet was their savour, though it +was midwinter. A rose-wreath was on her head; grapes were on the +board, and fair unwrinkled summer apples on the day that we feasted +together. When was the feast? sayst thou. Long ago. What was the +hall, thou sayest, wherein ye feasted? I know not if it were on the +earth or under it, or if we rode the clouds that even. But on the +morrow what was there but the stark wood and the drift of the snow, +and the iron wind howling through the branches, and a lonely man, a +wanderer rising from the ground. A wanderer through the wood and up +the fell, and up the high mountain, and up and up to the edges of the +ice-river and the green caves of the ice-hills. A wanderer in +spring, in summer, autumn and winter, with an empty heart and a +burning never-satisfied desire; who hath seen in the uncouth places +many an evil unmanly shape, many a foul hag and changing ugly +semblance; who hath suffered hunger and thirst and wounding and +fever, and hath seen many things, but hath never again seen that fair +woman, or that lovely feast-hall. + +'All praise and honour to the House of the Face, and the bounteous +valiant men thereof! and the like praise and honour to the fair women +whom they wed of the valiant and goodly House of the Steer!' + +'Even so say I,' quoth Gold-mane calmly; 'but now wend we aback to +the House, for it is morning indeed, and folk will be stirring +there.' + +So they turned from the bridge together; and Stone-face was kind and +fatherly, and was telling his foster-son many wise things concerning +the life of a chieftain, and the giving-out of dooms and the +gathering for battle; to all which talk Face-of-god seemed to hearken +gladly, but indeed hearkened not at all; for verily his eyes were +beholding that snowy waste, and the fair woman upon it; even such an +one as Stone-face had told of. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. THEY FARE TO THE HUNTING OF THE ELK + + + +When they came into the Hall, the hearth-fire had been quickened, and +the sleepers on the floor had been wakened, and all folk were astir. +So the old man sat down by the hearth while Gold-mane busied himself +in fetching wood and water, and in sweeping out the Hall, and other +such works of the early morning. In a little while Hall-face and the +other young men and warriors were afoot duly clad, and the Alderman +came from his chamber and greeted all men kindly. Soon meat was set +upon the boards, and men broke their fast; and day dawned while they +were about it, and ere it was all done the sun rose clear and golden, +so that all men knew that the day would be fair, for the frost seemed +hard and enduring. + +Then the eager young men and the hunters, and those who knew the +mountain best drew together about the hearth, and fell to talking of +the hunting of the elk; and there were three there who knew both the +woods and also the fells right up to the ice-rivers better than any +other; and these said that they who were fain of the hunting of the +elk would have no likelier time than that day for a year to come. +Short was the rede betwixt them, for they said they would go to the +work at once and make the most of the short winter daylight. So they +went each to his place, and some outside that House to their fathers' +houses to fetch each man his gear. Face-of-god for his part went to +his shut-bed, and stood by his chest, and opened it, and drew out of +it a fine hauberk of ring-mail which his father had made for him: +for though Face-of-god was a deft wright, he was not by a long way so +deft as his father, who was the deftest of all men of that time and +country; so that the alien merchants would give him what he would for +his hauberks and helms, whenso he would chaffer with them, which was +but seldom. So Face-of-god did on this hauberk over his kirtle, and +over it he cast his foul-weather weed, so that none might see it: he +girt a strong war-sword to his side, cast his quiver over his +shoulder, and took his bow in his hand, although he had little lust +to shoot elks that day, even as Stone-face had said; therewithal he +took his skids, and went forth of the hall to the gate of the Burg; +whereto gathered the whole company of twenty-three, and Gold-mane the +twenty-fourth. And each man there had his skids and his bow and +quiver, and whatso other weapon, as short-sword, or wood-knife, or +axe, seemed good to him. + +So they went out-a-gates, and clomb the stairway in the cliff which +led to the ancient watch-tower: for it was on the lower slopes of +the fells which lay near to the Weltering Water that they looked to +find the elks, and this was the nighest road thereto. When they had +gotten to the top they lost no time, but went their ways nearly due +east, making way easily where there were but scattered trees close to +the lip of the sheer cliffs. + +They went merrily on their skids over the close-lying snow, and were +soon up on the great shoulders of the fells that went up from the +bank of the Weltering Water: at noon they came into a little dale +wherein were a few trees, and there they abided to eat their meat, +and were very merry, making for themselves tables and benches of the +drifted snow, and piling it up to windward as a defence against the +wind, which had now arisen, little but bitter from the south-east; so +that some, and they the wisest, began to look for foul weather: +wherefore they tarried the shorter while in the said dale or hollow. + +But they were scarcely on their way again before the aforesaid south- +east wind began to grow bigger, and at last blew a gale, and brought +up with it a drift of fine snow, through which they yet made their +way, but slowly, till the drift grew so thick that they could not see +each other five paces apart. + +Then perforce they made stay, and gathered together under a bent +which by good luck they happened upon, where they were sheltered from +the worst of the drift. There they abode, till in less than an +hour's space the drift abated and the wind fell, and in a little +while after it was quite clear, with the sun shining brightly and the +young waxing moon white and high up in the heavens; and the frost was +harder than ever. + +This seemed good to them; but now that they could see each other's +faces they fell to telling over their company, and there was none +missing save Face-of-god. They were somewhat dismayed thereat, but +knew not what to do, and they deemed he might not be far off, either +a little behind or a little ahead; and Hall-face said: + +'There is no need to make this to-do about my brother; he can take +good care of himself; neither does a warrior of the Face die because +of a little cold and frost and snow-drift. Withal Gold-mane is a +wilful man, and of late days hath been wilful beyond his wont; let us +now find the elks.' + +So they went on their ways hoping to fall in with him again. No long +story need be made of their hunting, for not very far from where they +had taken shelter they came upon the elks, many of them, impounded in +the drifts, pretty much where the deft hunters looked to find them. +There then was battle between the elks and the men, till the beasts +were all slain and only one man hurt: then they made them sleighs +from wood which they found in the hollows thereby, and they laid the +carcasses thereon, and so turned their faces homeward, dragging their +prey with them. But they met not Face-of-god either there or on the +way home; and Hall-face said: 'Maybe Gold-mane will lie on the fell +to-night; and I would I were with him; for adventures oft befall such +folk when they abide in the wilds.' + +Now it was late at night by then they reached Burgstead, so laden as +they were with the dead beasts; but they heeded the night little, for +the moon was well-nigh as bright as day for them. But when they came +to the gate of the Thorp, there were assembled the goodmen and swains +to meet them with torches and wine in their honour. There also was +Gold-mane come back before them, yea for these two hours; and he +stood clad in his holiday raiment and smiled on them. + +Then was there some jeering at him that he was come back empty-handed +from the hunting, and that he was not able to abide the wind and the +drift; but he laughed thereat, for all this was but game and play, +since men knew him for a keen hunter and a stout woodsman; and they +had deemed it a heavy loss of him if he had been cast away, as some +feared he had been: and his brother Hall-face embraced him and +kissed him, and said to him: 'Now the next time that thou farest to +the wood will I be with thee foot to foot, and never leave thee, and +then meseemeth I shall wot of the tale that hath befallen thee, and +belike it shall be no sorry one.' + +Face-of-god laughed and answered but little, and they all betook them +to the House of the Face and held high feast therein, for as late as +the night was, in honour of this Hunting of the Elk. + +No man cared to question Face-of-god closely as to how or where he +had strayed from the hunt; for he had told his own tale at once as +soon as he came home, to wit, that his right-foot skid-strap had +broken, and even while he stopped to mend it came on that drift and +weather; and that he could not move from that place without losing +his way, and that when it had cleared he knew not whither they had +gone because the snow had covered their slot. So he deemed it not +unlike that they had gone back, and that he might come up with one or +two on the way, and that in any case he wotted well that they could +look after themselves; so he turned back, not going very swiftly. +All this seemed like enough, and a little matter except to jest +about, so no man made any question concerning it: only old Stone- +face said to himself: + +'Now were I fain to have a true tale out of him, but it is little +likely that anything shall come of my much questioning; and it is ill +forcing a young man to tell lies.' + +So he held his peace, and the feast went on merrily and blithely. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. CONCERNING FACE-OF-GOD AND THE MOUNTAIN + + + +But it must be told of Gold-mane that what had befallen him was in +this wise. His skid-strap brake in good sooth, and he stayed to mend +it; but when he had done what was needful, he looked up and saw no +man nigh, what for the drift, and that they had gone on somewhat; so +he rose to his feet, and without more delay, instead of keeping on +toward the elk-ground and the way his face had been set, he turned +himself north-and-by-east, and went his ways swiftly towards that +airt, because he deemed that it might lead him to the Mountain-hall +where he had guested. He abode not for the storm to clear, but swept +off through the thick of it; and indeed the wind was somewhat at his +back, so that he went the swiftlier. But when the drift was gotten +to its very worst, he sheltered himself for a little in a hollow +behind a thorn-bush he stumbled upon. As soon as it began to abate +he went on again, and at last when it was quite clear, and the sun +shone out, he found himself on a long slope of the fells covered deep +with smooth white snow, and at the higher end a great crag rising +bare fifty feet above the snow, and more rocks, but none so great, +and broken ground as he judged (the snow being deep) about it on the +hither side; and on the further, three great pine-trees all bent down +and mingled together by their load of snow. + +Thitherward he made, as a man might, seeing nothing else to note +before him; but he had not made many strides when forth from behind +the crag by the pine-trees came a man; and at first Face-of-god +thought it might be one of his hunting-fellows gone astray, and he +hailed him in a loud voice, but as he looked he saw the sun flash +back from a bright helm on the new-comer's head; albeit he kept on +his way till there was but a space of two hundred yards between them; +when lo! the helm-bearer notched a shaft to his bent bow and loosed +at Face-of-god, and the arrow came whistling and passed six inches by +his right ear. Then Face-of-god stopped perplexed with his case; for +he was on the deep snow in his skids, with his bow unbent, and he +knew not how to bend it speedily. He was loth to turn his back and +flee, and indeed he scarce deemed that it would help him. Meanwhile +of his tarrying the archer loosed again at him, and this time the +shaft flew close to his left ear. Then Face-of-god thought to cast +himself down into the snow, but he was ashamed; till there came a +third shaft which flew over his head amidmost and close to it. 'Good +shooting on the Mountain!' muttered he; 'the next shaft will be +amidst my breast, and who knows whether the Alderman's handiwork will +keep it out.' + +So he cried aloud: 'Thou shootest well, brother; but art thou a foe? +If thou art, I have a sword by my side, and so hast thou; come hither +to me, and let us fight it out friendly if we must needs fight.' + +A laugh came down the wind to him clear but somewhat shrill, and the +archer came swiftly towards him on his skids with no weapon in his +hand save his bow; so that Face-of-god did not draw his sword, but +stood wondering. + +As they drew nearer he beheld the face of the new-comer, and deemed +that he had seen it before; and soon, for all that it was hooded +close by the ill-weather raiment, he perceived it to be the face of +Bow-may, ruddy and smiling. + +She laughed out loud again, as she stopped herself within three feet +of him, and said: + +'Yea, friend Yellow-hair, we heard of the elks and looked to see thee +hereabouts, and I knew thee at once when I came out from behind the +crag and saw thee stand bewildered.' + +Said Gold-mane: 'Hail to thee, Bow-may! and glad am I to see thee. +But thou liest in saying that thou knewest me; else why didst thou +shoot those three shafts at me? Surely thou art not so quick as that +with all thy friends: these be sharp greetings of you Mountain- +folk.' + +'Thou lad with the sweet mouth,' she said, 'I like to see thee and +hear thee talk, but now must I hasten thy departure; so stand we here +no longer. Let us get down into the wood where we can do off our +skids and sit down, and then will I tell thee the tidings. Come on!' + +And she caught his hand in hers, and they went speedily down the +slopes toward the great oak-wood, the wind whistling past their ears. + +'Whither are we going?' said he. + +Said she: 'I am to show thee the way back home, which thou wilt not +know surely amidst this snow. Come, no words! thou shalt not have my +tale from me till we are in the wood: so the sooner we are there the +sooner shalt thou be pleased.' + +So Face-of-god held his peace, and they went on swiftly side by side. +But it was not Bow-may's wont to be silent for long, so presently she +said: + +'Thou art good so do as I bid thee; but see thou, sweet playmate, for +all thou art a chieftain's son, thou wert but feather-brained to ask +me why I shot at thee. I shoot at thee! that were a fine tale to +tell her this even! Or dost thou think that I could shoot at a big +man on the snow at two hundred paces and miss him three times? +Unless I aimed to miss.' + +'Yea, Bow-may,' said he, 'art thou so deft a Bow-may? Thou shalt be +in my company whenso I fare to battle.' + +'Indeed,' she said, 'therein thou sayest but the bare truth: nowhere +else shall I be, and thou shalt find my bow no worse than a good +shield.' + +He laughed somewhat lightly; but she looked on him soberly and said: +'Laugh in that fashion on the day of battle, and we shall be well +content with thee!' + +So on they sped very swiftly, for their way was mostly down hill, so +that they were soon amongst the outskirting trees of the wood, and +presently after reached the edge of the thicket, beyond which the +ground was but thinly covered with snow. + +There they took off their skids, and went into the thick wood and sat +down under a hornbeam tree; and ere Gold-mane could open his mouth to +speak Bow-may began and said: + +'Well it was that I fell in with thee, Dalesman, else had there been +murders of men to tell of; but ever she ordereth all things wisely, +though unwisely hast thou done to seek to her. Hearken! dost thou +think that thou hast done well that thou hast me here with my tale? +Well, hadst thou busied thyself with the slaying of elks, or with +sitting quietly at home, yet shouldest thou have heard my tale, and +thou shouldest have seen me in Burgstead in a day or two to tell thee +concerning the flitting of the token. And ill it is that I have +missed it, for fain had I been to behold the House of the Face, and +to have seen thee sitting there in thy dignity amidst the kindred of +chieftains.' + +And she sighed therewith. But he said: 'Hold up thine heart, Bow- +may! On the word of a true man that shall befall thee one day. But +come, playmate, give me thy tale!' + +'Yea,' she said, 'I must now tell thee in the wild-wood what else I +had told thee in the Hall. Hearken closely, for this is the message: + +'Seek not to me again till thou hast the token; else assuredly wilt +thou be slain, and I shall be sorry for many a day. Thereof as now I +may not tell thee more. Now as to the token: When March is worn two +weeks fail not to go to and fro on the place of the Maiden Ward for +an hour before sunrise every day till thou hear tidings.' + +'Now,' quoth Bow-may, 'hast thou hearkened and understood?' + +'Yea,' said he. + +She said: 'Then tell me the words of my message concerning the +token.' And he did so word for word. Then she said: + +'It is well, there is no more to say. Now must I lead thee till thou +knowest the wood; and then mayst thou get on to the smooth snow +again, and so home merrily. Yet, thou grey-eyed fellow, I will have +my pay of thee before I do that last work.' + +Therewith she turned about to him and took his head between her +hands, and kissed him well favouredly both cheeks and mouth; and she +laughed, albeit the tears stood in her eyes as she said: 'Now +smelleth the wood sweeter, and summer will come back again. And even +thus will I do once more when we stand side by side in battle array.' + +He smiled kindly on her and nodded as they both rose up from the +earth: she had taken off her foul-weather gloves while they spake, +and he kissed her hand, which was shapely of fashion albeit somewhat +brown, and hard of palm, and he said in friendly wise: + +'Thou art a merry faring-fellow, Bow-may, and belike shalt be withal +a true fighting-fellow. Come now, thou shalt be my sister and I thy +brother, in despite of those three shafts across the snow.' + +He laughed therewith; she laughed not, but seemed glad, and said +soberly: + +'Yea, I may well be thy sister; for belike I also am of the people of +the Gods, who have come into these Dales by many far ways. I am of +the House of the Ragged Sword of the Kindred of the Wolf. Come, +brother, let us toward Wildlake's Way.' + +Therewith she went before him and led through the thicket as by an +assured and wonted path, and he followed hard at heel; but his +thought went from her for a while; for those words of brother and +sister that he had spoken called to his mind the Bride, and their +kindness of little children, and the days when they seemed to have +nought to do but to make the sun brighter, and the flowers fairer, +and the grass greener, and the birds happier each for the other; and +a hard and evil thing it seemed to him that now he should be making +all these things nought and dreary to her, now when he had become a +man and deeds lay before him. Yet again was he solaced by what Bow- +may had said concerning battle to come; for he deemed that she must +have had this from the Friend's foreseeing; and he longed sore for +deeds to do, wherein all these things might be cleared up and washen +clean as it were. + +So passed they through the wood a long way, and it was getting dark +therein, and Gold-mane said: + +'Hold now, Bow-may, for I am at home here.' + +She looked around and said: 'Yea, so it is: I was thinking of many +things. Farewell and live merrily till March comes and the token!' + +Therewith she turned and went her ways and was soon out of sight, and +he went lightly through the wood, and then on skids over the hard +snow along the Dale's edge till he was come to the watch-tower, when +the moon was bright in heaven. + +Thus was he at Burgstead and the House of the Face betimes, and +before the hunters were gotten back. + + + +CHAPTER XV. MURDER AMONGST THE FOLK OF THE WOODLANDERS + + + +So wore away midwinter tidingless. Stone-face spake no more to Face- +of-god about the wood and its wights, when he saw that the young man +had come back hale and merry, seemed not to crave over-much to go +back thither. As for the Bride, she was sad, and more than +misdoubted all; but dauntless as she was in matters that try men's +hardihood, she yet lacked heart to ask of Face-of-god what had +befallen him since the autumn-tide, or where he was with her. So she +put a force upon herself not to look sad or craving when she was in +his company, as full oft she was; for he rather sought her than +shunned her. For when he saw her thus, he deemed things were +changing with her as they had changed with him, and he bethought him +of what he had spoken to Bow-may, and deemed that even so he might +speak with the Bride when the time came, and that she would not be +grieved beyond measure, and all would be well. + +Now came on the thaw, and the snow went, and the grass grew all up +and down the Dale, and all waters were big. And about this time +arose rumours of strange men in the wood, uncouth, vile, and +murderous, and many of the feebler sort were made timorous thereby. + +But a little before March was born came new tidings from the +Woodlanders; to wit: There came on a time to the house of a woodland +carle, a worthy goodman well renowned of all, two wayfarers in the +first watch of the night; and these men said that they were wending +down to the Plain from a far-away dale, Rose-dale to wit, which all +men had heard of, and that they had strayed from the way and were +exceeding weary, and they craved a meal's meat and lodging for the +night. + +This the goodman might nowise gainsay, and he saw no harm in it, +wherefore he bade them abide and be merry. + +These men, said they who told the tidings, were outlanders, and no +man had seen any like them before: they were armed, and bore short +bows made of horn, and round targets, and coats-of-fence done over +with horn scales; they had crooked swords girt to their sides, and +axes of steel forged all in one piece, right good weapons. They were +clad in scarlet and had much silver on their raiment and about their +weapons, and great rings of the same on their arms; and all this +silver seemed brand-new. + +Now the Woodland Carle gave them of such things as he had, and was +kind and blithe to them: there were in his house besides himself +five men of his sons and kindred, and his wife and three daughters +and two other maids. So they feasted after the Woodlanders' fashion, +and went to bed a little before midnight. Two hours after, the carle +awoke and heard a little stir, and he looked and saw the guests on +their feet amidst the hall clad in all their war-gear; and they had +betwixt them his two youngest daughters, maids of fifteen and twelve +winters, and had bound their hands and done clouts over their mouths, +so that they might not cry out; and they were just at point to carry +them off. Thereat the goodman, naked as he was, caught up his sword +and made at these murder-carles, and or ever they were ware of him he +had hewn down one and turned to face the other, who smote at him with +his steel axe and gave him a great wound on the shoulder, and +therewithal fled out at the open door and forth into the wood. + +The Woodlander made no stay to raise the cry (there was no need, for +the hall was astir now from end to end, and men getting to their +weapons), but ran out after the felon even as he was; and, in spite +of his grievous hurt, overran him no long way from the house before +he had gotten into the thicket. But the man was nimble and strong, +and the goodman unsteady from his wound, and by then the others of +the household came up with the hue and cry he had gotten two more +sore wounds and was just making an end of throttling the felon with +his bare hands. So he fell into their arms fainting from weakness, +and for all they could do he died in two hours' time from that axe- +wound in his shoulder, and another on the side of the head, and a +knife-thrust in his side; and he was a man of sixty winters. + +But the stranger he had slain outright; and the one whom he had +smitten in the hall died before the dawn, thrusting all help aside, +and making no sound of speech. + +When these tidings came to Burgstead they seemed great to men, and to +Gold-mane more than all. So he and many others took their weapons +and fared up to Wildlake's Way, and so came to the Woodland Carles. +But the Woodlanders had borne out the carcasses of those felons and +laid them on the green before Wood-grey's door (for that was the name +of the dead goodman), and they were saying that they would not bury +such accursed folk, but would bear them a little way so that they +should not be vexed with the stink of them, and cast them into the +thicket for the wolf and the wild-cat and the stoat to deal with; and +they should lie there, weapons and silver and all; and they deemed it +base to strip such wretches, for who would wear their raiment or bear +their weapons after them. + +There was a great ring of folk round about them when they of +Burgstead drew near, and they shouted for joy to see their +neighbours, and made way before them. Then the Dalesmen cursed these +murderers who had slain so good a man, and they all praised his +manliness, whereas he ran out into the night naked and wounded after +his foe, and had fallen like his folk of old time. + +It was a bright spring afternoon in that clearing of the Wood, and +they looked at the two dead men closely; and Gold-mane, who had been +somewhat silent and moody till then, became merry and wordy; for he +beheld the men and saw that they were utterly strange to him: they +were short of stature, crooked-legged, long-armed, very strong for +their size: with small blue eyes, snubbed-nosed, wide-mouthed, thin- +lipped, very swarthy of skin, exceeding foul of favour. He and all +others wondered who they were, and whence they came, for never had +they seen their like; and the Woodlanders, who often guested +outlanders strayed from the way of divers kindreds and nations, said +also that none such had they ever seen. But Stone-face, who stood by +Gold-mane, shook his head and quoth he: + +'The Wild-wood holdeth many marvels, and these be of them: the spawn +of evil wights quickeneth therein, and at other whiles it melteth +away again like the snow; so may it be with these carcasses.' + +And some of the older folk of the Woodlanders who stood by hearkened +what he said, and deemed his words wise, for they remembered their +ancient lore and many a tale of old time. + +Thereafter they of Burgstead went into Wood-grey's hall, or as many +of them as might, for it was but a poor place and not right great. +There they saw the goodman laid on the dais in all his war-gear, +under the last tie-beam of his hall, whereon was carved amidst much +goodly work of knots and flowers and twining stems the image of the +Wolf of the Waste, his jaws open and gaping: the wife and daughters +of the goodman and other women of the folk stood about the bier +singing some old song in a low voice, and some sobbing therewithal, +for the man was much beloved: and much people of the Woodlanders was +in the hall, and it was somewhat dusk within. + +So the Burgstead men greeted that folk kindly and humbly, and again +they fell to praising the dead man, saying how his deed should long +be remembered in the Dale and wide about; and they called him a +fearless man and of great worth. And the women hearkened, and ceased +their crooning and their sobbing, and stood up proudly and raised +their heads with gleaming eyes; and as the words of the Burgstead men +ended, they lifted up their voices and sang loudly and clearly, +standing together in a row, ten of them, on the dais of that poor +hall, facing the gable and the wolf-adorned tie-beam, heeding nought +as they sang what was about or behind them. + +And this is some of what they sang: + + +Why sit ye bare in the spinning-room? +Why weave ye naked at the loom? + +Bare and white as the moon we be, +That the Earth and the drifting night may see. + +Now what is the worst of all your work? +What curse amidst the web shall lurk? + +The worst of the work our hands shall win +Is wrack and ruin round the kin. + +Shall the woollen yarn and the flaxen thread +Be gear for living men or dead? + +The woollen yarn and the flaxen thread +Shall flare 'twixt living men and dead. + +O what is the ending of your day? +When shall ye rise and wend away? + +Our day shall end to-morrow morn, +When we hear the voice of the battle-horn. + +Where first shall eyes of men behold +This weaving of the moonlight cold? + +There where the alien host abides +The gathering on the Mountain-sides. + +How long aloft shall the fair web fly +When the bows are bent and the spears draw nigh? + +From eve to morn and morn till eve +Aloft shall fly the work we weave. + +What then is this, the web ye win? +What wood-beast waxeth stark therein? + +We weave the Wolf and the gift of war +From the men that were to the men that are. + + +So sang they: and much were all men moved at their singing, and +there was none but called to mind the old days of the Fathers, and +the years when their banner went wide in the world. + +But the Woodlanders feasted them of Burgstead what they might, and +then went the Dalesmen back to their houses; but on the morrow's +morrow they fared thither again, and Wood-grey was laid in mound +amidst a great assemblage of the Folk. + +Many men said that there was no doubt that those two felons were of +the company of those who had ransacked the steads of Penny-thumb and +Harts-bane; and so at first deemed Bristler the son of Brightling: +but after a while, when he had had time to think of it, he changed +his mind; for he said that such men as these would have slain first +and ransacked afterwards: and some who loved neither Penny-thumb nor +Harts-bane said that they would not have been at the pains to choose +for ransacking the two worst men about the Dale, whose loss was no +loss to any but themselves. + +As for Gold-mane he knew not what to think, except that his friends +of the Mountain had had nought to do with it. + +So wore the days awhile. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. THE BRIDE SPEAKETH WITH FACE-OF-GOD + + + +February had died into March, and March was now twelve days old, on a +fair and sunny day an hour before noon; and Face-of-god was in a +meadow a scant mile down the Dale from Burgstead. He had been +driving a bull into a goodman's byre nearby, and had had to spend +toil and patience both in getting him out of the fields and into the +byre; for the beast was hot with the spring days and the new grass. +So now he was resting himself in happy mood in an exceeding pleasant +place, a little meadow to wit, on one side whereof was a great +orchard or grove of sweet chestnuts, which went right up to the feet +of the Southern Cliffs: across the meadow ran a clear brook towards +the Weltering Water, free from big stones, in some places dammed up +for the flooding of the deep pasture-meadow, and with the grass +growing on its lips down to the very water. There was a low bank +just outside the chestnut trees, as if someone had raised a dyke +about them when they were young, which had been trodden low and +spreading through the lapse of years by the faring of many men and +beasts. The primroses bloomed thick upon it now, and here and there +along it was a low blackthorn bush in full blossom; from the mid- +meadow and right down to the lip of the brook was the grass well nigh +hidden by the blossoms of the meadow-saffron, with daffodils +sprinkled about amongst them, and in the trees and bushes the birds, +and chiefly the blackbirds, were singing their loudest. + +There sat Face-of-god on the bank resting after his toil, and happy +was his mood; since in two days' wearing he should be pacing the +Maiden Ward awaiting the token that was to lead him to Shadowy Vale; +so he sat calling to mind the Friend as he had last seen her, and +striving as it were to set her image standing on the flowery grass +before him, till all the beauty of the meadow seemed bare and empty +to him without her. Then it fell into his mind that this had been a +beloved trysting-place betwixt him and the Bride, and that often when +they were little would they come to gather chestnuts in the grove, +and thereafter sit and prattle on the old dyke; or in spring when the +season was warm would they go barefoot into the brook, seeking its +treasures of troutlets and flowers and clean-washed agate pebbles. +Yea, and time not long ago had they met here to talk as lovers, and +sat on that very bank in all the kindness of good days without a +blemish, and both he and she had loved the place well for its wealth +of blossoms and deep grass and goodly trees and clear running stream. + +As he thought of all this, and how often there he had praised to +himself her beauty, which he scarce dared praise to her, he frowned +and slowly rose to his feet, and turned toward the chestnut-grove, as +though he would go thence that way; but or ever he stepped down from +the dyke he turned about again, and even therewith, like the very +image and ghost of his thought, lo! the Bride herself coming up from +out the brook and wending toward him, her wet naked feet gleaming in +the sun as they trod down the tender meadow-saffron and brushed past +the tufts of daffodils. He stood staring at her discomforted, for on +that day he had much to think of that seemed happy to him, and he +deemed that she would now question him, and his mind pondered divers +ways of answering her, and none seemed good to him. She drew near +and let her skirts fall over her feet, and came to him, her gown hem +dragging over the flowers: then she stood straight up before him and +greeted him, but reached not forth her hand to him nor touched him. +Her face was paler that its wont, and her voice trembled as she spake +to him and said: + +'Face-of-god, I would ask thee a gift.' + +'All gifts,' he said, 'that thou mayest ask, and I may give, lie open +to thee.' + +She said: 'If I be alive when the time comes this gift thou mayst +well give me.' + +'Sweet kinswoman,' said he, 'tell me what it is that thou wouldest +have of me.' And he was ill-at-ease as he waited for her answer. + +She said: 'Ah, kinsman, kinsman! Woe on the day that maketh kinship +accursed to me because thou desirest it!' + +He held his peace and was exceeding sorry; and she said: + +'This is the gift that I ask of thee, that in the days to come when +thou art wedded, thou wilt give me the second man-child whom thou +begettest.' + +He said: 'This shalt thou have, and would that I might give thee +much more. Would that we were little children together other again, +as when we played here in other days.' + +She said: 'I would have a token of thee that thou shalt show to the +God, and swear on it to give me the gift. For the times change.' + +'What token wilt thou have?' said he. + +She said: 'When next thou farest to the Wood, thou shalt bring me +back, it maybe a flower from the bank ye sit upon, or a splinter from +the dais of the hall wherein ye feast, or maybe a ring or some matter +that the strangers are wont to wear. That shall be the token.' + +She spoke slowly, hanging her head adown, but she lifted it presently +and looked into his face and said: + +'Woe's me, woe's me, Gold-mane! How evil is this day, when bewailing +me I may not bewail thee also! For I know that thine heart is glad. +All through the winter have I kept this hidden in my heart, and durst +not speak to thee. But now the spring-tide hath driven me to it. +Let summer come, and who shall say?' + +Great was his grief, and his shame kept him silent, and he had no +word to say; and again she said: + +'Tell me, Gold-mane, when goest thou thither?' + +He said: 'I know not surely, may happen in two days, may happen in +ten. Why askest thou?' + +'O friend!' she said, 'is it a new thing that I should ask thee +whither thou goest and whence thou comest, and the times of thy +coming and going. Farewell to-day! Forget not the token. Woe's me, +that I may not kiss thy fair face!' + +She spread her arms abroad and lifted up her face as one who waileth, +but no sound came from her lips; then she turned about and went away +as she had come. + +But as for him he stood there after she was gone in all confusion, as +if he were undone: for he felt his manhood lessened that he should +thus and so sorely have hurt a friend, and in a manner against his +will. And yet he was somewhat wroth with her, that she had come upon +him so suddenly, and spoken to him with such mastery, and in so few +words, and he with none to make answer to her, and that she had so +marred his pleasure and his hope of that fair day. Then he sat him +down again on the flowery bank, and little by little his heart +softened, and he once more called to mind many a time when they had +been there before, and the plays and the games they had had together +there when they were little. And he bethought him of the days that +were long to him then, and now seemed short to him, and as if they +were all grown together into one story, and that a sweet one. Then +his breast heaved with a sob, and the tears rose to his eyes and +burned and stung him, and he fell a-weeping for that sweet tale, and +wept as he had wept once before on that old dyke when there had been +some child's quarrel between them, and she had gone away and left +him. + +Then after a while he ceased his weeping, and looked about him lest +anyone might be coming, and then he arose and went to and fro in the +chestnut-grove for a good while, and afterwards went his ways from +that meadow, saying to himself: 'Yet remaineth to me the morrow of +to-morrow, and that is the first of the days of the watching for the +token.' + +But all that day he was slow to meet the eyes of men; and in the hall +that eve he was silent and moody; for from time to time it came over +him that some of his manhood had departed from him. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. THE TOKEN COMETH FROM THE MOUNTAIN + + + +The next day wore away tidingless; and the day after Face-of-god +arose betimes; for it was the first day of his watch, and he was at +the Maiden Ward before the time appointed on a very fair and bright +morning, and he went to and fro on that place, and had no tidings. +So he came away somewhat cast down, and said within himself: 'Is it +but a lie and a mocking when all is said?' + +On the morrow he went thither again, and the morn was wild and stormy +with drift of rain, and low clouds hurrying over the earth, though +for the sunrise they lifted a little in the east, and the sun came up +over the passes, amidst the red and angry rack of clouds. This morn +also gave him no tidings of the token, and he was wroth and perturbed +in spirit: but towards evening he said: + +'It is well: ten days she gave me, so that she might be able to send +without fail on one of them; she will not fail me.' + +So again on the morrow he was there betimes, and the morn was windy +as on the day before, but the clouds higher and of better promise for +the day. Face-of-god walked to and fro on the Maiden Ward, and as he +turned toward Burgstead for the tenth time, he heard, as he deemed, a +bow-string twang afar off, and even therewith came a shaft flying +heavily like a winged bird, which smote a great standing stone on the +other side of the way, where of old some chieftain had been buried, +and fell to earth at its foot. He went up to it and handled it, and +saw that there was a piece of thin parchment wrapped about it, which +indeed he was eager to unwrap at once, but forebore; because he was +on the highway, and people were already astir, and even then passed +by him a goodman of the Dale with a man of his going afield together, +and they gave him the sele of the day. So he went along the highway +a little till he came to a place where was a footbridge over into the +meadow. He crossed thereby and went swiftly till he reached a rising +ground grown over with hazel-trees; there he sat down among the +rabbit-holes, the primrose and wild-garlic blooming about him, and +three blackbirds answering one another from the edges of the coppice. +Straightway when he had looked and seen none coming he broke the +threads that were wound about the scroll and the arrow, and unrolled +the parchment; and there was writing thereon in black ink of small +letters, but very fair, and this is what he read therein: + + +Come thou to the Mountain Hall by the path which thou knowest of, on +the morrow of the day whereon thou readest this. Rise betimes and +come armed, for there are other men than we in the wood; to whom thy +death should be a gain. When thou art come to the Hall, thou shalt +find no man therein; but a great hound only, tied to a bench nigh the +dais. Call him by his name, Sure-foot to wit, and give him to eat +from the meat upon the board, and give him water to drink. If the +day is then far spent, as it is like to be, abide thou with the hound +in the hall through the night, and eat of what thou shalt find there; +but see that the hound fares not abroad till the morrow's morn: then +lead him out and bring him to the north-east corner of the Hall, and +he shall lift the slot for thee that leadeth to the Shadowy Yale. +Follow him and all good go with thee. + + +Now when he had read this, earth seemed fair indeed about him, and he +scarce knew whither to turn or what to do to make the most of his +joy. He presently went back to Burgstead and into the House of the +Face, where all men were astir now, and the day was clearing. He hid +the shaft under his kirtle, for he would not that any should see it; +so he went to his shut-bed and laid it up in his chest, wherein he +kept his chiefest treasures; but the writing on the scroll he set in +his bosom and so hid it. He went joyfully and proudly, as one who +knoweth more tidings and better than those around him. But Stone- +face beheld him, and said 'Foster-son, thou art happy. Is it that +the spring-tide is in thy blood, and maketh thee blithe with all +things, or hast thou some new tidings? Nay, I would not have an +answer out of thee; but here is good rede: when next thou goest into +the wood, it were nought so ill for thee to have a valiant old carle +by thy side; one that loveth thee, and would die for thee if need +were; one who might watch when thou wert seeking. Or else beware! +for there are evil things abroad in the Wood, and moreover the +brethren of those two felons who were slain at Carlstead.' + +Then Gold-mane constrained himself to answer the old carle softly; +and he thanked him kindly for his offer, and said that so it should +be before long. So the talk between them fell, and Stone-face went +away somewhat well-pleased. + +And now was Face-of-god become wary; and he would not draw men's eyes +and speech on him; so he went afield with Hall-face to deal with the +lambs and the ewes, and did like other men. No less wary was he in +the hall that even, and neither spake much nor little; and when his +father spake to him concerning the Bride, and made game of him as a +somewhat sluggish groom, he did not change countenance, but answered +lightly what came to hand. + +On the morrow ere the earliest dawn he was afoot, and he clad himself +and did on his hauberk, his father's work, which was fine-wrought and +a stout defence, and reached down to his knees; and over that he did +on a goodly green kirtle well embroidered: he girt his war-sword to +his side, and it was the work of his father's father, and a very good +sword: its name was Dale-warden. He did a good helm on his head, +and slung a targe at his back, and took two spears in his hand, short +but strong-shafted and well-steeled. Thus arrayed he left Burgstead +before the dawn, and came to Wildlake's Way and betook him to the +Woodland. He made no stop or stay on the path, but ate his meat +standing by an oak-tree close by the half-blind track. When he came +to the little wood-lawn, where was the toft of the ancient house, he +looked all round about him, for he deemed that a likely place for +those ugly wood-wights to set on him; but nought befell him, though +he stooped and drank of the woodland rill warily enough. So he +passed on; and there were other places also where he fared warily, +because they seemed like to hold lurking felons; though forsooth the +whole wood might well serve their turn. But no evil befell him, and +at last, when it yet lacked an hour to sunset, he came to the wood- +lawn where Wild-wearer had made his onset that other eve. + +He went straight up to the house, his heart beating, and he scarce +believing but that he should find the Friend abiding him there: but +when he pushed the door it gave way before him at once, and he +entered and found no man therein, and the walls stripped bare and no +shield or weapon hanging on the panels. But the hound he saw tied to +a bench nigh the dais, and the bristles on the beast's neck arose, +and he snarled on Face-of-god, and strained on his leathern leash. +Then Face-of-god went up to him and called him by his name, Sure- +foot, and gave him his hand to lick, and he brought him water, and +fed him with flesh from the meat on the board; so the beast became +friendly and wagged his tail and whined and slobbered his hand. + +Then he went all about the house, and saw and heard no living thing +therein save the mice in the panels and Sure-foot. So he came back +to the dais, and sat him down at the board and ate his fill, and +thought concerning his case. And it came into his mind that the +Woman of the Mountain had some deed for him to do which would try his +manliness and exalt his fame; and his heart rose high and he was +glad, and he saw himself sitting beside her on the dais of a very +fair hall beloved and honoured of all the folk, and none had aught to +say against him or owed him any grudge. Thus he pleased himself in +thinking of the good days to come, sitting there till the hall grew +dusk and dark and the night-wind moaned about it. + +Then after a while he arose and raked together the brands on the +hearth, and made light in the hall and looked to the door. And he +found there were bolts and bars thereto, so he shot the bolts and +drew the bars into their places and made all as sure as might be. +Then he brought Sure-foot down from the dais, and tied him up so that +he might lie down athwart the door, and then lay down his hauberk +with his naked sword ready to his hand, and slept long while. + +When he awoke it was darker than when he had lain him for the moon +had set; yet he deemed that the day was at point of breaking. So he +fetched water and washed the night off him, and saw a little glimmer +of the dawn. Then he ate somewhat of the meat on the board, and did +on his helm and his other gear, and unbarred the door, and led Sure- +foot without, and brought him to the north-east corner of the house, +and in a little while he lifted the slot and they departed, the man +and the hound, just as broke dawn from over the mountains. + +Sure-foot led right into the heart of the pine-wood, and it was dark +enough therein, with nought but a feeble glimmer for some while, and +long was the way therethrough; but in two hours' space was there +something of a break, and they came to the shore of a dark deep tarn +on whose windless and green waters the daylight shone fully. The +hound skirted the water, and led on unchecked till the trees began to +grow smaller and the air colder for all that the sun was higher; for +they had been going up and up all the way. + +So at last after a six hours' journey they came clean out of the +pine-wood, and before them lay the black wilderness of the bare +mountains, and beyond them, looking quite near now, the great ice- +peaks, the wall of the world. It was but an hour short of noon by +this time, and the high sun shone down on a barren boggy moss which +lay betwixt them and the rocky waste. Sure-foot made no stay, but +threaded the ways that went betwixt the quagmires, and in another +hour led Face-of-god into a winding valley blinded by great rocks, +and everywhere stony and rough, with a trickle of water running +amidst of it. The hound fared on up the dale to where the water was +bridged by a great fallen stone, and so over it and up a steep bent +on the further side, on to a marvellously rough mountain-neck, whiles +mere black sand cumbered with scattered rocks and stones, whiles +beset with mires grown over with the cottony mire-grass; here and +there a little scanty grass growing; otherwhere nought but dwarf +willow ever dying ever growing, mingled with moss or red-blossomed +sengreen; and all blending together into mere desolation. + +Few living things they saw there; up on the neck a few sheep were +grazing the scanty grass, but there was none to tend them; yet Face- +of-god deemed the sight of them good, for there must be men anigh who +owned them. For the rest, the whimbrel laughed across the mires; +high up in heaven a great eagle was hanging; once and again a grey +fox leapt up before them, and the heath-fowl whirred up from under +Face-of-god's feet. A raven who was sitting croaking on a rock in +that first dale stirred uneasily on his perch as he saw them, and +when they were passed flapped his wings and flew after them croaking +still. + +Now they fared over that neck somewhat east, making but slow way +because the ground was so broken and rocky; and in another hour's +space Sure-foot led down-hill due east to where the stony neck sank +into another desolate miry heath still falling toward the east, but +whose further side was walled by a rampart of crags cleft at their +tops into marvellous-shapes, coal-black, ungrassed and unmossed. +Thitherward the hound led straight, and Gold-mane followed wondering: +as he drew near them he saw that they were not very high, the tallest +peak scant fifty feet from the face of the heath. + +They made their way through the scattered rocks at the foot of these +crags, till, just where the rock-wall seemed the closest, the way +through the stones turned into a path going through it skew-wise; and +it was now so clear a path that belike it had been bettered by men's +hands. Down thereby Face-of-god followed the hound, deeming that he +was come to the gates of the Shadowy Vale, and the path went down +steeply and swiftly. But when he had gone down a while, the rocks on +his right hand sank lower for a space, so that he could look over and +see what lay beneath. + +There lay below him a long narrow vale quite plain at the bottom, +walled on the further side as on the hither by sheer rocks of black +stone. The plain was grown over with grass, but he could see no tree +therein: a deep river, dark and green, ran through the vale, +sometimes through its midmost, sometimes lapping the further rock- +wall: and he thought indeed that on many a day in the year the sun +would never shine on that valley. + +Thus much he saw, and then the rocks rose again and shut it from his +sight; and at last they drew so close together over head that he was +in a way going through a cave with little daylight coming from above, +and in the end he was in a cave indeed and mere darkness: but with +the last feeble glimmer of light he thought he saw carved on a smooth +space of the living rock at his left hand the image of a wolf. + +This cave lasted but a little way, and soon the hound and the man +were going once more between sheer black rocks, and the path grew +steeper yet and was cut into steps. At last there was a sharp turn, +and they stood on the top of a long stony scree, down which Sure-foot +bounded eagerly, giving tongue as he went; but Face-of-god stood +still and looked, for now the whole Dale lay open before him. + +That river ran from north to south, and at the south end the cliffs +drew so close to it that looking thence no outgate could be seen; but +at the north end there was as it were a dreary street of rocks, the +river flowing amidmost and leaving little foothold on either side, +somewhat as it was with the pass leading from the mountains into +Burgdale. + +Amidmost of the Dale a little toward the north end he saw a doom-ring +of black stones, and hard by it an ancient hall builded of the same +black stone both wall and roof, and thitherward was Sure-foot now +running. Face-of-god looked up and down the Dale and could see no +break in the wall of sheer rock: toward the southern end he saw a +few booths and cots built roughly of stone and thatched with turf; +thereabout he saw a few folk moving about, the most of whom seemed to +be women and children; there were some sheep and lambs near these +cots, and a herd of fifty or so of somewhat goodly mountain-kine were +feeding higher up the valley. He could look down into the river from +where he stood, and he saw that it ran between rocky banks going +straight down from the face of the meadow, which was rather high +above the water, so that it seemed little likely that the water +should rise over its banks, either in summer or winter; and in summer +was it like to be highest, because the vale was so near to the high +mountains and their snows. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE FRIEND IN SHADOWY VALE + + + +It was now about two hours after noon, and a broad band of sunlight +lay upon the grass of the vale below Gold-mane's feet; he went +lightly down the scree, and strode forward over the level grass +toward the Doom-ring, his helm and war-gear glittering bright in the +sun. He must needs go through the Doom-ring to come to the Hall, and +as he stepped out from behind the last of the big upright-stones, he +saw a woman standing on the threshold of the Hall-door, which was but +some score of paces from him, and knew her at once for the Friend. + +She was clad like himself in a green kirtle gaily embroidered and +fitting close to her body, and had no gown or cloak over it; she had +a golden fillet on her head beset with blue mountain stones, and her +hair hung loose behind her. + +Her beauty was so exceeding, and so far beyond all memory of her that +his mind had held, that once more fear of her fell upon Face-of-god, +and he stood still with beating heart till she should speak to him. +But she came forward swiftly with both her hands held out, smiling +and happy-faced, and looking very kindly on him, and she took his +hands and said to him: + +'Now welcome, Gold-mane, welcome, Face-of-god! and twice welcome art +thou and threefold. Lo! this is the day that thou asked for: art +thou happy in it?' + +He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed them timorously, but said +nought; and therewithal Sure-foot came running forth from the Hall, +and fell to bounding round about them, barking noisily after the +manner of dogs who have met their masters again; and still she held +his hands and beheld him kindly. Then she called the hound to her, +and patted him on the neck and quieted him, and then turned to Face- +of-god and laughed happily and said: + +'I do not bid thee hold thy peace; yet thou sayest nought. Is well +with thee?' + +'Yea,' he said, 'and more than well.' + +'Thou seemest to me a goodly warrior,' she said; 'hast thou met any +foemen yesterday or this morning?' + +'Nay,' said he, 'none hindered me; thou hast made the ways easy to +me.' + +She said soberly, 'Such as I might do, I did. But we may not wield +everything, for our foes are many, and I feared for thee. But come +thou into our house, which is ours, and far more ours than the booth +before the pine-wood.' + +She took his hand again and led him toward the door, but Face-of-god +looked up, and above the lintel he saw carved on the dark stone that +image of the Wolf, even as he had seen it carved on Wood-grey's tie- +beam; and therewith such thoughts came into his mind that he stopped +to look, pressing the Friend's hand hard as though bidding her note +it. The stone wherein the image was carved was darker than the other +building stones, and might be called black; the jaws of the wood- +beast were open and gaping, and had been painted with cinnabar, but +wind and weather had worn away the most of the colour. + +Spake the Friend: 'So it is: thou beholdest the token of the God +and Father of out Fathers, that telleth the tale of so many days, +that the days which now pass by us be to them but as the drop in the +sea of waters. Thou beholdest the sign of our sorrow, the memory of +our wrong; yet is it also the token of our hope. Maybe it shall lead +thee far.' + +'Whither?' said he. But she answered not a great while, and he +looked at her as she stood a-gazing on the image, and saw how the +tears stole out of her eyes and ran adown her cheeks. Then again +came the thought to him of Wood-grey's hall, and the women of the +kindred standing before the Wolf and singing of him; and though there +was little comeliness in them and she was so exceeding beauteous, he +could not but deem that they were akin to her. + +But after a while she wiped the tears from her face and turned to him +and said: 'My friend, the Wolf shall lead thee no-whither but where +I also shall be, whatsoever peril or grief may beset the road or lurk +at the ending thereof. Thou shalt be no thrall, to labour while I +look on.' + +His heart swelled within him as she spoke, and he was at point to +beseech her love that moment; but now her face had grown gay and +bright again, and she said while he was gathering words to speak +withal: + +'Come in, Gold-mane, come into our house; for I have many things to +say to thee. And moreover thou art so hushed, and so fearsome in thy +mail, that I think thou yet deemest me to be a Wight of the Waste, +such as Stone-face thy Fosterer told thee tales of, and forewarned +thee. So would I eat before thee, and sign the meat with the sign of +the Earth-god's Hammer, to show thee that he is in error concerning +me, and that I am a very woman flesh and fell, as my kindred were +before me.' + +He laughed and was exceeding glad, and said: 'Tell me now, kind +friend, dost thou deem that Stone-face's tales are mere mockery of +his dreams, and that he is beguiled by empty semblances or less? Or +are there such Wights in the Waste.' + +'Nay,' she said, 'the man is a true man; and of these things are +there many ancient tales which we may not doubt. Yet so it is that +such wights have I never yet seen, nor aught to scare me save evil +men: belike it is that I have been over-much busied in dealing with +sorrow and ruin to look after them: or it may be that they feared me +and the wrath-breeding grief of the kindred.' + +He looked at her earnestly, and the wisdom of her heart seemed to +enter into his; but she said: 'It is of men we must talk, and of me +and thee. Come with me, my friend.' + +And she stepped lightly over the threshold and drew him in. The Hall +was stern and grim and somewhat dusky, for its windows were but +small: it was all of stone, both walls and roof. There was no +timber-work therein save the benches and chairs, a little about the +doors at the lower end that led to the buttery and out-bowers; and +this seemed to have been wrought of late years; yea, the chairs +against the gable on the dais were of stone built into the wall, +adorned with carving somewhat sparingly, the image of the Wolf being +done over the midmost of them. He looked up and down the Hall, and +deemed it some seventy feet over all from end to end; and he could +see in the dimness those same goodly hangings on the wall which he +had seen in the woodland booth. + +She led him up to the dais, and stood there leaning up against the +arm of one of those stone seats silent for a while; then she turned +and looked at him, and said: + +'Yea, thou lookest a goodly warrior; yet am I glad that thou camest +hither without battle. Tell me, Gold-mane,' she said, taking one of +his spears from his hand, 'art thou deft with the spear?' + +'I have been called so,' said he. + +She looked at him sweetly and said: 'Canst thou show me the feat of +spear-throwing in this Hall, or shall we wend outside presently that +I may see thee throw?' + +'The Hall sufficeth,' he said. 'Shall I set this steel in the lintel +of the buttery door yonder?' + +'Yea, if thou canst,' she said. + +He smiled and took the spear from her, and poised it and shook it +till it quivered again, then suddenly drew back his arm and cast, and +the shaft sped whistling down the dim hall, and smote the aforesaid +door-lintel and stuck there quivering: then he sprang down from the +dais, and ran down the hall, and put forth his hand and pulled it +forth from the wood, and was on the dais again in a trice, and cast +again, and the second time set the spear in the same place, and then +took his other spear from the board and cast it, and there stood the +two staves in the wood side by side; then he went soberly down the +hall and drew them both out of the wood and came back to her, while +she stood watching him, her cheek flushed, her lips a little parted. + +She said: 'Good spear-casting, forsooth! and far above what our folk +can do, who be no great throwers of the spear.' + +Gold-mane laughed: 'Sooth is that,' said he, 'or hardly were I here +to teach thee spear-throwing.' + +'Wilt thou NEVER be paid for that simple onslaught?' she said. + +'Have I been paid then?' said he. + +She reddened, for she remembered her word to him on the mountain; and +he put his hand on her shoulder and kissed her cheek, but timorously; +nor did she withstand him or shrink aback, but said soberly: + +'Good indeed is thy spear-throwing, and meseems my brother will love +thee when he hath seen thee strike a stroke or two in wrath. But, +fair warrior, there be no foemen here: so get thee to the lower end +of the Hall, and in the bower beyond shalt thou find fresh water; +there wash the waste from off thee, and do off thine helm and +hauberk, and come back speedily and eat with me; for I hunger, and so +dost thou.' + +He did as she bade him, and came back presently bearing in his hand +both helm and hauberk, and he looked light-limbed and trim and +lissome, an exceeding goodly man. + + + +CHAPTER XIX. THE FAIR WOMAN TELLETH FACE-OF-GOD OF HER KINDRED + + + +When he came back to the dais he saw that there was meat upon the +board, and the Friend said to him: + +'Now art thou Gold-mane indeed: but come now, sit by me and eat, +though the Wood-woman giveth thee but a sorry banquet, O guest; but +from the Dale it is, and we be too far now from the dwellings of men +to have delicate meat on the board, though to-night when they come +back thy cheer shall be better. Yet even then thou shalt have no +such dainties as Stone-face hath imagined for thee at the hands of +the Wood-wight.' + +She laughed therewith, and he no less; and in sooth the meat was but +simple, of curds and new cheese, meat of the herdsmen. But Face-of- +god said gaily: 'Sweet it shall be to me; good is all that the +Friend giveth.' + +Then she raised her hand and made the sign of the Hammer over the +board, and looked up at him and said: + +'Hath the Earth-god changed my face, Gold-mane, to what I verily am?' + +He held his face close to hers and looked into it, and him-seemed it +was as pure as the waters of a mountain lake, and as fine and well- +wrought every deal of it as when his father had wrought in his stithy +many days and fashioned a small piece of great mastery. He was +ashamed to kiss her again, but he said to himself, 'This is the +fairest woman of the world, whom I have sworn to wed this year.' +Then he spake aloud and said: + +'I see the face of the Friend, and it will not change to me.' + +Again she reddened a little, and the happy look in her face seemed to +grow yet sweeter, and he was bewildered with longing and delight. + +But she stood up and went to an ambrye in the wall and brought forth +a horn shod and lipped with silver of ancient fashion, and she poured +wine into it and held it forth and said: + +'O guest from the Dale, I pledge thee! and when thou hast drunk to me +in turn we will talk of weighty matters. For indeed I bear hopes in +my hands too heavy for the daughters of men to bear; and thou art a +chieftain's son, and mayst well help me to bear them; so let us talk +simply and without guile, as folk that trust one another.' + +So she drank and held out the horn to him, and he took the horn and +her hand both, and he kissed her hand and said: + +'Here in this Hall I drink to the Sons of the Wolf, whosoever they +be.' Therewith he drank and he said: 'Simply and guilelessly indeed +will I talk with thee; for I am weary of lies, and for thy sake have +I told a many.' + +'Thou shalt tell no more,' she said; 'and as for the health thou hast +drunk, it is good, and shall profit thee. Now sit we here in these +ancient seats and let us talk.' + +So they sat them down while the sun was westering in the March +afternoon, and she said: + +'Tell me first what tidings have been in the Dale.' + +So he told her of the ransackings and of the murder at Carlstead. + +She said: 'These tidings have we heard before, and some deal of them +we know better than ye do, or can; for we were the ransackers of +Penny-thumb and Harts-bane. Thereof will I say more presently. What +other tidings hast thou to tell of? What oaths were sworn upon the +Boar last Yule?' + +So he told her of the oath of Bristler the son of Brightling. She +smiled and said: 'He shall keep his oath, and yet redden no blade.' + +Then he told of his father's oath, and she said: + +'It is good; but even so would he do and no oath sworn. All men may +trust Iron-face. And thou, my friend, what oath didst thou swear?' + +His face grew somewhat troubled as he said: 'I swore to wed the +fairest woman in the world, though the Dalesmen gainsaid me, and they +beyond the Dale.' + +'Yea,' she said, 'and there is no need to ask thee whom thou didst +mean by thy "fairest woman," for I have seen that thou deemest me +fair enough. My friend, maybe thy kindred will be against it, and +the kindred of the Bride; and it might be that my kindred would have +gainsaid it if things were not as they are. But though all men +gainsay it, yet will not I. It is meet and right that we twain wed.' + +She spake very soberly and quietly, but when she had spoken there was +nothing in his heart but joy and gladness: yet shame of her +loveliness refrained him, and he cast down his eyes before hers. +Then she said in a kind voice: + +'I know thee, how glad thou art of this word of mine, because thou +lookest on me with eyes of love, and thinkest of me as better than I +am; though I am no ill woman and no beguiler. But this is not all +that I have to say to thee, though it be much; for there are more +folk in the world than thou and I only. But I told thee this first, +that thou mightest trust me in all things. So, my friend, if thou +canst, refrain thy joy and thy longing a little, and hearken to what +concerneth thee and me, and thy people and mine.' + +'Fair woman and sweet friend,' he said, 'thou knowest of a gladness +which is hard to bear if one must lay it aside for a while; and of a +longing which is hard to refrain if it mingle with another longing-- +knowest thou not?' + +'Yea,' she said, 'I know it.' + +'Yet,' said Face-of-god, 'I will forbear as thou biddest me. Tell +me, then, what were the felons who were slain at Carlstead? Knowest +thou of them?' + +'Over well,' she said, 'they are our foes this many a year; and since +we met last autumn they have become foes of you Dalesmen also. Soon +shall ye have tidings of them; and it was against them that I bade +thee arm yesterday.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Is it against them that thou wouldst have us do +battle along with thy folk?' + +'So it is,' she said; 'no other foemen have we. And now, Gold-mane, +thou art become a friend of the Wolf, and shalt before long be of +affinity with our House; that other day thou didst ask me to tell +thee of me and mine, and now will I do according to thine asking. +Short shall my tale be; because maybe thou shalt hear it told again, +and in goodly wise, before thine whole folk. + +'As thou wottest we be now outlaws and Wolves' Heads; and whiles we +lift the gear of men, but ever if we may of ill men and not of good; +there is no worthy goodman of the Dale from whom we would take one +hoof, or a skin of wine, or a cake of wax. + +'Wherefore are we outlaws? Because we have been driven from our own, +and we bore away our lives and our weapons, and little else; and for +our lands, thou seest this Vale in the howling wilderness and how +narrow and poor it is, though it hath been the nurse of warriors in +time past. + +'Hearken! Time long ago came the kindred of the Wolf to these +Mountains of the World; and they were in a pass in the stony maze and +the utter wilderness of the Mountains, and the foe was behind them in +numbers not to be borne up against. And so it befell that the pass +forked, and there were two ways before our Folk; and one part of them +would take the way to the north and the other the way to the south; +and they could not agree which way the whole Folk should take. So +they sundered into two companies, and one took one way and one +another. Now as to those who fared by the southern road, we knew not +what befell them, nor for long and long had we any tale of them. + +'But we who took the northern road, we happened on this Vale amidst +the wilderness, and we were weary of fleeing from the over-mastering +foe; and the dale seemed enough, and a refuge, and a place to dwell +in, and no man was there before us, and few were like to find it, and +we were but a few. So we dwelt here in this Vale for as wild as it +is, the place where the sun shineth never in the winter, and scant is +the summer sunshine therein. Here we raised a Doom-ring and builded +us a Hall, wherein thou now sittest beside me, O friend, and we dwelt +here many seasons. + +'We had a few sheep in the wilderness, and a few neat fed down the +grass of the Vale; and we found gems and copper in the rocks about us +wherewith at whiles to chaffer with the aliens, and fish we drew from +our river the Shivering Flood. Also it is not to be hidden that in +those days we did not spare to lift the goods of men; yea, whiles +would our warriors fare down unto the edges of the Plain and lie in +wait there till the time served, and then drive the spoil from under +the very walls of the Cities. Our men were not little-hearted, nor +did our women lament the death of warriors over-much, for they were +there to bear more warriors to the Folk. + +'But the seasons passed, and the Folk multiplied in Shadowy Vale, and +livelihood seemed like to fail them, and needs must they seek wider +lands. So by ways which thou wilt one day wot of, we came into a +valley that lieth north-west of Shadowy Vale: a land like thine of +Burgdale, or better; wide it was, plenteous of grass and trees, well +watered, full of all things that man can desire. + +'Were there men before us in this Dale? sayest thou. Yea, but not +very many, and they feeble in battle, weak of heart, though strong of +body. These, when they saw the Sons of the Wolf with weapons in +their hands, felt themselves puny before us, and their hearts failed +them; and they came to us with gifts, and offered to share the Dale +between them and us, for they said there was enough for both folks. +So we took their offer and became their friends; and some of our +Houses wedded wives of the strangers, and gave them their women to +wife. Therein they did amiss; for the blended Folk as the +generations passed became softer than our blood, and many were +untrusty and greedy and tyrannous, and the days of the whoredom fell +upon us, and when we deemed ourselves the mightiest then were we the +nearest to our fall. But the House whereof I am would never wed with +these Westlanders, and other Houses there were who had affinity with +us who chiefly wedded with us of the Wolf, and their fathers had come +with ours into that fruitful Dale; and these were called the Red +Hand, and the Silver Arm, and the Golden Bushel, and the Ragged +Sword. Thou hast heard those names once before, friend?' + +'Yea,' he said, and as he spoke the picture of that other day came +back to him, and he called to mind all that he had said, and his +happiness of that hour seemed the more and the sweeter for that +memory. + +She went on: 'Fair and goodly is that Dale as mine own eyes have +seen, and plentiful of all things, and up in its mountains to the +east are caves and pits whence silver is digged abundantly; therefore +is the Dale called Silver-dale. Hast thou heard thereof, my friend?' + +'Nay,' said Face-of-god, 'though I have marvelled whence ye gat such +foison of silver.' + +He looked on her and marvelled, for now she seemed as if it were +another woman: her eyes were gleaming bright, her lips were parted; +there was a bright red flush on the pommels of her two cheeks as she +spake again and said: + +'Happy lived the Folk in Silver-dale for many and many winters and +summers: the seasons were good and no lack was there: little +sickness there was and less war, and all seemed better than well. It +is strange that ye Dalesmen have not heard of Silver-dale.' + +'Nay,' said he, 'but I have not; of Rose-dale have I heard, as a land +very far away: but no further do we know of toward that airt. Lieth +Silver-dale anywhere nigh to Rose-dale?' + +She said: 'It is the next dale to it, yet is it a far journey +betwixt the two, for the ice-sea pusheth a horn in betwixt them; and +even below the ice the mountain-neck is passable to none save a bold +crag-climber, and to him only bearing his life in his hands. But, my +friend, I am but lingering over my tale, because it grieveth me sore +to have to tell it. Hearken then! In the days when I had seen but +ten summers, and my brother was a very young man, but exceeding +strong, and as beautiful as thou art now, war fell on us without +rumour or warning; for there swarmed into Silver-dale, though not by +the ways whereby we had entered it, a host of aliens, short of +stature, crooked of limb, foul of aspect, but fierce warriors and +armed full well: they were men having no country to go back to, +though they had no women or children with them, as we had when we +were young in these lands, but used all women whom they took as their +beastly lust bade them, making them their thralls if they slew them +not. Soon we found that these foemen asked no more of us than all we +had, and therewithal our lives to be cast away or used for their +service as beasts of burden or pleasure. There then we gathered our +fighting-men and withstood them; and if we had been all of the +kindreds of the Wolf and the fruit of the wives of warriors, we +should have driven back these felons and saved the Dale, though it +maybe more than half ruined: but the most part of us were of that +mingled blood, or of the generations of the Dalesmen whom we had +conquered long ago, and stout as they were of body their hearts +failed them, and they gave themselves up to the aliens to be as their +oxen and asses. + +'Why make a long tale of it? We who were left, and could brook death +but not thraldom, fought it out together, women as well as men, till +the sweetness of life and a happy chance for escape bid us flee, +vanquished but free men. For at the end of three days' fight we had +been driven up to the easternmost end of the Dale, and up anigh to +the jaws of the pass whereby the Folk had first come into Silver- +dale, and we had those with us who knew every cranny of that way, +while to strangers who knew it not it was utterly impassable; night +was coming on also, and even those murder-carles were weary with +slaying; and, moreover, on this last day, when they saw that they had +won all, they were fighting to keep, and not to slay, and a few +stubborn carles and queens, of what use would they be, or where was +the gain of risking life to win them? + +'So they forbore us, and night came on moonless and dark; and it was +the early spring season, when the days are not yet long, and so by +night and cloud we fled away, and back again to Shadowy Vale. + +'Forsooth, we were but a few; for when we were gotten into this Vale, +this strip of grass and water in the wilderness, and had told up our +company, we were but two hundred and thirty and five of men and women +and children. For there were an hundred and thirty and three grown +men of all ages, and of women grown seventy and five, and one score +and seven children, whereof I was one; for, as thou mayst deem, it +was easier for grown men with weapons in their hands to escape from +that slaughter than for women and children. + +'There sat we in yonder Doom-ring and took counsel, and to some it +seemed good that we should all dwell together in Shadowy Vale, and +beset the skirts of the foemen till the days should better; but +others deemed that there was little avail therein; and there was a +mighty man of the kindred, Stone-wolf by name, a man of middle-age, +and he said, that late in life had he tasted of war, and though the +banquet was made bitter with defeat, yet did the meat seem wholesome +to him. "Come down with me to the Cities of the Plain," said he, +"all you who are stout warriors; and leave we here the old men and +the swains and the women and children. Hateful are the folk there, +and full of malice, but soft withal and dastardly. Let us go down +thither and make ourselves strong amongst them, and sell our valour +for their wealth till we come to rule them, and they make us their +kings, and we establish the Folk of the Wolf amongst the aliens; then +will we come back hither and bring away that which we have left." + +'So he spake, and the more part of the warriors yea said his rede, +and they went with him to the Westland, and amongst these was my +brother Folk-might (for that is his name in the kindred). And I +sorrowed at his departure, for he had borne me thither out of the +flames and the clash of swords and the press of battle, and to me had +he ever been kind and loving, albeit he hath had the Words of hard +and froward used on him full oft. + +'So in this Vale abode we that were left, and the seasons passed; +some of the elders died, and some of the children also; but more +children were born, for amongst us were men and women to whom it was +lawful to wed with each other. Even with this scanty remnant was +left some of the life of the kindred of old days; and after we had +been here but a little while, the young men, yea and the old also, +and even some of the women, would steal through passes that we, and +we only, knew of, and would fall upon the Aliens in Silver-dale as +occasion served, and lift their goods both live and dead; and this +became both a craft and a pastime amongst us. Nor may I hide that we +sometimes went lifting otherwhere; for in the summer and autumn we +would fare west a little and abide in the woods the season through, +and hunt the deer thereof, and whiles would we drive the spoil from +the scattered folk not far from your Shepherd-Folk; but with the +Shepherds themselves and with you Dalesmen we meddled not. + +'Now that little wood-lawn with the toft of an ancient dwelling in +it, wherein, saith Bow-may, thou didst once rest, was one of our +summer abodes; and later on we built the hall under the pine-wood +that thou knowest. + +'Thus then grew up our young men; and our maids were little softer; +e'en such as Bow-may is (and kind is she withal), and it seemed in +very sooth as if the Spirit of the Wolf was with us, and the +roughness of the Waste made us fierce; and law we had not and heeded +not, though love was amongst us.' + +She stopped awhile and fell a-musing, and her face softened, and she +turned to him with that sweet happy look upon it and said: + +'Desolate and dreary is the Dale, thou deemest, friend; and yet for +me I love it and its dark-green water, and it is to me as if the +Fathers of the kindred visit it and hold converse with us; and there +I grew up when I was little, before I knew what a woman was, and +strange communings had I with the wilderness. Friend, when we are +wedded, and thou art a great chieftain, as thou wilt be, I shall ask +of thee the boon to suffer me to abide here at whiles that I may +remember the days when I was little and the love of the kindred waxed +in me.' + +'This is but a little thing to ask,' said Face-of-god; 'I would thou +hadst asked me more.' + +'Fear not,' she said, 'I shall ask thee for much and many things; and +some of them belike thou shalt deny me.' + +He shook his head; but she smiled in his face and said: + +'Yea, so it is, friend; but hearken. The seasons passed, and six +years wore, and I was grown a tall slim maiden, fleet of foot and +able to endure toil enough, though I never bore weapons, nor have +done. So on a fair even of midsummer when we were together, the most +of us, round about this Hall and the Doom-ring, we saw a tall man in +bright war-gear come forth into the Dale by the path that thou +camest, and then another and another till there were two score and +seven men-at-arms standing on the grass below the scree yonder; by +that time had we gotten some weapons in our hands, and we stood +together to meet the new-comers, but they drew no sword and notched +no shaft, but came towards us laughing and joyous, and lo! it was my +brother Folk-might and his men, those that were left of them, come +back to us from the Westland. + +'Glad indeed was I to behold him; and for him when he had taken me in +his arms and looked up and down the Dale, he cried out: 'In many +fair places and many rich dwellings have I been; but this is the hour +that I have looked for.' + +'Now when we asked him concerning Stone-wolf and the others who were +missing (for ten tens of stalwarth men had fared to the Westland), he +swept out his hand toward the west and said with a solemn face: +"There they lie, and grass groweth over their bones, and we who have +come aback, and ye who have abided, these are now the children of the +Wolf: there are no more now on the earth." + +'Let be! It was a fair even and high was the feast in the Hall that +night, and sweet was the converse with our folk come back. A glad +man was my brother Folk-might when he heard that for years past we +had been lifting the gear of men, and chiefly of the Aliens in +Silver-dale: and he himself was become learned in war and a deft +leader of men. + +'So the days passed and the seasons, and we lived on as we might; but +with Folk-might's return there began to grow up in all our hearts +what had long been flourishing in mine, and that was the hope of one +day winning back our own again, and dying amidst the dear groves of +Silver-dale. Within these years we had increased somewhat in number; +for if we had lost those warriors in the Westland, and some old men +who had died in the Dale, yet our children had grown up (I have now +seen twenty and one summers) and more were growing up. Moreover, +after the first year, from the time when we began to fall upon the +Dusky Men of Silver-dale, from time to time they who went on such +adventures set free such thralls of our blood as they could fall in +with and whom they could trust in, and they dwelt (and yet dwell) +with us in the Dale: first and last we have taken in three score and +twelve of such men, and a score of women-thralls withal. + +'Now during these seasons, and not very long ago, after I was a woman +grown, the thought came to me, and to Folk-might also, that there +were kindreds of the people dwelling anear us whom we might so deal +with that they should become our friends and brothers in arms, and +that through them we might win back Silver-dale. + +'Of Rose-dale we wotted already that the Folk were nought of our +blood, feeble in the field, cowed by the Dusky Men, and at last made +thralls to them; so nought was to do there. But Folk-might went to +and fro to gather tidings: at whiles I with him, at whiles one or +more of Wood-father's children, who with their father and mother and +Bow-may have abided in the Vale ever since the Great Undoing. + +'Soon he fell in with thy Folk, and first of all with the +Woodlanders, and that was a joy to him; for wot ye what? He got to +know that these men were the children of those of our Folk who had +sundered from us in the mountain passes time long and long ago; and +he loved them, for he saw that they were hardy and trusty, and +warriors at heart. + +'Then he went amongst the Shepherd-Folk, and he deemed them good men +easily stirred, and deemed that they might soon be won to friendship; +and he knew that they were mostly come from the Houses of the +Woodlanders, so that they also were of the kindred. + +'And last he came into Burgdale, and found there a merry and happy +Folk, little wont to war, but stout-hearted, and nowise puny either +of body or soul; he went there often and learned much about them, and +deemed that they would not be hard to win to fellowship. And he +found that the House of the Face was the chiefest house there; and +that the Alderman and his sons were well beloved of all the folk, and +that they were the men to be won first, since through them should all +others be won. I also went to Burgstead with him twice, as I told +thee erst; and I saw thee, and I deemed that thou wouldest lightly +become our friend; and it came into my mind that I myself might wed +thee, and that the House of the Face thereby might have affinity +thenceforth with the Children of the Wolf.' + +He said: 'Why didst thou deem thus of me, O friend?' + +She laughed and said: 'Dost thou long to hear me say the words when +thou knowest my thought well? So be it. I saw thee both young and +fair; and I knew thee to be the son of a noble, worthy, guileless man +and of a beauteous woman of great wits and good rede. And I found +thee to be kind and open-handed and simple like thy father, and like +thy mother wiser than thou thyself knew of thyself; and that thou +wert desirous of deeds and fain of women.' + +She was silent for a while, and he also: then he said: 'Didst thou +draw me to the woods and to thee?' + +She reddened and said: 'I am no spell-wife: but true it is that +Wood-mother made a waxen image of thee, and thrust through the heart +thereof the pin of my girdle-buckle, and stroked it every morning +with an oak-bough over which she had sung spells. But dost thou not +remember, Gold-mane, how that one day last Hay-month, as ye were +resting in the meadows in the cool of the evening, there came to you +a minstrel that played to you on the fiddle, and therewith sang a +song that melted all your hearts, and that this song told of the +Wild-wood, and what was therein of desire and peril and beguiling and +death, and love unto Death itself? Dost thou remember, friend?' + +'Yea,' he said, 'and how when the minstrel was done Stone-face fell +to telling us more tales yet of the woodland, and the minstrel sang +again and yet again, till his tales had entered into my very heart.' + +'Yea,' she said, 'and that minstrel was Wood-wont; and I sent him to +sing to thee and thine, deeming that if thou didst hearken, thou +would'st seek the woodland and happen upon us.' + +He laughed and said: 'Thou didst not doubt but that if we met, thou +mightest do with me as thou wouldest?' + +'So it is,' she said, 'that I doubted it little.' + +'Therein wert thou wise,' said Face-of-god; 'but now that we are +talking without guile to each other, mightest thou tell me wherefore +it was that Folk-might made that onslaught upon me? For certain it +is that he was minded to slay me.' + +She said: 'It was sooth what I told thee, that whiles he groweth so +battle-eager that whatso edge-tool he beareth must needs come out of +the scabbard; but there was more in it than that, which I could not +tell thee erst. Two days before thy coming he had been down to +Burgstead in the guise of an old carle such as thou sawest him with +me in the market-place. There was he guested in your Hall, and once +more saw thee and the Bride together; and he saw the eyes of love +wherewith she looked on thee (for so much he told me), and deemed +that thou didst take her love but lightly. And he himself looked on +her with such love (and this he told me not) that he deemed nought +good enough for her, and would have had thee give thyself up wholly +to her; for my brother is a generous man, my friend. So when I told +him on the morn of that day whereon we met that we looked to see thee +that eve (for indeed I am somewhat foreseeing), he said: "Look thou, +Sun-beam, if he cometh, it is not unlike that I shall drive a spear +through him." "Wherefore?" said I; "can he serve our turn when he is +dead?" Said he: "I care little. Mine own turn will I serve. Thou +sayest WHEREFORE? I tell thee this stripling beguileth to her +torment the fairest woman that is in the world--such an one as is +meet to be the mother of chieftains, and to stand by warriors in +their day of peril. I have seen her; and thus have I seen her." +Then said I: "Greatly forsooth shalt thou pleasure her by slaying +him!" And he answered: "I shall pleasure myself. And one day she +shall thank me, when she taketh my hand in hers and we go together to +the Bride-bed." Therewith came over me a clear foresight of the +hours to come, and I said to him: "Yea, Folk-might, cast the spear +and draw the sword; but him thou shalt not slay: and thou shalt one +day see him standing with us before the shafts of the Dusky Men." So +I spake; but he looked fiercely at me, and departed and shunned me +all that day, and by good hap I was hard at hand when thou drewest +nigh our abode. Nay, Gold-mane, what would'st thou with thy sword? +Why art thou so red and wrathful? Would'st thou fight with my +brother because he loveth thy friend, thine old playmate, thy +kinswoman, and thinketh pity of her sorrow?' + +He said, with knit brow and gleaming eyes: 'Would the man take her +away from me perforce?' + +'My friend,' she said, 'thou art not yet so wise as not to be a fool +at whiles. Is it not so that she herself hath taken herself from +thee, since she hath come to know that thou hast given thyself to +another? Hath she noted nought of thee this winter and spring? Is +she well pleased with the ways of thee?' + +He said: 'Thou hast spoken simply with me, and I will do no less +with thee. It was but four days agone that she did me to wit that +she knew of me how I sought my love on the Mountain; and she put me +to sore shame, and afterwards I wept for her sorrow.' + +Therewith he told her all that the Bride had said to him, as he well +might, for he had forgotten no word of it. + +Then said the Friend: 'She shall have the token that she craveth, +and it is I that shall give it to her.' + +Therewith she took from her finger a ring wherein was set a very fair +changeful mountain-stone, and gave it to him, and said: + +'Thou shalt give her this and tell her whence thou hadst it; and tell +her that I bid her remember that To-morrow is a new day.' + + + +CHAPTER XX. THOSE TWO TOGETHER HOLD THE RING OF THE EARTH-GOD + + + +And now they fell silent both of them, and sat hearkening the sounds +of the Dale, from the whistle of the plover down by the water-side to +the far-off voices of the children and maidens about the kine in the +lower meadows. At last Gold-mane took up the word and said: + +'Sweet friend, tell me the uttermost of what thou would'st have of +me. Is it not that I should stand by thee and thine in the Folk-mote +of the Dalesmen, and speak for you when ye pray us for help against +your foemen; and then again that I do my best when ye and we are +arrayed for battle against the Dusky Men? This is easy to do, and +great is the reward thou offerest me.' + +'I look for this service of thee,' she said, 'and none other.' + +'And when I go down to the battle,' said he, 'shalt thou be sorry for +our sundering?' + +She said: 'There shall be no sundering; I shall wend with thee.' + +Said he: 'And if I were slain in the battle, would'st thou lament +me?' + +'Thou shalt not be slain,' she said. + +Again was there silence betwixt them, till at last he said: + +'This then is why thou didst draw me to thee in the Wild-wood?' + +'Yea,' said she. + +Again for a while no word was spoken, and Face-of-god looked on her +till she cast her eyes down before him. + +Then at last he spake, and the colour came and went in his face as he +said: 'Tell me thy name what it is.' + +She said: 'I am called the Sun-beam.' + +Then he said, and his voice trembled therewith: 'O Sun-beam, I have +been seeking pleasant and cunning words, and can find none such. But +tell me this if thou wilt: dost thou desire me as I desire thee? or +is it that thou wilt suffer me to wed thee and bed thee at last as +mere payment for the help that I shall give to thee and thine? Nay, +doubt it not that I will take the payment, if this is what thou wilt +give me and nought else. Yet tell me.' + +Her face grew troubled, and she said: + +'Gold-mane, maybe that thou hast now asked me one question too many; +for this is no fair game to be played between us. For thee, as I +deem, there are this day but two people in the world, and that is +thou and I, and the earth is for us two alone. But, my friend, +though I have seen but twenty and one summers, it is nowise so with +me, and to me there are many in the world; and chiefly the Folk of +the Wolf, amidst whose very heart I have grown up. Moreover, I can +think of her whom I have supplanted, the Bride to wit; and I know +her, and how bitter and empty her days shall be for a while, and how +vain all our redes for her shall seem to her. Yea, I know her +sorrow, and see it and grieve for it: so canst not thou, unless thou +verily see her before thee, her face unhappy, and her voice changed +and hard. Well, I will tell thee what thou askest. When I drew thee +to me on the Mountain I thought but of the friendship and brotherhood +to be knitted up between our two Folks, nor did I anywise desire thy +love of a young man. But when I saw thee on the heath and in the +Hall that day, it pleased me to think that a man so fair and +chieftain-like should one day lie by my side; and again when I saw +that the love of me had taken hold of thee, I would not have thee +grieved because of me, but would have thee happy. And now what shall +I say?--I know not; I cannot tell. Yet am I the Friend, as erst I +called myself. + +'And, Gold-mane, I have seen hitherto but the outward show and image +of thee, and though that be goodly, how would it be if thou didst +shame me with little-heartedness and evil deeds? Let me see thee in +the Folk-mote and the battle, and then may I answer thee.' + +Then she held her peace, and he answered nothing; and she turned her +face from him and said: + +'Out on it! have I beguiled myself as well as thee? These are but +empty words I have been saying. If thou wilt drag the truth out of +me, this is the very truth: that to-day is happy to me as it is to +thee, and that I have longed sore for its coming. O Gold-mane, O +speech-friend, if thou wert to pray me or command me that I lie in +thine arms to-night, I should know not how to gainsay thee. Yet I +beseech thee to forbear, lest thy death and mine come of it. And why +should we die, O friend, when we are so young, and the world lies so +fair before us, and the happy days are at hand when the Children of +the Wolf and the kindreds of the Dale shall deliver the Folk, and all +days shall be good and all years?' + +They had both risen up as she spake, and now he put forth his hands +to her and took her in his arms, wondering the while, as he drew her +to him, how much slenderer and smaller and weaker she seemed in his +embrace than he had thought of her; and when their lips met, he felt +that she kissed him as he her. Then he held her by the shoulders at +arms' length from him, and beheld her face how her eyes were closed +and her lips quivering. But before him, in a moment of time, passed +a picture of the life to be in the fair Dale, and all she would give +him there, and the days good and lovely from morn to eve and eve to +morn; and though in that moment it was hard for him to speak, at last +he spoke in a voice hoarse at first, and said: + +'Thou sayest sooth, O friend; we will not die, but live; I will not +drag our deaths upon us both, nor put a sword in the hands of Folk- +might, who loves me not.' + +Then he kissed her on the brow and said: 'Now shalt thou take me by +the hand and lead me forth from the Hall. For the day is waxing old, +and here meseemeth in this dim hall there are words crossing in the +air about us--words spoken in days long ago, and tales of old time, +that keep egging me on to do my will and die, because that is all +that the world hath for a valiant man; and to such words I would not +hearken, for in this hour I have no will to die, nor can I think of +death.' + +She took his hand and led him forth without more words, and they went +hand in hand and paced slowly round the Doom-ring, the light air +breathing upon them till their faces were as calm and quiet as their +wont was, and hers especially as bright and happy as when he had +first seen her that day. + +The sun was sinking now, and only sent one golden ray into the valley +through a cleft in the western rock-wall, but the sky overhead was +bright and clear; from the meadows came the sound of the lowing of +kine and the voices of children a-sporting, and it seemed to Gold- +mane that they were drawing nigher, both the children and the kine, +and somewhat he begrudged it that he should not be alone with the +Friend. + +Now when they had made half the circuit of the Doom-ring, the Sun- +beam stopped him, and then led him through the Ring of Stones, and +brought him up to the altar which was amidst of it; and the altar was +a great black stone hewn smooth and clean, and with the image of the +Wolf carven on the front thereof; and on its face lay the gold ring +which the priest or captain of the Folk bore on his arm between the +God and the people at all folk-motes. + +So she said: 'This is the altar of the God of Earth, and often hath +it been reddened by mighty men; and thereon lieth the Ring of the +Sons of the Wolf; and now it were well that we swore troth on that +ring before my brother cometh; for now will he soon be here.' + +Then Gold-mane took the Ring and thrust his right hand through it, +and took her right hand in his; so that the Ring lay on both their +hands, and therewith he spake aloud: + +'I am Face-of-god of the House of the Face, and I do thee to wit, O +God of the Earth, that I pledge my troth to this woman, the Sun-beam +of the Kindred of the Wolf, to beget my offspring on her, and to live +with her, and to die with her: so help me, thou God of the Earth, +and the Warrior and the God of the Face!' + +Then spake the Sun-beam: 'I, the Sun-beam of the Children of the +Wolf, pledge my troth to Face-of-god to lie in his bed and to bear +his children and none other's, and to be his speech-friend till I +die: so help me the Wolf and the Warrior and the God of the Earth!' + +Then they laid the Ring on the altar again, and they kissed each +other long and sweetly, and then turned away from the altar and +departed from the Doom-ring, going hand in hand together down the +meadow, and as they went, the noise of the kine and the children grew +nearer and nearer, and presently came the whole company of them round +a ness of the rock-wall; there were some thirty little lads and +lasses driving on the milch-kine, with half a score of older maids +and grown women, one of whom was Bow-may, who was lightly and +scantily clad, as one who heeds not the weather, or deems all months +midsummer. + +The children came running up merrily when they saw the Sun-beam, but +stopped short shyly when they noted the tall fair stranger with her. +They were all strong and sturdy children, and some very fair, but +brown with the weather, if not with the sun. Bow-may came up to +Gold-mane and took his hand and greeted him kindly and said: + +'So here thou art at last in Shadowy Vale; and I hope that thou art +content therewith, and as happy as I would wish thee to be. Well, +this is the first time; and when thou comest the second time it may +well be that the world shall be growing better.' + +She held the distaff which she bore in her hand (for she had been +spinning) as if it were a spear; her limbs were goodly and shapely, +and she trod the thick grass of the Vale with a kind of wary +firmness, as though foemen might be lurking nearby. The Sun-beam +smiled upon her kindly and said: + +'That shall not fail to be, Bow-may: ye have won a new friend to- +day. But tell me, when dost thou look to see the men here, for I was +down by the water when they went away yesterday?' + +'They shall come into the Dale a little after sunset,' said Bow-may. + +'Shall I abide them, my friend?' said Gold-mane, turning to the Sun- +beam. + +'Yea,' she said; 'for what else art thou come hither? or art thou so +pressed to depart from us? Last time we met thou wert not so hasty +to sunder.' + +They smiled on each other; and Bow-may looked on them and laughed +outright; then a flush showed in her cheeks through the tan of them, +and she turned toward the children and the other women who were +busied about the milking of the kine. + +But those two sat down together on a bank amidst the plain meadow, +facing the river and the eastern rock-wall, and the Sun-beam said: + +'I am fain to speak to thee and to see thine eyes watching me while I +speak; and now, my friend, I will tell thee something unasked which +has to do with what e'en now thou didst ask me; for I would have thee +trust me wholly, and know me for what I am. Time was I schemed and +planned for this day of betrothal; but now I tell thee it has become +no longer needful for bringing to pass our fellowship in arms with +thy people. Yea yesterday, ere he went on a hunt, whereof he shall +tell thee, Folk-might was against it, in words at least; and yet as +one who would have it done if he might have no part in it. So, in +good sooth, this hand that lieth in thine is the hand of a wilful +woman, who desireth a man, and would keep him for her speech-friend. +Now art thou fond and happy; yet bear in mind that there are deeds to +be done, and the troth we have just plighted must be paid for. So +hearken, I bid thee. Dost thou care to know why the wheedling of +thee is no longer needful to us?' + +He said: 'A little while ago I should have said, Yea, If thy lips +say the words. But now, O friend, it seemeth as if thine heart were +already become a part of mine, and I feel as if the chieftain were +growing up in me and the longing for deeds: so I say, Tell me, for I +were fain to hear what toucheth the welfare of thy Folk and their +fellowship with my Folk; for on that also have I set my heart?' + +She said gravely and with solemn eyes: + +'What thou sayest is good: full glad am I that I have not plighted +my troth to a mere goodly lad, but rather to a chieftain and a +warrior. Now then hearken! Since I saw thee first in the autumn +this hath happened, that the Dusky Men, increasing both in numbers +and insolence, have it in their hearts to win more than Silver-dale, +and it is years since they have fallen upon Rose-dale and conquered +it, rather by murder than by battle, and made all men thralls there, +for feeble were the Folk thereof; and doubt it not but that they will +look into Burgdale before long. They are already abroad in the +woods, and were it not for the fear of the Wolf they would be thicker +therein, and faring wider; for we have slain many of them, coming +upon them unawares; and they know not where we dwell, nor who we be: +so they fear to spread about over-much and pry into unknown places +lest the Wolf howl on them. Yet beware! for they will gather in +numbers that we may not meet, and then will they swarm into the Dale; +and if ye would live your happy life that ye love so well, ye must +now fight for it; and in that battle must ye needs join yourselves to +us, that we may help each other. Herein have ye nought to choose, +for now with you it is no longer a thing to talk of whether ye will +help certain strangers and guests and thereby win some gain to +yourselves, but whether ye have the hearts to fight for yourselves, +and the wits to be the fellows of tall men and stout warriors who +have pledged their lives to win or die for it.' + +She was silent a little and then turned and looked fondly on Face-of- +god and said: + +'Therefore, Gold-mane, we need thee no longer; for thou must needs +fight in our battle. I have no longer aught to do to wheedle thee to +love me. Yet if thou wilt love me, then am I a glad woman.' + +He said: 'Thou wottest well that thou hast all my love, neither will +I fail thee in the battle. I am not little-hearted, though I would +have given myself to thee for no reward.' + +'It is well,' said the Sun-beam; 'nought is undone by that which I +have done. Moreover, it is good that we have plighted troth to-day. +For Folk-might will presently hear thereof, and he must needs abide +the thing which is done. Hearken! he cometh.' + +For as she spoke there came a glad cry from the women and children, +and those two stood up and turned toward the west and beheld the +warriors of the Wolf coming down into the Dale by the way that Gold- +mane had come. + +'Come,' said the Sun-beam, 'here are your brethren in arms, let us go +greet them; they will rejoice in thee.' + +So they went thither, and there stood eighty and seven men on the +grass below the scree and Folk-might their captain; and besides some +valiant women, and a few carles who were on watch on the waste, and a +half score who had been left in the Dale, these were all the warriors +of the Wolf. They were clad in no holiday raiment, not even Folk- +might, but were in sheep-brown gear of the coarsest, like to +husbandmen late come from the plough, but armed well and goodly. + +But when the twain drew near, the men clashed their spears on their +shields, and cried out for joy of them, for they all knew what Face- +of-god's presence there betokened of fellowship with the kindreds; +but Folk-might came forward and took Face-of-god's hand and greeted +him and said: + +'Hail, son of the Alderman! Here hast thou come into the ancient +abode of chieftains and warriors, and belike deeds await thee also.' + +Yet his brow was knitted as he said these words, and he spake slowly, +as one that constraineth himself; but presently his face cleared +somewhat and he said: + +'Dalesman, it behoveth thy people to bestir them if ye would live and +see good days. Hath my sister told thee what is toward? Or what +sayest thou?' + +'Hail to thee, son of the Wolf!' said Face-of-god. 'Thy sister hath +told me all; and even if these Dusky Felons were not our foe-men +also, yet could I have my way, we should have given thee all help, +and should have brought back peace and good days to thy folk.' + +Then Folk-might flushed red and spake, as he cast out his hand +towards the warriors and up and down toward the Dale: + +'These be my folk, and these only: and as to peace, only those of us +know of it who are old men. Yet is it well; and if we and ye +together be strong enough to bring back good days to the feeble men +whom the Dusky Ones torment in Silver-dale it shall be better yet.' + +Then he turned about to his sister, and looked keenly into her eyes +till she reddened, and took her hand and looked at the wrist and +said: + +'O sister, see I not the mark on thy wrist of the Ring of the God of +the Earth? Have not oaths been sworn since yesterday?' + +'True it is,' she said, 'that this man and I have plighted troth +together at the altar of the Doom-ring.' + +Said Folk-might: 'Thou wilt have thy will, and I may not amend it.' +Therewith he turned about to Face-of-god and said: + +'Thou must look to it to keep this oath, whatever other one thou hast +failed in.' + +Said Face-of-god somewhat wrathfully: 'I shall keep it, whether thou +biddest me to keep it or break it.' + +'That is well,' said Folk-might, 'and then for all that hath gone +before thou mayest in a manner pay, if thou art dauntless before the +foe.' + +'I look to be no blencher in the battle,' said Face-of-god; 'that is +not the fashion of our kindred, whosoever may be before us. Yea, and +even were it thy blade, O mighty warrior of the Wolf, I would do my +best to meet it in manly fashion.' + +As he spake he half drew forth Dale-warden from his sheath, looking +steadily into the eyes of Folk-might; and the Sun-beam looked upon +him happily. But Folk-might laughed and said: + +'Thy sword is good, and I deem that thine heart will not fail thee; +but it is by my side and not in face of me that thou shalt redden the +good blade: I see not the day when we twain shall hew at each +other.' + +Then in a while he spake again: + +'Thou must pardon us if our words are rough; for we have stood in +rough places, where we had to speak both short and loud, whereas +there was much to do. But now will we twain talk of matters that +concern chieftains who are going on a hard adventure. And ye women, +do ye dight the Hall for the evening feast, which shall be the feast +of the troth-plight for you twain. This indeed we owe thee, O guest; +for little shall be thine heritage which thou shalt have with my +sister, over and above that thy sword winneth for thee.' + +But the Sun-beam said: 'Hast thou any to-night?' + +'Yea,' he said; 'Spear-god, how many was it?' + +There came forward a tall man bearing an axe in his right hand, and +carrying over his shoulder by his left hand a bundle of silver arm- +rings just such as Gold-mane had seen on the felons who were slain by +Wood-grey's house. The carle cast them on the ground and then knelt +down and fell to telling them over; and then looked up and said: +'Twelve yesterday in the wood where the battle was going on; and this +morning seven by the tarn in the pine-wood and six near this eastern +edge of the wood: one score and five all told. But, Folk-might, +they are coming nigh to Shadowy Vale.' + +'Sooth is that,' said Folk-might; 'but it shall be looked to. Come +now apart with me, Face-of-god.' + +So the others went their ways toward the Hall, while Folk-might led +the Burgdaler to a sheltered nook under the sheer rocks, and there +they sat down to talk, and Folk-might asked Gold-mane closely of the +muster of the Dalesmen and the Shepherds and the Woodland Caries, and +he was well pleased when Face-of-god told him of how many could march +to a stricken field, and of their archery, and of their weapons and +their goodness. + +All this took some time in the telling, and now night was coming on +apace, and Folk-might said: + +'Now will it be time to go to the Hall; but keep in thy mind that +these Dusky Men will overrun you unless ye deal with them betimes. +These are of the kind that ye must cast fear into their hearts by +falling on them; for if ye abide till they fall upon you, they are +like the winter wolves that swarm on and on, how many soever ye slay. +And this above all things shall help you, that we shall bring you +whereas ye shall fall on them unawares and destroy them as boys do +with a wasp's nest. Yet shall many a mother's son bite the dust. + +'Is it not so that in four weeks' time is your spring-feast and +market at Burgstead, and thereafter the great Folk-mote?' + +'So it is,' said Gold-mane. + +'Thither shall I come then,' said Folk-might, 'and give myself out +for the slayer of Rusty and the ransacker of Harts-bane and Penny- +thumb; and therefor shall I offer good blood-wite and theft-wite; and +thy father shall take that; for he is a just man. Then shall I tell +my tale. Yet it may be thou shalt see us before if battle betide. +And now fair befall this new year; for soon shall the scabbards be +empty and the white swords be dancing in the air, and spears and axes +shall be the growth of this spring-tide.' + +And he leaped up from his seat and walked to and fro before Gold- +mane, and now was it grown quite dark. Then Folk-might turned to +Face-of-god and said: + +'Come, guest, the windows of the Hall are yellow; let us to the +feast. To-morrow shalt thou get thee to the beginning of this work. +I hope of thee that thou art a good sword; else have I done a folly +and my sister a worse one. But now forget that, and feast.' + +Gold-mane arose, not very well at ease, for the man seemed +overbearing; yet how might he fall upon the Sun-beam's kindred, and +the captain of these new brethren in arms? So he spake not. But +Folk-might said to him: + +'Yet I would not have thee forget that I was wroth with thee when I +saw thee to-day; and had it not been for the coming battle I had +drawn sword upon thee.' + +Then Face-of-god's wrath was stirred, and he said: + +'There is yet time for that! but why art thou wroth with me? And I +shall tell thee that there is little manliness in thy chiding. For +how may I fight with thee, thou the brother of my plighted speech- +friend and my captain in this battle?' + +'Therein thou sayest sooth,' said Folk-might; 'but hard it was to see +you two standing together; and thou canst not give the Bride to me as +I give my sister to thee. For I have seen her, and I have seen her +looking at thee; and I know that she will not have it so.' + +Then they went on together toward the Hall, and Face-of-god was +silent and somewhat troubled; and as they drew near to the Hall, +Folk-might spake again: + +'Yet time may amend it; and if not, there is the battle, and maybe +the end. Now be we merry!' + +So they went into the Hall together, and there was the Sun-beam +gloriously arrayed, as erst in the woodland bower, and Face-of-god +sat on the dais beside her, and the uttermost sweetness of desire +entered into his soul as he noted her eyes and her mouth, that were +grown so kind to him, and her hand that strayed toward his. + +The Hall was full of folk, and all those warriors were there with +Wood-father and his sons, and Wood-mother, and Bow-may and many other +women; and Gold-mane looked down the Hall and deemed that he had +never seen such stalwarth bodies of men, or so bold and meet for +battle: as for the women he had seen fairer in Burgdale, but these +were fair of their own fashion, shapely and well-knit, and strong- +armed and large-limbed, yet sweet-voiced and gentle withal. Nay, the +very lads of fifteen winters or so, whereof a few were there, seemed +bold and bright-eyed and keen of wit, and it seemed like that if the +warriors fared afield these would be with them. + +So wore the feast; and Folk-might as aforetime amongst the healths +called on men to drink to the Jaws of the Wolf, and the Red Hand, and +the Silver Arm, and the Golden Bushel, and the Ragged Sword. But now +had Face-of-god no need to ask what these meant, since he knew that +they were the names of the kindreds of the Wolf. They drank also to +the troth-plight and to those twain, and shouted aloud over the +health and clashed their weapons: and Gold-mane wondered what echo +of that shout would reach to Burgstead. + +Then sang men songs of old time, and amongst them Wood-wont stood +with his fiddle amidst the Hall and Bow-may beside him, and they sang +in turn to it sweetly and clearly; and this is some of what they +sang: + + +She singeth. + +Wild is the waste and long leagues over; + Whither then wend ye spear and sword, +Where nought shall see your helms but the plover, + Far and far from the dear Dale's sward? + +He singeth. + +Many a league shall we wend together + With helm and spear and bended bow. +Hark! how the wind blows up for weather: + Dark shall the night be whither we go. + +Dark shall the night be round the byre, + And dark as we drive the brindled kine; +Dark and dark round the beacon-fire, + Dark down in the pass round our wavering line. + +Turn on thy path, O fair-foot maiden, + And come our ways by the pathless road; +Look how the clouds hang low and laden + Over the walls of the old abode! + +She singeth. + +Bare are my feet for the rough waste's wending, + Wild is the wind, and my kirtle's thin; +Faint shall I be ere the long way's ending + Drops down to the Dale and the grief therein. + +He singeth. + +Do on the brogues of the wild-wood rover, + Do on the byrnies' ring-close mail; +Take thou the staff that the barbs hang over, + O'er the wind and the waste and the way to prevail. + +Come, for how from thee shall I sunder? + Come, that a tale may arise in the land; +Come, that the night may be held for a wonder, + When the Wolf was led by a maiden's hand! + +She singeth. + +Now will I fare as ye are faring, + And wend no way but the way ye wend; +And bear but the burdens ye are bearing, + And end the day as ye shall end. + +And many an eve when the clouds are drifting + Down through the Dale till they dim the roof, +Shall they tell in the Hall of the Maiden's Lifting, + And how we drave the spoil aloof. + +They sing together. + +Over the moss through the wind and the weather, + Through the morn and the eve and the death of the day, +Wend we man and maid together, + For out of the waste is born the fray. + + +Then the Sun-beam spake to Gold-mane softly, and told him how this +song was made by a minstrel concerning a foray in the early days of +their first abode in Shadowy Vale, and how in good sooth a maiden led +the fray and was the captain of the warriors: + +'Erst,' she said, 'this was counted as a wonder; but now we are so +few that it is no wonder though the women will do whatsoever they +may.' + +So they talked, and Gold-mane was very happy; but ere the good-night +cup was drunk, Folk-might spake to Face-of-god and said: + +'It were well that ye rose betimes in the morning: but thou shalt +not go back by the way thou camest. Wood-wise and another shall go +with thee, and show thee a way across the necks and the heaths, which +is rough enough as far as toil goes, but where thy life shall be +safer; and thereby shalt thou hit the ghyll of the Weltering Water, +and so come down safely into Burgdale. Now that we are friends and +fellows, it is no hurt for thee to know the shortest way to Shadowy +Vale. What thou shalt tell concerning us in Burgdale I leave the +tale thereof to thee; yet belike thou wilt not tell everything till I +come to Burgstead at the spring market-tide. Now must I presently to +bed; for before daylight to-morrow must I be following the hunt along +with two score good men of ours.' + +'What beast is afield then?' said Gold-mane. + +Said Folk-might: 'The beasts that beset our lives, the Dusky Men. +In these days we have learned how to find companies of them; and +forsooth every week they draw nigher to this Dale; and some day they +should happen upon us if we were not to look to it, and then would +there be a murder great and grim; therefore we scour the heaths round +about, and the skirts of the woodland, and we fall upon these felons +in divers guises, so that they may not know us for the same men; +whiles are we clad in homespun, as to-day, and seem like to field- +working carles; whiles in scarlet and gold, like knights of the +Westland; whiles in wolf-skins; whiles in white glittering gear, like +the Wights of the Waste: and in all guises these felons, for all +their fierce hearts, fear us, and flee from us, and we follow and +slay them, and so minish their numbers somewhat against the great day +of battle.' + +'Tell me,' said Gold-mane; 'when we fall upon Silver-dale shall their +thralls, the old Dale-dwellers, fight for them or for us?' + +Said Folk-might: 'The Dusky Men will not dare to put weapons into +the hands of their thralls. Nay, the thralls shall help us; for +though they have but small stomach for the fight, yet joyfully when +the fight is over shall they cut their masters' throats.' + +'How is it with these thralls?' said Gold-mane. 'I have never seen a +thrall.' + +'But I,' said Folk-might, 'have seen a many down in the Cities. And +there were thralls who were the tyrants of thralls, and held the whip +over them; and of the others there were some who were not very hardly +entreated. But with these it is otherwise, and they all bear +grievous pains daily; for the Dusky Men are as hogs in a garden of +lilies. Whatsoever is fair there have they defiled and deflowered, +and they wallow in our fair halls as swine strayed from the dunghill. +No delight in life, no sweet days do they have for themselves, and +they begrudge the delight of others therein. Therefore their thralls +know no rest or solace; their reward of toil is many stripes, and the +healing of their stripes grievous toil. To many have they appointed +to dig and mine in the silver-yielding cliffs, and of all the tasks +is that the sorest, and there do stripes abound the most. Such +thralls art thou happy not to behold till thou hast set them free; as +we shall do.' + +'Tell me again,' said Face-of-god; 'Is there no mixed folk between +these Dusky Men and the Dalesmen, since they have no women of their +own, but lie with the women of the Dale? Moreover, do not the poor +folk of the Dale beget and bear children, so that there are thralls +born of thralls?' + +'Wisely thou askest this,' said Folk-might, 'but thereof shall I tell +thee, that when a Dusky Carle mingles with a woman of the Dale, the +child which she beareth shall oftenest favour his race and not hers; +or else shall it be witless, a fool natural. But as for the children +of these poor thralls; yea, the masters cause them to breed if so +their masterships will, and when the children are born, they keep +them or slay them as they will, as they would with whelps or calves. +To be short, year by year these vile wretches grow fiercer and more +beastly, and their thralls more hapless and down-trodden; and now at +last is come the time either to do or to die, as ye men of Burgdale +shall speedily find out. But now must I go sleep if I am to be where +I look to be at sunrise to-morrow.' + +Therewith he called for the sleeping-cup, and it was drunk, and all +men fared to bed. But the Sun-beam took Gold-mane's hand ere they +parted, and said: + +'I shall arise betimes on the morrow; so I say not farewell to-night; +yea, and after to-morrow it shall not be long ere we meet again.' + +So Gold-mane lay down in that ancient hall, and it seemed to him ere +he slept as if his own kindred were slipping away from him and he +were becoming a child of the Wolf. 'And yet,' said he to himself, 'I +am become a man; for my Friend, now she no longer telleth me to do or +forbear, and I tremble. Nay, rather she is fain to take the word +from me; and this great warrior and ripe man, he talketh with me as +if I were a chieftain meet for converse with chieftains. Even so it +is and shall be.' + +And soon thereafter he fell asleep in the Hall in Shadowy Vale. + + + +CHAPTER XXI. FACE-OF-GOD LOOKETH ON THE DUSKY MEN + + + +When he awoke again he saw a man standing over him, and knew him for +Wood-wise: he was clad in his war-gear, and had his quiver at his +back and his bow in his hand, for Wood-father's children were all +good bowmen, though not so sure as Bow-may. He spake to Face-of-god: + +'Dawn is in the sky, Dalesman; there is yet time for thee to wash the +night off of thee in our bath of the Shivering Flood and to put thy +mouth to the milk-bowl; but time for nought else: for I and Bow-may +are appointed thy fellows for the road, and it were well that we were +back home speedily.' + +So Face-of-god leapt up and went forth from the Hall, and Wood-wise +led to where was a pool in the river with steps cut down to it in the +rocky bank. + +'This,' said Wood-wise, 'is the Carle's Bath; but the Queen's is +lower down, where the water is wider and shallower below the little +mid-dale force.' + +So Gold-mane stripped off his raiment and leapt into the ice-cold +pool; and they had brought his weapons and war-gear with them; so +when he came out he clad and armed himself for the road, and then +turned with Wood-wise toward the outgate of the Dale; and soon they +saw two men coming from lower down the water in such wise that they +would presently cross their path, and as yet it was little more than +twilight, so that they saw not at first who they were, but as they +drew nearer they knew them for the Sun-beam and Bow-may. The Sun- +beam was clad but in her white linen smock and blue gown as he had +first seen her, her hair was wet and dripping with the river, her +face fresh and rosy: she carried in her two hands a great bowl of +milk, and stepped delicately, lest she should spill it. But Bow-may +was clad in her war-gear with helm and byrny, and a quiver at her +back, and a bended bow in her hand. So they greeted each other +kindly, and the Sun-beam gave the bowl to Face-of-god and said: + +'Drink, guest, for thou hast a long and thirsty road before thee.' + +So Face-of-god drank, and gave her the bowl back again, and she +smiled on him and drank, and the others after her till the bowl was +empty: then Bow-may put her hand on Wood-wise's shoulder, and they +led on toward the outgate, while those twain followed them hand in +hand. But the Sun-beam said: + +'This then is the new day I spoke of, and lo! it bringeth our +sundering with it; yet shall it be no longer than a day when all is +said, and new days shall follow after. And now, my friend, I shall +see thee no later than the April market; for doubt not that I shall +go thither with Folk-might, whether he will or not. Also as I led +thee out of the house when we last met, so shall I lead thee out of +the Dale to-day, and I will go with thee a little way on the waste; +and therefore am I shod this morning, as thou seest, for the ways on +the waste are rough. And now I bid thee have courage while my hand +holdeth thine. For afterwards I need not bid thee anything; for thou +wilt have enough to do when thou comest to thy Folk, and must needs +think more of warriors then than of maidens.' + +He looked at her and longed for her, but said soberly: 'Thou art +kind, O friend, and thinkest kindly of me ever. But methinks it were +not well done for thee to wend with me over a deal of the waste, and +come back by thyself alone, when ye have so many foemen nearby.' + +'Nay,' she said, 'they be nought so near as that yet, and I wot that +Folk-might hath gone forth toward the north-west, where he looketh to +fall in with a company of the foemen. His battle shall be a guard +unto us.' + +'I pray thee turn back at the top of the outgate,' said he, 'and be +not venturesome. Thou wottest that the pitcher is not broken the +first time it goeth to the well, nor maybe the twentieth, but at last +it cometh not back.' + +She said: 'Nevertheless I shall have my will herein. And it is but +a little way I will wend with thee.' + +Therewith were they come to the scree, and talk fell down between +them as they clomb it; but when they were in the darksome passage of +the rocks, and could scarce see one another, Face-of-god said: + +'Where then is another outgate from the Dale? Is it not up the +water?' + +'Yea,' she said, 'and there is none other: at the lower end the +rocks rise sheer from out the water, and a little further down is a +great force thundering betwixt them; so that by no boat or raft may +ye come out of the Dale. But the outgate up the water is called the +Road of War, as this is named the Path of Peace. But now are all +ways ways of war.' + +'There is peace in my heart,' said Gold-mane. + +She answered not for a while, but pressed his hand, and he felt her +breath on his cheek; and even therewithal they came out of the dark, +and Gold-mane saw that her cheek was flushed; and now she spake: + +'One thing would I say to thee, my friend. Thou hast seen me amongst +men of war, amongst outlaws who seek violence; thou hast heard me bid +my brother to count the slain, and I shrinking not; thou knowest (for +I have told thee) how I have schemed and schemed for victorious +battle. Yet I would not have thee think of me as a Chooser of the +Slain, a warrior maiden, or as of one who hath no joy save in the +battle whereto she biddeth others. O friend, the many peaceful hours +that I have had on the grass down yonder, sitting with my rock and +spindle in hand, the children round about my knees hearkening to some +old story so well remembered by me! or the milking of the kine in the +dewy summer even, when all was still but for the voice of the water +and the cries of the happy children, and there round about me were +the dear and beauteous maidens with whom I had grown up, happy amidst +all our troubles, since their life was free and they knew no guile. +In such times my heart was at peace indeed, and it seemed to me as if +we had won all we needed; as if war and turmoil were over, after they +had brought about peace and good days for our little folk. + +'And as for the days that be, are they not as that rugged pass, full +of bitter winds and the voice of hurrying waters, that leadeth yonder +to Silver-dale, as thou hast divined? and there is nought good in it +save that the breath of life is therein, and that it leadeth to +pleasant places and the peace and plenty of the fair dale.' + +'Sweet friend,' he said, 'what thou sayest is better than well: for +time shall be, if we come alive out of this pass of battle and bitter +strife, when I shall lead thee into Burgdale to dwell there. And +thou wottest of our people that there is little strife and grudging +amongst them, and that they are merry, and fair to look on, both men +and women; and no man there lacketh what the earth may give us, and +it is a saying amongst us that there may a man have that which he +desireth save the sun and moon in his hands to play with: and of +this gladness, which is made up of many little matters, what story +may be told? Yet amongst it shall I live and thou with me; and ill +indeed it were if it wearied thee and thou wert ever longing for some +day of victorious strife, and to behold me coming back from battle +high-raised on the shields of men and crowned with bay; if thine ears +must ever be tickled with the talk of men and their songs concerning +my warrior deeds. For thus it shall not be. When I drive the herds +it shall be at the neighbours' bidding whereso they will; not necks +of men shall I smite, but the stalks of the tall wheat, and the boles +of the timber-trees which the woodreeve hath marked for felling; the +stilts of the plough rather than the hilts of the sword shall harden +my hands; my shafts shall be for the deer, and my spears for the +wood-boar, till war and sorrow fall upon us, and I fight for the +ceasing of war and trouble. And though I be called a chief and of +the blood of chiefs, yet shall I not be masterful to the goodman of +the Dale, but rather to my hound; for my chieftainship shall be that +I shall be well beloved and trusted, and that no man shall grudge +against me. Canst thou learn to love such a life, which to me +seemeth lovely? And thou? of whom I say that thou art as if thou +wert come down from the golden chairs of the Burg of the Gods.' + +They were well-nigh out of the steep path by now, and the daylight +was bright about them; there she stayed her feet a moment and turned +to him and said: + +'All this should I love even now, if the grief of our Folk were but +healed, and hereafter shall I learn yet more of thy well-beloved +face.' + +Therewith she laid her face to his and kissed him fondly, and put his +hand to her side and held it there, saying: 'Soon shall we be one in +body and in soul.' + +And he laughed with joy and pride of life, and took her hand and led +her on again, and said: + +'Yet feel the cold rings of my hauberk, my friend; look at the spears +that cumber my hand, and at Dale-warden hanging by my side. Thou +shalt yet see me as the Slain's Chooser would see her speech-friend; +for there is much to do ere we win wheat-harvest in Burgdale.' + +Therewith they stepped together on to the level ground of the waste, +and saw Bow-may sitting on a stone hard by, and Wood-wise standing +beside her bending his bow. Bow-may smiled on Gold-mane and rose up, +and they all went on together, turning so that they went nearly +alongside the wall of the Vale, but westering a little; then the Sun- +beam said: + +'Many a time have I trodden this heath alongside our rock-wall; for +if ye wend a little further as our faces are turned, ye come to the +crags over the place where the Shivering Flood goeth out of Shadowy +Vale. There when ye have clomb a little may'st thou stand on the +edge of the rock-wall, and look down and behold the Flood swirling +and eddying in the black gorge of the rocks, and see presently the +reek of the force go up, and hear the thunder of the waters as they +pour over it: and all this about us now is as the garden of our +house--is it not so, Bow-may?' + +'Yea,' said she, 'and there are goodly cluster-berries to be gotten +hereabout in the autumn; many a time have the Sun-beam and I reddened +our lips with them. Yet is it best to be wary when war is abroad and +hot withal.' + +'Yea,' said the Sun-beam, 'and all this place comes into the story of +our House: lo! Gold-mane, two score paces before us a little on our +right hand those five grey stones. They are called the Rocks of the +Elders: for there in the first days of our abiding in Shadowy Vale +the Elders were wont to come together to talk privily upon our +matters.' + +Face-of-god looked thither as she spoke, but therewith saw Bow-may, +who went on the left hand of the Sun-beam, as Face-of-god on her +right hand, notch a shaft on her bent bow, and Wood-wise, who was on +his right hand, saw it also and did the like, and therewithal Face- +of-god got his target on to his arm, and even as he did so Bow-may +cried out suddenly: + +'Yea, yea! Cast thyself on to the ground, Sun-beam! Gold-mane, +targe and spear, targe and spear! For I see steel gleaming yonder +out from behind the Elders' Rocks.' + +Scarce were the words out of her mouth ere three shafts came flying, +and the bow-strings twanged. Gold-mane felt that one smote his helm +and glanced from it. Therewithal he saw the Sun-beam fall to earth, +though he knew not if she had but cast herself down as Bow-may bade. +Bow-may's string twanged at once, and a yell came from the foemen: +but Wood-wise loosed not, but set his hand to his mouth and gave a +loud wild cry--Ha! ha! ha! ha! How-ow-ow!--ending in a long and +exceeding great whoop like nought but the wolf's howl. Now Gold-mane +thinking swiftly, in a moment of time, as war-meet men do, judged +that if the Sun-beam were hurt (and she had made no cry), it were yet +wiser to fall on the foe before turning to tend her, or else all +might be lost; so he rushed forward spear in hand and target on arm, +and saw, as he opened up the flank of the Elders' Rocks, six men, +whereof one leaned aback on the rock with Bow-may's shaft in his +shoulder, and two others were just in act of loosing at him. In a +moment, as he rushed at them, one shaft went whistling by him, and +the other glanced from off his target; he cast a spear as he bounded +on, and saw it smite one of the shooters full in the naked face, and +saw the blood spout out and change his face and the man roll over, +and then in another moment four men were hewing at him with their +short steel axes. He thrust out his target against them, and then +let the weight of his body come on his other spear, and drave it +through the second shooter's throat, and even therewith was smitten +on the helm so hard that, though the Alderman's work held out, he +fell to his knees, holding his target over his head and striving to +draw forth Dale-warden; in that nick of time a shaft whistled close +by his ear, and as he rose to his feet again he saw his foeman +rolling over and over, clutching at the ling with both hands. Then +rang out again the terrible wolf-whoop from Wood-wise's mouth, and +both he and Bow-may loosed a shaft, for the two other foes had turned +their backs and were fleeing fast. Again Bow-may hit the clout, and +the Dusky Man fell dead at once, but Wood-wise's arrow flew over the +felon's shoulder as he ran. Then in a trice was Gold-mane bounding +after him like the hare just roused from her form; for it came into +his head that these felons had beheld them coming up out of the Vale, +and that if even this one man escaped, he would bring his company +down upon the Vale-dwellers. + +Strong and light-foot as any was Face-of-god, and though he was +cumbered with his hauberk, yet was Iron-face's handiwork far lighter +than the war-coat of the Dusky Man, and the race was soon over. The +felon turned breathless to meet Gold-mane, who drave his target +against him and cast him to earth, and as he strove to rise smote off +his head at one stroke; for Dale-warden was a good sword and the +Dalesman as fierce of mood as might be. There he let the felon lie, +and, turning, walked back swiftly toward the Elders' Rocks, and found +there Wood-wise and the dead foemen, for the carle had slain the +wounded, and he was now drawing the silver arm-rings off the slain +men; for all these Dusky Felons bore silver arm-rings. But Bow-may +was walking towards the Sun-beam, and thitherward followed Gold-mane +speedily. + +He found her sitting on a tussock of grass close by where she had +fallen, her face pale, her eyes eager and gleaming; she looked up at +him as he drew nigher and said: + +'Friend, art thou hurt?' + +'Nay,' he said, 'and thou? Thou art pale.' + +'I am not hurt,' she said. Then she smiled and said again: + +'Did I not tell thee that I am no warrior like Bow-may here? Such +deeds make maidens pale.' + +Said Bow-may: 'If ye will have the truth, Gold-mane, she is not wont +to grow pale when battle is nigh her. Look you, she hath had the +gift of a new delight, and findeth it sweeter and softer than she had +any thought of; and now hath she feared lest it should be taken from +her.' + +'Bow-may saith but the sooth,' said the Sun-beam simply, 'and kind it +is of her to say it. I saw thee, Bow-may, and good was thy shooting, +and I love thee for it.' + +Said Bow-may: 'I never shoot otherwise than well. But those idle +shooters of the Dusky Ones, whereabouts nigh to thee went their +shafts?' + +Said the Sun-beam: 'One just lifted the hair by my left ear, and +that was not so ill-aimed; as for the other, it pierced my raiment by +my right knee, and pinned me to the earth, so that I tottered and +fell, and my gown and smock are grievously wounded, both of them.' + +And she took the folds of the garments in her hands to show the rents +therein; and her colour was come again, and she was glad. + +'What were best to do now?' she said. + +Said Face-of-god: 'Let us tarry a little; for some of thy carles +shall surely come up from the Vale: because they will have heard +Wood-wise's whoop, since the wind sets that way.' + +'Yea, they will come,' said the Sun-beam. + +'Good is that,' said Face-of-god; 'for they shall take the dead +felons and cast them where they be not seen if perchance any more +stray hereby. For if they wind them, they may well happen on the +path down to the Vale. Also, my friend, it were well if thou wert to +bid a good few of the carles that are in the Vale to keep watch and +ward about here, lest there be more foemen wandering about the +waste.' + +She said: 'Thou art wise in war, Gold-mane; I will do as thou +biddest me. But soothly this is a perilous thing that the Dusky Men +are gotten so close to the Vale.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'This will Folk-might look to when he cometh home; +and it is most like that he will deem it good to fall on them +somewhere a good way aloof, so as to draw them off from wandering +over the waste. Also I will do my best to busy them when I am home +in Burgdale.' + +Therewith came up Wood-wise, and fell to talk with them; and his mind +it was that these foemen were but a band of strayers, and had had no +inkling of Shadowy Vale till they had heard them talking together as +they came up the path from the Vale, and that then they had made that +ambush behind the Elders' Rocks, so that they might slay the men, and +then bear off the woman. He said withal that it would be best to +carry their corpses further on, so that they might be cast over the +cliffs into the fierce stream of the Shivering Flood. + +Amidst this talk came up men from the Vale, a score of them, well +armed; and they ran to meet the wayfarers; and when they heard what +had befallen, they rejoiced exceedingly, and were above all glad that +Face-of-god had shown himself doughty and deft; and they deemed his +rede wise, to set a watch thereabouts till Folk-might came home, and +said that they would do even so. + +Then spake the Sun-beam and said: + +'Now must ye wayfarers depart; for the road is but rough, and the day +not over-long.' + +Then she turned to Face-of-god and put her hand on his shoulder, and +brought her face close to his and spake to him softly: + +'Doth this second parting seem at all strange to thee, and that I am +now so familiar to thee, I whom thou didst once deem to be a very +goddess? And now thou hast seen me redden before thine eyes because +of thee; and thou hast seen me grow pale with fear because of thee; +and thou hast felt my caresses which I might not refrain; even as if +I were altogether such a maiden as ye warriors hang about for a nine +days' wonder, and then all is over save an aching heart--wilt thou do +so with me? Tell me, have I not belittled myself before thee as if I +asked thee to scorn me? For thus desire dealeth both with maid and +man.' + +He said: 'In all this there is but one thing for me to say, and that +is that I love thee; and surely none the less, but rather the more, +because thou lovest me, and art of my kind, and mayest share in my +deeds and think well of them. Now is my heart full of joy, and one +thing only weigheth on it; and that is that my kinswoman the Bride +begrudgeth our love together. For this is the thing that of all +things most misliketh me, that any should bear a grudge against me.' + +She said: 'Forget not the token, and my message to her.' + +'I will not forget it,' said he. 'And now I bid thee to kiss me even +before all these that are looking on; for there is nought to belittle +us therein, since we be troth-plight.' + +And indeed those folk stood all round about them gazing on them, but +a little aloof, that they might not hear their words if they were +minded to talk privily. For they had long loved the Sun-beam, and +now the love of Face-of-god had begun to spring up in their hearts. + +So the twain embraced and kissed one another, and made no haste +thereover; and those men deemed that but meet and right, and clashed +their weapons on their shields in token of their joy. + +Then Face-of-god turned about and strode out of the ring of men, with +Bow-may and Wood-wise beside him, and they went on their journey over +the necks towards Burgstead. But the Sun-beam turned slowly from +that place toward the Vale, and two of the stoutest carles went along +with her to guard her from harm, and she went down into the Vale +pondering all these things in her heart. + +Then the other carles dragged off the corpses of the Dusky Men till +they had brought them to the sheer rocks above the Shivering Flood, +and there they tossed them over into the boiling caldron of the +force, and so departed taking with them the silver arm-rings of the +slain to add to the tale. + +But when they came back into the Vale the Sun-beam duly ordered that +watch and ward to keep the ingate thereto, and note all that should +befall till Folk-might came home. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. FACE-OF-GOD COMETH HOME TO BURGSTEAD + + + +But Face-of-god with Bow-may and Wood-wise fared over the waste, +going at first alongside the cliffs of the Shivering Flood, and then +afterwards turning somewhat to the west. They soon had to climb a +very high and steep bent going up to a mountain-neck; and the way +over the neck was rough indeed when they were on it, and they toiled +out of it into a barren valley, and out of the valley again on to a +rough neck; and such-like their journey the day long, for they were +going athwart all those great dykes that went from the ice-mountains +toward the lower dales like the outspread fingers of a hand or the +roots of a great tree. And the ice-mountains they had on their left +hands and whiles at their backs. + +They went very warily, with their bows bended and spear in hand, but +saw no man, good or bad, and but few living things. At noon they +rested in a valley where was a stream, but no grass, nought but +stones and sand; but where they were at least sheltered from the +wind, which was mostly very great in these high wastes; and there +Bow-may drew meat and wine from a wallet she bore, and they ate and +drank, and were merry enough; and Bow-may said: + +'I would I were going all the way with thee, Gold-mane; for I long +sore to let my eyes rest a while on the land where I shall one day +live.' + +'Yea,' said Face-of-god, 'art thou minded to dwell there? We shall +be glad of that.' + +'Whither are thy wits straying?' said she; 'whether I am minded to it +or not, I shall dwell there.' + +And Wood-wise nodded a yea to her. But Face-of-god said: + +'Good will be thy dwelling; but wherefore must it be so?' + +Then Wood-wise laughed and said: 'I shall tell thee in fewer words +than she will, and time presses now: Wood-father and Wood-mother, +and I and my two brethren and this woman have ever been about and +anigh the Sun-beam; and we deem that war and other troubles have made +us of closer kin to her than we were born, whether ye call it +brotherhood or what not, and never shall we sunder from her in life +or in death. So when thou goest to Burgdale with her, there shall we +be.' + +Then was Face-of-god glad when he found that they deemed his wedding +so settled and sure; but Wood-wise fell to making ready for the road. +And Face-of-god said to him: + +'Tell me one thing, Wood-wise; that whoop that thou gavest forth when +we were at handy-strokes e'en now--is it but a cry of thine own or is +it of thy Folk, and shall I hear it again?' + +'Thou may'st look to hear it many a time,' said Wood-wise, 'for it is +the cry of the Wolf. Seldom indeed hath battle been joined where men +of our blood are, but that cry is given forth. Come now, to the +road!' + +So they went their ways and the road worsened upon them, and toilsome +was the climbing up steep bents and the scaling of doubtful paths in +the cliff-sides, so that the journey, though the distance of it were +not so long to the fowl flying, was much eked out for them, and it +was not till near nightfall that they came on the ghyll of the +Weltering Water some six miles above Burgstead. Forsooth Wood-wise +said that the way might be made less toilsome though far longer by +turning back eastward a little past the vale where they had rested at +midday; and that seemed good to Gold-mane, in case they should be +wending hereafter in a great company between Burgdale and Shadowy +Vale. + +But now those two went with Face-of-god down a path in the side of +the cliff whereby him-seemed he had gone before; and they came down +into the ghyll and sat down together on a stone by the water-side, +and Face-of-god spake to them kindly, for he deemed them good and +trusty faring-fellows. + +'Bow-may,' said he, 'thou saidst a while ago that thou wouldst be +fain to look on Burgdale; and indeed it is fair and lovely, and ye +may soon be in it if ye will. Ye shall both be more than welcome to +the house of my father, and heartily I bid you thither. For night is +on us, and the way back is long and toilsome and beset with peril. +Sister Bow-may, thou wottest that it would be a sore grief to me if +thou camest to any harm, and thou also, fellow Wood-wise. Daylight +is a good faring-fellow over the waste.' + +Said Bow-may: 'Thou art kind, Gold-mane, and that is thy wont, I +know; and fain were I to-night of the candles in thine hall. But we +may not tarry; for thou wottest how busy we be at home; and Sun-beam +needeth me, if it were only to make her sure that no Dusky Man is +bearing off thine head by its lovely locks. Neither shall we journey +in the mirk night; for look you, the moon yonder.' + +'Well,' said Face-of-god, 'parting is ill at the best, and I would I +could give you twain a gift, and especially to thee, my sister Bow- +may.' + +Said Wood-wise: 'Thou may'st well do that; or at least promise the +gift; and that is all one as if we held it in our hands.' + +'Yea,' said Bow-may, 'Wood-wise and I have been thinking in one way +belike; and I was at point to ask a gift of thee.' + +'What is it?' said Gold-mane. 'Surely it is thine, if it were but a +guerdon for thy good shooting.' + +She laughed and handled the skirts of his hauberk as she said: + +'Show us the dint in thine helm that the steel axe made this +morning.' + +'There is no such great dint,' said he; 'my father forged that helm, +and his work is better than good.' + +'Yea,' said Bow-may, 'and might I have hauberk and helm of his +handiwork, and Wood-wise a good sword of the same, then were I a glad +woman, and this man a happy carle.' + +Said Gold-mane: 'I am well pleased at thine asking, and so shall +Iron-face be when he heareth of thine archery; and how that Hall-face +were now his only son but for thy close shooting. But now must I to +the way; for my heart tells me that there may have been tidings in +Burgstead this while I have been aloof.' + +So they rose all three, and Bow-may said: + +'Thou art a kind brother, and soon shall we meet again; and that will +be well.' + +Then he put his hands on her shoulders and kissed both her cheeks; +and he kissed Wood-wise, and turned and went his ways, threading the +stony tangle about the Weltering Water, which was now at middle +height, and running clear and strong; so turning once he beheld Wood- +wise and Bow-may climbing the path up the side of the ghyll, and Bow- +may turned to him also and waved her bow as token of farewell. Then +he went upon his way, which was rough enough to follow by night, +though the moon was shining brightly high aloft. Yet as he knew his +road he made but little of it all, and in somewhat more than an hour +and a half was come out of the pass into the broken ground at the +head of the Dale, and began to make his way speedily under the bright +moonlight toward the Gate, still going close by the water. But as he +went he heard of a sudden cries and rumour not far from him, unwonted +in that place, where none dwelt, and where the only folk he might +look to see were those who cast an angle into the pools and eddies of +the Water. Moreover, he saw about the place whence came the cries +torches moving swiftly hither and thither; so that he looked to hear +of new tidings, and stayed his feet and looked keenly about him on +every side; and just then, between his rough path and the shimmer of +the dancing moonlit water, he saw the moon smite on something +gleaming; so, as quietly as he could, he got his target on his arm, +and shortened his spear in his right hand, and then turned sharply +toward that gleam. Even therewith up sprang a man on his right hand, +and then another in front of him just betwixt him and the water; an +axe gleamed bright in the moon, and he caught a great stroke on his +target, and therewith drave his left shoulder straight forward, so +that the man before him fell over into the water with a mighty +splash; for they were at the very edge of the deepest eddy of the +Water. Then he spun round on his heel, heeding not that another +stroke had fallen on his right shoulder, yet ill-aimed, and not with +the full edge, so that it ran down his byrny and rent it not. So he +sent the thrust of his spear crashing through the face and skull of +the smiter, and looked not to him as he fell, but stood still, +brandishing his spear and crying out, 'For the Burg and the Face! +For the Burg and the Face!' + +No other foe came against him, but like to the echo of his cry rose a +clear shout not far aloof, 'For the Face, for the Face! For the Burg +and the Face!' He muttered, 'So ends the day as it begun,' and +shouted loud again, 'For the Burg and the Face!' And in a minute +more came breaking forth from the stone-heaps into the moonlit space +before the water the tall shapes of the men of Burgstead, the red +torchlight and the moonlight flashing back from their war-gear and +weapons; for every man had his sword or spear in hand. + +Hall-face was the first of them, and he threw his arms about his +brother and said: 'Well met, Gold-mane, though thou comest amongst +us like Stone-fist of the Mountain. Art thou hurt? With whom hast +thou dealt? Where be they? Whence comest thou?' + +'Nay, I am not hurt,' said Face-of-god. 'Stint thy questions then, +till thou hast told me whom thou seekest with spear and sword and +candle.' + +'Two felons were they,' said Hall-face, 'even such as ye saw lying +dead at Wood-grey's the other day.' + +'Then may ye sheathe your swords and go home,' said Gold-mane, 'for +one lieth at the bottom of the eddy, and the other, thy feet are +well-nigh treading on him, Hall-face.' + +Then arose a rumour of praise and victory, and they brought the +torches nigh and looked at the fallen man, and found that he was +stark dead; so they even let him lie there till the morrow, and all +turned about toward the Thorp; and many looked on Face-of-god and +wondered concerning him, whence he was and what had befallen him. +Indeed, they would have asked him thereof, but could not get at him +to ask; but whoso could, went as nigh to Hall-face and him as they +might, to hearken to the talk between the brothers. + +So as they went along Hall-face did verily ask him whence he came: +'For was it not so,' said he, 'that thou didst enter into the wood +seeking some adventure early in the morning the day before +yesterday?' + +'Sooth is that,' said Face-of-god, 'and I came to Shadowy Vale, and +thence am I come this morning.' + +Said Hall-face: 'I know not Shadowy Vale, nor doth any of us. This +is a new word. How say ye, friends, doth any man here know of +Shadowy Vale?' + +They all said, 'Nay.' + +Then said Hall-face: 'Hast thou been amongst mere ghosts and +marvels, brother, or cometh this tale of thy minstrelsy?' + +'For all your words,' said Gold-mane, 'to that Vale have I been; and, +to speak shortly (for I desire to have your tale, and am waiting for +it), I will tell thee that I found there no marvels or strange +wights, but a folk of valiant men; a folk small in numbers, but great +of heart; a folk come, as we be, from the Fathers and the Gods. And +this, moreover, is to be said of them, that they are the foes of +these felons of whom ye were chasing these twain. And these same +Dusky Men of Silver-dale would slay them every man if they might; and +if we look not to it they will soon be doing the same by us; for they +are many, and as venomous as adders, as fierce as bears, and as foul +as swine. But these valiant men, who bear on their banner the image +of the Wolf, should be our fellows in arms, and they have good will +thereto; and they shall show us the way to Silver-dale by blind +paths, so that we may fall upon these felons while they dwell there +tormenting the poor people of the land, and thus may we destroy them +as lads a hornet's nest. Or else the days shall be hard for us.' + +The men who hung about them drank in his words greedily. But Hall- +face was silent a little while, and then he said: 'Brother Gold- +mane, these be great tidings. Time was when we might have deemed +them but a minstrel's tale; for Silver-dale we know not, of which +thou speakest so glibly, nor the Dusky Men, any more than the Shadowy +Vale. Howbeit, things have befallen these two last days so strange +and new, that putting them together with the murder at Wood-grey's, +and thy words which seem somewhat wild, it may well seem to us that +tidings unlooked for are coming our way.' + +'Come, then,' said Face-of-god, 'give me what thou hast in thy scrip, +and trust me, I shall not jeer at thy tale.' + +Said Hall-face: 'I also will be short with the tale; and that the +more, as meseemeth it is not yet done, and that thou thyself shalt +share in the ending of it. It was the day before yesterday, that is +the day when thou departedst into the woods on that adventure whereof +thou shalt one day tell me more, wilt thou not?' + +'Yea, in good time,' said Face-of-god. + +'Well,' quoth Hall-face, 'we went into the woods that day and in the +morning, but after sunrise, to the number of a score: we looked to +meet a bear and a she-bear with cubs in a certain place; for one of +the Woodlanders, a keen hunter, had told us of their lair. Also we +were wishful to slay some of the wild-swine, the yearlings, if we +might. Therefore, though we had no helms or shields or coats of +fence, we had bowshot a plenty, and good store of casting-weapons, +besides our wood-knives and an axe or so; and some of us, of whom I +was one, bore our battle-swords, as we are wont ever to do, be the +foe beast or man. + +'Thus armed we went up Wildlake's Way and came to Carlstead, where +half-a-score Woodlanders joined themselves to us, so that we became a +band. We went up the half-cleared places past Carlstead for a mile, +and then turned east into the wood, and went I know not how far, for +the Woodlanders led us by crooked paths, but two hours wore away in +our going, till we came to the place where they looked to find the +bears. It is a place that may well be noted, for it is unlike the +wood round about. There is a close thicket some two furlongs about +of thorn and briar and ill-grown ash and oak and other trees, planted +by the birds belike; and it stands as it were in an island amidst of +a wide-spreading woodlawn of fine turf, set about in the most goodly +fashion with great tall straight-boled oak-trees, that seem to have +been planted of set purpose by man's hand. Yea, dost thou know the +place?' + +'Methinks I do,' said Gold-mane, 'and I seem to have heard the +Woodlanders give it a name and call it Boars-bait.' + +'That may be,' said Hall-face. 'Well, there we were, the dogs and +the men, and we drew nigh the thicket and beset it, and doubted not +to find prey therein: but when we would set the dogs at the thicket +to enter it, they were uneasy, and would not take up the slot, but +growled and turned about this way and that, so that we deemed that +they winded some fierce beast at our flanks or backs. + +'Even so it was, and fierce enough and deadly was the beast; for +suddenly we heard bow-strings twang, and shafts came flying; and +Iron-shield of the Upper Dale, who was close beside me, leapt up into +the air and fell down dead with an arrow through his back. Then I +bethought me in the twinkling of an eye, and I cried out, "The foe +are on us! take the cover of the tree-boles and be wary! For the +Burg and the Face! For the Burg and the Face!" + +'So we scattered and covered ourselves with the oak-boles, but +besides Iron-shield, who was slain outright, two goodmen were sorely +hurt, to wit Bald-face, a man of our house, and Stonyford of the +Lower Dale. + +'I looked from behind my tree-bole, a great one; and far off down the +glades I saw men moving, clad in gay raiment; but nearer to me, not a +hundred yards from my cover, I saw an arm clad in scarlet come out +from behind a tree-bole, so I loosed at it, and missed not; for +straight there tottered out from behind the tree one of those dusky +foul-favoured men like to those that were slain by Wood-grey. I had +another shaft ready notched, so I loosed and set the shaft in his +throat, and he fell. + +'Straightway was a yelling and howling about us like the cries of +scalded curs, and the oak-wood swarmed thick with these felons +rushing on us; for it seems that the man whom I had slain was a chief +amongst them, or we judged so by his goodly raiment. + +'Methought then our last day was come. What could we do but run +together again after we had loosed at a venture, and so withstand +them sword and spear in hand? Some fell beneath our shot, but not +many, for they came on very swiftly. + +'So they fell on us; but for all their fierceness and their numbers +they might not break our array, and we slew four and hurt many by +sword-hewing and spear-casting and push of spear; and five of us were +hurt and one slain by their dart-casting. So they drew off from us a +little, and strove to spread out and fall to shooting at us again; +but this we would not suffer, but pushed on as they fell back, +keeping as close together as we might for the trees. For we said +that we would all die together if needs must; and verily the stour +was hard. + +'Yet hearken! In that nick of time rose up a strange cry not far +from us, Ha! ha! ha! ha! How-ow-ow! ending like the howl of a wolf, +and then another and another and another, till the whole wood rang +again. + +'At first we deemed that here were come fresh foemen, and that we +were undone indeed; but when they heard it, the foe-men before us +faltered and gave way, and at last turned their backs and fled, and +we followed, keeping well together still: thereby the more part of +these men escaped us, for they fled wildly here and there from those +who bore that cry with them; so we knew that our work was being done +for us; therefore we stood, and saw tall men clad in sheep-brown weed +running through the glades pursuing those felons and smiting them +down, till both fleers and pursuers passed out of our sight like men +in a dream, or as when ye roll up a pictured cloth to lay it in the +coffer. + +'But to Stone-face's mind those brown-clad men were the Wights of the +Wood that be of the Fathers' blood, and our very friends; and when +some of us would yet have gone forward and foregathered with them, +and followed the chase along with them, Stone-face gainsaid it, +bidding us not to run into the arms of a second death, when we had +but just escaped from the first. Sooth to say, moreover, we had +divers hurt men that needed looking to. + +'So what with one thing, what with another, we turned back: but War- +cliff's brother, a tall man, had felled two of those felons with an +oak sapling which he had torn from the thicket; but he had not slain +them, and by now they were just awakening from their swoon, and were +sitting up looking round them with fierce rolling eyes, expecting the +stroke, for Raven of Longscree was standing over them with a naked +war-sword in his hand. But now that our blood was cool, we were loth +to slay them as they lay in our hands; so we bound them and brought +them away with us; and our own dead we carried also on such biers as +we might lightly make there, and with them three that were so +grievously hurt that they might not go afoot, these we left at +Carlstead: they were Tardy the Son of the Untamed, and Swan of Bull- +meadow, both of the Lower Dale, and a Woodlander, Undoomed to wit. +But the dead were Iron-shield aforesaid, and Wool-sark, and the +Hewer, a Woodlander. + +'So came we sadly at eventide to Burgstead with the two dead +Burgdalers, and the captive felons, and the wounded of us that might +go afoot; and ye may judge that they of Burgdale and our father +deemed these tidings great enough, and wotted not what next should +befall. Stone-face would have had those two felons slain there and +then; for no true tale could we get out of them, nor indeed any word +at all. But the Alderman would not have it so; and he deemed they +might serve our turn as hostages if any of our folk should be taken: +for one and all we deemed, and still deem, that war is on us and that +new folk have gathered on our skirts. + +'So the captives were shut up in the red out-bower of our house; and +our father was minded that thou mightest tell us somewhat of them +when thou wert come home. But about dusk to-day the word went that +they had broken out and gotten them weapons and fled up the Dale; and +so it was. + +'But to-morrow morning will a Gate-thing be holden, and there it will +be looked for of thee that thou tell us a true tale of thy goings. +For it is deemed, and it is my deeming especially, that thou may'st +tell us more of these men than thou hast yet told us. Is it not so?' + +'Yea, surely,' said Gold-mane, 'I can make as many words as ye will +about it; yet when all is said, it will come to much the same tale as +I have already told thee. Yet belike, if ye are minded to take up +the sword to defend you, I may tell you in what wise to lay hold on +the hilts.' + +'And that is well,' said Hall-face, 'and no less do I look for of +thee. But lo! here are we come to the Gate of the Burg that abideth +battle.' + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. TALK IN THE HALL OF THE HOUSE OF THE FACE + + + +In sooth they were come to the very Gate of Burgstead, and the great +gates were shut, and only a wicket was open, and a half score of +stout men in all their war-gear were holding ward thereby. They gave +place to Hall-face and his company, albeit some of the warders +followed them through the wicket that they might hear the story told. + +The street was full of folk, both men and women, talking together +eagerly concerning all these tidings, and when they saw the men of +the Hue-and-cry they came thronging about them, so that they might +scarce get to the door of the House of the Face because of the press; +so Hall-face (who was a very tall man) cried out: + +'Good people, all is well! the runaways are slain, and Face-of-god is +come back with us; give place a little, that we may come into our +house.' + +Then the throng set up a shout, and made way a little, so that Hall- +face and Gold-mane and the others could get to the door. And they +entered into the Hall, and saw much folk therein; and men were +sitting at table, for supper was not yet over. But when they saw the +new-comers they mostly rose up from the board and stood silent to +hear the tale, for they had been talking many together each to each, +so that the Hall was full of confused noise. + +So Hall-face again cried out: 'Men in this hall, good is the +tidings. The runaways are slain; and it was Face-of-god who slew +them as he came back safe from the waste.' + +Then they shouted for joy, and the brethren and Stone-face with them +(for he had entered with them from the street) went up on to the +dais, while the others of the Hue-and-cry gat them seats where they +might at the endlong tables. + +But when Face-of-god came up on to the dais, there sat Iron-face +looking down on the thronged Hall with a ruddy cheerful countenance, +and beside him sat the Bride; for he had caused her to be brought +thither when he had heard of the tidings of battle. She was daintily +clad in a flame-coloured kirtle embroidered with gold about the bosom +and sleeves, and there was a fillet of golden roses on her ruddy +hair. Her eyes shone bright and eager, and the pommels of her cheeks +were flushed and red contrary to their wont. Needs must Gold-mane +sit by her, and when he came close to her he knew not what to do, but +he put forth his hand to her, yet with a troubled countenance; for he +feared her grief mingled with her beauty: as for her, she wavered in +her mind whether she should forbear to touch him or not; but she saw +that men about were looking at them, and especially was Iron-face +looking on her: therefore she stood up and took Gold-mane's hand and +kissed his face as she had been wont to do, and by then was her face +as white as paper; and her anguish pierced his heart, so that he +well-nigh groaned for grief of her. But Iron-face looked on her and +said kindly: + +'Kinswoman, thou art pale; thou hast feared for thy mate amidst all +these tidings of war, and still fearest for him. But pluck up a +heart; for the man is a deft warrior for all his fair face, which +thou lovest as a woman should, and his hands may yet save his head. +And if he be slain, yet are there other men of the kindred, and the +earth will not be a desert to thee even then.' + +She looked at Iron-face, and the colour was come back to her face +somewhat, and she said: + +'It is true; I have feared for him; for he goeth into perilous +places. But for thee, thou art kind, and I thank thee for it.' + +And therewith she kissed Iron-face and sat down in her place, and +strove to overmaster her grief, that her face might not be changed by +it; for now were thoughts of battle, and valiant hopes arising in +men's hearts; and it seemed to her too grievous if she should mar +that feast on the eve of battle. + +But Iron-face kissed and embraced his son and said: 'Art thou late +come from the waste? Hast thou seen new things? We look to have a +notable tale from thee; though here also have been tidings, and it is +not unlike that we shall presently have new work on our hands.' + +'Father,' quoth Face-of-god, 'I deem that when thou hast heard my +tale thou wilt think no less of it than that there are valiant folk +to be holpen, poor folk to be delivered, and evil folk to be swept +from off the face of the earth.' + +'It is well, son,' said Iron-face. 'I see that thy tale is long; let +it alone for to-night. To-morrow shall we hold a Gate-thing, and +then shall we hear all that thou hast to tell. Now eat thy meat and +drink a bowl of wine, and comfort thy troth-plight maiden.' + +So Gold-mane sat down by the Bride, and ate and drank as he needs +must; but he was ill at ease and he durst not speak to her. For, on +the one hand, he thought concerning his love for the Sun-beam, and +how sweet and good a thing it was that she should take him by the +hand and lead him into noble deeds and great fame, caressing him so +softly and sweetly the while; and, on the other hand, there sat the +Bride beside him, sorrowful and angry, begrudging all that sweetness +of love, as though it were something foul and unseemly; and heavy on +him lay the weight of that grudge, for he was a man of a friendly +heart. + +Stone-face sat outward from him on the other side of the Bride; and +he leaned across her towards Gold-mane and said: + +'Fair shall be thy tale to-morrow, if thou tellest us all thine +adventure. Or wilt thou tell us less than all?' + +Said Face-of-god: 'In good time shalt thou know it all, foster- +father; but it is not unlike that by the time that thou hast heard +it, there shall be so many other things to tell of, that my tale +shall seem of little account to thee--even as the saw saith that one +nail driveth out the other.' + +'Yea,' said Stone-face, 'but one tale belike shall be knit up with +the others, as it fareth with the figures that come one after other +on the weaver's cloth; though one maketh not the other, yet one +cometh of the other.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Wise art thou now, foster-father, but thou shalt +be wiser yet in this matter by then a month hath worn: and to-morrow +shalt thou know enough to set thine hands a-work.' + +So the talk fell between them; and the night wore, and the men of +Burgdale feasted in their ancient hall with merry hearts, little +weighed down by thought of the battle that might be and the trouble +to come; for they were valorous and kindly folk. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. FACE-OF-GOD GIVETH THAT TOKEN TO THE BRIDE + + + +Now on the morrow, when Face-of-god arose and other men with him, and +the Hall was astir and there was no little throng therein, the Bride +came up to him; for she had slept in the House of the Face by the +bidding of the Alderman; and she spake to him before all men, and +bade him come forth with her into the garden, because she would speak +to him apart. He yeasaid her, though with a heavy heart; and to the +folk about that seemed meet and due, since those twain were deemed to +be troth-plight, and they smiled kindly on them as they went out of +the Hall together. + +So they came into the garden, where the pear-trees were blossoming +over the spring lilies, and the cherries were showering their flowers +on the deep green grass, and everything smelled sweetly on the warm +windless spring morning. + +She led the way, going before him till they came by a smooth grass +path between the berry bushes, to a square space of grass about which +were barberry trees, their first tender leaves bright green in the +sun against the dry yellowish twigs. There was a sundial amidmost of +the grass, and betwixt the garden-boughs one could see the long grey +roof of the ancient hall; and sweet familiar sounds of the nesting +birds and men and women going on their errands were all about in the +scented air. She turned about at the sundial and faced Face-of-god, +her hand lightly laid on the scored brass, and spake with no anger in +her voice: + +'I ask thee if thou hast brought me the token whereon thou shalt +swear to give me that gift.' + +'Yea,' said he; and therewith drew the ring from his bosom, and held +it out to her. She reached out her hand to him slowly and took it, +and their fingers met as she did so, and he noted that her hand was +warm and firm and wholesome as he well remembered it. + +She said: 'Whence hadst thou this fair finger-ring?' + +Said Face-of-god: 'My friend there in the mountain-valley drew it +from off her finger for thee, and bade me bear thee a message.' + +Her face flushed red: 'Yea,' she said, 'and doth she send me a +message? Then doth she know of me, and ye have talked of me +together. Well, give the message!' + +Said Face-of-god: 'She saith, that thou shalt bear in mind, That to- +morrow is a new day.' + +'Yea,' she said, 'for her it is so, and for thee; but not for me. +But now I have brought thee here that thou mightest swear thine oath +to me; lay thine hand on this ring and on this brazen plate whereby +the sun measures the hours of the day for happy folk, and swear by +the spring-tide of the year and all glad things that find a mate, and +by the God of the Earth that rejoiceth in the life of man.' + +Then he laid his hand on the finger-ring as it lay on the dial-plate +and said: + +'By the spring-tide and the live things that long to multiply their +kind; by the God of the Earth that rejoiceth in the life of man, I +swear to give to my kinswoman the Bride the second man-child that I +beget; to be hers, to leave or cherish, to love or hate, as her will +may bid her.' Then he looked on her soberly and said: 'It is duly +sworn; is it enough?' + +'Yea,' she said; but he saw how the tears ran out of her eyes and +wetted the bosom of her kirtle, and she hung her head for shame of +her grief. And Gold-mane was all abashed, and had no word to say; +for he knew that no word of his might comfort her; and he deemed it +ill done to stay there and behold her sorrow; and he knew not how to +get him gone, and be glad elsewhere, and leave her alone. + +Then, as if she had read his thought, she looked up at him and said +smiling a little amidst of her tears: + +'I bid thee stay by me till the flood is over; for I have yet a word +to say to thee.' + +So he stood there gazing down on the grass in his turn, and not +daring to raise his eyes to her face, and the minutes seemed long to +him: till at last she said in a voice scarcely yet clear of weeping: + +'Wilt thou say anything to me, and tell me what thou hast done, and +why, and what thou deemest will come of it?' + +He said: 'I will tell the truth as I know it, because thou askest it +of me, and not because I would excuse myself before thee. What have +I done? Yesterday I plighted my troth to wed the woman that I met +last autumn in the wood. And why? I wot not why, but that I longed +for her. Yet I must tell thee that it seemed to me, and yet seemeth, +that I might do no otherwise--that there was nothing else in the +world for me to do. What do I deem will come of it, sayest thou? +This, that we shall be happy together, she and I, till the day of our +death.' + +She said: 'And even so long shall I be sorry: so far are we +sundered now. Alas! who looked for it? And whither shall I turn to +now?' + +Said Gold-mane: 'She bade me tell thee that to-morrow is a new day: +meseemeth I know her meaning.' + +'No word of hers hath any meaning to me,' said the Bride. + +'Nay,' said he, 'but hast thou not heard these rumours of war that +are in the Dale? Shall not these things avail thee? Much may grow +out of them; and thou with the mighty heart, so faithful and +compassionate!' + +She said: 'What sayest thou? What may grow out of them? Yea, I +have heard those rumours as a man sick to death heareth men talk of +their business down in the street while he lieth on his bed; and +already he hath done with it all, and hath no world to mend or mar. +For me nought shall grow out of it. What meanest thou?' + +Said Gold-mane: 'Is there nought in the fellowship of Folks, and the +aiding of the valiant, and the deliverance of the hapless?' + +'Nay,' she said, 'there is nought to me. I cannot think of it to-day +nor yet to-morrow belike. Yet true it is that I may mingle in it, +though thinking nought of it. But this shall not avail me.' + +She was silent a little, but presently spake and said: 'Thou sayest +right; it is not thou that hast done this, but the woman who sent me +the ring and the message of an old saw. O that she should be born to +sunder us! How hath it befallen that I am now so little to thee and +she so much?' + +And again she was silent; and after a while Face-of-god spake kindly +and softly and said: 'Kinswoman, wilt thou for ever begrudge our +love? this grudge lieth heavy on my soul, and it is I alone that have +to bear it.' + +She said: 'This is but a light burden for thee to bear, when thou +hast nought else to bear! But do I begrudge thee thy love, Gold- +mane? I know not that. Rather meseemeth I do not believe in it--nor +shall do ever.' + +Then she held her peace a long while, nor did he speak one word: and +they were so still, that a robin came hopping about them, close to +the hem of her kirtle, and a starling pitched in the apple-tree hard +by and whistled and chuckled, turning about and about, heeding them +nought. Then at last she lifted up her face from looking on the +grass and said: 'These are idle words and avail nothing: one thing +only I know, that we are sundered. And now it repenteth me that I +have shown thee my tears and my grief and my sickness of the earth +and those that dwell thereon. I am ashamed of it, as if thou hadst +smitten me, and I had come and shown thee the stripes, and said, See +what thou hast done! hast thou no pity? Yea, thou pitiest me, and +wilt try to forget thy pity. Belike thou art right when thou sayest, +To-morrow is a new day; belike matters will arise that will call me +back to life, and I shall once more take heed of the joy and sorrow +of my people. Nay, it is most like that this I shall feign to do +even now. But if to-morrow be a new day, it is to-day now and not +to-morrow, and so shall it be for long. Hereof belike we shall talk +no more, thou and I. For as the days wear, the dealings between us +shall be that thou shalt but get thee away from my life, and I shall +be nought to thee but the name of a kinswoman. Thus should it be +even wert thou to strive to make it otherwise; and thou shalt NOT +strive. So let all this be; for this is not the word I had to say to +thee. But hearken! now are we sundered, and it irketh me beyond +measure that folk know it not, and are kind, and rejoice in our love, +and deem it a happy thing for the folk; and this burden I may bear no +longer. So I shall declare unto men that I will not wed thee; and +belike they may wonder why it is, till they see thee wedded to the +Woman of the Mountain. Art thou content that so it shall be?' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Nay, thou shalt not take this all upon thyself; I +also shall declare unto the Folk that I will wed none but her, the +Mountain-Woman.' + +She said: 'This shalt thou not do; I forbid it thee. And I WILL +take it all upon myself. Shall I have it said of me that I am unmeet +to wed thee, and that thou hast found me out at last and at latest? +I lay this upon thee, that wheresoever I declare this and whatsoever +I may say, thou shalt hold thy peace. This at least thou may'st do +for me. Wilt thou?' + +'Yea,' he said, 'though it shall put me to shame.' + +Again she was silent for a little; then she said: + +'O Gold-mane, this would I take upon myself not soothly for any shame +of seeming to be thy cast-off; but because it is I who needs must +bear all the sorrow of our sundering; and I have the will to bear it +greater and heavier, that I may be as the women of old time, and they +that have come from the Gods, lest I belittle my life with malice and +spite and confusion, and it become poisonous to me. Be at peace! be +at peace! And leave all to the wearing of the years; and forget not +that which thou hast sworn!' + +Therewith she turned and went from that green place toward the House +of the Face, walking slowly through the garden amongst the sweet +odours, beneath the fair blossoms, a body most dainty and beauteous +of fashion, but the casket of grievous sorrow, which all that +goodliness availed not. + +But Face-of-god lingered in that place a little, and for that little +while the joy of his life was dulled and overworn; and the days +before his wandering on the mountain seemed to him free and careless +and happy days that he could not but regret. He was ashamed, +moreover, that this so unquenchable grief should come but of him, and +the pleasure of his life, which he himself had found out for himself, +and which was but such a little portion of the Earth and the deeds +thereof. But presently his thought wandered from all this, and as he +turned away from the sundial and went his ways through the garden, he +called to mind his longing for the day of the spring market, when he +should see the Sun-beam again and be cherished by the sweetness of +her love. + + + +CHAPTER XXV. OF THE GATE-THING AT BURGSTEAD + + + +But now must he hasten, for the Gate-thing was to be holden two hours +before noon; so he betook him speedily to the Hall, and took his +shield and did on a goodly helm and girt his sword to his side, for +men must needs go to all folk-motes with their weapons and clad in +war-gear. Thus he went forth to the Gate with many others, and there +already were many folk assembled in the space aforesaid betwixt the +Gate of the Burg and the sheer rocks on the face of which were the +steps that led up to the ancient Tower on the height. The Alderman +was sitting on the great stone by the Gate-side which was his +appointed place, and beside him on the stone bench were the six +Wardens of the Burg; but of the six Wardens of the Dale there were +but three, for the others had not yet heard tell of the battle or had +got the summons to the Thing, since they had been about their +business down the Dale. + +Face-of-god took his place silently amongst the neighbours, but men +made way for him, so that he must needs stand in front, facing his +father and the Wardens; and there went up a murmur of expectation +round about him, both because the word had gone about that he had a +tale of new tidings to tell, and also because men deemed him their +best and handiest man, though he was yet so young. + +Now the Alderman looked around and beheld a great throng gathered +together, and he looked on the shadow of the Gate which the +southering sun was casting on the hard white ground of the Thing- +stead, and he saw that it had just taken in the standing-stone which +was in the midst of the place. On the face of the said stone was +carven the image of a fighting man with shield on arm and axe in +hand; for it had been set there in old time in memory of the man who +had bidden the Folk build the Gate and its wall, and had showed them +how to fashion it: for he was a deft house-smith as well as a great +warrior; and his name was Iron-hand. So when the Alderman saw that +this stone was wholly within the shadow of the Gate he knew that it +was the due time for the hallowing-in of the Thing. So he bade one +of the wardens who sat beside him and had a great slug-horn slung +about him, to rise and set the horn to his mouth. + +So that man arose and blew three great blasts that went bellowing +about the towers and down the street, and beat back again from the +face of the sheer rocks and up them and over into the wild-wood; and +the sound of it went on the light west-wind along the lips of the +Dale toward the mountain wastes. And many a goodman, when he heard +the voice of the horn in the bright spring morning, left spade or axe +or plough-stilts, or the foddering of the ewes and their younglings, +and turned back home to fetch his sword and helm and hasten to the +Thing, though he knew not why it was summoned: and women wending +over the meadows, who had not yet heard of the battle in the wood, +hearkened and stood still on the green grass or amidst the ripples of +the ford, and the threat of coming trouble smote heavy on their +hearts, for they knew that great tidings must be towards if a Thing +must needs be summoned so close to the Great Folk-mote. + +But now the Alderman stood up and spake amidst the silence that +followed the last echoes of the horn: + +'Now is hallowed in this Gate-thing of the Burgstead Men and the Men +of the Dale, wherein they shall take counsel concerning matters late +befallen, that press hard upon them. Let no man break the peace of +the Holy Thing, lest he become a man accursed in holy places from the +plain up to the mountain, and from the mountain down to the plain; a +man not to be cherished of any man of good will, not be holpen with +victuals or edge-tool or draught-beast; a man to be sheltered under +no roof-tree, and warmed at no hearth of man: so help us the Warrior +and the God of the Earth, and Him of the Face, and all the Fathers!' + +When he had spoken men clashed their weapons in token of assent; and +he sat down again, and there was silence for a space. But presently +came thrusting forward a goodman of the Dale, who seemed as if he had +come hurriedly to the Thing; for his face was running down with +sweat, his wide-rimmed iron cap sat awry over his brow, and he was +girt with a rusty sword without a scabbard, and the girdle was ill- +braced up about his loins. So he said: + +'I am Red-coat of Waterless of the Lower Dale. Early this morning as +I was going afield I met on the way a man akin to me, Fox of Upton to +wit, and he told me that men were being summoned to a Gate-thing. So +I turned back home, and caught up any weapon that came handy, and +here I am, Alderman, asking thee of the tidings which hath driven +thee to call this Thing so hard on the Great Folk-mote, for I know +them nothing so.' + +Then stood up Iron-face the Alderman and said: 'This is well asked, +and soon shall ye be as wise as I am on this matter. Know ye, O men +of Burgstead and the Dale, that we had not called this Gate-thing so +hard on the Great Folk-mote had not great need been to look into +troublous matters. Long have ye dwelt in peace, and it is years on +years now since any foeman hath fallen on the Dale: but, as ye will +bear in mind, last autumn were there ransackings in the Dale and +amidst of the Shepherds after the manner of deeds of war; and it +troubleth us that none can say who wrought these ill deeds. Next, +but a little while agone, was Wood-grey, a valiant goodman of the +Woodlanders, slain close to his own door by evil men. These men we +took at first for mere gangrel felons and outcasts from their own +folk: though there were some who spoke against that from the +beginning. + +'But thirdly are new tidings again: for three days ago, while some +of the folk were hunting peaceably in the Wild-wood and thinking no +evil, they were fallen upon of set purpose by a host of men-at-arms, +and nought would serve but mere battle for dear life, so that many of +our neighbours were hurt, and three slain outright; and now mark +this, that those who there fell upon our folk were clad and armed +even as the two felons that slew Wood-grey, and moreover were like +them in aspect of body. Now stand forth Hall-face my son, and answer +to my questions in a loud voice, so that all may hear thee.' + +So Hall-face stood forth, clad in gleaming war-gear, with an axe over +his shoulder, and seemed a doughty warrior. And Iron-face said to +him: + +'Tell me, son, those whom ye met in the wood, and of whom ye brought +home two captives, how much like were they to the murder-carles at +Wood-grey's?' + +Said Hall-face: 'As like as peas out of the same cod, and to our +eyes all those whom we saw in the wood might have been sons of one +father and one mother, so much alike were they.' + +'Yea,' said the Alderman; 'now tell me how many by thy deeming fell +upon you in the wood?' + +Said Hall-face: 'We deemed that if they were any less than +threescore, they were little less.' + +'Great was the odds,' said the Alderman. 'Or how many were ye?' + +'One score and seven,' said Hall-face. + +Said the Alderman: 'And yet ye escaped with life all save those +three?' + +Hall-face said: 'I deem that scarce one should have come back alive, +had it not been that as we fought came a noise like the howling of +wolves, and thereat the foemen turned and fled, and there followed on +the fleers tall men clad in sheep-brown raiment, who smote them down +as they fled.' + +'Here then is the story, neighbours,' said the Alderman, 'and ye may +see thereby that if those slayers of Wood-grey were outcast, their +band is a great one; but it seemeth rather that they were men of a +folk whose craft it is to rob with the armed hand, and to slay the +robbed; and that they are now gathering on our borders for war. Yet, +moreover, they have foemen in the woods who should be fellows-in-arms +of us. How sayest thou, Stone-face? Thou art old, and hast seen +many wars in the Dale, and knowest the Wild-wood to its innermost. + +'Alderman,' said Stone-face, 'and ye neighbours of the Dale, maybe +these foes whom ye have met are not of the race of man, but are +trolls and wood-wights. Now if they be trolls it is ill, for then is +the world growing worser, and the wood shall be right perilous for +those who needs must fare therein. Yet if they be men it is a worse +matter; for the trolls would not come out of the waste into the +sunlight of the Dale. But these foes, if they be men, are lusting +after our fair Dale to eat it up, and it is most like that they are +gathering a huge host to fall upon us at home. Such things I have +heard of when I was young, and the aspect of the evil men who overran +the kindreds of old time, according to all tales and lays that I have +heard, is even such as the aspect of those whom we have seen of late. +As to those wolves who saved the neighbours and chased their foemen, +there is one here who belike knoweth more of all this than we do, and +that, O Alderman, is thy son whom I have fostered, Face-of-god to +wit. Bid him answer to thy questioning, and tell us what he hath +seen and heard of late; then shall we verily know the whole story as +far as it can be known.' + +Then men pressed round, and were eager to hear what Face-of-god would +be saying. But or ever the Alderman could begin to question him, the +throng was cloven by new-comers, and these were the men who had been +sent to bring home the corpses of the Dusky Men: so they had cast +loaded hooks into the Weltering Water, and had dragged up him whom +Face-of-god had shoved into the eddy, and who had sunk like a stone +just where he fell, and now they were bringing him on a bier along +with him who had been slain a-land. They were set down in the place +before the Alderman, and men who had not seen them before looked +eagerly on them that they might behold the aspect of their foemen; +and nought lovely were they to look on; for the drowned man was +already bleached and swollen with the water, and the other, his face +was all wryed and twisted with that spear-thrust in the mouth. + +Then the Alderman said: 'I would question my son Face-of-god. Let +him stand forth!' + +And therewith he smiled merrily in his son's face, for he was +standing right in front of him; and he said: + +'Ask of me, Alderman, and I will answer.' + +'Kinsman,' said Iron-face, 'look at these two dead men, and tell me, +if thou hast seen any such besides those two murder-carles who were +slain at Carlstead; or if thou knowest aught of their folk?' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Yesterday I saw six others like to these both in +array and of body, and three of them I slew, for we were in battle +with them early in the morning.' + +There was a murmur of joy at this word, since all men took these +felons for deadly foemen; but Iron-face said: 'What meanest thou by +"we"?' + +'I and the men who had guested me overnight,' said Face-of-god, 'and +they slew the other three; or rather a woman of them slew the +felons.' + +'Valiant she was; all good go with her hand!' said the Alderman. +'But what be these people, and where do they dwell?' + +Said Face-of-god: 'As to what they are, they are of the kindred of +the Gods and the Fathers, valiant men, and guest-cherishing: rich +have they been, and now are poor: and their poverty cometh of these +same felons, who mastered them by numbers not to be withstood. As to +where they dwell: when I say the name of their dwelling-place men +mock at me, as if I named some valley in the moon: yet came I to +Burgdale thence in one day across the mountain-necks led by sure +guides, and I tell thee that the name of their abode is Shadowy +Vale.' + +'Yea,' said Iron-face, 'knoweth any man here of Shadowy Vale, or +where it is?' + +None answered for a while; but there was an old man who was sitting +on the shafts of a wain on the outskirts of the throng, and when he +heard this word he asked his neighbour what the Alderman was saying, +and he told him. Then said that elder: + +'Give me place; for I have a word to say hereon.' Therewith he +arose, and made his way to the front of the ring of men, and said: +'Alderman, thou knowest me?' + +'Yea,' said Iron-face, 'thou art called the Fiddle, because of thy +sweet speech and thy minstrelsy; whereof I mind me well in the time +when I was young and thou no longer young.' + +'So it is,' said the Fiddle. 'Now hearken! When I was very young I +heard of a vale lying far away across the mountain-necks; a vale +where the sun shone never in winter and scantily in summer; for my +sworn foster-brother, Fight-fain, a bold man and a great hunter, had +happened upon it; and on a day in full midsummer he brought me +thither; and even now I see the Vale before me as in a picture; a +marvellous place, well grassed, treeless, narrow, betwixt great +cliff-walls of black stone, with a green river running through it +towards a yawning gap and a huge force. Amidst that Vale was a doom- +ring of black stones, and nigh thereto a feast-hall well builded of +the like stones, over whose door was carven the image of a wolf with +red gaping jaws, and within it (for we entered into it) were stone +benches on the dais. Thence we came away, and thither again we went +in late autumn, and so dusk and cold it was at that season, that we +knew not what to call it save the valley of deep shade. But its real +name we never knew; for there was no man there to give us a name or +tell us any tale thereof; but all was waste there; the wimbrel +laughed across its water, the raven croaked from its crags, the eagle +screamed over it, and the voices of its waters never ceased; and thus +we left it. So the seasons passed, and we went thither no more: for +Fight-fain died, and without him wandering over the waste was irksome +to me; so never have I seen that valley again, or heard men tell +thereof. + +'Now, neighbours, have I told you of a valley which seemeth to be +Shadowy Vale; and this is true and no made-up story.' + +The Alderman nodded kindly to him, and then said to Face-of-god: +'Kinsman, is this word according with what thou knowest of Shadowy +Vale?' + +'Yea, on all points,' said Face-of-god; 'he hath put before me a +picture of the valley. And whereas he saith, that in his youth it +was waste, this also goeth with my knowledge thereof. For once was +it peopled, and then was waste, and now again is it peopled.' + +'Tell us then more of the folk thereof,' said the Alderman; 'are they +many?' + +'Nay,' said Face-of-god, 'they are not. How might they be many, +dwelling in that narrow Vale amid the wastes? But they are valiant, +both men and women, and strong and well-liking. Once they dwelt in a +fair dale called Silver-dale, the name whereof will be to you as a +name in a lay; and there were they wealthy and happy. Then fell upon +them this murderous Folk, whom they call the Dusky Men; and they +fought and were overcome, and many of them were slain, and many +enthralled, and the remnant of them escaped through the passes of the +mountains and came back to dwell in Shadowy Vale, where their +forefathers had dwelt long and long ago; and this overthrow befell +them ten years agone. But now their old foemen have broken out from +Silver-dale and have taken to scouring the wood seeking prey; so they +fall upon these Dusky Men as occasion serves, and slay them without +pity, as if they were adders or evil dragons; and indeed they be +worse. And these valiant men know for certain that their foemen are +now of mind to fall upon this Dale and destroy it, as they have done +with others nigher to them. And they will slay our men, and lie with +our women against their will, and enthrall our children, and torment +all those that lie under their hands till life shall be worse than +death to them. Therefore, O Alderman and Wardens, and ye neighbours +all, it behoveth you to take counsel what we shall do, and that +speedily.' + +There was again a murmur, as of men nothing daunted, but intent on +taking some way through the coming trouble. But no man said aught +till the Alderman spake: + +'When didst thou first happen upon this Earl-folk, son?' + +'Late last autumn,' said Face-of-god. + +Said Iron-face: 'Then mightest thou have told us of this tale +before.' + +'Yea,' said his son, 'but I knew it not, or but little of it, till +two days agone. In the autumn I wandered in the woodland, and on the +fell I happened on a few of this folk dwelling in a booth by the +pine-wood; and they were kind and guest-fain with me, and gave me +meat and drink and lodging, and bade me come to Shadowy Vale in the +spring, when I should know more of them. And that was I fain of; for +they are wise and goodly men. But I deemed no more of those that I +saw there save as men who had been outlawed by their own folk for +deeds that were unlawful belike, but not shameful, and were biding +their time of return, and were living as they might meanwhile. But +of the whole Folk and their foemen knew I no more than ye did, till +two days agone, when I met them again in Shadowy Vale. Also I think +before long ye shall see their chieftain in Burgstead, for he hath a +word for us. Lastly, my mind it is that those brown-clad men who +helped Hall-face and his company in the wood were nought but men of +this Earl-kin seeking their foemen; for indeed they told me that they +had come upon a battle in the woodland wherein they had slain their +foemen. Now have I told you all that ye need to know concerning +these matters.' + +Again was there silence as Iron-face sat pondering a question for his +son; then a goodman of the Upper Dale, Gritgarth to wit, spake and +said: + +'Gold-mane mine, tell us how many is this folk; I mean their +fighting-men?' + +'Well asked, neighbour,' said Iron-face. + +Said Face-of-god: 'Their fighting-men of full age may be five score; +but besides that there shall be some two or three score of women that +will fight, whoever says them nay; and many of these are little worse +in the field than men; or no worse, for they shoot well in the bow. +Moreover, there will be a full score of swains not yet twenty winters +old whom ye may not hinder to fight if anything is a-doing.' + +'This is no great host,' said the Alderman; 'yet if they deem there +is little to lose by fighting, and nought to gain by sitting still, +they may go far in winning their desire; and that more especially if +they may draw into their quarrel some other valiant Folk more in +number than they be. I marvel not, though, they were kind to thee, +son Gold-mane, if they knew who thou wert.' + +'They knew it,' said Face-of-god. + +'Neighbours,' said the Alderman, 'have ye any rede hereon, and aught +to say to back your rede?' + +Then spake the Fiddle: 'As ye know and may see, I am now very old, +and, as the word goes, unmeet for battle: yet might I get me to the +field, either on mine own legs or on the legs of some four-foot +beast, I would strike, if it were but one stroke, on these pests of +the earth. And, Alderman, meseemeth we shall do amiss if we bid not +the Earl-folk of Shadowy Vale to be our fellows in arms in this +adventure. For look you, how few soever they be, they will be sure +to know the ways of our foemen, and the mountain passes, and the +surest and nighest roads across the necks and the mires of the waste; +and though they be not a host, yet shall they be worth a host to us?' + +When men heard his words they shouted for joy of them; for hatred of +the Dusky Men who should so mar their happy life in the Dale was +growing up in them, and the more that hatred waxed, the more waxed +their love of those valiant ones. + +Now Red-coat of Waterless spake again: he was a big man, both tall +and broad, ruddy-faced and red-haired, some forty winters old. He +said: + +'Life hath been well with us of the Lower Dale, and we deem that we +have much to lose in losing it. Yet ill would the bargain be to buy +life with thralldom: we have been over-merry hitherto for that. +Therefore I say, to battle! And as to these men, these well-wishers +of Face-of-god, if they also are minded for battle with our foes, we +were fools indeed if we did not join them to our company, were they +but one score instead of six.' + +Men shouted again, and they said that Red-coat had spoken well. Then +one after other the goodmen of the Dale came and gave their word for +fellowship in arms with the Men of Shadowy Vale, if there were such +as Face-of-god had said, which they doubted not; and amongst them +that spake were Fox of Nethertown, and Warwell, and Gritgarth, and +Bearswain, and Warcliff, and Hart of Highcliff, and Worm of +Willowholm, and Bullsbane, and Highneb of the Marsh: all these were +stout men-at-arms and men of good counsel. + +Last of all the Alderman spake and said: + +'As to the war, that must we needs meet if all be sooth that we have +heard, and I doubt it not. + +'Now therefore let us look to it like wise men while time yet serves. +Ye shall know that the muster of the Dalesmen will bring under shield +eight long hundreds of men well-armed, and of the Shepherd-Folk four +hundreds, and of the Woodlanders two hundreds; and this is a goodly +host if it be well ordered and wisely led. Now am I your Alderman +and your Doomster, and I can heave up a sword as well as another +maybe, nor do I think that I shall blench in the battle; yet I +misdoubt me that I am no leader or orderer of men-of-war: therefore +ye will do wisely to choose a wiser man-at-arms than I be for your +War-leader; and if at the Great Folk-mote, when all the Houses and +Kindreds are gathered, men yeasay your choosing, then let him abide; +but if they naysay it, let him give place to another. For time +presses. Will ye so choose?' + +'Yea, yea!' cried all men. + +'Good is that, neighbours,' said the Alderman. 'Whom will ye have +for War-leader? Consider well.' + +Short was their rede, for every man opened his mouth and cried out +'Face-of-god!' Then said the Alderman: + +'The man is young and untried; yet though he is so near akin to me, I +will say that ye will do wisely to take him; for he is both deft of +his hands and brisk; and moreover, of this matter he knoweth more +than all we together. Now therefore I declare him your War-leader +till the time of the Great Folk-mote.' + +Then all men shouted with great glee and clashed their weapons; but +some few put their heads together and spake apart a little while, and +then one of them, Red-coat of Waterless to wit, came forward and +said: 'Alderman, some of us deem it good that Stone-face, the old +man wise in war and in the ways of the Wood, should be named as a +counsellor to the War-leader; and Hall-face, a very brisk and strong +young man, to be his right hand and sword-bearer.' + +'Good is that,' said Iron-face. 'Neighbours, will ye have it so?' +This also they yeasaid without delay, and the Alderman declared +Stone-face and Hall-face the helpers of Face-of-god in this business. +Then he said: + +'If any hath aught to say concerning what is best to be done at once, +it were good that he said it now before all and not to murmur and +grudge hereafter.' + +None spake save the Fiddle, who said: 'Alderman and War-leader, one +thing would I say: that if these foemen are anywise akin to those +overrunners of the Folks of whom the tales went in my youth (for I +also as well as Stone-face mind me well of those tales concerning +them), it shall not avail us to sit still and await their onset. For +then may they not be withstood, when they have gathered head and +burst out and over the folk that have been happy, even as the waters +that overtop a dyke and cover with their muddy ruin the deep green +grass and the flower-buds of spring. Therefore my rede is, as soon +as may be to go seek these folk in the woodland and wheresoever else +they may be wandering. What sayest thou, Face-of-god?' + +'My rede is as thine,' said he; 'and to begin with, I do now call +upon ten tens of good men to meet me in arms at the beginning of +Wildlake's Way to-morrow morning at daybreak; and I bid my brother +Hall-face to summon such as are most meet thereto. For this I deem +good, that we scour the wood daily at present till we hear fresh +tidings from them of Shadowy Vale, who are nigher than we to the +foemen. Now, neighbours, are ye ready to meet me?' + +Then all shouted, 'Yea, we will go, we will go!' + +Said the Alderman: 'Now have we made provision for the war in that +which is nearest to our hands. Yet have we to deal with the matter +of the fellowship with the Folk whom Face-of-god hath seen. This is +a matter for thee, son, at least till the Great Folk-mote is holden. +Tell me then, shall we send a messenger to Shadowy Vale to speak with +this folk, or shall we abide the chieftain's coming?' + +'By my rede,' said Face-of-god, 'we shall abide his coming: for +first, though I might well make my way thither, I doubt if I could +give any the bearings, so that he could come there without me; and +belike I am needed at home, since I am become War-leader. Moreover, +when your messenger cometh to Shadowy Vale, he may well chance to +find neither the chieftain there, nor the best of his men; for whiles +are they here, and whiles there, as they wend following after the +Dusky Men.' + +'It is well, son,' said the Alderman, 'let it be as thou sayest: +soothly this matter must needs be brought before the Great Folk-mote. +Now will I ask if any other hath any word to say, or any rede to give +before this Gate-thing sundereth?' + +But no man came forward, and all men seemed well content and of good +heart; and it was now well past noontide. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. THE ENDING OF THE GATE-THING + + + +But just as the Alderman was on the point of rising to declare the +breaking-up of the Thing, there came a stir in the throng and it +opened, and a warrior came forth into the innermost of the ring of +men, arrayed in goodly glittering War-gear; clad in such wise that a +tunicle of precious gold-wrought web covered the hauberk all but the +sleeves thereof, and the hem of it beset with blue mountain-stones +smote against the ankles and well-nigh touched the feet, shod with +sandals gold-embroidered and gemmed. This warrior bore a goodly +gilded helm on the head, and held in hand a spear with gold-garlanded +shaft, and was girt with a sword whose hilts and scabbard both were +adorned with gold and gems: beardless, smooth-cheeked, exceeding +fair of face was the warrior, but pale and somewhat haggard-eyed: +and those who were nearby beheld and wondered; for they saw that +there was come the Bride arrayed for war and battle, as if she were a +messenger from the House of the Gods, and the Burg that endureth for +ever. + +Then she fell to speech in a voice which at first was somewhat hoarse +and broken, but cleared as she went on, and she said: + +'There sittest thou, O Alderman of Burgdale! Is Face-of-god thy son +anywhere nigh, so that he can hear me?' + +But Iron-face wondered at her word, and said: 'He is beside thee, as +he should be.' For indeed Face-of-god was touching her, shoulder to +shoulder. But she looked not to the right hand nor the left, but +said: + +'Hearken, Iron-face! Chief of the House of the Face, Alderman of the +Dale, and ye also, neighbours and goodmen of the Dale: I am a woman +called the Bride, of the House of the Steer, and ye have heard that I +have plighted my troth to Face-of-god to wed with him, to love him, +and lie in his bed. But it is not so: we are not troth-plight; nor +will I wed with him, nor any other, but will wend with you to the +war, and play my part therein according to what might is in me; nor +will I be worser than the wives of Shadowy Vale.' + +Face-of-god heard her words with no change of countenance; but Iron- +face reddened over all his face, and stared at her, and knit his +brows and said: + +'Maiden, what are these words? What have we done to thee? Have I +not been to thee as a father, and loved thee dearly? Is not my son +goodly and manly and deft in arms? Hath it not ever been the wont of +the House of the Face to wed in the House of the Steer? and in these +two Houses there hath never yet been a goodlier man and a lovelier +maiden than are ye two. What have we done then?' + +'Ye have done nought against me,' she said, 'and all that thou sayest +is sooth; yet will I not wed with Face-of-god.' + +Yet fiercer waxed the face of the Alderman, and he said in a loud +voice: + +'But how if I tell thee that I will speak with thy kindred of the +Steer, and thou shalt do after my bidding whether thou wilt or +whether thou wilt not?' + +'And how will ye compel me thereto?' she said. 'Are there thralls in +the Dale? Or will ye make me an outlaw? Who shall heed it? Or I +shall betake me to Shadowy Vale and become one of their warrior- +maidens.' + +Now was the Alderman's face changing from red to white, and belike he +forgat the Thing, and what he was doing there, and he cried out: + +'This is an evil day, and who shall help me? Thou, Face-of-god, what +hast thou to say? Wilt thou let this woman go without a word? What +hath bewitched thee?' + +But never a word spake his son, but stood looking straight forward, +cold and calm by seeming. Then turned Iron-face again to the Bride, +and said in a softer voice: + +'Tell me, maiden, whom I erst called daughter, what hath befallen, +that thou wilt leave my son; thou who wert once so kind and loving to +him; whose hand was always seeking his, whose eyes were ever +following his; who wouldst go where he bade, and come when he called. +What hath betid that ye have cast him out, and flee from our House?' + +She flushed red beneath her helm and said: + +'There is war in the land, and I have seen it coming, and that things +shall change around us. I have looked about me and seen men happy +and women content, and children weary for mere mirth and joy. And I +have thought, in a day, or two days or three, all this shall be +changed, and the women shall be, some anxious and wearied with +waiting, some casting all hope away; and the men, some shall come +back to the garth no more, and some shall come back maimed and +useless, and there shall be loss of friends and fellows, and mirth +departed, and dull days and empty hours, and the children wandering +about marvelling at the sorrow of the house. All this I saw before +me, and grief and pain and wounding and death; and I said: Shall I +be any better than the worst of the folk that loveth me? Nay, this +shall never be; and since I have learned to be deft with mine hands +in all the play of war, and that I am as strong as many a man, and as +hardy-hearted as any, I will give myself to the Warrior and the God +of the Face; and the battle-field shall be my home, and the after- +grief of the fight my banquet and holiday, that I may bear the burden +of my people, in the battle and out of it; and know every sorrow that +the Dale hath; and cast aside as a grievous and ugly thing the bed of +the warrior that the maiden desires, and the toying of lips and hands +and soft words of desire, and all the joy that dwelleth in the Castle +of Love and the Garden thereof; while the world outside is sick and +sorry, and the fields lie waste and the harvest burneth. Even so +have I sworn, even so will I do.' + +Her eyes glittered and her cheek was flushed, and her voice was clear +and ringing now; and when she ended there arose a murmur of praise +from the men round about her. But Iron-face said coldly: + +'These are great words; but I know not what they mean. If thou wilt +to the field and fight among the carles (and that I would not naysay, +for it hath oft been done and praised aforetime), why shouldest thou +not go side by side with Face-of-god and as his plighted maiden?' + +The light which the sweetness of speech had brought into her face had +died out of it now, and she looked weary and hapless as she answered +him slowly: + +'I will not wed with Face-of-god, but will fare afield as a virgin of +war, as I have sworn to the Warrior.' + +Then waxed Iron-face exceeding wroth, and he rose up before all men +and cried loudly and fiercely: + +'There is some lie abroad, that windeth about us as the gossamers in +the lanes of an autumn morning.' + +And therewith he strode up to Face-of-god as though he had nought to +do with the Thing; and he stood before him and cried out at him while +all men wondered: + +'Thou! what hast thou done to turn this maiden's heart to stone? Who +is it that is devising guile with thee to throw aside this worthy +wedding in a worthy House, with whom our sons are ever wont to wed? +Speak, tell the tale!' + +But Face-of-god held his peace and stood calm and proud before all +men. + +Then the blood mounted to Iron-face's head, and he forgat folk and +kindred and the war to come, and he cried so that all the place rang +with the words of his anger: + +'Thou dastard! I see thee now; it is thou that hast done this, and +not the maiden; and now thou hast made her bear a double burden, and +set her on to speak for thee, whilst thou standest by saying nought, +and wilt take no scruple's weight of her shame upon thee!' + +But his son spake never a word, and Iron-face cried: 'Out on thee! +I know thee now, and why thou wouldest not to the West-land last +winter. I am no fool; I know thee. Where hast thou hidden the +stranger woman?' + +Therewith he drew forth his sword and hove it aloft as if to hew down +Face-of-god, who spake not nor flinched nor raised a hand from his +side. But the Bride threw herself in front of Gold-mane, while there +arose an angry cry of 'The Peace of the Holy Thing! Peace-breaking, +peace-breaking!' and some cried, 'For the War-leader, the War- +leader!' and as men could for the press they drew forth their swords, +and there was tumult and noise all over the Thing-stead. + +But Stone-face caught hold of the Alderman's right arm and dragged +down the sword, and the big carle, Red-coat of Waterless, came up +behind him and cast his arms about his middle and drew him back; and +presently he looked around him, and slowly sheathed his sword, and +went back to his place and sat him down; and in a little while the +noise abated and swords were sheathed, and men waxed quiet again, and +the Alderman arose and said in a loud voice, but in the wonted way of +the head man of the Thing: + +'Here hath been trouble in the Holy Thing; a violent man hath +troubled it, and drawn sword on a neighbour; will the neighbours give +the dooming hereof into the hands of the Alderman?' + +Now all knew Iron-face, and they cried out, 'That will we.' So he +spake again: + +'I doom the troubler of the Peace of the Holy Thing to pay a fine, to +wit double the blood-wite that would be duly paid for a full-grown +freeman of the kindreds.' + +Then the cry went up and men yeasaid his doom, and all said that it +was well and fairly doomed; and Iron-face sat still. + +But Stone-face stood forth and said: + +'Here have been wild words in the air; and dreams have taken shape +and come amongst us, and have bewitched us, so that friends and kin +have wrangled. And meseemeth that this is through the wizardry of +these felons, who, even dead as they are, have cast spells over us. +Good it were to cast them into the Death Tarn, and then to get to our +work; for there is much to do.' + +All men yeasaid that; and Forkbeard of Lea went with those who had +borne the corpses thither to cast them into the black pool. + +But the Fiddle spake and said: + +'Stone-face sayeth sooth. O Alderman, thou art no young man, yet am +I old enough to be thy father; so will I give thee a rede, and say +this: Face-of-god thy son is no liar or dastard or beguiler, but he +is a young man and exceeding goodly of fashion, well-spoken and kind; +so that few women may look on him and hear him without desiring his +kindness and love, and to such men as this many things happen. +Moreover, he hath now become our captain, and is a deft warrior with +his hands, and as I deem, a sober and careful leader of men; +therefore we need him and his courage and his skill of leading. So +rage not against him as if he had done an ill deed not to be +forgiven--whatever he hath done, whereof we know not--for life is +long before him, and most like we shall still have to thank him for +many good deeds towards us. As for the maiden, she is both lovely +and wise. She hath a sorrow at her heart, and we deem that we know +what it is. Yet hath she not lied when she said that she would bear +the burden of the griefs of the people. Even so shall she do; and +whether she will, or whether she will not, that shall heal her own +griefs. For to-morrow is a new day. Therefore, if thou do after my +rede, thou wilt not meddle betwixt these twain, but wilt remember all +that we have to do, and that war is coming upon us. And when that is +over, we shall turn round and behold each other, and see that we are +not wholly what we were before; and then shall that which were hard +to forgive, be forgotten, and that which is remembered be easy to +forgive.' + +So he spake; and Iron-face sat still and put his left hand to his +beard as one who pondereth; but the Bride looked in the face of the +old man the Fiddle, and then she turned and looked at Gold-mane, and +her face softened, and she stood before the Alderman, and bent down +before him and held out both her hands to him the palms upward. Then +she said: 'Thou hast been wroth with me, and I marvel not; for thy +hope, and the hope which we all had, hath deceived thee. But kind +indeed hast thou been to me ere now: therefore I pray thee take it +not amiss if I call to thy mind the oath which thou swearedst on the +Holy Boar last Yule, that thou wouldst not gainsay the prayer of any +man if thou couldest perform it; therefore I bid thee naysay not +mine: and that is, that thou wilt ask me no more about this matter, +but wilt suffer me to fare afield like any swain of the Dale, and to +deal so with my folk that they shall not hinder me. Also I pray thee +that thou wilt put no shame upon Face-of-god my playmate and my +kinsman, nor show thine anger to him openly, even if for a little +while thy love for him be abated. No more than this will I ask of +thee.' + +All men who heard her were moved to the heart by her kindness and the +sweetness of her voice, which was like to the robin singing suddenly +on a frosty morning of early winter. But as for Gold-mane, his heart +was smitten sorely by it, and her sorrow and her friendliness grieved +him out of measure. + +But Iron-face answered after a little while, speaking slowly and +hoarsely, and with the shame yet clinging to him of a man who has +been wroth and has speedily let his wrath run off him. So he said: + +'It is well, my daughter. I have no will to forswear myself; nor +hast thou asked me a thing which is over-hard. Yet indeed I would +that to-day were yesterday, or that many days were worn away.' + +Then he stood up and cried in a loud voice over the throng: + +'Let none forget the muster; but hold him ready against the time that +the Warden shall come to him. Let all men obey the War-leader, Face- +of-god, without question or delay. As to the fine of the peace- +breaker, it shall be laid on the altar of the God at the Great Folk- +mote. Herewith is the Thing broken up.' + +Then all men shouted and clashed their weapons, and so sundered, and +went about their business. + +And the talk of men it was that the breaking of the troth-plight +between those twain was ill; for they loved Face-of-god, and as for +the Bride they deemed her the Dearest of the kindreds and the Jewel +of the Folk, and as if she were the fairest and the kindest of all +the Gods. Neither did the wrath of Iron-face mislike any; but they +said he had done well and manly both to be wroth and to let his wrath +run off him. As to the war which was to come, they kept a good heart +about it, and deemed it as a game to be played, wherein they might +show themselves deft and valiant, and so get back to their merry life +again. + +So wore the day through afternoon to even and night. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. FACE-OF-GOD LEADETH A BAND THROUGH THE WOOD + + + +Next morning tryst was held faithfully, and an hundred and a half +were gathered together on Wildlake's Way; and Face-of-god ordered +them into three companies. He made Hall-face leader over the first +one, and bade him hold on his way northward, and then to make for +Boars-bait and see if he should meet with anything thereabout where +the battle had been. Red-coat of Waterless he made captain of the +second band; and he had it in charge to wend eastward along the edge +of the Dale, and not to go deep into the wood, but to go as far as he +might within the time appointed, toward the Mountains. Furthermore, +he bade both Hall-face and Red-coat to bring their bands back to +Wildlake's Way by the morrow at sunset, where other goodmen should be +come to take the places of their men; and then if he and his company +were back again, he would bid them further what to do; but if not, as +seemed likely, then Hall-face's band to go west toward the Shepherd +country half a day's journey, and so back, and Red-coat's east along +the Dale's lip again for the like time, and then back, so that there +might be a constant watch and ward of the Dale kept against the +Felons. + +All being ordered Gold-mane led his own company north-east through +the thick wood, thinking that he might so fare as to come nigh to +Silver-dale, or at least to hear tidings thereof. This intent he +told to Stone-face, but the old man shook his head and said: + +'Good is this if it may be done; but it is not for everyone to go +down to Hell in his lifetime and come back safe with a tale thereof. +However, whither thou wilt lead, thither will I follow, though +assured death waylayeth us.' + +And the old carle was joyous and proud to be on this adventure, and +said, that it was good indeed that his foster-son had with him a man +well stricken in years, who had both seen many things, and learned +many, and had good rede to give to valiant men. + +So they went on their ways, and fared very warily when they were +gotten beyond those parts of the wood which they knew well. By this +time they were strung out in a long line; and they noted their road +carefully, blazing the trees on either side when there were trees, +and piling up little stone-heaps where the trees failed them. For +Stone-face said that oft it befell men amidst the thicket and the +waste to be misled by wights that begrudged men their lives, so that +they went round and round in a ring which they might not depart from +till they died; and no man doubted his word herein. + +All day they went, and met no foe, nay, no man at all; nought but the +wild things of the wood; and that day the wood changed little about +them from mile to mile. There were many thickets across their road +which they had to go round about; so that to the crow flying over the +tree-tops the journey had not been long to the place where night came +upon them, and where they had to make the wood their bedchamber. + +That night they lighted no fire, but ate such cold victual as they +might carry with them; nor had they shot any venison, since they had +with them more than enough; they made little noise or stir therefore +and fell asleep when they had set the watch. + +On the morrow they arose betimes, and broke their fast and went their +ways till noon: by then the wood had thinned somewhat, and there was +little underwood betwixt the scrubby oak and ash which were pretty +nigh all the trees about: the ground also was broken, and here and +there rocky, and they went into and out of rough little dales, most +of which had in them a brook of water running west and southwest; and +now Face-of-god led his men somewhat more easterly; and still for +some while they met no man. + +At last, about four hours after noon, when they were going less +warily, because they had hitherto come across nothing to hinder them, +rising over the brow of a somewhat steep ridge, they saw down in the +valley below them a half score of men sitting by the brook-side +eating and drinking, their weapons lying beside them, and along with +them stood a woman with her hands tied behind her back. + +They saw at once that these men were of the Felons, so they that had +their bows bent, loosed at them without more ado, while the others +ran in upon them with sword and spear. The felons leapt up and ran +scattering down the dale, such of them as were not smitten by the +shafts; but he who was nighest to the woman, ere he ran, turned and +caught up a sword from the ground and thrust it through her, and the +next moment fell across the brook with an arrow in his back. + +No one of the felons was nimble enough to escape from the fleet-foot +hunters of Burgdale, and they were all slain there to the number of +eleven. + +But when they came back to the woman to tend her, she breathed her +last in their hands: she was a young and fair woman, black-haired +and dark-eyed. She had on her body a gown of rich web, but nought +else: she had been bruised and sore mishandled, and the Burgdale +carles wept for pity of her, and for wrath, as they straightened her +limbs on the turf of the little valley. They let her lie there a +little, whilst they searched round about, lest there should be any +other poor soul needing their help, or any felon lurking thereby; but +they found nought else save a bundle wherein was another rich gown +and divers woman's gear, and sundry rings and jewels, and therewithal +the weapons and war-gear of a knight, delicately wrought after the +Westland fashion: these seemed to them to betoken other foul deeds +of these murder-carles. So when they had abided a while, they laid +the dead woman in mould by the brook-side, and buried with her the +other woman's attire and the knight's gear, all but his sword and +shield, which they had away with them: then they cast the carcasses +of the felons into the brake, but brought away their weapons and the +silver rings from their arms, which they wore like all the others of +them whom they had fallen in with; and so went on their way to the +north-east, full of wrath against those dastards of the Earth. + +It was hard on sunset when they left the valley of murder, and they +went no long way thence before they must needs make stay for the +night; and when they had arrayed their sleeping-stead the moon was +up, and they saw that before them lay the close wood again, for they +had made their lair on the top of a little ridge. + +There then they lay, and nought stirred them in the night, and +betimes on the morrow they were afoot, and entered the abovesaid +thicket, wherein two of them, keen hunters, had been aforetime, but +had not gone deep into it. Through this wood they went all day +toward the north-east, and met nought but the wild things therein. +At last, when it was near sunset, they came out of the thicket into a +small plain, or shallow dale rather, with no great trees in it, but +thorn-brakes here and there where the ground sank into hollows; a +little river ran through the midst of it, and winded round about a +height whose face toward the river went down sheer into the water, +but away from it sank down in a long slope to where the thick wood +began again: and this height or burg looked well-nigh west. + +Thitherward they went; but as they were drawing nigh to the river, +and were on the top of a bent above a bushy hollow between them and +the water, they espied a man standing in the river near the bank, who +saw them not, because he was stooping down intent on something in the +bank or under it: so they gat them speedily down into the hollow +without noise, that they might get some tidings of the man. + +Then Face-of-god bade his men abide hidden under the bushes and stole +forward quietly up the further bank of the hollow, his target on his +arm and his spear poised. When he was behind the last bush on the +top of the bent he was within half a spear-cast of the water and the +man; so he looked on him and saw that he was quite naked except for a +clout about his middle. + +Face-of-god saw at once that he was not one of the Dusky Men; he was +a black-haired man, but white-skinned, and of fair stature, though +not so tall as the Burgdale folk. He was busied in tickling trouts, +and just as Face-of-god came out from the bush into the westering +sunlight, he threw up a fish on to the bank, and looked up +therewithal, and beheld the weaponed man glittering, and uttered a +cry, but fled not when he saw the spear poised for casting. + +Then Face-of-god spake to him and said: 'Come hither, Woodsman! we +will not harm thee, but we desire speech of thee: and it will not +avail thee to flee, since I have bowmen of the best in the hollow +yonder.' + +The man put forth his hands towards him as if praying him to forbear +casting, and looked at him hard, and then came dripping from out the +water, and seemed not greatly afeard; for he stooped down and picked +up the trouts he had taken, and came towards Face-of-god stringing +the last-caught one through the gills on to the withy whereon were +the others: and Face-of-god saw that he was a goodly man of some +thirty winters. + +Then Face-of-god looked on him with friendly eyes and said: + +'Art thou a foemen? or wilt thou be helpful to us?' + +He answered in the speech of the kindreds with the hoarse voice of a +much weather-beaten man: + +'Thou seest, lord, that I am naked and unarmed.' + +'Yet may'st thou bewray us,' said Face-of-god. 'What man art thou?' + +Said the man: 'I am the runaway thrall of evil men; I have fled from +Rose-dale and the Dusky Men. Hast thou the heart to hurt me?' + +'We are the foemen of the Dusky Men,' said Face-of-God; 'wilt thou +help us against them?' + +The man knit his brows and said: 'Yea, if ye will give me your word +not to suffer me to fall into their hands alive. But whence art +thou, to be so bold?' + +Said Face-of-god: 'We are of Burgdale; and I will swear to thee on +the edge of the sword that thou shalt not fall alive into the hands +of the Dusky Men.' + +'Of Burgdale have I heard,' said the man; 'and in sooth thou seemest +not such a man as would bewray a hapless man. But now had I best +bring you to some lurking-place where ye shall not be easily found of +these devils, who now oft-times scour the woods hereabout.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Come first and see my fellows; and then if thou +thinkest we have need to hide, it is well.' + +So the man went side by side with him towards their lair, and as they +went Gold-mane noted marks of stripes on his back and sides, and +said: 'Sorely hast thou been mishandled, poor man!' + +Then the man turned on him and said somewhat fiercely: 'Said I not +that I had been a thrall of the Dusky Men? how then should I have +escaped tormenting and scourging, if I had been with them for but +three days?' + +As he spake they came about a thorn-bush, and there were the Burgdale +men down in the hollow; and the man said: 'Are these thy fellows? +Call to mind that thou hast sworn by the edge of the sword not to +hurt me.' + +'Poor man!' said Face-of-god; 'these are thy friends, unless thou +bewrayest us.' + +Then he cried aloud to his folk: 'Here is now a good hap! this is a +runaway thrall of the Dusky Men; of him shall we hear tidings; so +cherish him all ye may.' + +So the carles thronged about him and bestirred themselves to help +him, and one gave him his surcoat for a kirtle, and another cast a +cloak about him; and they brought him meat and drink, such as they +had ready to hand: and the man looked as if he scarce believed in +all this, but deemed himself to be in a dream. But presently he +turned to Face-of-god and said: + +'Now I see so many men and weapons I deem that ye have no need to +skulk in caves to-night, though I know of good ones: yet shall ye do +well not to light a fire till moon-setting; for the flame ye may +lightly hide, but the smoke may be seen from far aloof.' + +But they bade him to meat, and he needed no second bidding but ate +lustily, and they gave him wine, and he drank a great draught and +sighed as for joy. Then he said in a trembling voice, as though he +feared a naysay: + +'If ye are from Burgdale ye shall be faring back again presently; and +I pray you to take me with you.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Yea surely, friend, that will we do, and rejoice +in thee.' + +Then he drank another cup which Warcliff held out to him, and spake +again: 'Yet if ye would abide here till about noon to-morrow, or +mayhappen a little later, I would bring other runaways to see you; +and them also might ye take with you: ye may think when ye see them +that ye shall have small gain of their company; for poor wretched +folk they be, like to myself. Yet since ye seek for tidings, herein +might they do you more service than I; for amongst them are some who +came out of the hapless Dale within this moon; and it is six months +since I escaped. Moreover, though they may look spent and outworn +now, yet if ye give them a little rest, and feed them well, they +shall yet do many a day's work for you: and I tell you that if ye +take them for thralls, and put collars on their necks, and use them +no worse than a goodman useth his oxen and his asses, beating them +not save when they are idle or at fault, it shall be to them as if +they were come to heaven out of hell, and to such goodhap as they +have not thought of, save in dreams, for many and many a day. And +thus I entreat you to do because ye seem to me to be happy and +merciful men, who will not begrudge us this happiness.' + +The carles of Burgdale listened eagerly to what he said, and they +looked at him with great eyes and marvelled; and their hearts were +moved with pity towards him; and Stone-face said: + +'Herein, O War-leader, need I give thee no rede, for thou mayst see +clearly that all we deem that we should lose our manhood and become +the dastards of the Warrior if we did not abide the coming of these +poor men, and take them back to the Dale, and cherish them.' + +'Yea,' said Wolf of Whitegarth, 'and great thanks we owe to this man +that he biddeth us this: for great will be the gain to us if we +become so like the Gods that we may deliver the poor from misery. +Now must I needs think how they shall wonder when they come to +Burgdale and find out how happy it is to dwell there.' + +'Surely,' said Face-of-god, 'thus shall we do, whatever cometh of it. +But, friend of the wood, as to thralls, there be none such in the +Dale, but therein are all men friends and neighbours, and even so +shall ye be.' + +And he fell a-musing, when he bethought him of how little he had +known of sorrow. + +But that man, when he beheld the happy faces of the Burgdalers, and +hearkened to their friendly voices, and understood what they said, +and he also was become strong with the meat and drink, he bowed his +head adown and wept a long while; and they meddled not with him, till +he turned again to them and said: + +'Since ye are in arms, and seem to be seeking your foemen, I suppose +ye wot that these tyrants and man-quellers will fall upon you in +Burgdale ere the summer is well worn.' + +'So much we deem indeed,' said Face-of-god, 'but we were fain to hear +the certainty of it, and how thou knowest thereof.' + +Said the man: 'It was six moons ago that I fled, as I have told you; +and even then it was the common talk amongst our masters that there +were fair dales to the south which they would overrun. Man would say +to man: We were over many in Silver-dale, and we needed more +thralls, because those we had were lessening, and especially the +women; now are we more at ease in Rose-dale, though we have sent +thralls to Silver-dale; but yet we can bear no more men from thence +to eat up our stock from us: let them fare south to the happy dales, +and conquer them, and we will go with them and help therein, whether +we come back to Rose-dale or no. Such talk did I hear then with mine +own ears: but some of those whom I shall bring to you to-morrow +shall know better what is doing, since they have fled from Rose-dale +but a few days. Moreover, there is a man and a woman who have fled +from Silver-dale itself, and are but a month from it, journeying all +the time save when they must needs hide; and these say that their +masters have got to know the way to Burgdale, and are minded for it +before the winter, as I said; and nought else but the ways thither do +they desire to know, since they have no fear.' + +By then was night come, and though the moon was high in heaven, and +lighted all that waste, the Burgdalers must needs light a fire for +cooking their meat, whatsoever that woodsman might say; moreover, the +night was cold and somewhat frosty. A little before they had come to +that place they had shot a fat buck and some smaller deer, but of +other meat they had no great store, though there was wine enough. So +they lit their fire in the thickest of the thorn-bush to hide it all +they might, and thereat they cooked their venison and the trouts +which the runaway had taken, and they fell to, and ate and drank and +were merry, making much of that poor man till him-seemed he was +gotten into the company of the kindest of the Gods. + +But when they were full, Face-of-god spake to him, and asked him his +name; and he named himself Dallach; but said he: 'Lord, this is +according to the naming of men in Rose-dale before we were +enthralled: but now what names have thralls? Also I am not +altogether of the blood of them of Rose-dale, but of better and more +warrior-like kin.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Thou hast named Silver-dale; knowest thou it?' + +Dallach answered: 'I have never seen it. It is far hence; in a +week's journey, making all diligence, and not being forced to hide +and skulk like those runaways, ye shall come to the mouth thereof +lying west, where its rock-walls fall off toward the plain.' + +'But,' said Face-of-god, 'is there no other way into that Dale?' + +'Nay, none that folk wot of,' said Dallach, 'except to bold cragsmen +with their lives in their hands.' + +'Knowest thou aught of the affairs of Silver-dale?' said Face-of-god. + +Said Dallach: 'Somewhat I know: we wot that but a few years ago +there was a valiant folk dwelling therein, who were lords of the +whole dale, and that they were vanquished by the Dusky Men: but +whether they were all slain and enthralled we wot not; but we deem it +otherwise. As for me it is of their blood that I am partly come; for +my father's father came thence to settle in Rose-dale, and wedded a +woman of the Dale, who was my father's mother.' + +'When was it that ye fell under the Dusky Men?' said Face-of-god. + +Said Dallach: 'It was five years ago. They came into the Dale a +great company, all in arms.' + +'Was there battle betwixt you?' said Face-of-god. + +'Alas! not so,' said Dallach. 'We were a happy folk there; but soft +and delicate: for the Dale is exceeding fertile, and beareth wealth +in abundance, both corn and oil and wine and fruit, and of beasts for +man's service the best that may be. Would that there had been +battle, and that I had died therein with those that had a heart to +fight; and even so saith now every man, yea, every woman in the Dale. +But it was not so when the elders met in our Council-House on the day +when the Dusky Men bade us pay them tribute and give them houses to +dwell in and lands to live by. Then had we weapons in our hands, but +no hearts to use them.' + +'What befell then?' said the goodman of Whitegarth. + +Said Dallach: 'Look ye to it, lords, that it befall not in Burgdale! +We gave them all they asked for, and deemed we had much left. What +befell, sayst thou? We sat quiet; we went about our work in fear and +trembling, for grim and hideous were they to look on. At first they +meddled not much with us, save to take from our houses what they +would of meat and drink, or raiment, or plenishing. And all this we +deemed we might bear, and that we needed no more than to toil a +little more each day so as to win somewhat more of wealth. But soon +we found that it would not be so; for they had no mind to till the +teeming earth or work in the acres we had given them, or to sit at +the loom, or hammer in the stithy, or do any manlike work; it was we +that must do all that for their behoof, and it was altogether for +them that we laboured, and nought for ourselves; and our bodies were +only so much our own as they were needful to be kept alive for +labour. Herein were our tasks harder than the toil of any mules or +asses, save for the younger and goodlier of the women, whom they +would keep fair and delicate to be their bed-thralls. + +'Yet not even so were our bodies safe from their malice: for these +men were not only tyrants, but fools and madmen. Let alone that +there were few days without stripes and torments to satiate their +fury or their pleasure, so that in all streets and nigh any house +might you hear wailing and screaming and groaning; but moreover, +though a wise man would not willingly slay his own thrall any more +than his own horse or ox, yet did these men so wax in folly and +malice, that they would often hew at man or woman as they met them in +the way from mere grimness of soul; and if they slew them it was +well. Thereof indeed came quarrels enough betwixt master and master, +for they are much given to man-slaying amongst themselves: but what +profit to us thereof? Nay, if the dead man were a chieftain, then +woe betide the thralls! for thereof must many an one be slain on his +grave-mound to serve him on the hell-road. To be short: we have +heard of men who be fierce, and men who be grim; but these we may +scarce believe us to be men at all, but trolls rather; and ill will +it be if their race waxeth in the world.' + +The Burgdale men hearkened with all their ears, and wondered that +such things could befall; and they rejoiced at the work that lay +before them, and their hearts rose high at the thought of battle in +that behalf, and the fame that should come of it. As for the +runaway, they made so much of him that the man marvelled; for they +dealt with him like a woman cherishing a son, and knew not how to be +kind enough to him. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. THE MEN OF BURGDALE MEET THE RUNAWAYS + + + +Now ere the night was far spent, Dallach arose and said: + +'Kind folk, ye will presently be sleeping; but I bid you keep a good +watch, and if ye will be ruled by me, ye will kindle no fire on the +morrow, for the smoke riseth thick in the morning air, and is as a +beacon. As for me, I shall leave you here to rest, and I myself will +fare on mine errand.' + +They bade him sleep and rest him after so many toils and hardships, +saying that they were not tied to an hour to be back in Burgdale; but +he said: 'Nay, the moon is high, and it is as good as daylight to +me, who could find my way even by starlight; and your tarrying here +is nowise safe. Moreover, if I could find those folk and bring them +part of the way by night and cloud it were well; for if we were taken +again, burning quick would be the best death by which we should die. +As for me, now am I strong with meat and drink and hope; and when I +come to Burgdale there will be time enough for resting and slumber.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Shall I not wend with thee to see these people +and the lairs wherein they hide?' + +The man smiled: 'Nay, earl,' said he, 'that shall not be. For wot +ye what? If they were to see me in company of a man-at-arms they +would deem that I was bringing the foe upon them, and would flee, or +mayhappen would fall upon us. For as for me, when I saw thee, thou +wert close anigh me, so I knew thee to be no Dusky Man; but they +would see the glitter of thine arms from afar, and to them all +weaponed men are foemen. Thou, lord, knowest not the heart of a +thrall, nor the fear and doubt that is in it. Nay, I myself must +cast off these clothes that ye have given me, and fare naked, lest +they mistrust me. Only I will take a spear in my hand, and sling a +knife round my neck, if ye will give them to me; for if the worst +happen, I will not be taken alive.' + +Therewith he cast off his raiment, and they gave him the weapons and +wished him good speed, and he went his way twixt moonlight and +shadow; but the Burgdalers went to sleep when they had set a watch. + +Early in the morning they awoke, and the sun was shining and the +thrushes singing in the thorn-brake, and all seemed fair and +peaceful, and a little haze still hung about the face of the burg +over the river. So they went down to the water and washed the night +from off them; and thence the most part of them went back to their +lair among the thorn-bushes: but four of them went up the dale into +the oak-wood to shoot a buck, and five more they sent out to watch +their skirts around them; and Face-of-god with old Stone-face went +over a ford of the stream, and came on to the lower slope of the +burg, and so went up it to the top. Thence they looked about to see +if aught were stirring, but they saw little save the waste and the +wood, which on the north-east was thick of big trees stretching out a +long way. Their own lair was clear to see over its bank and the +bushes thereof, and that misliked Face-of-god, lest any foe should +climb the burg that day. The morning was clear, and Face-of-god +looking north-and-by-west deemed he saw smoke rising into the air +over the tree-covered ridges that hid the further distance toward +that airt, though further east uphove the black shoulders of the +Great that Waste and the snowy peaks behind them. The said smoke was +not such as cometh from one great fire, but was like a thin veil +staining the pale blue sky, as when men are burning ling on the +heath-side and it is seen aloof. + +He showed that smoke to Stone-face, who smiled and said: + +'Now will they be lighting the cooking fires in Rose-dale: would I +were there with a few hundreds of axes and staves at my back!' + +'Yea,' said Face-of-god, smiling in his face, 'but where I pray thee +are these elves and wood-wights, that we meet them not? Grim things +there are in the woods, and things fair enough also: but meseemeth +that the trolls and the elves of thy young years have been frighted +away.' + +Said Stone-face: 'Maybe, foster-son; that hath been seen ere now, +that when one race of man overrunneth the land inhabited by another, +the wights and elves that love the vanquished are seen no more, or +get them away far off into the outermost wilds, where few men ever +come.' + +'Yea,' said Face-of-god, 'that may well be. But deemest thou by that +token that we shall be vanquished?' + +'As for us, I know not,' said Stone-face; 'but thy friends of Shadowy +Vale have been vanquished. Moreover, concerning these felons whom +now we are hunting, are we all so sure that they be men? Certain it +is, that when I go into battle with them, I shall smite with no more +pity than my sword, as if I were smiting things that may not feel the +woes of man.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Yea, even so shall it be with me. But what +thinkest thou of these runaways? Shall we have tidings of them, or +shall Dallach bring the foe upon us? It was for the sake of that +question that I have clomb the burg: and that we might watch the +land about us.' + +'Nay,' said Stone-face, 'I have seen many men, and I deem of Dallach +that he is a true man. I deem we shall soon have tidings of his +fellows; and they may have seen the elves and wood-wights: I would +fain ask them thereof, and am eager to see them.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'And I somewhat dread to see them, and their rags +and their misery and the weals of their stripes. It irked me to see +Dallach when he first fell to his meat last night, how he ate like a +dog for fear and famine. How shall it be, moreover, when we have +them in the Dale, and they fall to the deed of kind there, as they +needs must. Will they not bear us evil and thrall-like men?' + +'Maybe,' said Stone-face, 'and maybe not; for they have been thralls +but for a little while: and I deem that in no long time shall ye see +them much bettered by plenteous meat and rest. And after all is +said, this Dallach bore him like a valiant man; also it was valiant +of him to flee; and of the others may ye say the like. But look you! +there are men going down yonder towards our lair: belike those shall +be our guests, and there be no Dusky Men amongst them. Come, let us +home!' + +So Face-of-god looked and beheld from the height of the burg shapes +of men grey and colourless creeping toward the lair from sunshine to +shadow, like wild creatures shy and fearful of the hunter, or so he +deemed of them. + +So he turned away, angry and sad of heart, and the twain went down +the burg and across the water to their camp, having seen little to +tell of from the height. + +When they came to their campment there were their folk standing in a +ring round about Dallach and the other runaways. They made way for +the War-leader and Stone-face, who came amongst them and beheld the +Runaways, that they were many more than they looked to see; for they +were of carles one score and three, and of women eighteen, all told +save Dallach. When they saw those twain come through the ring of men +and perceived that they were chieftains, some of them fell down on +their knees before them and held out their joined hands to them, and +kissed the Burgdalers' feet and the hems of their garments, while the +tears streamed out of their eyes: some stood moving little and +staring before them stupidly: and some kept glancing from face to +face of the well-liking happy Burgdale carles, though for a while +even their faces were sad and downcast at the sight of the poor men: +some also kept murmuring one or two words in their country tongue, +and Dallach told Face-of-god that these were crying out for victual. + +It must be said of these poor folk that they were of divers +conditions, and chiefly of three: and first there were seven of +Rose-dale and five of Silver-dale late come to the wood (of these +Silver-dalers Dallach had told but of two, for the other three were +but just come). Of these twelve were seven women, and all, save two +of the women, were clad in one scanty kirtle or shirt only; for such +was the wont of the Dusky Men with their thralls. They had brought +away weapons, and had amongst them six axes and a spear, and a sword, +and five knives, and one man had a shield. + +Yet though these were clad and armed, yet in some wise were they the +worst of all; they were so timorous and cringing, and most of them +heavy-eyed and sullen and down-looking. Many of them had been +grievously mishandled: one man had had his left hand smitten off; +another was docked of three of his toes, and the gristle of his nose +slit up; one was halt, and four had been ear-cropped, nor did any +lack weals of whipping. Of the Silver-dale new-comers the three men +were the worst of all the Runaways, with wild wandering eyes, but +sullen also, and cringing if any drew nigh, and would not look anyone +in the face, save presently Face-of-god, on whom they were soon fond +to fawn, as a dog on his master. But the women who were with them, +and who were well-nigh as timorous as the men, were those two gaily- +dad ones, and they were soft-handed and white-skinned, save for the +last days of weather in the wood; for they had been bed-thralls of +the Dusky Men. + +Such were the new-comers to the wood. But others had been, like +Dallach, months therein; it may be said that there were eighteen of +these, carles and queens together. Little raiment they had amongst +them, and some were all but stark naked, so that on these might well +be seen as on Dallach the marks of old stripes, and of these also +were there men who had been shorn of some member or other, and they +were all burnt and blackened by the weather of the woodland; yet for +all their nakedness, they bore themselves bolder and more manlike +than the later comers, nor did they altogether lack weapons taken +from their foemen, and most of them had some edge-tool or another. +Of these folk were four from Silver-dale, though Dallach knew it not. + +Besides these were a half score and one who had been years in the +wood instead of months; weather-beaten indeed were these, shaggy and +rough-skinned like wild men of kind. Some of them had made +themselves skin breeches or clouts, some went stark naked; of weapons +of the Dale had they few, but they bore bows of hazel or wych-elm +strung with deer-gut, and shafts headed with flint stones; staves +also of the same fashion, and great clubs of oak or holly: some of +them also had made them targets of skin and willow-twigs, for these +were the warriors of the Runaways: they had a few steel knives +amongst them, but had mostly learned the craft of using sharp flints +for knives: but four of these were women. + +Three of these men were of the kindreds of the Wolf from Silver-dale, +and had been in the wood for hard upon ten years, and wild as they +were, and without hope of meeting their fellows again, they went +proudly and boldly amongst the others, overtopping them by the head +and more. For the greater part of these men were somewhat short of +stature, though by nature strong and stout of body. + +It must be told that though Dallach had thus gotten all these many +Runaways together, yet had they not been dwelling together as one +folk; for they durst not, lest the Dusky Men should hear thereof and +fall upon them, but they had kept themselves as best they could in +caves and in brakes three together or two, or even faring alone as +Dallach did: only as he was a strong and stout-hearted man, he went +to and fro and wandered about more than the others, so that he +foregathered with most of them and knew them. He said also that he +doubted not but that there were more Runaways in the wood, but these +were all he could come at. Divers who had fled had died from time to +time, and some had been caught and cruelly slain by their masters. +They were none of them old; the oldest, said Dallach, scant of forty +winters, though many from their aspect might have been old enough. + +So Face-of-god looked and beheld all these poor people; and said to +himself, that he might well have dreaded that sight. For here was he +brought face to face with the Sorrow of the Earth, whereof he had +known nought heretofore, save it might be as a tale in a minstrel's +song. And when he thought of the minutes that had made the hours, +and the hours that had made the days that these men had passed +through, his heart failed him, and he was dumb and might not speak, +though he perceived that the men of Burgdale looked for speech from +him; but he waved his hand to his folk, and they understood him, for +they had heard Dallach say that some of them were crying for victual. +So they set to work and dighted for them such meat as they had, and +they set them down on the grass and made themselves their carvers and +serving-men, and bade them eat what they would of such as there was. +Yet, indeed, it grieved the Burgdalers again to note how these folk +were driven to eat; for they themselves, though they were merry folk, +were exceeding courteous at table, and of great observance of +manners: whereas these poor Runaways ate, some of them like hungry +dogs, and some hiding their meat as if they feared it should be taken +from them, and some cowering over it like falcons, and scarce any +with a manlike pleasure in their meal. And, their eating over, the +more part of them sat dull and mopish, and as if all things were +forgotten for the time present. + +Albeit presently Dallach bestirred him and said to Face-of-god: +'Lord of the Earl-folk, if I might give thee rede, it were best to +turn your faces to Burgdale without more tarrying. For we are over- +nigh to Rose-dale, being but thus many in company. But when we come +to our next resting-place, then shall bring thee to speech with the +last-comers from Silver-dale; for there they talk with the tongue of +the kindreds; but we of Rose-dale for the more part talk otherwise; +though in my house it came down from father to son.' + +'Yea,' said Face-of-god, gazing still on that unhappy folk, as they +sat or lay upon the grass at rest for a little while: but him-seemed +as he gazed that some memories of past time stirred in some of them; +for some, they hung their heads and the tears stole out of their eyes +and rolled down their cheeks. But those older Runaways of Silver- +dale were not crouched down like most of the others, but strode up +and down like beasts in a den; yet were the tears on the face of one +of these. Then Face-of-god constrained himself, and spake to the +folk, and said: 'We are now over-nigh to our foes of Rose-dale to +lie here any longer, being too few to fall upon them. We will come +hither again with a host when we have duly questioned these men who +have sought refuge with us: and let us call yonder height the Burg +of the Runaways, and it shall be a landmark for us when we are on the +road to Rose-dale.' + +Then the Burgdalers bade the Runaways courteously and kindly to arise +and take the road with them; and by that time were their men all come +in; and four of them had venison with them, which was needful, if +they were to eat that night or the morrow, as the guests had eaten +them to the bone. + +So they tarried no more, but set out on the homeward way; and Face- +of-god bade Dallach walk beside him, and asked him such concerning +Rose-dale and its Dusky Men. Dallach told him that these were not so +many as they were masterful, not being above eight hundreds of men, +all fighting-men. As to women, they had none of their own race, but +lay with the Daleswomen at their will, and begat children of them; +and all or most of the said children favoured the race of their +begetters. Of the men-children they reared most, but the women- +children they slew at once; for they valued not women of their own +blood: but besides the women of the Dale, they would go at whiles in +bands to the edges of the Plain and beguile wayfarers, and bring back +with them thence women to be their bed-thralls; albeit some of these +were bought with a price from the Westland men. + +As to the number of the folk of Rose-dale, its own folk, he said they +would number some five thousand souls, one with another; of whom some +thousand might be fit to bear arms if they had the heart thereto, as +they had none. Yet being closely questioned, he deemed that they +might fall on their masters from behind, if battle were joined. + +He said that the folk of Rose-dale had been a goodly folk before they +were enthralled, and peaceable with one another, but that now it was +a sport of the Dusky Men to set a match between their thralls to +fight it out with sword and buckler or otherwise; and the vanquished +man, if he were not sore hurt, they would scourge, or shear some +member from him, or even slay him outright, if the match between the +owners were so made. And many other sad and grievous tales he told +to Face-of-god, more than need be told again; so that the War-leader +went along sorry and angry, with his teeth set, and his hand on the +sword-hilt. + +Thus they went till night fell on them, and they could scarce see the +signs they had made on their outward journey. Then they made stay in +a little valley, having set a watch duly; and since they were by this +time far from Rose-dale, and were a great company as regarded +scattered bands of the foe, they lighted their fires and cooked their +venison, and made good cheer to the Runaways, and so went to sleep in +the wild-wood. + +When morning was come they gat them at once to the road; and if the +Burgdalers were eager to be out of the wood, their eagerness was as +nought to the eagerness of the Runaways, most of whom could not be +easy now, and deemed every minute lost unless they were wending on to +the Dale; so that this day they were willing to get over the more +ground, whereas they had not set out on their road till afternoon +yesterday. + +Howsoever, they rested at noontide, and Face-of-god bade Dallach +bring him to speech with others of the Runaways, and first that he +might talk with those three men of the kindreds who had fled from +Silver-dale in early days. So Dallach brought them to him; but he +found that though they spake the tongue, they were so few-spoken from +wildness and loneliness, at least at first, that nought could come +from them that was not dragged from them. + +These men said that they had been in the wood more than nine years, +so that they knew but little of the conditions of the Dale in that +present day. However, as to what Dallach had said concerning the +Dusky Men, they strengthened his words; and they said that the Dusky +Men took no delight save in beholding torments and misery, and that +they doubted if they were men or trolls. They said that since they +had dwelt in the wood they had slain not a few of the foemen, +waylaying them as occasion served, but that in this warfare they had +lost two of their fellows. When Face-of-god asked them of their +deeming of the numbers of the Dusky Men, they said that before those +bands had broken into Rose-dale, they counted them, as far as they +could call to mind, at about three thousand men, all warriors; and +that somewhat less than one thousand had gone up into Rose-dale, and +some had died, and many had been cast away in the wild-wood, their +fellows knew not how. Yet had not their numbers in Silver-dale +diminished; because two years after they (the speakers) had fled, +came three more Dusky Companies or Tribes into Silver-dale, and each +of these tribes was of three long hundreds; and with their coming had +the cruelty and misery much increased in the Dale, so that the +thralls began to die fast; and that drave the Dusky Men beyond the +borders of Silver-dale, so that they fell upon Rose-dale. When asked +how many of the kindreds might yet be abiding in Silver-dale, their +faces clouded, and they seemed exceeding wroth, and answered, that +they would willingly hope that most of those that had not been slain +at the time of the overthrow were now dead, yet indeed they feared +there were yet some alive, and mayhappen not a few women. + +By then must they get on foot again, and so the talk fell between +them; but when they made stay for the night, after they had done +their meat, Face-of-god prayed Dallach bring to him some of the +latest-come folk from Silver-dale, and he brought to him the man and +the woman who had been in the Dale within that moon. As to the man, +if those of the Earl-folk had been few-spoken from fierceness and +wildness, he was no less so from mere dulness and weariness of +misery; but the woman's tongue went glibly enough, and it seemed to +pleasure her to talk about her past miseries. As aforesaid, she was +better clad than most of those of Rose-dale, and indeed might be +called gaily clad, and where her raiment was befouled or rent, it was +from the roughness of the wood and its weather, and not from the +thralldom. She was a young and fair woman, black-haired and grey- +eyed. She had washed herself that day in a woodland stream which +they had crossed on the road, and had arrayed her garments as trimly +as she might, and had plucked some fumitory, wherewith she had made a +garland for her head. She sat down on the grass in front of Face-of- +god, while the man her mate stood leaning against a tree and looked +on her greedily. The Burgdale carles drew near to her to hearken her +story, and looked kindly on the twain. She smiled on them, but +especially on Face-of-god, and said: + +'Thou hast sent for me, lord, and I wot well thou wouldst hear my +tale shortly, for it would be long to tell if I were to tell it +fully, and bring into it all that I have endured, which has been +bitter enough, for all that ye see me smooth of skin and well-liking +of body. I have been the bed-thrall of one of the chieftains of the +Dusky Men, at whose house many of their great men would assemble, so +that ye may ask me whatso ye will; as I have heard much talk and may +call it to mind. Now if ye ask me whether I have fled because of the +shame that I, a free woman come of free folk, should be a mere thrall +in the bed of the foes of my kin, and with no price paid for me, I +must needs say it is not so; since over long have we of the Dale been +thralls to be ashamed of such a matter. And again, if ye deem that I +have fled because I have been burdened with grievous toil and been +driven thereto by the whip, ye may look on my hands and my body and +ye will see that I have toiled little therewith: nor again did I +flee because I could not endure a few stripes now and again; for such +usage do thralls look for, even when they are delicately kept for the +sake of the fairness of their bodies, and this they may well endure; +yea also, and the mere fear of death by torment now and again. But +before me lay death both assured and horrible; so I took mine own +counsel, and told none for fear of bewrayal, save him who guarded me; +and that was this man; who fled not from fear, but from love of me, +and to him I have given all that I might give. So we got out of the +house and down the Dale by night and cloud, and hid for one whole day +in the Dale itself, where I trembled and feared, so that I deemed I +should die of fear; but this man was well pleased with my company, +and with the lack of toil and beating even for the day. And in the +night again we fled and reached the wild-wood before dawn, and well- +nigh fell into the hands of those who were hunting us, and had +outgone us the day before, as we lay hid. Well, what is to say? +They saw us not, else had we not been here, but scattered piece-meal +over the land. This carle knew the passes of the wood, because he +had followed his master therein, who was a great hunter in the +wastes, contrary to the wont of these men, and he had lain a night on +the burg yonder; therefore he brought me thither, because he knew +that thereabout was plenty of prey easy to take, and he had a bow +with him; and there we fell in with others of our folk who had fled +before, and with Dallach; who e'en now told us what was hard to +believe, that there was a fair young man like one of the Gods leading +a band of goodly warriors, and seeking for us to bring us into a +peaceful and happy land; and this man would not have gone with him +because he feared that he might fall into thralldom of other folk, +who would take me away from him; but for me, I said I would go in any +case, for I was weary of the wood and its roughness and toil, and +that if I had a new master he would scarcely be worse than my old one +was at his best, and him I could endure. So I went, and glad and +glad I am, whatever ye will do with me. And now will I answer whatso +ye may ask of me.' + +She laid her limbs together daintily and looked fondly on Face-of- +god, and the carle scowled at her somewhat at first, but presently, +as he watched her, his face smoothed itself out of its wrinkles. + +But Face-of-god pondered a little while, and then asked the woman if +she had heard any words to remember of late days concerning the +affairs of the Dusky Men and their intent; and he said: + +'I pray thee, sister, be truthful in thine answer, for somewhat lieth +on it.' + +She said: 'How could I speak aught but the sooth to thee, O lovely +lord? The last word spoken hereof I mind me well: for my master had +been mishandling me, and I was sullen to him after the smart, and he +mocked and jeered me, and said: Ye women deem we cannot do without +you, but ye are fools, and know nothing; we are going to conquer a +new land where the women are plenty, and far fairer than ye be; and +we shall leave you to fare afield like the other thralls, or work in +the digging of silver; and belike ye wot what that meaneth. Also he +said that they would leave us to the new tribe of their folk, far +wilder than they, whom they looked for in the Dale in about a moon's +wearing; so that they needs must seek to other lands. Also this same +talk would we hear whenever it pleased any of them to mock us their +bed-thralls. Now, my sweet lord, this is nought but the very sooth.' + +Again spake Face-of-god after a while: + +'Tell me, sister, hast thou heard of any of the Dusky Men being slain +in the wood?' + +'Yea,' she said, and turned pale therewith and caught her breath as +one choking; but said in a little while: + +'This alone was it hard for me to tell thee amongst all the I griefs +I have borne, whereof I might have told thee many tales, and will do +one day if thou wilt suffer it; but fear makes this hard for me. For +in very sooth this was the cause of my fleeing, that my master was +brought in slain by an arrow in the wood; and he was to be borne to +bale and burned in three days' wearing; and we three bed-thralls of +his, and three of the best of the men-thralls, were to be burned +quick on his bale-fire after sore torments; therefore I fled, and hid +a knife in my bosom, that I might not be taken alive; but sweet was +life to me, and belike I should not have smitten myself.' + +And she wept sore for pity of herself before them all. But Face-of- +god said: + +'Knowest thou, sister, by whom the man was slain?' + +'Nay,' she said, still sobbing; 'but I heard nought thereof, nor had +I noted it in my terror. The death of others, who were slain before +him, and the loss of many, we knew not how, made them more bitterly +cruel with us.' + +And again was she weeping; but Face-of-god said kindly to her: 'Weep +no more, sister, for now shall all thy troubles be over; I feel in my +heart that we shall overcome these felons, and make an end of them, +and there then is Burgdale for thee in its length and breadth, or +thine own Dale to dwell in freely.' + +'Nay,' she said, 'never will I go back thither!' and she turned round +to him and kissed his feet, and then arose and turned a little toward +her mate; and the carle caught her by the hand and led her away, and +seemed glad so to do. + +So once again they fell asleep in the woods, and again the next +morning fared on their way early that they might come into Burgdale +before nightfall. When they stayed a while at noontide and ate, +Face-of-god again had talk with the Runaways, and this time with +those of Rose-dale, and he heard much the same story from them that +he had heard before, told in divers ways, till his heart was sick +with the hearing of it. + +On this last day Face-of-god led his men well athwart the wood, so +that he hit Wildlake's Way without coming to Carl-stead; and he came +down into the Dale some four hours after noon on a bright day of +latter March. At the ingate to the Dale he found watches set, the +men whereof told him that the tidings were not right great. Hall- +face's company had fallen in with a band of the Felons three score in +number in the oak-wood nigh to Boars-bait, and had slain some and +chased the rest, since they found it hard to follow them home as they +ran for the tangled thicket: of the Burgdalers had two been slain +and five hurt in this battle. + +As for Red-coat's company, they had fallen in with no foemen. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. THEY BRING THE RUNAWAYS TO BURGSTEAD + + + +So now being out of the wood, they went peaceably and safely along +the Portway, the Runaways mingling with the Dalesmen. Strange showed +amidst the health and wealth of the Dale the rags and misery and +nakedness of the thralls, like a dream amidst the trim gaiety of +spring; and whomsoever they met, or came up with on the road, whatso +his business might be, could not refrain himself from following them, +but mingled with the men-at-arms, and asked them of the tidings; and +when they heard who these poor people were, even delivered thralls of +the Foemen, they were glad at heart and cried out for joy; and many +of the women, nay, of the men also, when they first came across that +misery from out the heart of their own pleasant life, wept for pity +and love of the poor folk, now at last set free, and blessed the +swords that should do the like by the whole people. + +They went slowly as men began to gather about them; yea, some of the +good folk that lived hard by must needs fare home to their houses to +fetch cakes and wine for the guests; and they made them sit down and +rest on the green grass by the side of the Portway, and eat and drink +to cheer their hearts; others, women and young swains, while they +rested went down into the meadows and plucked of the spring flowers, +and twined them hastily with deft and well-wont fingers into chaplets +and garlands for their heads and bodies. Thus indeed they covered +their nakedness, till the lowering faces and weather-beaten skins of +those hardly-entreated thralls looked grimly out from amidst the +knots of cowslip and oxlip, and the branches of the milk-white +blackthorn bloom, and the long trumpets of the daffodils, of the hue +that wrappeth round the quill which the webster takes in hand when +she would pleasure her soul with the sight of the yellow growing upon +the dark green web. + +So they went on again as the evening was waning, and when they were +gotten within a furlong of the Gate, lo! there was come the +minstrelsy, the pipe and the tabor, the fiddle and the harp, and the +folk that had learned to sing the sweetest, both men and women, and +Redesman at the head of them all. + +Then fell the throng into an ordered company; first went the music, +and then a score of Face-of-god's warriors with drawn swords and +uplifted spears; and then the flower-bedecked misery of the Runaways, +men and women going together, gaunt, befouled, and hollow-eyed, with +here and there a flushed cheek or gleaming eye, or tear-bedewed face, +as the joy and triumph of the eve pierced through their wonted +weariness of grief; then the rest of the warriors, and lastly the +mingled crowd of Dalesfolk, tall men and fair women gaily arrayed, +clean-faced, clear-skinned, and sleek-haired, with glancing eyes and +ruddy lips. + +And now Redesman turned about to the music and drew his bow across +his fiddle, and the other bows ran out in concert, and the harps +followed the story of them, and he lifted up his voice and sang the +words of an old song, and all the singers joined him and blended +their voices with his. And these are some of the words which they +sang: + + +Lo! here is Spring, and all we are living, + We that were wan with Winter's fear; +Reach out your hands to her hands that are giving, + Lest ye lose her love and the light of the year. + +Many a morn did we wake to sorrow, + When low on the land the cloud-wrath lay; +Many an eve we feared to-morrow, + The unbegun unfinished day. + +Ah we--we hoped not, and thou wert tardy; + Nought wert thou helping; nought we prayed. +Where was the eager heart, the hardy? + Where was the sweet-voiced unafraid? + +But now thou lovest, now thou leadest, + Where is gone the grief of our minds? +What was the word of the tale, that thou heedest + E'en as the breath of the bygone winds? + +Green and green is thy garment growing + Over thy blossoming limbs beneath; +Up o'er our feet rise the blades of thy sowing, + Pierced are our hearts with thine odorous breath. + +But where art thou wending, thou new-comer? + Hurrying on to the Courts of the Sun? +Where art thou now in the House of the Summer? + Told are thy days and thy deed is done. + +Spring has been here for us that are living + After the days of Winter's fear; +Here in our hands is the wealth of her giving, + The Love of the Earth, and the Light of the Year. + + +Thus came they to the Gate, and lo! the Bride thereby, leaning +against a buttress, gazing with no dull eyes at the coming throng. +She was now clad in her woman's attire again, to wit a light flame- +coloured gown over a green kirtle; but she yet bore a gilded helm on +her head and a sword girt to her side in token of her oath to the +God. She had been in Hall-face's company in that last battle, and +had done a man's service there, fighting very valiantly, but had not +been hurt, and had come back to Burgstead when the shift of men was. + +Now she drew herself up and stood a little way before the Gate and +looked forth on the throng, and when her eyes beheld the Runaways +amidst of the weaponed carles of Burgdale, her face flushed, and her +eyes filled with tears as she stood, partly wondering, partly deeming +what they were. She waited till Stone-face came by her, and then she +took the old man by the sleeve, and drew him apart a little and said +to him: 'What meaneth this show, my friend? Who hath clad these +folk thus strangely; and who be these three naked tall ones, so +fierce-looking, but somewhat noble of aspect?' + +For indeed those three men of the kindreds, when they had gotten into +the Dale, and had rested them, and drunk a cup of wine, and when they +had seen the chaplets and wreaths of the spring-flowers wherewith +they were bedecked, and had smelt the sweet savour of them, fell to +walking proudly, heeding not their nakedness; for no rag had they +upon them save breech-clouts of deer-skin: they had changed weapons +with the Burgdale carles; and one had gotten a great axe, which he +bore over his shoulder, and the shaft thereof was all done about with +copper; and another had shouldered a long heavy thrusting-spear, and +the third, an exceeding tall man, bore a long broad-bladed war-sword. +Thus they went, brown of skin beneath their flower-garlands, their +long hair bleached by the sun falling about their shoulders; high +they strode amongst the shuffling carles and tripping women of the +later-come thralls. But when they heard the music, and saw that they +were coming to the Gate in triumph, strange thoughts of old memories +swelled up in their hearts, and they refrained them not from weeping, +for they felt that the joy of life had come back to them. + +Nor must it be deemed that these were the only ones amongst the +Runaways whose hearts were cheered and softened: already were many +of them coming back to life, as they felt their worn bodies caressed +by the clear soft air of Burgdale, and the sweetness of the flowers +that hung about them, and saw all round about the kind and happy +faces of their well-willers. + +So Stone-face looked on the Bride as she stood with face yet tear- +bedewed, awaiting his answer, and said: + +'Daughter, thou sayest who clad these folk thus? It was misery that +hath so dight them; and they are the images of what we shall be if we +love foul life better than fair death, and so fall into the hands of +the Felons, who were the masters of these men. As for the tall naked +men, they are of our own blood, and kinsmen to Face-of-god's new +friends; and they are of the best of the vanquished: it was in early +days that they fled from thralldom; as we may have to do. Now, +daughter, I bid thee be as joyous as thou art valiant, and then shall +all be well.' + +Therewith she smiled on him, and he departed, and she stood a little +while, as the throng moved on and was swallowed by the Gate, and +looked after them; and for all her pity for the other folk, she +thought chiefly of those fearless tall men who were of the blood of +those with whom it was lawful to wed. + +There she stood as the wind dried the tears upon her cheeks, thinking +of the sorrow which these folk had endured, and their stripes and +mocking, their squalor and famine; and she wondered and looked on her +own fair and shapely hands with the precious finger-rings thereon, +and on the dainty cloth and trim broidery of her sleeve; and she +touched her smooth cheek with the back of her hand, and smiled, and +felt the spring sweet in her mouth, and its savour goodly in her +nostrils; and therewith she called to mind the aspect of her lovely +body, as whiles she had seen it imaged, all its full measure, in the +clear pool at midsummer, or piece-meal, in the shining steel of the +Westland mirror. She thought also with what joy she drew the breath +of life, yea, even amidst of grief, and of how sweet and pure and +well-nurtured she was, and how well beloved of many friends and the +whole folk, and she set all this beside those woeful bodies and +lowering faces, and felt shame of her sorrow of heart, and the pain +it had brought to her; and ever amidst shame and pity of all that +misery rose up before her the images of those tall fierce men, and it +seemed to her as if she had seen something like to them in some dream +or imagination of her mind. + +So came the Burgdalers and their guests into the street of Burgstead +amidst music and singing; and the throng was great there. Then Face- +of-god bade make a ring about the strangers, and they did so, and he +and the Runaways alone were in the midst of it; and he spake in a +loud voice and said: + +'Men of the Dale and the Burg, these folk whom here ye see in such a +sorry plight are they whom our deadly foes have rejoiced to torment; +let us therefore rejoice to cherish them. Now let those men come +forth who deem that they have enough and more, so that they may each +take into their houses some two or three of these friends such as +would be fain to be together. And since I am War-leader, and have +the right hereto, I will first choose them whom I will lead into the +House of the Face. And lo you! will I have this man (and he laid his +hand on Dallach),who is he whom I first came across, and who found us +all these others, and next I will have yonder tall carles, the three +of them, because I perceive them to be men meet to be with a War- +leader, and to follow him in battle.' + +Therewith he drew the three Men of the Wolf towards him, but Dallach +already was standing beside him. And folk rejoiced in Face-of-god. + +But the Bride came forward next, and spake to him meekly and simply: + +'War-leader, let me have of the women those who need me most, that I +may bring them to the House of the Steer, and try if there be not +some good days yet to be found for them, wherein they shall but +remember the past grief as an ugly dream.' + +Then Face-of-god looked on her, and him-seemed he had never seen her +so fair; and all the shame wherewith he had beheld her of late was +gone from him, and his heart ran over with friendly love towards her +as she looked into his face with kindly eyes; and he said: + +'Kinswoman, take thy choice as thy kindness biddeth, and happy shall +they be whom thou choosest.' + +She bowed her head soberly, and chose from among the guests four +women of the saddest and most grievous, and no man of their kindred +spake for going along with them; then she went her ways home, leading +one of them by the hand, and strange was it to see those twain going +through sun and shade together, that poor wretch along with the +goodliest of women. + +Then came forward one after other of the worthy goodmen of the Dale, +and especially such as were old, and they led away one one man, and +another two, and another three, and often would a man crave to go +with a woman or a woman with a man, and it was not gainsaid them. So +were all the guests apportioned, and ill-content were those goodmen +that had to depart without a guest; and one man would say to another: +'Such-an-one, be not downcast; this guest shall be between us, if he +will, and shall dwell with thee and me month about; but this first +month with me, since I was first comer.' And so forth was it said. + +Now to prevent the time to come, it may be said about the Runaways, +that when they had been a little while amongst the Burgdalers, well +fed and well clad and kindly cherished, it was marvellous how they +were bettered in aspect of body, and it began to be seen of them that +they were well-favoured people, and divers of the women exceeding +goodly, black-haired and grey-eyed, and very clear-skinned and white- +skinned; most of them were young, and the oldest had not seen above +forty winters. They of Rose-dale, and especially such as had first +fled away to the wood, were very soon seen to be merry and kindly +folk; but they who had been longest in captivity, and notably those +from Silver-dale who were not of the kindreds, were for a long time +sullen and heavy, and it availed little to trust to them for the +doing of work; albeit they would follow about their friends of +Burgdale with the love of a dog; also they were, divers of them, +somewhat thievish, and if they lacked anything would liefer take it +by stealth than ask for it; which forsooth the Burgdale men took not +amiss, but deemed of it as a jest rather. + +Very few of the Runaways had any will to fare back to their old +homes, or indeed could be got to go into the wood, or, after a day or +two, to say any word of Rose-dale or Silver-dale. In this and other +matters the Burgdalers dealt with them as with children who must have +their way; for they deemed that their guests had much time to make +up; also they were well content when they saw how goodly they were, +for these Dalesmen loved to see men goodly of body and of a cheerful +countenance. + +As for Dallach and the three Silver-dale men of the kindred, they +went gladly whereas the Burgdale men would have them; and half a +score others took weapons in their hands when the war was foughten: +concerning which more hereafter. + +But on the even whereof the tale now tells, Face-of-god and Stone- +face and their company met after nightfall in the Hall of the Face +clad in glorious raiment, and therewith were Dallach and the men of +Silver-dale, washen and docked of their long hair, after the fashion +of warriors who bear the helm; and they were clad in gay attire, with +battle-swords girt to their sides and gold rings on their arms. +Somewhat stern and sad-eyed were those Silver-dalers yet, though they +looked on those about them kindly and courteously when they met their +eyes; and Face-of-god yearned towards them when he called to mind the +beauty and wisdom and loving-kindness of the Sun-beam. They were, as +aforesaid, strong men and tall, and one of them taller than any +amidst that house of tall men. Their names were Wolf-stone, the +tallest, and God-swain, and Spear-fist; and God-swain the youngest +was of thirty winters, and Wolf-stone of forty. They came into the +Hall in such wise, that when they were washed and attired, and all +men were assembled in the Hall, and the Alderman and the chieftains +sitting on the dais, Face-of-god brought them in from the out-bower, +holding Dallach by the right hand and Wolf-stone by the left; and he +looked but a stripling beside that huge man. + +And when the men in the Hall beheld such goodly warriors, and +remembered their grief late past, they all stood up and shouted for +joy of them. But Face-of-god passed up the Hall with them, and stood +before the dais and said: + +'O Alderman of the Dale and Chief of the House of the Face, here I +bring to you the foes of our foemen, whom I have met in the Wild- +wood, and bidden to our House; and meseemeth they will be our +friends, and stand beside us in the day of battle. Therefore I say, +take these guests and me together, or put us all to the door +together; and if thou wilt take them, then show them to such places +as thou deemest meet.' + +Then stood up the Alderman and said: + +'Men of Silver-dale and Rose-dale, I bid you welcome! Be ye our +friends, and abide here with us as long as seemeth good to you, and +share in all that is ours. Son Face-of-god, show these warriors to +seats on the dais beside thee, and cherish them as well as thou +knowest how.' + +Then Face-of-god brought them up on to the dais and sat down on the +right hand of his father, with Dallach on his right hand, and then +Wolf-stone out from him; then sat Stone-face, that there might be a +man of the Dale to talk with them and serve them; and on his right +hand first Spear-fist and then God-swain. And when they were all sat +down, and the meat was on the board, Iron-face turned to his son +Face-of-god and took his hand, and said in a loud voice, so that many +might hear him: + +'Son Face-of-god, son Gold-mane, thou bearest with thee both ill luck +and good. Erewhile, when thou wanderedst out into the Wild-wood, +seeking thou knewest not what from out of the Land of Dreams, thou +didst but bring aback to us grief and shame; but now that thou hast +gone forth with the neighbours seeking thy foemen, thou hast come +aback to us with thine hands full of honour and joy for us, and we +thank thee for thy gifts, and I call thee a lucky man. Herewith, +kinsman, I drink to thee and the lasting of thy luck.' + +Therewith he stood up and drank the health of the War-leader and the +Guests: and all men were exceeding joyous thereat, when they called +to mind his wrath at the Gate-thing, and they shouted for gladness as +they drank that health, and the feast became exceeding merry in the +House of the Face; and as to the war to come, it seemed to them as if +it were over and done in all triumph. + + + +CHAPTER XXX. HALL-FACE GOETH TOWARD ROSE-DALE + + + +On the morrow Face-of-god took counsel with Hall-face and Stone-face +as to what were best to be done, and they sat on the dais in the Hall +to talk it over. + +Short was the time that had worn since that day in Shadowy Vale, for +it was but eight days since then; yet so many things had befallen in +that time, and, to speak shortly, the outlook for the Burgdalers had +changed so much, that the time seemed long to all the three, and +especially to Face-of-god. + +It was yet twenty days till the Great Folk-mote should beholden, and +to Hall-face the time seemed long enough to do somewhat, and he +deemed it were good to gather force and fall on the Dusky Men in +Rose-dale, since now they had gotten men who could lead them the +nighest way and by the safest passes, and who knew all the ways of +the foemen. But to Stone-face this rede seemed not so good; for they +would have to go and come back, and fight and conquer, in less time +than twenty days, or be belated of the Folk-mote, and meanwhile much +might happen. + +'For,' said Stone-face, 'we may deem the fighting-men of Rose-dale to +be little less than one thousand, and however we fall on them, even +if it be unawares at first, they shall fight stubbornly; so that we +may not send against them many less than they be, and that shall +strip Burgdale of its fighting-men, so that whatever befalls, we that +be left shall have to bide at home.' + +Now was Face-of-god of the same mind as Stone-face; and he said +moreover: 'When we go to Rose-dale we must abide there a while +unless we be overthrown. For if ye conquer it and come away at once, +presently shall the tidings come to the ears of the Dusky Men in +Silver-dale, and they shall join themselves to those of Rose-dale who +have fled before you, and between them they shall destroy the unhappy +people therein; for ye cannot take them all away with you: and that +shall they do all the more now, when they look to have new thralls in +Burgdale, both men and women. And this we may not suffer, but must +abide till we have met all our foemen and have overcome them, so that +the poor folk there shall be safe from them till they have learned +how to defend their dale. Now my rede is, that we send out the War- +arrow at once up and down the Dale, and to the Shepherds and +Woodlanders, and appoint a day for the Muster and Weapon-show of all +our Folk, and that day to be the day before the Spring Market, that +is to say, four days before the Great Folk-mote, and meantime that we +keep sure watch about the border of the wood, and now and again scour +the wood, so as to clear the Dale of their wandering bands.' + +'Yea,' said Hall-face; 'and I pray thee, brother, let me have an +hundred of men and thy Dallach, and let us go somewhat deep into the +wood towards Rose-dale, and see what we may come across; peradventure +it might be something better than hart or wild-swine.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'I see no harm therein, if Dallach goeth with thee +freely; for I will have no force put on him or any other of the +Runaways. Yet meseemeth it were not ill for thee to find the road to +Rose-dale; for I have it in my mind to send a company thither to give +those Rose-dale man-quellers somewhat to do at home when we fall upon +Silver-dale. Therefore go find Dallach, and get thy men together at +once; for the sooner thou art gone on thy way the better. But this I +bid thee, go no further than three days out, that ye may be back home +betimes.' + +At this word Hall-face's eyes gleamed with joy, and he went out from +the Hall straightway and sought Dallach, and found him at the Gate. +Iron-face had given him a new sword, a good one, and had bidden him +call it Thicket-clearer, and he would not leave it any moment of the +day or night, but would lay it under his pillow at night as a child +does with a new toy; and now he was leaning against a buttress and +drawing the said sword half out of the scabbard and poring over its +blade, which was indeed fair enough, being wrought with dark grey +waving lines like the eddies of the Weltering Water. + +So Hall-face greeted him, and smiled and said: + +'Guest, if thou wilt, thou may'st take that new blade of my father's +work which thou lovest so, a journey which shall rejoice it.' + +'Yea,' said Dallach, 'I suppose that thou wouldest fare on thy +brother's footsteps, and deemest that I am the man to lead thee on +the road, and even farther than he went; and though it might be +thought by some that I have seen enough of Rose-dale and the parts +thereabout for one while, yet will I go with thee; for now am I a man +again, body and soul.' + +And therewith he drew Thicket-clearer right out of his sheath and +waved him in the air. And Hall-face was glad of him and said he was +well apaid of his help. So they went away together to gather men, +and on the morrow Hall-face departed and went into the Wild-wood with +Dallach and an hundred and two score men. + +But as for Face-of-god, he fared up and down the Dale following the +War-arrow, and went into all houses, and talked with the folk, both +young and old, men and women, and told them closely all that had +betid and all that was like to betide; and he was well pleased with +that which he saw and heard; for all took his words well, and were +nought afeard or dismayed by the tidings; and he saw that they would +not hang aback. Meantime the days wore, and Hall-face came not back +till the seventh day, and he brought with him twelve more Runaways, +of whom five were women. But he had lost four men, and had with him +Dallach and five others of the Dalesmen borne upon litters sore hurt; +and this was his story: + +They got to the Burg of the Runaways on the forenoon of the third +day, and thereby came on five carles of the Runaways--men who had +missed meeting Dallach that other day, but knew what had been done; +for one of them had been sick and could not come with him, and he had +told the others: so now they were hanging about the Burg of the +Runaways hoping somewhat that he might come again; and they met the +Burgdalers full of joy, and brought them trouts that they had caught +in the river. + +As for the other runaways, namely, five women and two more carles-- +they had gotten them close to the entrance into Silver-dale, where by +night and cloud they came on a campment of the Dusky Men, who were +leading home these seven poor wretches, runaways whom they had +caught, that they might slay them most evilly in Rose-stead. So +Hall-face fell on the Dusky Men, and delivered their captives, but +slew not all the foe, and they that fled brought pursuers on them who +came up with them the next day, so near was Rose-dale, though they +made all diligence homeward. The Burgdalers must needs turn and +fight with those pursuers, and at last they drave them aback so that +they might go on their ways home. They let not the grass grow +beneath their feet thereafter, till they were assured by meeting a +band of the Woodlanders, who had gone forth to help them, and with +whom they rested a little. But neither so were they quite done with +the foemen, who came upon them next day a very many: these however +they and the Woodlanders, who were all fresh and unwounded and very +valiant, speedily put to the worse; and so they came on to Burgstead, +leaving those of them who were sorest hurt to be tended by the +Woodlanders at Carlstead, who, as might be looked for, deal with them +very lovingly. + +It was in the first fight that they suffered that loss of slain and +wounded; and therein the newly delivered thralls fought valiantly +against their masters: as for Dallach, it was no marvel, said Hall- +face, that he was hurt; but rather a marvel that he was not slain, so +little he recked of point and edge, if he might but slay the foemen. + +Such was Hall-face's-tale; and Face-of-god deemed that he had done +unwisely to let him go that journey; for the slaying of a few Dusky +Men was but a light gain to set against the loss of so many +Burgdalers; yet was he glad of the deliverance of those Runaways, and +deemed it a gain indeed. But henceforth would he hold all still till +he should have tidings of Folk-might; so nought was done thereafter +save the warding of the Dale, from the country of the Shepherds to +the Waste above the Eastern passes. + +But Face-of-god himself went up amongst the Shepherds, and abode with +a goodman hight Hound-under-Greenbury, who gathered to him the folk +from the country-side, and they went up on to Greenbury, and sat on +the green grass while he spoke with them and told them, as he had +told the others, what had been done and what should be done. And +they heard him gladly, and he deemed that there would be no blenching +in them, for they were all in one tale to live and die with their +friends of Burgdale, and they said that they would have no other word +save that to bear to the Great Folk-mote. + +So he went away well-pleased, and he fared on thence to the +Woodlanders, and guested at the house of a valiant man hight +Wargrove, who on the morrow morn called the folk together to a green +lawn of the Wild-wood, so that there was scarce a soul of them that +was not there. Then he laid the whole matter before them; and if the +Dalesmen had been merry and ready, and the Shepherds stout-hearted +and friendly, yet were the Wood-landers more eager still, so that +every hour seemed long to them till they stood in their war-gear; and +they told him that now at last was the hour drawing nigh which they +had dreamed of, but had scarce dared to hope for, when the lost way +should be found, and the crooked made straight, and that which had +been broken should be mended; that their meat and drink, and sleeping +and waking, and all that they did were now become to them but the +means of living till the day was come whereon the two remnants of the +children of the Wolf should meet and become one Folk to live or die +together. + +Then went Face-of-god back to Burgstead again, and as he stood anigh +the Thing-stead once more, and looked down on the Dale as he had +beheld it last autumn, he bethought him that with all that had been +done and all that had been promised, the earth was clearing of her +trouble, and that now there was nought betwixt him and the happy days +of life which the Dale should give to the dwellers therein, save the +gathering hosts of the battle-field and the day when the last word +should be spoken and the first stroke smitten. So he went down on to +the Portway well content. + +Thereafter till the day of the Weapon-show there is nought to tell +of, save that Dallach and the other wounded men began to grow whole +again; and all men sat at home, or went on the woodland ward, +expecting great tidings after the holding of the Folk-mote. + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. OF THE WEAPON-SHOW OF THE MEN OF BURGDALE AND THEIR +NEIGHBOURS + + + +Now on the day appointed for the Weapon-show came the Folk flock-meal +to the great and wide meadow that was cleft by Wildlake as it ran to +join the Weltering Water. Early in the morning, even before sunrise, +had the wains full of women and children begun to come thither. Also +there came little horses and asses from the Shepherd country with one +or two or three damsels or children sitting on each, and by wain-side +or by beast strode the men of the house, merry and fair in their war- +gear. The Woodlanders, moreover, man and woman, elder and swain and +young damsel, streamed out of the wood from Carlstead, eager to make +the day begin before the sunrise, and end before his setting. + +Then all men fell to pitching of tents and tilting over of wains; for +the April sun was hot in the Dale, and when he arose the meads were +gay with more than the spring flowers; for the tents and the tilts +were stained and broidered with many colours, and there was none who +had not furbished up his war-gear so that all shone and glittered. +And many wore gay surcoats over their armour, and the women were clad +in all their bravery, and the Houses mostly of a suit; for one bore +blue and another corn-colour, and another green, and another brazil, +and so forth, and all gleaming and glowing with broidery of gold and +bright hues. But the women of the Shepherds were all clad in white, +embroidered with green boughs and red blossoms, and the Woodland +women wore dark red kirtles. Moreover, the women had set garlands of +flowers on their heads and the helms of the men, and for the most +part they were slim of body and tall and light-limbed, and as dainty +to look upon as the willow-boughs that waved on the brook-side. + +Thither had the goodmen who were guesting the Runaways brought their +guests, even now much bettered by their new soft days; and much the +poor folk marvelled at all this joyance, and they scarce knew where +they were; but to some it brought back to their minds days of joyance +before the thralldom and all that they had lost, so that their hearts +were heavy a while, till they saw the warriors of the kindreds +streaming into the mead and bethought them why they carried steel. + +Now by then the sun was fully up there was a great throng on the +Portway, and this was the folk of the Burg on their way to the +Weapon-mead. The men-at-arms were in the midst of the throng, and at +the head of them was the War-leader, with the banner of the Face +before him, wherein was done the image of the God with the ray-ringed +head. But at the rearward of the warriors went the Alderman and the +Burg-wardens, before whom was borne the banner of the Burg pictured +with the Gate and its Towers; but in the midst betwixt those two was +the banner of the Steer, a white beast on a green field. + +So when the Dale-wardens who were down in the meadow heard the music +and beheld who were coming, they bade the companies of the Dale and +the Shepherds and the Woodlanders who were down there to pitch their +banners in a half circle about the ingle of the meadow which was made +by the streams of Wildlake and the Weltering Water, and gather to +them to be ordered there under their leaders of scores and half- +hundreds and hundreds; and even so they did. But the banners of the +Dale without the Burg were the Bridge, and the Bull, and the Vine, +and the Sickle. And the Shepherds had three banners, to wit +Greenbury, and the Fleece, and the Thorn. + +As for the Woodlanders, they said that they were abiding their great +banner, but it should come in good time; 'and meantime,' said they, +'here are the war-tokens that we shall fight under; for they are good +enough banners for us poor men, the remnant of the valiant of time +past.' Therewith they showed two great spears, and athwart the one +was tied an arrow, its point dipped in blood, its feathers singed +with fire; and they said, 'This is the banner of the War-shaft.' + +On the other spear there was nought; but the head thereof was great +and long, and they had so burnished the steel that the sun smote out +a ray of light from it, so that it might be seen from afar. And they +said: 'This is the Banner of the Spear! Down yonder where the +ravens are gathering ye shall see a banner flying over us. There +shall fall many a mother's son.' + +Smiled the Dale-wardens, and said that these were good banners to +fight under; and those that stood nearby shouted for the valiancy of +the Woodland Carles. + +Now the Dale-wardens went to the entrance from the Portway to the +meadow, and there met the Men of the Burg, and two of them went one +on either side of the War-leader to show him to his seat, and the +others abode till the Alderman and Burg-wardens came up, and then +joined themselves to them, and the horns blew up both in the meadow +and on the road, and the new-comers went their ways to their +appointed places amidst the shouts of the Dalesmen; and the women and +children and old men from the Burg followed after, till all the mead +was covered with bright raiment and glittering gear, save within the +ring of men at the further end. + +So came the War-leader to his seat of green turf raised in the ingle +aforesaid; and he stood beside it till the Alderman and Wardens had +taken their places on a seat behind him raised higher than his; below +him on the step of his seat sat the Scrivener with his pen and ink- +horn and scroll of parchment, and men had brought him a smooth shield +whereon to write. + +On the left side of Face-of-god stood the men of the Face all +glittering in their arms, and amongst them were Wolf-stone and his +two fellows, but Dallach was not yet whole of his hurts. On his +right were the folk of the House of the Steer: the leader of that +House was an old white-bearded man, grandfather of the Bride, for her +father was dead; and who but the Bride herself stood beside him in +her glorious war-gear, looking as if she were new come from the City +of the Gods, thought most men; but those who beheld her closely +deemed that she looked heavy-eyed and haggard, as if she were aweary. +Nevertheless, wheresoever she passed, and whosoever looked on her +(and all men looked on her), there arose a murmur of praise and love; +and the women, and especially the young ones, said how fair her deed +was, and how meet she was for it; and some of them were for doing on +war-gear and faring to battle with the carles; and of these some were +sober and solemn, as was well seen afterwards, and some spake +lightly: some also fell to boasting of how they could run and climb +and swim and shoot in the bow, and fell to baring of their arms to +show how strong they were: and indeed they were no weaklings, though +their arms were fair. + +There then stood the ring of men, each company under its banner; and +beyond them stood the women and children and men unmeet for battle; +and beyond them again the tilted wains and the tents. + +Now Face-of-god sat him down on the turf-seat with his bright helm on +his head and his naked sword across his knees, while the horns blew +up loudly, and when they had done, the elder of the Dale-wardens +cried out for silence. Then again arose Face-of-god and said: + +'Men of the Dale, and ye friends of the Shepherds, and ye, O valiant +Woodlanders; we are not assembled here to take counsel, for in three +days' time shall the Great Folk-mote be holden, whereat shall be +counsel enough. But since I have been appointed your Chief and War- +leader, till such time as the Folk-mote shall either yeasay or naysay +my leadership, I have sent for you that we may look each other in the +face and number our host and behold our weapons, and see if we be +meet for battle and for the dealing with a great host of foemen. For +now no longer can it be said that we are going to war, but rather +that war is on our borders, and we are blended with it; as many have +learned to their cost; for some have been slain and some sorely hurt. +Therefore I bid you now, all ye that are weaponed, wend past us that +the tale of you may be taken. But first let every hundred-leader and +half-hundred-leader and score-leader make sure that he hath his tale +aright, and give his word to the captain of his banner that he in +turn may give it out to the Scrivener with his name and the House and +Company that he leadeth.' + +So he spake and sat him adown; and the horns blew again in token that +the companies should go past; and the first that came was Hall-ward +of the House of the Steer, and the first of those that went after him +was the Bride, going as if she were his son. + +So he cried out his name, and the name of his House, and said, 'An +hundred and a half,' and passed forth, his men following him in most +goodly array. Each man was girt with a good sword and bore a long +heavy spear over his shoulder, save a score who bare bows; and no man +lacked a helm, a shield, and a coat of fence. + +Then came a goodly man of thirty winters, and stayed before the +Scrivener and cried out: + +'Write down the House of the Bridge of the Upper Dale at one hundred, +and War-well their leader.' + +And he strode on, and his men followed clad and weaponed like those +of the Steer, save that some had axes hanging to their girdles +instead of swords; and most bore casting-spears instead of the long +spears, and half a score were bowmen. + +Then came Fox of Upton leading the men of the Bull of Middale, an +hundred and a half lacking two; very great and tall were his men, and +they also bore long spears, and one score and two were bowmen. + +Then Fork-beard of Lea, a man well on in years, led on the men of the +Vine, an hundred and a half and five men thereto; two score of them +bare bow in hand and were girt with sword; the rest bore their swords +naked in their right hands, and their shields (which were but small +bucklers) hanging at their backs, and in the left hand each bore two +casting-spears. With these went two doughty women-at-arms among the +bowmen, tall and well-knit, already growing brown with the spring +sun, for their work lay among the stocks of the vines on the +southward-looking bents. + +Next came a tall young man, yellow-haired, with a thin red beard, and +gave himself out for Red-beard of the Knolls; he bore his father's +name, as the custom of their house was, but the old man, who had long +been head man of the House of the Sickle, was late dead in his bed, +and the young man had not seen twenty winters. He bade the Scrivener +write the tale of the Men of the Sickle at an hundred and a half, and +his folk fared past the War-leader joyously, being one half of them +bowmen; and fell shooters they were; the other half were girt with +swords, and bore withal long ashen staves armed with great blades +curved inwards, which weapon they called heft-sax. + +All these bands, as the name and the tale of them was declared were +greeted with loud shouts from their fellows and the bystanders; but +now arose a greater shout still, as Stone-face, clad in goodly +glittering array, came forth and said: + +'I am Stone-face of the House of the Face, and I bring with me two +hundreds of men with their best war-gear and weapons: write it down, +Scrivener!' + +And he strode on like a young man after those who had gone past, and +after him came the tall Hall-face and his men, a gallant sight to +see: two score bowmen girt with swords, and the others with naked +swords waving aloft, and each bearing two casting-spears in his left +hand. + +Then came a man of middle age, broad-shouldered, yellow-haired, blue- +eyed, of wide and ruddy countenance, and after him a goodly company; +and again great was the shout that went up to the heavens; for he +said: + +'Scrivener, write down that Hound-under-Greenbury, from amongst the +dwellers in the hills where the sheep feed, leadeth the men who go +under the banner of Greenbury, to the tale of an hundred and four +score.' + +Therewith he passed on, and his men followed, stout, stark, and +merry-faced, girt with swords, and bearing over their shoulders long- +staved axes, and spears not so long as those which the Dalesmen bore; +and they had but a half score of arrow-shot with them. + +Next came a young man, blue-eyed also, with hair the colour of flax +on the distaff, broad-faced and short-nosed, low of stature, but very +strong-built, who cried out in a loud, cheerful voice: + +'I am Strongitharm of the Shepherds, and these valiant men are of the +Fleece and the Thorn blended together, for so they would have it; and +their tale is one hundred and two score and ten.' + +Then the men of those kindreds went past merry and shouting, and they +were clad and weaponed like to them of Greenbury, but had with them a +score of bowmen. And all these Shepherd-folk wore over their +hauberks white woollen surcoats broidered with green and red. + +Now again uprose the cry, and there stood before the War-leader a +very tall man of fifty winters, dark-faced and grey-eyed, and he +spake slowly and somewhat softly, and said: + +'War-leader, this is Red-wolf of the Woodlanders leading the men who +go under the sign of the War-shaft, to the number of an hundred and +two.' + +Then he passed on, and his men after him, tall, lean, and silent +amidst the shouting. All these men bare bows, for they were keen +hunters; each had at his girdle a little axe and a wood-knife, and +some had long swords withal. They wore, everyone of the carles, +short green surcoats over their coats of fence; but amongst them were +three women who bore like weapons to the men, but were clad in red +kirtles under their hauberks, which were of good ring-mail gleaming +over them from throat to knee. + +Last came another tall man, but young, of twenty-five winters, and +spake: + +'Scrivener, I am Bears-bane of the Woodlanders, and these that come +after me wend under the sign of the Spear, and they are of the tale +of one hundred and seven.' + +And he passed by at once, and his men followed him, clad and weaponed +no otherwise than they of the War-shaft, and with them were two +women. + +Now went all those companies back to their banners, and stood there; +and there arose among the bystanders much talk concerning the Weapon- +show, and who were the best arrayed of the Houses. And of the old +men, some spake of past weapon-shows which they had seen in their +youth, and they set them beside this one, and praised and blamed. So +it went on a little while till the horns blew again, and once more +there was silence. Then arose Face-of-god and said: + +'Men of Burgdale, and ye Shepherd-folk, and ye of the Woodland, now +shall ye wot how many weaponed men we may bring together for this +war. Scrivener, arise and give forth the tale of the companies, as +they have been told unto you.' + +Then the Scrivener stood up on the turf-bench beside Face-of-god, and +spake in a loud voice, reading from his scroll: + +'Of the Men of Burgdale there have passed by me nine hundreds and +six; of the Shepherds three hundreds and eight and ten; and of the +Woodlanders two hundreds and nine; so that all told our men are +fourteen hundreds and thirty and three.' + +Now in those days men reckoned by long hundreds, so that the whole +tale of the host was one thousand, five hundred, and four score and +one, telling the tale in short hundreds. + +When the tale had been given forth and heard, men shouted again, and +they rejoiced that they were so many. For it exceeded the reckoning +which the Alderman had given out at the Gate-thing. But Face-of-god +said: + +'Neighbours, we have held our Weapon-show; but now hold you ready, +each man, for the Hosting toward very battle; for belike within seven +days shall the leaders of hundreds and twenties summon you to be +ready in arms to take whatso fortune may befall. Now is sundered the +Weapon-show. Be ye as merry to-day as your hearts bid you to be.' + +Therewith he came down from his seat with the Alderman and the +Wardens, and they mingled with the good folk of the Dale and the +Shepherds and the Woodlanders, and merry was their converse there. +It yet lacked an hour of noon; so presently they fell to and feasted +in the green meadow, drinking from wain to wain and from tent to +tent; and thereafter they played and sported in the meads, shooting +at the butts and wrestling, and trying other masteries. Then they +fell to dancing one and all, and so at last to supper on the green +grass in great merriment. Nor might you have known from the +demeanour of any that any threat of evil overhung the Dale. Nay, so +glad were they, and so friendly, that you might rather have deemed +that this was the land whereof tales tell, wherein people die not, +but live for ever, without growing any older than when they first +come thither, unless they be born into the land itself, and then they +grow into fair manhood, and so abide. In sooth, both the land and +the folk were fair enough to be that land and the folk thereof. + +But a little after sunset they sundered, and some fared home; but +many of them abode in the tents and tilted wains, because the morrow +was the first day of the Spring Market: and already were some of the +Westland chapmen come; yea, two of them were with the bystanders in +the meadow; and more were looked for ere the night was far spent. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. THE MEN OF SHADOWY VALE COME TO THE SPRING MARKET AT +BURGSTEAD + + + +On the morrow betimes in the morning the Westland chapmen, who were +now all come, went out from the House of the Face, where they were +ever wont to be lodged, and set up their booths adown the street +betwixt gate and bridge. Gay was the show; for the booths were +tilted over with painted cloths, and the merchants themselves were +clad in long gowns of fine cloth; scarlet, and blue, and white, and +green, and black, with broidered welts of gold and silver; and their +knaves were gaily attired in short coats of divers hues, with silver +rings about their arms, and short swords girt to their sides. People +began to gather about these chapmen at once when they fell to opening +their bales and their packs, and unloading their wains. There had +they iron, both in pigs and forged scrap and nails; steel they had, +and silver, both in ingots and vessel; pearls from over sea; cinnabar +and other colours for staining, such as were not in the mountains: +madder from the marshes, and purple of the sea, and scarlet grain +from the holm-oaks by its edge, and woad from the deep clayey fields +of the plain; silken thread also from the outer ocean, and rare webs +of silk, and jars of olive oil, and fine pottery, and scented woods, +and sugar of the cane. But gold they had none with them, for that +they took there; and for weapons, save a few silver-gilt toys, they +had no market. + +So presently they fell to chaffer; for the carles brought them little +bags of the river-borne gold, so that the weights and scales were at +work; others had with them scrolls and tallies to tell the number of +the beasts which they had to sell, and the chapmen gave them wares +therefor without beholding the beasts; for they wotted that the +Dalesmen lied not in chaffer. While the day was yet young withal +came the Dalesmen from the mid and nether Dale with their wares and +set up their booths; and they had with them flasks and kegs of the +wine which they had to sell; and bales of the good winter-woven +cloth, some grey, some dyed, and pieces of fine linen; and blades of +swords, and knives, and axes of such fashion as the Westland men +used; and golden cups and chains, and fair rings set with mountain- +blue stones, and copper bowls, and vessels gilt and parcel-gilt, and +mountain-blue for staining. There were men of the Shepherds also +with such fleeces as they could spare from the daily chaffer with the +neighbours. And of the Woodlanders were four carles and a woman with +peltries and dressed deer-skins, and a few pieces of well-carven +wood-work for bedsteads and chairs and such like. + +Soon was the Burg thronged with folk in all its open places, and all +were eager and merry, and it could not have been told from their +demeanour and countenance that the shadow of a grievous trouble hung +over them. True it was that every man of the Dale and the neighbours +was girt with his sword, or bore spear or axe or other weapon in his +hand, and that most had their bucklers at their backs and their helms +on their heads; but this was ever their custom at all meetings of +men, not because they dreaded war or were fain of strife, but in +token that they were free men, from whom none should take the weapons +without battle. + +Such were the folk of the land: as for the chapmen, they were well- +spoken and courteous, and blithe with the folk, as they well might +be, for they had good pennyworths of them; yet they dealt with them +without using measureless lying, as behoved folk dealing with simple +and proud people; and many was the tale they told of the tidings of +the Cities and the Plain. + +There amongst the throng was the Bride in her maiden's attire, but +girt with the sword, going from booth to booth with her guests of the +Runaways, and doing those poor people what pleasure she might, and +giving them gifts from the goods there, such as they set their hearts +on. And the more part of the Runaways were about among the people of +the Fair; but Dallach, being still weak, sat on a bench by the door +of the House of the Face looking on well-pleased at all the stir of +folk. + +Hall-face was gone on the woodland ward; while Face-of-god went among +the folk in his most glorious attire; but he soon betook him to the +place of meeting without the Gate, where Stone-face and some of the +elders were sitting along with the Alderman, beside whom sat the head +man of the merchants, clad in a gown of fine scarlet embroidered with +the best work of the Dale, with a golden chaplet on his head, and a +good sword, golden-hilted, by his side, all which the Alderman had +given to it him that morning. These chiefs were talking together +concerning the tidings of the Plain, and many a tale the guest told +to the Dalesmen, some true, some false. For there had been battles +down there, and the fall of kings, and destruction of people, as oft +befalleth in the guileful Cities. He told them also, in answer to +their story of the Dusky Men, of how men even such-like, but riding +on horses, or drawn in wains, an host not to be numbered, had +erewhile overthrown the hosts of the Cities of the Plain, and had +wrought evils scarce to be told of; and how they had piled up the +skulls of slaughtered folk into great hills beside the city-gates, so +that the sun might no longer shine into the streets; and how because +of the death and the rapine, grass had grown in the kings' chambers, +and the wolves had chased deer in the Temples of the Gods. + +'But,' quoth he, 'I know you, bold tillers of the soil, valiant +scourers of the Wild-wood, that the worst that can befall you will be +to die under shield, and that ye shall suffer no torment of the +thrall. May the undying Gods bless the threshold of this Gate, and +oft may I come hither to taste of your kindness! May your race, the +uncorrupt, increase and multiply, till your valiant men and clean +maidens make the bitter sweet and purify the earth!' + +He spake smooth-tongued and smiling, handling the while the folds of +his fine scarlet gown, and belike he meant a full half of what he +said; for he was a man very eloquent of speech, and had spoken with +kings, uncowed and pleased with his speaking; and for that cause and +his riches had he been made chief of the chapmen. As he spake the +heart of Face-of-god swelled within him, and his cheek flushed; but +Iron-face sat up straight and proud, and a light smile played about +his face, as he said gravely: + +'Friend of the Westland, I thank thee for the blessing and the kind +word. Such as we are, we are; nor do I deem that the very Gods shall +change us. And if they will be our friends, it is well; for we +desire nought of them save their friendship; and if they will be our +foes, that also shall we bear; nor will we curse them for doing that +which their lives bid them to do. What sayest thou, Face-of-god, my +son?' + +'Yea, father,' said Face-of-god, 'I say that the very Gods, though +they slay me, cannot unmake my life that has been. If they do deeds, +yet shall we also do.' + +The Outlander smiled as they spake, and bowed his head to Iron-face +and Face-of-god, and wondered at their pride of heart, marvelling +what they would say to the great men of the Cities if they should +meet them. + +But as they sat a-talking, there came two men running to them from +the Portway, their weapons all clattering upon them, and they heard +withal the sound of a horn winded not far off very loud and clear; +and the Chapman's cheek paled: for in sooth he doubted that war was +at hand, after all he had heard of the Dalesmen's dealings with the +Dusky Men. And all battle was loathsome to him, nor for all the gain +of his chaffer had he come into the Dale, had he known that war was +looked for. + +But the chiefs of the Dalesmen stirred not, nor changed countenance; +and some of the goodmen who were in the street nigh the Gate came +forth to see what was toward; for they also had heard the voice of +the horn. + +Then one of those messengers came up breathless, and stood before the +chiefs, and said: + +'New tidings, Alderman; here be weaponed strangers come into the +Dale.' + +The Alderman smiled on him and said: 'Yea, son, and are they a great +host of men?' + +'Nay,' said the man, 'not above a score as I deem, and there is a +woman with them.' + +'Then shall we abide them here,' said the Alderman, 'and thou +mightest have saved thy breath, and suffered them to bring tidings of +themselves; since they may scarce bring us war. For no man desireth +certain and present death; and that is all that such a band may win +at our hands in battle to-day; and all who come in peace are welcome +to us. What like are they to behold?' + +Said the man: 'They are tall men gloriously attired, so that they +seem like kinsmen of the Gods; and they bear flowering boughs in +their hands.' + +The Alderman laughed, and said: 'If they be Gods they are welcome +indeed; and they shall grow the wiser for their coming; for they +shall learn how guest-fain the Burgdale men may be. But if, as I +deem, they be like unto us, and but the children of the Gods, then +are they as welcome, and it may be more so, and our greeting to them +shall be as their greeting to us would be.' + +Even as he spake the horn was winded nearer yet, and more loudly, and +folk came pouring out of the Gate to learn the tidings. Presently +the strangers came from off the Portway into the space before the +Gate; and their leader was a tall and goodly man of some thirty +winters, in glorious array, helm on head and sword by side, his +surcoat green and flowery like the spring meads. In his right hand +he held a branch of the blossomed black-thorn (for some was yet in +blossom), and his left had hold of the hand of an exceeding fair +woman who went beside him: behind him was a score of weaponed men in +goodly attire, some bearing bows, some long spears, but each bearing +a flowering bough in hand. + +The tall man stopped in the midst of the space, and the Alderman and +they with him stirred not; though, as for Face-of-god, it was to him +as if summer had come suddenly into the midst of winter, and for the +very sweetness of delight his face grew pale. + +Then the new-comer drew nigh to the Alderman and said: + +'Hail to the Gate and the men of the Gate! Hail to the kindred of +the children of the Gods!' + +But the Alderman stood up and spake: 'And hail to thee, tall man! +Fair greeting to thee and thy company! Wilt thou name thyself with +thine own name, or shall I call thee nought save Guest? Welcome art +thou, by whatsoever name thou wilt be called. Here may'st thou and +thy folk abide as long as ye will.' + +Said the new-comer: 'Thanks have thou for thy greeting and for thy +bidding! And that bidding shall we take, whatsoever may come of it; +for we are minded to abide with thee for a while. But know thou, O +Alderman of the Dalesmen, that I am not sackless toward thee and +thine. My name is Folk-might of the Children of the Wolf, and this +woman is the Sun-beam, my sister, and these behind me are of my +kindred, and are well beloved and trusty. We are no evil men or +wrong-doers; yet have we been driven into sore straits, wherein men +must needs at whiles do deeds that make their friends few and their +foes many. So it may be that I am thy foeman. Yet, if thou doubtest +of me that I shall be a baneful guest, thou shalt have our weapons of +us, and then mayest thou do thy will upon us without dread; and here +first of all is my sword!' + +Therewith he cast down the flowering branch he was bearing, and +pulled his sword from out his sheath, and took it by the point, and +held out the hilt to Iron-face. + +But the Alderman smiled kindly on him and said: + +'The blade is a good one, and I say it who know the craft of sword- +forging; but I need it not, for thou seest I have a sword by my side. +Keep your weapons, one and all; for ye have come amongst many and +those no weaklings: and if so be that thy guilt against us is so +great that we must needs fall on you, ye will need all your war-gear. +But hereof is no need to speak till the time of the Folk-mote, which +will be holden in three days' wearing; so let us forbear this matter +till then; for I deem we shall have enough to say of other matters. +Now, Folk-might, sit down beside me, and thou also, Sun-beam, fairest +of women.' + +Therewith he looked into her face and reddened, and said: + +'Yet belike thou hast a word of greeting for my son, Face-of-god, +unless it be so that ye have not seen him before?' + +Then Face-of-god came forward, and took Folk-might by the hand and +kissed him; and he stood before the Sun-beam and took her hand, and +the world waxed a wonder to him as he kissed her cheeks; and in no +wise did she change countenance, save that her eyes softened, and she +gazed at him full kindly from the happiness of her soul. + +Then Face-of-god said: 'Welcome, Guests, who erewhile guested me so +well: now beginneth the day of your well-doing to the men of +Burgdale; therefore will we do to you as well as we may.' + +Then Folk-might and the Sun-beam sat them down with the chieftains, +one on either side of the Alderman, but Face-of-god passed forth to +the others, and greeted them one by one: of them was Wood-father and +his three sons, and Bow-may; and they rejoiced exceedingly to see +him, and Bow-may said: + +'Now it gladdens my heart to look upon thee alive and thriving, and +to remember that day last winter when I met thee on the snow, and +turned thee back from the perilous path to thy pleasure, which the +Dusky Men were besetting, of whom thou knewest nought. Yea, it was +merry that tide; but this is better. Nay, friend,' she said, 'it +availeth thee nought to strive to look out of the back of thine head: +let it be enough to thee that she is there. Thou art now become a +great chieftain, and she is no less; and this is a meeting of +chieftains, and the folk are looking on and expecting demeanour of +them as of the Gods; and she is not to be dealt with as if she were +the daughter of some little goodman with whom one hath made tryst in +the meadows. There! hearken to me for a while; at least till I tell +thee that thou seemest to me to hold thine head higher than when last +I saw thee; though that is no long time either. Hast thou been in +battle again since that day?' + +'Nay,' he said, 'I have stricken no stroke since I slew two felons +within the same hour that we parted. And thou, sister, what hast +thou done?' + +She said: 'The grey goose hath been on the wing thrice since that, +bearing on it the bane of evil things.' + +Then said Wood-wise: 'Kinswoman, tell him of that battle, since thou +art deft with thy tongue.' + +She said: 'Weary on battles! it is nought save this: twelve days +agone needs must every fighting-man of the Wolf, carle or of queen, +wend away from Shadowy Vale, while those unmeet for battle we hid +away in the caves at the nether end of the Dale: but Sun-beam would +not endure that night, and fared with us, though she handled no +weapon. All this we had to do because we had learned that a great +company of the Dusky Men were over-nigh to our Dale, and needs must +we fall upon them, lest they should learn too much, and spread the +story. Well, so wise was Folk-might that we came on them unawares by +night and cloud at the edge of the Pine-wood, and but one of our men +was slain, and of them not one escaped; and when the fight was over +we counted four score and ten of their arm-rings.' + +He said: 'Did that or aught else come of our meeting with them that +morning?' + +'Nay,' she said, 'nought came of it: those we slew were but a +straying band. Nay, the four score and ten slain in the Pine-wood +knew not of Shadowy Vale belike, and had no intent for it: they were +but scouring the wood seeking their warriors that had gone out from +Silver-dale and came not aback.' + +'Thou art wise in war, Bow-may,' said Face-of-god, and he smiled +withal. + +Bow-may reddened and said: 'Friend Gold-mane, dost thou perchance +deem that there is aught ill in my warring? And the Sun-beam, she +naysayeth the bearing of weapons; though I deem that she hath little +fear of them when they come her way.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Nay, I deem no ill of it, but much good. For I +suppose that thou hast learned overmuch of the wont of the Dusky Men, +and hast seen their thralls?' + +She knitted her brows, and all the merriment went out of her face at +that word, and she answered: 'Yea, thou hast it; for I have both +seen their thralls and been in the Dale of thralldom; and how then +can I do less than I do? But for thee, I perceive that thou hast +been nigh unto our foes and hast fallen in with their thralls; and +that is well; for whatso tales we had told thee thereof it is like +thou wouldst not have trowed in, as now thou must do, since thou +thyself hast seen these poor folk. But now I will tell thee, Gold- +mane, that my soul is sick of these comings and goings for the +slaughter of a few wretches; and I long for the Great Day of Battle, +when it will be seen whether we shall live or die; and though I laugh +and jest, yet doth the wearing of the days wear me.' + +He looked kindly on her and said: 'I am War-leader of this Folk, and +trust me that the waiting-tide shall not be long; wherefore now, +sister, be merry to-day, for that is but meet and right; and cast +aside thy care, for presently shalt thou behold many new friends. +But now meseemeth overlong have ye been standing before our Gate, and +it is time that ye should see the inside of our Burg and the inside +of our House.' + +Indeed by this time so many men had come out of the street that the +place before the Gate was all thronged, and from where he stood Face- +of-god could scarce see his father, or Folk-might and the Sun-beam +and the chieftains. + +So he took Wood-father by the hand, and close behind him came Wood- +wise and Bow-may, and he cried out for way that he might speak with +the Alderman, and men gave way to them, and he led those new-comers +close up to the gate-seats of the Elders, and as he clove the press +smiling and bright-eyed and happy, all gazed on him; but the Sun- +beam, who was sitting between Iron-face and the Westland Chapman, and +who heretofore had been agaze with eyes beholding little, past whose +ears the words went unheard, and whose mind wandered into thoughts of +things unfashioned yet, when she beheld him close to her again, then, +taken unawares, her eyes caressed him, and she turned as red as a +rose, as she felt all the sweetness of desire go forth from her to +meet him. So that, he perceiving it, his voice was the clearer and +sweeter for the inward joy he felt, as he said: + +'Alderman, meseemeth it is now time that we bring our Guests into the +House of our Fathers; for since they are in warlike array, and we are +no longer living in peace, and I am now War-leader of the Dale, I +deem it but meet that I should have the guesting of them. Moreover, +when we are come into our House, I will bid thee look into thy +treasury, that thou may'st find therein somewhat which it may +pleasure us to give to our Guests.' + +Said Iron-face: 'Thou sayest well, son, and since the day is now +worn past noon, and these folk are but just come from the Waste, +therefore such as we have of meat and drink abideth them. And surely +there is within our house a coffer which belongeth to thee and me; +and forsooth I know not why we keep the treasures hoarded therein, +save that it be for this cause: that if we were to give to our +friends that which we ourselves use and love, which would be of all +things pleasant to us, if we gave them such goods, they would be worn +and worsened by our use of them. For this reason, therefore, do we +keep fair things which we use not, so that we may give them to our +friends. + +'Now, Guests, both of the Waste and the Westland, since here is no +Gate-thing or meeting of the Dale-wardens, and we sit here but for +our pleasure, let us go take our pleasure within doors for a while, +if it seem good to you.' + +Therewith he arose, and the folk made way for him and his Guests; and +Folk-might went on the right hand of Iron-face, and beside him went +the Chapman, who looked on him with a half-smile, as though he knew +somewhat of him. But on the other side of Iron-face went the Sun- +beam, whose hand he held, and after these came Face-of-god, leading +in the rest of the New-comers, who yet held the flowery branches in +their hands. + +Now so much had Face-of-god told the Dalesmen, that they deemed they +all knew these men for their battle-fellows of whom they had heard +tell; and this the more as the men were so goodly and manly of +aspect, especially Folk-might, so that they seemed as if they were +nigh akin to the Gods. As for the Sun-beam, they knew not how to +praise her beauty enough, but they said that they had never known +before how fair the Gods might be. So they raised a great shout of +welcome as the men came through the Gate into the Burg, and all men +turned their backs on the booths, so eager were they to behold +closely these new friends. + +But as the Guests went from the Gate to the House of the Face, going +very slowly because of the press, there in the front of the throng +stood the Bride with the women of the Runaways, whom she had caused +to be clad very fairly; and she was fain to do them a pleasure by +bringing them to sight of these new-comers, of whom she had not heard +who they were, though she had heard the cry that strangers were at +hand. So there she stood smiling a little with the pleasure of +showing a fair sight to the poor people, as folk do with children. +But when she saw those twain going on each side of the Alderman she +knew them at once; and when the Sun-beam, who was on his left side, +passed so close to her that she could see the very smoothness and +dainty fashion of her skin, then was she astonied, and the world +seemed strange to her, and till they were gone by, and for a while +afterwards, she knew not where she was nor what she did, though it +seemed to her as if she still saw the face of that fair woman as in a +picture. + +But the Sun-beam had noted her at first, even amongst the fair women +of Burgstead, and she so steady and bright beside the wandering +timorous eyes and lowering faces of the thralls. But suddenly, as +eye met eye, she saw her face change; she saw her cheek whiten, her +eyes stare, and her lips quiver, and she knew at once who it was; for +she had not seen her before as Folk-might had. Then the Sun-beam +cast her eyes adown, lest her compassion might show in her face, and +be a fresh grief to her that had lost the wedding and the love; and +so she passed on. + +As for Folk-might, he had seen her at once amongst all that folk as +he came into the street, and in sooth he was looking for her; and +when he saw her face change, as the sight of the Sun-beam smote upon +her heart, his own face burned with shame and anger, and he looked +back at her as he went toward the House. But she saw him not, nor +noted him; and none deemed it strange that he looked long on the +Bride, the treasure of Burgstead. But for some while Folk-might was +few-spoken and sharp-spoken amongst the chieftains; for he was slow +to master his longing and his wrath. + +So when all the Guests had entered the door of the House of the Face, +the Alderman turned back, and, standing on the threshold of his +House, spake unto the throng: + +'Men of the Dale, and ye Outlanders who may be here, know that this +is a happy day; for hither have come to us Guests, men of the kindred +of the Gods, and they are even those of whom Face-of-god my son hath +told you. And they are friends of our friends and foes of our foes. +These men are now in my House, as is but right; but when they come +forth I look to you to cherish them in the best way ye know, and make +much of them, as of those who may help us and who may by us be +holpen.' + +Therewith he went in again and into the Hall, and bade show the New- +comers to the dais; and wine of the best, and meat such as was to +hand, was set before them. He bade men also get ready high feast as +great as might be against the evening; and they did his bidding +straightway. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. THE ALDERMAN GIVES GIFTS TO THEM OF SHADOWY VALE + + + +In the Hall of the Face Folk-might sat on the dais at the right hand +of the Alderman, and the Sun-beam on his left hand. But Iron-face +also had beheld the Bride how her face changed, and he knew the +cause, and was grieved and angry and ashamed thereof: also he +bethought him how this stranger was sitting in the very place where +the Bride used to sit, and of all the love, as of a very daughter, +that he had had for her; howbeit he constrained himself to talk +courteously and kindly both to Folk-might and + +the Sun-beam, as behoved the Chief of the House and the Alderman of +the Dale. Moreover, he was not a little moved by the goodliness and +wisdom of the Sun-beam and the manliness of Folk-might, who was the +most chieftain-like of men. + +But while they sat there Face-of-god went from man to man of the +Guests, and made much of each, but especially of Wood-father and his +sons and Bow-may, and they loved him, and praised him, and deemed him +the best of hall-mates. Nor might the Sun-beam altogether refrain +her from looking lovingly on him, and it could be seen of her that +she deemed he was doing well, and like a wise leader and chieftain. + +So wore away awhile, and men were fulfilled of meat and drink; so +then the Alderman arose and spake, and said: + +'Is it not so, Guests, that ye would now gladly behold our market, +and the goodly wares which the chapmen have brought us from the +Cities?' + +Then most men cried out: 'Yea, yea!' and Iron-face said: + +'Then shall ye go, nor be holden by me from your pleasure. And ye +kinsmen who are the most guest-fain and the wisest, go ye with our +friends, and make all things easy and happy for them. But first of +all, Guests, I were well pleased if ye would take some small matters +out of our abundance; for it were well that ye see them ere ye stand +before the chapmen's booths, lest ye chaffer with them for what ye +have already.' + +They all praised his bounty and thanked him for his goodwill: so he +arose to go to his treasury, and bade certain of his folk go along +with him to bear in the gifts. But ere he had taken three steps down +the hall, Face-of-god prevented him and said: + +'Kinsman, if thou hast anywhere a hauberk somewhat better than folk +are wont to bear, such as thine own hand fashioneth, and a sword of +the like stuff, I would have thee give them, the sword to my brother- +in-arms Wood-wise here, and the war-coat to my sister Bow-may, who +shooteth so well in the bow that none may shoot closer, and very few +as close; and her shaft it was that delivered me when my skull was +amongst the axes of the Dusky Men: else had I not been here.' + +Thereat Bow-may reddened and looked down, like a scholar who hath +been over-praised for his learning and diligence; but the Alderman +smiled on her and said: + +'I thank thee, son, that thou hast let me know what these our two +friends may be fain of: and as for this damsel-at-arms, it is a +little thing that thou askest for her, and we might have found her +something more worthy of her goodliness; yet forsooth, since we are +all bound for the place where shafts and staves shall be good cheap, +a greater treasure might be of less avail to her.' + +Thereat men laughed, and the Alderman went down the Hall with those +bearers of gifts, and was away for a space while they drank and made +merry: but presently back they came from the treasury bearing loads +of goodly things which were laid on one of the endlong boards. Then +began the gift-giving: and first he gave unto Folk-might six golden +cups marvellously fashioned, the work of four generations of wrights +in the Dale, and he himself had wrought the last two thereof. To +Sun-beam he gave a girdle of gold, fashioned with great mastery, +whereon were images of the Gods and the Fathers, and warriors, and +beasts of the field and fowls of the air; and as he girt it about her +loins, he said in a soft voice so that few heard: + +'Sun-beam, thou fair woman, time has been when thou wert to us as the +edge of the poisonous sword or the midnight torch of the murderer; +but now I know not how it will be, or if the grief which thou hast +given me will ever wear out or not. And now that I have beheld thee, +I have little to do to blame my son; for indeed when I look on thee I +cannot deem that there is any evil in thee. Yea, however it may be, +take thou this gift as the reward of thine exceeding beauty.' + +She looked on him with kind eyes, and said meekly: + +'Indeed, if I have hurt thee unwittingly, I grieve to have hurt so +good a man. Hereafter belike we may talk more of this, but now I +will but say, that whereas at first I needed but to win thy son's +goodwill, so that our Folk might come to life and thriving again, now +it is come to this, that he holdeth my heart in his hand and may do +what he will with it; therefore I pray thee withhold not thy love +either from him or from me.' + +He looked on her wondering, and said: 'Thou art such an one as might +make the old man young, and the boy grow into manhood suddenly; and +thy voice is as sweet as the voice of the song-birds singing in the +dawn of early summer soundeth to him who hath been sick unto death, +but who hath escaped it and is mending. And yet I fear thee.' + +Therewith he kissed her hand and turned unto the others, and he gave +unto Bow-may a hauberk of ring-mail of his own fashioning, a sure +defence and a wonderful work, and the collar thereof was done with +gold and gems. + +But he said to her: 'Fair damsel-at-arms, faithful is thy face, and +the fashion of thee is goodly: now art thou become one of the best +of our friends, and this is little enough to give thee; yet would we +fain ward thy body against the foeman; so grieve us not by gainsaying +us.' + +And Bow-may was exceeding glad, and scarce knew how to cease handling +that marvel of ring-mail. + +Then to Wood-wise Iron-face gave a most goodly sword, the blade all +marked with dark lines like the stream of an eddying river, the hilts +of steel and gold marvellously wrought; and all the work of a smith +who had dwelt in the house of his father's father, and was a great +warrior. + +Unto Wood-father he gave a very goodly helm parcel-gilded; and to his +sons and the other folk fair gifts of weapons and jewels and girdles +and cups and other good things; so that their hearts were full of +joy, and they all praised his open hand. + +Then some of the best and merriest of the kinsmen of the Face, and +Face-of-god with them, brought the Guests out into the street and +among the booths. There Face-of-god beheld the Bride again; and she +was standing by the booth of a chapman and dealing with him for a +piece of goodly silken cloth to be a gown for one of her guests, and +she was talking and smiling as she chaffered with him, as her wont +was; for she was ever very friendly of demeanour with all men. But +he noted that she was yet exceeding pale, and he was right sorry +thereof, for he loved her friendly; yet now had he no shame for all +that had befallen, when he bethought him of the Sun-beam and the love +she had for him. And also he had a deeming that the Bride would +better of her grief. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. THE CHIEFTAINS TAKE COUNSEL IN THE HALL OF THE FACE + + + +Then turned Face-of-god back into the Hall, and saw where Iron-face +sat at the dais, and with him Folk-might and Stone-face and the Elder +of the Dale-wardens, and Sun-beam withal; so he went soberly up to +the board, and sat himself down thereat beside Stone-face, over +against Folk-might and his father, beside whom sat the Sun-beam; and +Folk-might looked on him gravely, as a man powerful and trustworthy, +yet was his look somewhat sour. + +Then the Alderman said: 'My son, I said not to thee come back +presently, because I wotted that thou wouldst surely do so, knowing +that we have much to speak of. For, whatever these thy friends may +have done, or whatsoever thou hast done with them to grieve us, all +that must be set aside at this present time, since the matter in hand +is to save the Dale and its folk. What sayest thou hereon? Since, +young as thou mayst be, thou art our War-leader, and doubtless shalt +so be after the Folk-mote hath been holden.' + +Face-of-god answered not hastily: indeed, as he sat thinking for a +minute or two, the fair spring day seemed to darken about them or to +glare into the light of flames amidst the night-tide; and the joyous +clamour without doors seemed to grow hoarse and fearful as the sound +of wailing and shrieking. But he spake firmly and simply in a clear +voice, and said: + +'There can be no two words concerning what we have to aim at; these +Dusky Men we must slay everyone, though we be fewer than they be.' + +Folk-might smiled and nodded his head; but the others sat staring +down the hall or into the hangings. + +Then spake Folk-might: 'Thou wert a boy methought when I cast my +spear at thee last autumn, Face-of-god, but now hast thou grown into +a man. Now tell me, what deemest thou we must do to slay them all?' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Once again it is clear that we must fall upon +them at home in Rose-dale and Silver-dale.' + +Again Folk-might nodded: but Iron-face said: + +'Needeth this? May we not ward the Dale and send many bands into the +wood to fall upon them when we meet them? Yea, and so doing these +our guests have already slain many, as this valiant man hath told me +e'en now. Will ye not slay so many at last, that they shall learn to +fear us, and abide at home and leave us at peace?' + +But Face-of-god said: 'Meseemeth, father, that this is not thy rede, +and that thou sayest this but to try me: and perchance ye have been +talking about me when I was without in the street e'en now. Even if +it might be that we should thus cow these felons into abiding at home +and tormenting their own thralls at their ease, yet how then are our +friends of the Wolf holpen to their own again? And I shall tell thee +that I have promised to this man and this woman that I will give them +no less than a man's help in this matter. Moreover, I have spoken in +every house of the Dale, and to the Shepherds and the Woodlanders, +and there is no man amongst them but will follow me in the quarrel. +Furthermore, they have heard of the thralldom that is done on men no +great way from their own houses; yea, they have seen it; and they +remember the old saw, "Grief in thy neighbour's hall is grief in thy +garth," and sure it is, father, that whether thou or I gainsay them, +go they will to deliver the thralls of the Dusky Men, and will leave +us alone in the Dale.' + +'This is no less than sooth,' said the Dale-warden, 'never have men +gone forth more joyously to a merry-making than all men of us shall +wend to this war.' + +'But,' said Face-of-god, 'of one thing ye may be sure, that these men +will not abide our pleasure till we cut them all off in scattered +bands, nor will they sit deedless at home. Nor indeed may they; for +we have heard from their thralls that they look to have fresh tribes +of them come to hand to eat their meat and waste their servants, and +these and they must find new abodes and new thralls; and they are now +warned by the overthrows and slayings that they have had at our hands +that we are astir, and they will not delay long, but will fall upon +us with all their host; it might even be to-day or to-morrow.' + +Said Folk-might: 'In all this thou sayest sooth, brother of the +Dale; and to cut this matter short, I will tell you all, that +yesterday we had with us a runaway from Silver-dale (it is overlong +to tell how we fell in with her; for it was a woman). But she told +us that this very moon is a new tribe come into the Dale, six long +hundreds in number, and twice as many more are looked for in two +eights of days, and that ere this moon hath waned, that is, in +twenty-four days, they will wend their ways straight for Burgdale, +for they know the ways thereto. So I say that Face-of-god is right +in all wise. But tell me, brother, hast thou thought of how we shall +come upon these men?' + +'How many men wilt thou lead into battle?' said Face-of-god. + +Folk-might reddened, and said: 'A few, a few; maybe two-hundreds all +told.' + +'Yea,' said Face-of-god, 'but some special gain wilt thou be to us.' + +'So I deem at least,' said Folk-might. + +Said Face-of-god: 'Good is that. Now have we held our Weapon-show +in the Dale, and we find that we together with you be sixteen long +hundreds of men; and the tale of the foemen that be now in Silver- +dale, new-comers and all, shall be three thousands or thereabout, and +in Rose-dale hard on a thousand.' + +'Scarce so many,' said Folk-might; 'some of the felons have died; we +told over our silver arm-rings yesterday, and the tale was three +hundred and eighty and six. Besides, they were never so many as thou +deemest.' + +'Well,' said Face-of-god, 'yet at least they shall outnumber us +sorely. We may scarce leave the Dale unguarded when our host is +gone; therefore I deem that we shall have but one thousand of men for +our onslaught on Silver-dale.' + +'How come ye to that?' said Stone-face. + +Said Face-of-god: 'Abide a while, fosterer! Though the odds between +us be great, it is not to be hidden that I wot how ye of the Wolf +know of privy passes into Silver-dale; yea, into the heart thereof; +and this is the special gain ye have to give us. Therefore we, the +thousand men, falling on the foe unawares, shall make a great +slaughter of them; and if the murder be but grim enough, those +thralls of theirs shall fear us and not them, as already they hate +them and not us, so that we may look to them for rooting out these +sorry weeds after the overthrow. And what with one thing, what with +another, we may cherish a good hope of clearing Silver-dale at one +stroke with the said thousand men. + +'There remaineth Rose-dale, which will be easier to deal with, +because the Dusky Men therein are fewer and the thralls as many: +that also would I fall on at the same time as we fall on Silver-dale +with the men that are left over from the Silver-dale onslaught. +Wherefore my rede is, that we gather all those unmeet for battle in +the field into this Burg, with ten tens of men to strengthen them; +which shall be enough for them, along with the old men, and lads, and +sturdy women, to defend themselves till help comes, if aught of evil +befall, or to flee into the mountains, or at the worst to die +valiantly. Then let the other five hundreds fare up to Rose-dale, +and fall on the Dusky Men therein about the same time, but not before +our onslaught on Silver-dale: thus shall hand help foot, so that +stumbling be not falling; and we may well hope that our rede shall +thrive.' + +Then was he silent, and the Sun-beam looked upon him with gleaming +eyes and parted lips, waiting eagerly to hear what Folk-might would +say. He held his peace a while, drumming on the board with his +fingers, and none else spake a word. At last he said: + +'War-leader of Burgdale, all that thou hast spoken likes me well, and +even so must it be done, saving that parting of our host and sending +one part to fall upon Rose-dale. I say, nay; let us put all our +might into that one stroke on Silver-dale, and then we are undone +indeed if we fail; but so shall we be if we fail anywise; but if we +win Silver-dale, then shall Rose-dale lie open before us.' + +'My brother,' said Face-of-god, 'thou art a tried warrior, and I but +a lad: but dost thou not see this, that whatever we do, we shall not +at one onslaught slay all the Dusky Men of Silver-dale, and those +that flee before us shall betake them to Rose-dale, and tell all the +tale, and what shall hinder them then from falling on Burgdale (since +they are no great way from it) after they have murdered what they +will of the unhappy people under their hands?' + +Said Folk-might: 'I say not but that there is a risk thereof, but in +war we must needs run such risks, and all should be risked rather +than that our blow on Silver-dale be light. For we be the fewer; and +if the foemen have time to call that to mind, then are we all lost.' + +Said Stone-face: 'Meseemeth, War-leader, that there is nought much +to dread in leaving Rose-dale to itself for a while; for not only may +we follow hard on the fleers if they flee to Rose-dale, and be there +no long time after them, before they have time to stir their host but +also after the overthrow we shall be free to send men back to +Burgdale by way of Shadowy Vale. I deem that herein Folk-might hath +the right of it.' + +'Even so say I,' said the Alderman; 'besides, we might theft leave +more folk behind us for the warding of the Dale. So, son, the risk +whereof thou speakest groweth the lesser the longer it is looked on.' + +Then spake the Dale-warden: 'Yet saving your wisdom, Alderman, the +risk is there yet. For if these felons come into the Dale at all, +even if the folk left behind hold the Burg and keep themselves +unmurdered, yet may they not hinder the foe from spoiling our +homesteads; so that our folk coming back in triumph shall find ruin +at home, and spend weary days in hunting their foemen, who shall, +many of them, escape into the Wild-wood.' + +'Yea,' said the Sun-beam, 'sooth is that; and Face-of-god is wise to +think of it and of other matters. Yet one thing we must bear in +mind, that all may not go smoothly in our day's work in Silver-dale; +so we must have force there to fall back on, in case we miss our +stroke at first. Therefore, I say, send we no man to Rose-dale, and +leave we no able man-at-arms behind in the Burg, so that we have with +us every blade that may be gathered.' + +Iron-face smiled and said: 'Thou art wise, damsel; and I marvel that +so fair-fashioned a thing as thou can think so hardly of the meeting +of the fallow blades. But hearken! will not the Dusky Men hear that +we have stripped the Dale of fighting-men, and may they not then give +our host the go-by and send folk to ruin us?' + +There was silence while Face-of-god looked down on the board; but +presently he lifted up his face and said: + +'Folk-might was right when he said that all must be risked. Let us +leave Rose-dale till we have overcome them of Silver-dale. Moreover, +my father, thou must not deem of these felons as if they were of like +wits to us, to forecast the deeds to come, and weigh the chances +nicely, and unravel tangled clews. Rather they move like to the +stares in autumn, or the winter wild-geese, and will all be thrust +forward by some sting that entereth into their imaginations. +Therefore, if they have appointed one moon to wear before they fall +upon us, they will not stir till then, and we have time enough to do +what must be done. Wherefore am I now of one mind with the rest of +you. Now meseemeth it were well that these things which we have +spoken here, and shall speak, should not be noised abroad openly; +nay, at the Folk-mote it would be well that nought be said about the +day or the way of our onslaught on Silver-dale, lest the foe take +warning and be on their guard. Though, sooth to say, did I deem that +if they had word of our intent they of Rose-dale would join +themselves to them of Silver-dale, and that we should thus have all +our foes in one net, then were I fain if the word would reach them. +For my soul loathes the hunting that shall befall up and down the +wood for the slaying of a man here, and two or three there, and the +wearing of the days in wandering up and down with weapons in the +hand, and the spinning out of hatred and delaying of peace.' + +Then Iron-face reached his hand across the board and took his son's +hand, and said: + +'Hail to thee, son, for thy word! Herein thou speakest as if from my +very soul, and fain am I of such a War-leader.' + +And desire drew the eyes of the Sun-beam to Face-of-god, and she +beheld him proudly. But he said: + +'All hath been spoken that the others of us may speak; and now it +falleth to the part of Folk-might to order our goings for the tryst +for the onslaught, and the trysting-place shall be in Shadowy Vale. +How sayest thou, Chief of the Wolf?' + +Said Folk-might: 'I have little to say; and it is for the War-leader +to see to this closely and piecemeal. I deem, as we all deem, that +there should be no delay; yet were it best to wend not all together +to Shadowy Vale, but in divers bands, as soon as ye may after the +Folk-mote, by the sure and nigh ways that we shall show you. And +when we are gathered there, short is the rede, for all is ready there +to wend by the passes which we know throughly, and whereby it is but +two days' journey to the head of Silver-dale, nigh to the caves of +the silver, where the felons dwell the thickest.' + +He set his teeth, and his colour came and went: for as constantly as +the onslaught had been in his mind, yet whenever he spake of the +great day of battle, hope and joy and anger wrought a tumult in his +soul; and now that it was so nigh withal, he could not refrain his +joy. + +But he spake again: 'Now therefore, War-leader, it is for thee to +order the goings of thy folk. But I will tell thee that they shall +not need to take aught with them save their weapons and victual for +the way, that is, for thirty hours; because all is ready for them in +Shadowy Vale, though it be but a poor place as to victual. Canst +thou tell us, therefore, what thou wilt do?' + +Face-of-god had knit his brows and become gloomy of countenance; but +now his face cleared, and he set his hand to his pouch, and drew +forth a written parchment, and said: + +'This is the order whereof I have bethought me. Before the Folk-mote +I and the Wardens shall speak to the leaders of hundreds, who be +mostly here at the Fair, and give them the day and the hour whereon +they shall, each hundred, take their weapons and wend to Shadowy +Vale, and also the place where they shall meet the men of yours who +shall lead them across the Waste. These hundred-leaders shall then +go straightway and give the word to the captains of scores, and the +captains of scores to the captains of tens; and if, as is scarce +doubtful, the Folk-mote yea-says the onslaught and the fellowship +with you of the Wolf, then shall those leaders of tens bring their +men to the trysting-place, and so go their ways to Shadowy Vale. Now +here I have the roll of our Weapon-show, and I will look to it that +none shall be passed over; and if ye ask me in what order they had +best get on the way, my rede is that a two hundred should depart on +the very evening of the day of the Folk-mote, and these to be of our +folk of the Upper Dale; and on the morning of the morrow of the Folk- +mote another two hundreds from the Dale; and in the evening of the +same day the folk of the Shepherds, three hundreds or more, and that +will be easy to them; again on the next day two more bands of the +Lower Dale, one in the morning, one in the evening. Lastly, in the +earliest dawn of the third day from the Folk-mote shall the +Woodlanders wend their ways. But one hundred of men let us leave +behind for the warding of the Burg, even as we agreed before. As for +the place of tryst for the faring over the Waste, let it be the end +of the knolls just by the jaws of the pass yonder, where the +Weltering Water comes into the Dale from the East. How say ye?' + +They all said, and Folk-might especially, that it was right well +devised, and that thus it should be done. + +Then turned Face-of-god to the Dale-warden, and said: + +'It were good, brother, that we saw the other wardens as soon as may +be, to do them to wit of this order, and what they have to do.' + +Therewith he arose and took the Elder of the Dale-wardens away with +him, and the twain set about their business straight-way. Neither +did the others abide long in the Hall, but went out into the Burg to +see the chapmen and their wares. There the Alderman bought what he +needed of iron and steel and other matters; and Folk-might cheapened +him a dagger curiously wrought, and a web of gold and silk for the +Sun-beam, for which wares he paid in silver arm-rings, new-wrought +and of strange fashion. + +But amidst of the chaffer was now a great ring of men; and in the +midst of the ring stood Redesman, fiddle and bow in hand, and with +him were four damsels wondrously arrayed; for the first was clad in a +smock so craftily wrought with threads of green and many colours, +that it seemed like a piece of the green field beset with primroses +and cowslips and harebells and windflowers, rather than a garment +woven and sewn; and in her hand she bore a naked sword, with golden +hilts and gleaming blade. But the second bore on her roses done in +like manner, both blossoms and green leaves, wherewith her body was +covered decently, which else had been naked. The third was clad as +though she were wading the wheat-field to the waist, and above was +wrapped in the leaves and bunches of the wine-tree. And the fourth +was clad in a scarlet gown flecked with white wool to set forth the +winter's snow, and broidered over with the burning brands of the Holy +Hearth; and she bore on her head a garland of mistletoe. And these +four damsels were clearly seen to image the four seasons of the year- +-Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. But amidst them stood a +fountain or conduit of gilded work cunningly wrought, and full of the +best wine of the Dale, and gilded cups and beakers hung about it. + +So now Redesman fell to caressing his fiddle with the bow till it +began to make sweet music, and therewith the hearts of all danced +with it; and presently words come into his mouth, and he fell to +singing; and the damsels answered him: + + +Earth-wielders, that fashion the Dale-dwellers' treasure, + Soft are ye by seeming, yet hardy of heart! +No warrior amongst us withstandeth your pleasure; + No man from his meadow may thrust you apart. + +Fresh and fair are your bodies, but far beyond telling + Are the years of your lives, and the craft ye have stored. +Come give us a word, then, concerning our dwelling, + And the days to befall us, the fruit of the sword. + +Winter saith: + +When last in the feast-hall the Yule-fire flickered, + The foot of no foeman fared over the snow, +And nought but the wind with the ash-branches bickered: + Next Yule ye may deem it a long time ago. + +Autumn saith: + +Loud laughed ye last year in the wheat-field a-smiting; + And ye laughed as your backs drave the beam of the press. +When the edge of the war-sword the acres are lighting + Look up to the Banner and laugh ye no less. + +Summer saith: + +Ye called and I came, and how good was the greeting, + When ye wrapped me in roses both bosom and side! +Here yet shall I long, and be fain of our meeting, + As hidden from battle your coming I bide. + +Spring saith: + +I am here for your comfort, and lo! what I carry; + The blade with the bright edges bared to the sun. +To the field, to the work then, that e'en I may tarry + For the end of the tale in my first days begun! + + +Therewith the throng opened, and a young man stepped lightly into the +ring, clad in very fair armour, with a gilded helm on his head; and +he took the sword from the hand of the Maiden of Spring, and waved it +in the air till the westering sun flashed back from it. Then each of +the four damsels went up to the swain and kissed his mouth; and +Redesman drew the bow across the strings, and the four damsels sang +together, standing round about the young warrior: + + +It was but a while since for earth's sake we trembled, + Lest the increase our life-days had won for the Dale, +All the wealth that the moons and the years had assembled, + Should be but a mock for the days of your bale. + +But now we behold the sun smite on the token + In the hand of the Champion, the heart of a man; +We look down the long years and see them unbroken; + Forth fareth the Folk by the ways it began. + +So bid ye these chapmen in autumn returning, + To bring iron for ploughshares and steel for the scythe, +And the over-sea oil that hath felt the sun's burning, + And fair webs for your women soft-spoken and blithe; + +And pledge ye your word in the market to meet them, + As many a man and as many a maid, +As eager as ever, as guest-fain to greet them, + And bide till the booth from the waggon is made. + +Come, guests of our lovers! for we, the year-wielders, + Bid each man and all to come hither and take +A cup from our hands midst the peace of our shielders, + And drink to the days of the Dale that we make. + + +Then went the damsels to that wine-fountain, and drew thence cups of +the best and brightest wine of the Dale, and went round about the +ring, and gave drink to whomsoever would, both of the chapmen and the +others; while the weaponed youth stood in the midst bearing aloft his +sword and shield like an image in a holy place, and Redesman's bow +still went up and down the strings, and drew forth a sweet and merry +tune. + +Great game it was now to see the stark Burgdale carles dragging the +Men of the Plain, little loth, up to the front of the ring, that they +might stretch out their hands for a cup, and how many a one, as he +took it, took as much as he might of the damsel's hand withal. As +for the damsels, they played the Holy Play very daintily, neither +reddening nor laughing, but faring so solemnly, and withal so sweetly +and bright-faced, that it might well have been deemed that they were +in very sooth Maidens of the God of Earth sent from the ever-enduring +Hall to cheer the hearts of men. + +So simply and blithely did the Men of Burgdale disport them after the +manner of their fathers, trusting in their valour and beholding the +good days to be. + +So wore the evening, and when night was come, men feasted throughout +the Burg from house to house, and every hall was full. But the +Guests from Shadowy Vale feasted in the Hall of the Face in all glee +and goodwill; and with them were the chief of the chapmen and two +others; but the rest of them had been laid hold of by goodmen of the +Burg, and dragged into their feast-halls, for they were fain of those +guests and their tales. One of the chapmen in the House of the Face +knew Folk-might, and hailed him by the name he had borne in the +Cities, Regulus to wit; indeed, the chief chapman knew him, and even +somewhat over-well, for he had been held to ransom by Folk-might in +those past days, and even yet feared him, because he, the chapman, +had played somewhat of a dastard's part to him. But the other was an +open-hearted and merry fellow, and no weakling; and Folk-might was +fain of his talk concerning times bygone, and the fields they had +foughten in, and other adventures that had befallen them, both good +and evil. + +As for Face-of-god, he went about the Hall soberly, and spake no more +than behoved him, so as not to seem a mar-feast; for the image of the +slaughter to be yet abode with him, and his heart foreboded the +after-grief of the battle. He had no speech with the Sun-beam till +men were sundering after the feast, and then he came close to her +amidst of the turmoil, and said: + +'Time presses on me these days; but if thou wouldest speak with me +to-morrow as I would with thee, then mightest thou go on the Bridge +of the Burg about sunrise, and I will be there, and we two only.' + +Her face, which had been somewhat sad that evening (for she had been +watching his), brightened at that word, and she took his hand as folk +came thronging round about them, and said: + +'Yea, friend, I shall be there, and fain of thee.' And therewithal +they sundered for that night. + +And all men went to sleep throughout the Burg: howbeit they set a +watch at the Burg-Gate; and Hall-face, when he was coming back from +the woodland ward about sunset, fell in with Redcoat of Waterless and +four score men on the Portway coming to meet him and take his place. +All which was clean contrary to the wont of the Burgdalers, who at +most whiles held no watch and ward, not even in Fair-time. + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. FACE-OF-GOD TALKETH WITH THE SUN-BEAM + + + +Face-of-God was at the Bridge on the morrow before sun-rising, and as +he turned about at the Bridge-foot he saw the Sun-beam coming down +the street; and his heart rose to his mouth at the sight of her, and +he went to meet her and took her by the hand; and there were no words +between them till they had kissed and caressed each other, for there +was no one stirring about them. So they went over the Bridge into +the meadows, and eastward of the beaten path thereover. + +The grass was growing thick and strong, and it was full of flowers, +as the cowslip and the oxlip, and the chequered daffodil, and the +wild tulip: the black-thorn was well-nigh done blooming, but the +hawthorn was in bud, and in some places growing white. It was a fair +morning, warm and cloudless, but the night had been misty, and the +haze still hung about the meadows of the Dale where they were +wettest, and the grass and its flowers were heavy with dew, so that +the Sun-beam went barefoot in the meadow. She had a dark cloak cast +over her kirtle, and had left her glittering gown behind her in the +House. + +They went along hand in hand exceeding fain of each other, and the +sun rose as they went, and the long beams of gold shone through the +tops of the tall trees across the grass they trod, and a light wind +rose up in the north, as Face-of-god stayed a moment and turned +toward the Face of the Sun and prayed to Him, while the Sun-beam's +hand left the War-leader's hand and stole up to his golden locks and +lay amongst them. + +Presently they went on, and the feet of Face-of-god led him unwitting +toward the chestnut grove by the old dyke where he had met the Bride +such a little while ago, till he bethought whither he was going and +stopped short and reddened; and the Sun-beam noted it, but spake not; +but he said: 'Hereby is a fair place for us to sit and talk till the +day's work beginneth.' + +So then he turned aside, and soon they came to a hawthorn brake out +of which arose a great tall-stemmed oak, showing no green as yet save +a little on its lower twigs; and anigh it, yet with room for its +boughs to grow freely, was a great bird-cherry tree, all covered now +with sweet-smelling white blossoms. There they sat down on the trunk +of a tree felled last year, and she cast off her cloak, and took his +face between her two hands and kissed him long and fondly, and for a +while their joy had no word. But when speech came to them, it was +she that spake first and said: + +'Gold-mane, my dear, sorely I wonder at thee and at me, how we are +changed since that day last autumn when I first saw thee. Whiles I +think, didst thou not laugh when thou wert by thyself that day, and +mock at me privily, that I must needs take such wisdom on myself, and +lesson thee standing like a stripling before me. Dost thou not call +it all to mind and make merry over it, now that thou art become a +great chieftain and a wise warrior, and I am yet what I always was, a +young maiden of the kindred; save that now I abide no longer for my +love?' + +Her face was exceeding bright and rippled with joyous smiles, and he +looked at her and deemed that her heart was overflowing with +happiness, and he wondered at her indeed that she was so glad of him, +and he said: + +'Yea, indeed, oft do I see that morning in the woodland hall and thee +and me therein, as one looketh on a picture; yea verily, and I laugh, +yet is it for very bliss; neither do I mock at all. Did I not deem +thee a God then? and am I not most happy now when I can call it thus +to mind? And as to thee, thou wert wise then, and yet art thou wise +now. Yea, I thought thee a God; and if we are changed, is it not +rather that thou hast lifted me up to thee, and not come down to me?' + +Yet therewithal he knit his brows somewhat and said: + +'Yet thou hast not to tell me that all thy love for thy Folk, and thy +yearning hope for its recoverance, was but a painted show. Else why +shouldst thou love me the better now that I am become a chieftain, +and therefore am more meet to understand thy hope and thy sorrow? +Did I not behold thee as we stood before the Wolf of the Hall of +Shadowy Vale, how the tears stood in thine eyes as thou beheldest +him, and thine hand in mine quivered and clung to me, and thou wert +all changed in a moment of time? Was all this then but a seeming and +a beguilement?' + +'O young man,' she said, 'hast thou not said it, that we stood there +close together, and my hand in thine and desire growing up in me? +Dost thou not know how this also quickeneth the story of our Folk, +and our goodwill towards the living, and remembrance of the dead? +Shall they have lived and desired, and we deny desire and life? Or +tell me: what was it made thee so chieftain-like in the Hall +yesterday, so that thou wert the master of all our wills, for as +self-willed as some of us were? Was it not that I, whom thou deemest +lovely, was thereby watching thee and rejoicing in thee? Did not the +sweetness of thy love quicken thee? Yet because of that was thy +warrior's wisdom and thy foresight an empty show? Heedest thou +nought the Folk of the Dale? Wouldest thou sunder from the children +of the Fathers, and dwell amongst strangers?' + +He kissed her and smiled on her and said: 'Did I not say of thee +that thou wert wiser than the daughters of men? See how wise thou +hast made me!' + +She spake again: 'Nay, nay, there was no feigning in my love for my +people. How couldest thou think it, when the Fathers and the kindred +have made this body that thou lovest, and the voice of their songs is +in the speech thou deemest sweet?' + +He said: 'Sweet friend, I deemed not that there was feigning in +thee: I was but wondering what I am and how I was fashioned, that I +should make thee so glad that thou couldst for a while forget thy +hope of the days before we met.' + +She said: 'O how glad, how glad! Yet was I nought hapless. In +despite of all trouble I had no down-weighing grief, and I had the +hope of my people before me. Good were my days; but I knew not till +now how glad a child of man may be.' + +Their words were hushed for a while amidst their caresses. Then she +said: + +'Gold-mane, my friend, I mocked not my past self because I deem that +I was a fool then, but because I see now that all that my wisdom +could do, would have come about without my wisdom; and that thou, +deeming thyself something less than wise, didst accomplish the thing +I craved, and that which thou didst crave also; and withal wisdom +embraced thee, along with love.' + +Therewith she cast her arms about him and said: + +'O friend, I mock myself of this: that erst thou deemedst me a God +and fearedst me, but now thou seemest to me to be a God, and I fear +thee. Yea, though I have longed so sore to be with thee since the +day of Shadowy Vale, and though I have wearied of the slow wearing of +the days, and it hath tormented me; yet now that I am with thee, I +bless the torment of my longing; for it is but my longing that +compelleth me to cast away my fear of thee and caress thee, because I +have learned how sweet it is to love thee thus.' + +He wound his arms about her, and sweeter was their longing than mere +joy; and though their love was beyond measure, yet was therein no +shame to aught, not even to the lovely Dale and that fair season of +spring, so goodly they were among the children of men. + +In a while they arose and turned homeward, and went over the open +meadow, and it was yet early, and the dew was as heavy on the grass +as before, though the wide sunlight was now upon it, glittering on +the wet blades, and shining through the bells of the chequered +daffodils till they looked like gouts of blood. + +'Look,' said Sun-beam, as they went along by the same way whereas +they came, 'deemest thou not that other speech-friends besides us +have been abroad to talk together apart on this morning of the eve of +battle. It is nought unwonted, that we do, even though we forget the +trouble of the people to think of our own joy for a while.' + +The smile died out of her face as she spoke, and she said: + +'O friend, this much may I say for myself in all sooth, that indeed I +would die for the kindred and its good days, nor falter therein; but +if I am to die, might I but die in thine arms!' + +He looked very lovingly on her, and put his arm about her and kissed +her and said: 'What ails us to stand in the doom-ring and bear +witness against ourselves before the kindred? Now I will say, that +whatsoever the kindred may or can call upon me to do, that will I do, +nor grudge the deed: I am sackless before them. But that is true +which I spake to thee when we came together up out of Shadowy Vale, +to wit, that I am no strifeful man, but a peaceful; and I look to it +to win through this war, and find on the other side either death, or +life amongst a happy folk; and I deem that this is mostly the mind of +our people.' + +She said: 'Thou shalt not die, thou shalt not die!' + +'Mayhappen not,' he said; 'yet yesterday I could not but look into +the slaughter to come, and it seemed to me a grim thing, and darkened +the day for me; and I grew acold as a man walking with the dead. But +tell me: thou sayest I shall not die; dost thou say this only +because I am become dear to thee, or dost thou speak it out of thy +foresight of things to come?' + +She stopped and looked silently a while over the meadows towards the +houses of the Thorp: they were standing now on the border of a +shallow brook that ran down toward the Weltering Water; it had a +little strand of fine sand like the sea-shore, driven close together, +and all moist, because that brook was used to flood the meadow for +the feeding of the grass; and the last evening the hatches which held +up the water had been drawn, so that much had ebbed away and left the +strand aforesaid. + +After a while the Sun-beam turned to Face-of-god, and she was become +somewhat pale; she said: + +'Nay, I have striven to see, and can see nought save the picture of +hope and fear that I make for myself. So it oft befalleth foreseeing +women, that the love of a man cloudeth their vision. Be content, +dear friend; it is for life or death; but whichso it be, the same for +me and thee together?' + +'Yea,' he said, 'and well content I am; so now let each of us trust +in the other to be both good and dear, even as I trusted in thee the +first hour that I looked on thee.' + +'It is well,' she said; 'it is well. How fair thou art; and how fair +is the morn, and this our Dale in the goodly season; and all this +abideth us when the battle is over.' + +Once more her voice became sweet and wheedling, and the smile lit up +her face again, and she pointed down to the sand with her finger, and +said: + +'See thou! Here indeed have other lovers passed by across the brook. +Shall we wish them good luck?' + +He laughed and looked down on the sand, and said: + +'Thou art in haste to make a story up. Indeed I see that these first +footprints are of a woman, for no carle of the Dale has a foot as +small; for we be tall fellows; and these others withal are a man's +footprints; and if they showed that they had been walking side by +side, simple had been thy tale; but so it is not. I cannot say that +these two pairs of feet went over the brook within five minutes of +each other; but sure it is that they could not have been faring side +by side. Well, belike they were lovers bickering, and we may wish +them luck out of that. Truly it is well seen that Bow-may hath done +thine hunting for thee, dear friend; or else wouldest thou have +lacked venison; for thou hast no hunter's eye.' + +'Well,' she said, 'but wish them luck, and give me thine hand upon +it.' + +He took her hand, and fondled it, and said: 'By this hand of my +speech-friend, I wish these twain all luck, in love and in leisure, +in faring and fighting, in sowing and samming, in getting and giving. +Is it well enough wished? If so it be, then come thy ways, dear +friend; for the day's work is at hand.' + +'It is well wished,' she said. 'Now hearken: by the valiant hand of +the War-leader, by the hand that shall unloose my girdle, I wish +these twain to be as happy as we be.' + +He made as if to draw her away, but she hung aback to set the print +of her foot beside the woman's foot, and then they went on together, +and soon crossed the Bridge, and came home to the House of the Face. + +When they had broken their fast, Face-of-god would straight get to +his business of ordering matters for the warfare, and was wishful to +speak with Folk-might; but found him not, either in the House or the +street. But a man said: + +'I saw the tall Guest come abroad from the House and go toward the +Bridge very early in the morning.' + +The Sun-beam, who was anigh when that was spoken, heard it and +smiled, and said: 'Gold-mane, deemest thou that it was my brother +whom we blessed?' + +'I wot not,' he said; 'but I would he were here, for this gear must +speedily be looked to.' + +Nevertheless it was nigh an hour before Folk-might came home to the +House. He strode in lightly and gaily, and shaking the crest of his +war-helm as he went. He looked friendly on Face-of-god, and said to +him: + +'Thou hast been seeking me, War-leader; but grudge it not that I have +caused thee to tarry. For as things have gone, I am twice the man +for thine helping that I was yester-eve; and thou art so ready and +deft, that all will be done in due time.' + +He looked as if he would have had Face-of-god ask of him what made +him so fain, but Face-of-god said only: + +'I am glad of thy gladness; but now let us dally no longer, for I +have many folk to see to-day and much to set a-going.' + +So therewith they spake together a while, and then went their ways +together toward Carlstead and the Woodlanders. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. FOLK-MIGHT SPEAKETH WITH THE BRIDE + + + +It must be told that those footprints which Face-of-god and the Sun- +beam had blessed betwixt jest and earnest had more to do with them +than they wotted of. For Folk-might, who had had many thoughts and +longings since he had seen the Bride again, rose up early about +sunrise, and went out-a-doors, and wandered about the Burg, letting +his eyes stray over the goodly stone houses and their trim gardens, +yet noting them little, since the Bride was not there. + +At last he came to where there was an open place, straight-sided, +longer than it was wide, with a wall on each side of it, over which +showed the blossomed boughs of pear and cherry and plum-trees: on +either hand before the wall was a row of great lindens, now showing +their first tender green, especially on their lower twigs, where they +were sheltered by the wall. At the nether end of this place Folk- +might saw a grey stone house, and he went towards it betwixt the +lindens, for it seemed right great, and presently was but a score of +paces from its door, and as yet there was no man, carle or queen, +stirring about it. + +It was a long low house with a very steep roof; but belike the hall +was built over some undercroft, for many steps went up to the door on +either hand; and the doorway was low, with a straight lintel under +its arch. This house, like the House of the Face, seemed ancient and +somewhat strange, and Folk-might could not choose but take note of +it. The front was all of good ashlar work, but it was carven all +over, without heed being paid to the joints of the stones, into one +picture of a flowery meadow, with tall trees and bushes in it, and +fowl perched in the trees and running through the grass, and sheep +and kine and oxen and horses feeding down the meadow; and over the +door at the top of the stair was wrought a great steer bigger than +all the other neat, whose head was turned toward the sun-rising and +uplifted with open mouth, as though he were lowing aloud. Exceeding +fair seemed that house to Folk-might, and as though it were the +dwelling of some great kindred. + +But he had scarce gone over it with his eyes, and was just about to +draw nigher yet to it, when the door at the top of those steps +opened, and a woman came out of the house clad in a green kirtle and +a gown of brazil, with a golden-hilted sword girt to her side. Folk- +might saw at once that it was the Bride, and drew aback behind one of +the trees so that she might not see him, if she had not already seen +him, as it seemed not that she had, for she stayed but for a moment +on the top of the stair, looking out down the tree-rows, and then +came down the stair and went soberly along the road, passing so close +to Folk-might that he could see the fashion of her beauty closely, as +one looks into the work of some deftest artificer. Then it came +suddenly into his head that he would follow her and see whither she +was wending. 'At least,' said he to himself, 'if I come not to +speech with her, I shall be nigh unto her, and shall see somewhat of +her beauty.' + +So he came out quietly from behind the tree, and followed her softly; +and he was clad in no garment save his kirtle, and bare no weapons to +clash and jingle, though he had his helm on his head for lack of a +softer hat. He kept her well in sight, and she went straight onward +and looked not back. She went by the way whereas he had come, till +they were in the main street, wherein as yet was no one afoot; she +made her way to the Bridge, and passed over it into the meadows; but +when she had gone but a few steps, she stayed a little and looked on +the ground, and as she did so turned a little toward Folk-might, who +had drawn back into the last of the refuges over the up-stream +buttresses. He saw that there was a half-smile on her face, but he +could not tell whether she were glad or sorry. A light wind was +beginning to blow, that stirred her raiment and raised a lock of hair +that had strayed from the golden fillet round about her head, and she +looked most marvellous fair. + +Now she looked along the grass that glittered under the beams of the +newly-risen sun, and noted belike how heavy the dew lay on it; and +the grass was high already, for the spring had been hot, and haysel +would be early in the Dale. So she put off her shoes, that were of +deerskin and broidered with golden threads, and turned somewhat from +the way, and hung them up amidst the new green leaves of a hawthorn +bush that stood nearby, and so went thwart the meadow somewhat +eastward straight from that bush, and her feet shone out like pearls +amidst the deep green grass. + +Folk-might followed presently, and she stayed not again, nor turned, +nor beheld him; he recked not if she had, for then would he have come +up with her and hailed her, and he knew that she was no foolish +maiden to start at the sight of a man who was the friend of her Folk. + +So they went their ways till she came to the strand of the water- +meadow brook aforesaid, and she went through the little ripples of +the shallow without staying, and on through the tall deep grass of +the meadow beyond, to where they met the brook again; for it swept +round the meadow in a wide curve, and turned back toward itself; so +it was some half furlong over from water to water. + +She stood a while on the brink of the brook here, which was brim-full +and nigh running into the grass, because there was a dam just below +the place; and Folk-might drew nigher to her under cover of the +thorn-bushes, and looked at the place about her and beyond her. The +meadow beyond stream was very fair and flowery, but not right great; +for it was bounded by a grove of ancient chestnut trees, that went on +and on toward the southern cliffs of the Dale: in front of the +chestnut wood stood a broken row of black-thorn bushes, now growing +green and losing their blossom, and he could see betwixt them that +there was a grassy bank running along, as if there had once been a +turf-wall and ditch round about the chestnut trees. For indeed this +was the old place of tryst between Gold-mane and the Bride, whereof +the tale hath told before. + +The Bride stayed scarce longer than gave him time to note all this; +but he deemed that she was weeping, though he could not rightly see +her face; for her shoulders heaved, and she hung her face adown and +put up her hands to it. But now she went a little higher up the +stream, where the water was shallower, and waded the stream and went +up over the meadow, still weeping, as he deemed, and went between the +black-thorn bushes, and sat her down on the grassy bank with her back +to the chestnut trees. + +Folk-might was ashamed to have seen her weeping, and was half-minded +to turn him back again at once; but love constrained him, and he said +to himself, 'Where shall I see her again privily if I pass by this +time and place?' So he waited a little till he deemed she might have +mastered the passion of tears, and then came forth from his bush, and +went down to the water and crossed it, and went quietly over the +meadow straight towards her. But he was not half-way across, when +she lifted up her face from between her hands and beheld the man +coming. She neither started nor rose up; but straightened herself as +she sat, and looked right into Folk-might's eyes as he drew near, +though the tears were not dry on her cheeks. + +Now he stood before her, and said: 'Hail to the Daughter of a mighty +House! Mayst thou live happy!' + +She answered: 'Hail to thee also, Guest of our Folk! Hast thou been +wandering about our meadows, and happened on me perchance?' + +'Nay,' he said; 'I saw thee come forth from the House of the Steer, +and I followed thee hither.' + +She reddened a little, and knit her brow, and said: + +'Thou wilt have something to say to me?' + +'I have much to say to thee,' he said; 'yet it was sweet to me to +behold thee, even if I might not speak with thee.' + +She looked on him with her deep simple eyes, and neither reddened +again, nor seemed wroth; then she said: + +'Speak what thou hast in thine heart, and I will hearken without +anger whatsoever it may be; even if thou hast but to tell me of the +passing folly of a mighty man, which in a month or two he will not +remember for sorrow or for joy. Sit here beside me, and tell me thy +thought.' + +So he sat him adown and said: 'Yea, I have much to say to thee, but +it is hard to me to say it. But this I will say: to-day and +yesterday make the third time I have seen thee. The first time thou +wert happy and calm, and no shadow of trouble was on thee; the second +time thine happy days were waning, though thou scarce knewest it; but +to-day and yesterday thou art constrained by the bonds of grief, and +wouldest loosen them if thou mightest.' + +She said: 'What meanest thou? How knowest thou this? How may a +stranger partake in my joy and my sorrow?' + +He said: 'As for yesterday, all the people might see thy grief and +know it. But when I beheld thee the first time, I saw thee that thou +wert more fair and lovely than all other women; and when I was away +from thee, the thought of thee and thine image were with me, and I +might not put them away; and oft at such and such a time I wondered +and said to myself, what is she doing now? though god wot I was +dealing with tangles and troubles and rough deeds enough. But the +second time I beheld thee, when I had looked to have great joy in the +sight of thee, my heart was smitten with a pang of grief; for I saw +thee hanging on the words and the looks of another man, who was +light-minded toward thee, and that thou wert troubled with the +anguish of doubt and fear. And he knew it not, nor saw it, though I +saw it.' + +Her face grew troubled, and the tearful passion stirred within her. +But she held it aback, and said, as anyone might have said it: + +'How wert thou in the Dale, mighty man? We saw thee not.' + +He said: 'I came hither hidden in other semblance than mine own. +But meddle not therewith; it availeth nought. Let me say this, and +do thou hearken to it. I saw thee yesterday in the street, and thou +wert as the ghost of thine old gladness; although belike thou hast +striven with sorrow; for I see thee with a sword by thy side, and we +have been told that thou, O fairest of women, hast given thyself to +the Warrior to be his damsel.' + +'Yea,' she said, 'that is sooth.' + +He went on: 'But the face which thou bearedst yesterday against thy +will, amidst all the people, that was because thou hadst seen my +sister the Sun-beam for the first time, and Face-of-god with her, +hand clinging to hand, lip longing for lip, desire unsatisfied, but +glad with all hope.' + +She laid hand upon hand in the lap of her gown, and looked down, and +her voice trembled as she said: + +'Doth it avail to talk of this?' + +He said: 'I know not: it may avail; for I am grieved, and shall be +whilst thou art grieved; and it is my wont to strive with my griefs +till I amend them.' + +She turned to him with kind eyes and said: + +'O mighty man, canst thou clear away the tangle which besetteth the +soul of her whose hope hath bewrayed her? Canst thou make hope grow +up in her heart? Friend, I will tell thee that when I wed, I shall +wed for the sake of the kindred, hoping for no joy therein. Yea, or +if by some chance the desire of man came again into my heart, I +should strive with it to rid myself of it, for I should know of it +that it was but a wasting folly, that should but beguile me, and +wound me, and depart, leaving me empty of joy and heedless of life.' + +He shook his head and said: 'Even so thou deemest now; but one day +it shall be otherwise. Or dost thou love thy sorrow? I tell thee, +as it wears thee and wears thee, thou shalt hate it, and strive to +shake it off.' + +'Nay, nay,' she said; 'I love it not; for not only it grieveth me, +but also it beateth me down and belittleth me.' + +'Good is that,' said he. 'I know how strong thine heart is. Now, +wilt thou take mine hand, which is verily the hand of thy friend, and +remember what I have told thee of my grief which cannot be sundered +from thine? Shall we not talk more concerning this? For surely I +shall soon see thee again, and often; since the Warrior, who loveth +me belike, leadeth thee into fellowship with me. Yea, I tell thee, O +friend, that in that fellowship shalt thou find both the seed of +hope, and the sun of desire that shall quicken it.' + +Therewith he arose and stood before her, and held out to her his hand +all hardened with the sword-hilt, and she took it, and stood up +facing him, and said: + +'This much will I tell thee, O friend; that what I have said to thee +this hour, I thought not to have said to any man; or to talk with a +man of the grief that weareth me, or to suffer him to see my tears; +and marvellous I deem it of thee, for all thy might, that thou hast +drawn this speech from out of me, and left me neither angry nor +ashamed, in spite of these tears; and thou whom I have known not, +though thou knewest me! + +'But now it were best that thou depart, and get thee home to the +House of the Face, where I was once so frequent; for I wot that thou +hast much to do; and as thou sayest, it will be in warfare that I +shall see thee. Now I thank thee for thy words and the thought thou +hast had of me, and the pain which thou hast taken to heal my hurt: +I thank thee, I thank thee, for as grievous as it is to show one's +hurts even to a friend.' + +He said: 'O Bride, I thank thee for hearkening to my tale; and one +day shall I thank thee much more. Mayest thou fare well in the Field +and amidst the Folk!' + +Therewith he kissed her hand, and turned away, and went across the +meadow and the stream, glad at heart and blithe with everyone; for +kindness grew in him as gladness grew. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. OF THE FOLK-MOTE OF THE DALESMEN, THE SHEPHERD-FOLK, +AND THE WOODLAND CARLES: THE BANNER OF THE WOLF DISPLAYED + + + +Now came the day of the Great Folk-mote, and there was much thronging +from everywhere to the Mote-stead, but most from Burgstead itself, +whereas few of the Dale-dwellers who had been at the Fair had gone +back home. Albeit some of the Shepherds and of the Dalesmen of the +westernmost Dale had brought light tents, and tilted themselves in in +the night before the Mote down in the meadows below the Mote-stead. +From early morning there had been a stream of folk on the Portway +setting westward; and many came thus early that they might hold +converse with friends and well-wishers; and some that they might +disport them in the woods. Men went in no ordered bands, as the +Burgstead men at least had done on the day of the Weapon-show, save +that a few of them who were arrayed the bravest gathered about the +banners, and went with them to the Mote-stead; for all the banners +must needs be there. + +The Folk-mote was to be hallowed-in three hours before noon, as all +men knew; therefore an hour before that time were all men of the Dale +and the Shepherds assembled that might be looked for, save the +Alderman and the chieftains with the banner of the Burg, and these +were not like to come many minutes before the Hallowing. Folk were +gathered on the Field in such wise, that the men-at-arms made a great +ring round about the Doom-ring, (albeit there were many old men +there, girt with swords that they should never heave up again in +battle), so that without that ring there was nought save women and +children. But when all the other Houses were assembled, men looked +around, and beheld the place of the Woodlanders that it was empty; +and they marvelled that they were thus belated. For now all was +ready, and a watcher had gone up to the Tower on the height, and had +with him the great Horn of Warning, which could be heard past the +Mote-stead and a great way down the Dale: and if he saw foes coming +from the East he should blow one blast; if from the South, two; if +from the West, three; if from the North, four. + +So half an hour from the appointed time of Hallowing rose the rumour +that the Alderman was on the road, and presently they of the women +who were on the outside of the throng, by drawing nigh to the edge of +the sheer rock, could behold the Banner of the Burg on the Portway, +and soon after could see the wain, done about with green boughs, +wherein sat the chieftains in their glittering war-gear. Speedily +they spread the tidings, and a confused shout went up into the air; +and in a little while the wain stayed on Wildlake's Way at the bottom +of the steep slope that went up to the Mote-stead, and the banner of +the Burg came on proudly up the hill. Soon all men beheld it, and +saw that the tall Hall-face bore it in front of his brother Face-of- +god, who came on gleaming in war-gear better than most men had seen; +which was indeed of his father's fashioning, and his father's gift to +him that morning. + +After Face-of-god came the Alderman, and with him Folk-might leading +the Sun-beam by the hand, and then Stone-face and the Elder of the +Dale-wardens; and then the six Burg-wardens: as to the other Dale- +wardens, they were in their places on the Field. + +So now those who had been standing up turned their faces toward the +Altar of the Gods, and those who had been sitting down sprang to +their feet, and the confused rumour of the throng rose into a clear +shout as the chieftains went to their places, and sat them down on +the turf-seats amidst the Doom-ring facing the Speech-hill and the +Altar of the Gods. Amidmost sat the Alderman, on his right hand +Face-of-god, and out from him Hall-face, and then Stone-face and +three of the Wardens; but on his left hand sat first the two Guests, +then the Elder of the Dale-wardens, and then the other three Burg- +wardens; as for the Banner of the Burg, its staff was stuck into the +earth behind them, and the Banner raised itself in the morning wind +and flapped and rippled over their heads. + +There then they sat, and folk abided, and it still lacked some +minutes of the due time, as the Alderman wotted by the shadow of the +great standing-stone betwixt him and the Altar. Therewithal came the +sound of a great horn from out of the wood on the north side, and men +knew it for the horn of the Woodland Carles, and were glad; for they +could not think why they should be belated; and now men stood up a- +tiptoe and on other's shoulders to look over the heads of the women +and children to behold their coming; but their empty place was at the +southwest corner of the ring of men. + +So presently men beheld them marching toward their place, cleaving +the throng of the women and children, a great company; for besides +that they had with them two score more of men under weapons than on +the day of the Weapon-show, all their little ones and women and +outworn elders were with them, some on foot, some riding on oxen and +asses. In their forefront went the two signs of the Battle-shaft and +the War-spear. But moreover, in front of all was borne a great staff +with the cloth of a banner wrapped round about it, and tied up with a +hempen yarn that it might not be seen. + +Stark and mighty men they looked; tall and lean, broad-shouldered, +dark-faced. As they came amongst the throng the voice of their horn +died out, and for a few moments they fared on with no sound save the +tramp of their feet; then all at once the man who bare the hidden +banner lifted up one hand, and straightway they fell to singing, and +with that song they came to their place. And this is some of what +they sang: + + +O white, white Sun, what things of wonder + Hast thou beheld from thy wall of the sky! +All the Roofs of the Rich and the grief thereunder, + As the fear of the Earl-folk flitteth by! + +Thou hast seen the Flame steal forth from the Forest + To slay the slumber of the lands, +As the Dusky Lord whom thou abhorrest + Clomb up to thy Burg unbuilt with hands. + +Thou lookest down from thy door the golden, + Nor batest thy wide-shining mirth, +As the ramparts fall, and the roof-trees olden + Lie smouldering low on the burning earth. + +When flitteth the half-dark night of summer + From the face of the murder great and grim, +'Tis thou thyself and no new-comer + Shines golden-bright on the deed undim. + +Art thou our friend, O Day-dawn's Lover? + Full oft thine hand hath sent aslant +Bright beams athwart the Wood-bear's cover, + Where the feeble folk and the nameless haunt. + +Thou hast seen us quail, thou hast seen us cower, + Thou hast seen us crouch in the Green Abode, +While for us wert thou slaying slow hour by hour, + And smoothing down the war-rough road. + +Yea, the rocks of the Waste were thy Dawns upheaving, + To let the days of the years go through; +And thy Noons the tangled brake were cleaving + The slow-foot seasons' deed to do. + +Then gaze adown on this gift of our giving, + For the WOLF comes wending frith and ford, +And the Folk fares forth from the dead to the living, + For the love of the Lief by the light of the Sword. + + +Then ceased the song, and the whole band of the Woodlanders came +pouring tumultuously into the space allotted them, like the waters +pouring over a river-dam, their white swords waving aloft in the +morning sunlight; and wild and strange cries rose up from amidst +them, with sobbing and weeping of joy. But soon their troubled front +sank back into ordered ranks, their bright blades stood upright in +their hands before them, and folk looked on their company, and deemed +it the very Terror of battle and Render of the ranks of war. Right +well were they armed; for though many of their weapons were ancient +and somewhat worn, yet were they the work of good smiths of old days; +and moreover, if any of them lacked good war-gear of his own, that +had the Alderman and his sons made good to them. + +But before the hedge of steel stood the two tall men who held in +their hands the war-tokens of the Battle-shaft and the War-spear, and +betwixt them stood one who was indeed the tallest man of the whole +assembly, who held the great staff of the hidden banner. And now he +reached up his hand, and plucked at the yarn that bound it, which of +set purpose was but feeble, and tore it off, and then shook the staff +aloft with both hands, and shouted, and lo! the Banner of the Wolf +with the Sun-burst behind him, glittering-bright, new-woven by the +women of the kindred, ran out in the fresh wind, and flapped and +rippled before His warriors there assembled. + +Then from all over the Mote-stead arose an exceeding great shout, and +all men waved aloft their weapons; but the men of Shadowy Vale who +were standing amidst the men of the Face knew not how to demean +themselves, and some of them ran forth into the Field and leapt for +joy, tossing their swords into the air, and catching them by the +hilts as they fell: and amidst it all the Woodlanders now stood +silent, unmoving, as men abiding the word of onset. + +As for that brother and sister: the Sun-beam flushed red all over +her face, and pressed her hands to her bosom, and then the passion of +tears over-mastered her, and her breast heaved, and the tears gushed +out of her eyes, and her body was shaken with weeping. But Folk- +might sat still, looking straight before him, his eyes glittering, +his teeth set, his right hand clutching hard at the hilts of his +sword, which lay naked across his knees. And the Bride, who stood +clad in her begemmed and glittering war-array in the forefront of the +Men of the Steer, nigh unto the seats of the chieftains, beheld Folk- +might, and her face flushed and brightened, and still she looked upon +him. The Alderman's face was as of one pleased and proud; yet was +its joy shadowed as it were by a cloud of compassion. Face-of-god +sat like the very image of the War-god, and stirred not, nor looked +toward the Sun-beam; for still the thought of the after-grief of +battle, and the death of friends and folk that loved him, lay heavy +on his heart, for all that it beat wildly at the shouting of the men. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. OF THE GREAT FOLK-MOTE: ATONEMENTS GIVEN, AND MEN +MADE SACKLESS + + + +Amidst the clamour uprose the Alderman; for it was clear to all men +that the Folk-mote should be holden at once, and the matters of the +War, and the Fellowship, and the choosing of the War-leader, speedily +dealt with. So the Alderman fell to hallowing in the Folk-mote: he +went up to the Altar of the Gods, and took the Gold-ring off it, and +did it on his arm; then he drew his sword and waved it toward the +four airts, and spake; and the noise and shouting fell, and there was +silence but for him: + +'Herewith I hallow in this Folk-mote of the Men of the Dale and the +Sheepcotes and the Woodland, in the name of the Warrior and the +Earth-god and the Fathers of the kindreds. Now let not the peace of +the Mote be broken. Let not man rise against man, or bear blade or +hand, or stick or stone against any. If any man break the Peace of +the Holy Mote, let him be a man accursed, a wild-beast in the Holy +Places; an outcast from home and hearth, from bed and board, from +mead and acre; not to be holpen with bread, nor flesh, nor wine; nor +flax, nor wool, nor any cloth; nor with sword, nor shield, nor axe, +nor plough-share; nor with horse, nor ox, nor ass; with no saddle- +beast nor draught-beast; nor with wain, nor boat, nor way-leading; +nor with fire nor water; nor with any world's wealth. Thus let him +who hath cast out man be cast out by man. Now is hallowed-in the +Folk-mote of the Men of the Dale and the Sheepcotes and the +Woodlands.' + +Therewith he waved his sword again toward the four airts, and went +and sat down in his place. But presently he arose again, and said: + +'Now if man hath aught to say against man, and claimeth boot of any, +or would lay guilt on any man's head, let him come forth and declare +it; and the judges shall be named, and the case shall be tried this +afternoon or to-morrow. Yet first I shall tell you that I, the +Alderman of the Dalesmen, doomed one Iron-face of the House of the +Face to pay a double fine, for that he drew a sword at the Gate-thing +of Burgstead with the intent to break the peace thereof. Thou, +Green-sleeve, bring forth the peace-breaker's fine, that Iron-face +may lay the same on the Altar.' + +Then came forth a man from the men of the Face bearing a bag, and he +brought it to Iron-face, who went up to the Altar and poured forth +weighed gold from the bag thereon, and said: + +'Warden of the Dale, come thou and weigh it!' + +'Nay,' quoth the Warden, 'it needeth not, no man here doubteth thee, +Alderman Iron-face.' + +A murmur of yeasay went up, and none had a word to say against the +Alderman, but they praised him rather: also men were eager to hear +of the war, and the fellowship, and to be done with these petty +matters. Then the Alderman rose again and said: + +'Hath any man a grief against any other of the Kindreds of the Dale, +or the Sheepcotes, or the Woodlands?' + +None answered or stirred; so after he had waited a while, he said: + +'Is there any who hath any guilt to lay against a Stranger, an +Outlander, being such a man as he deems we can come at?' + +Thereat was a stir amongst the Men of the Fleece of the Shepherds, +and their ranks opened, and there came forth an ill-favoured lean old +man, long-nebbed, blear-eyed, and bent, girt with a rusty old sword, +but not otherwise armed. And all men knew Penny-thumb, who had been +ransacked last autumn. As he came forth, it seemed as if his +neighbours had been trying to hold him back; but a stout, broad- +shouldered man, black-haired and red-bearded, made way for the old +man, and led him out of the throng, and stood by him; and this man +was well armed at all points, and looked a doughty carle. He stood +side by side with Penny-thumb, right in front of the men of his +house, and looked about him at first somewhat uneasily, as though he +were ashamed of his fellow; but though many smiled, none laughed +aloud; and they forbore, partly because they knew the man to be a +good man, partly because of the solemn tide of the Folk-mote, and +partly in sooth because they wished all this to be over, and were as +men who had no time for empty mirth. + +Then said the Alderman: 'What wouldest thou, Penny-thumb, and thou, +Bristler, son of Brightling?' + +Then Penny-thumb began to speak in a high squeaky voice: + +'Alderman, and Lord of the Folk!' But therewithal Bristle, pulled +him back, and said: + +'I am the man who hath taken this quarrel upon me, and have sworn +upon the Holy Boar to carry this feud through; and we deem, Alderman, +that if they who slew Rusty and ransacked Penny-thumb be not known +now, yet they soon may be.' + +As he spake, came forth those three men of the Shepherds and the two +Dalesmen who had sworn with him on the Holy Boar. Then up stood +Folk-might, and came forth into the field, and said: + +'Bristler, son of Brightling, and ye other good men and true, it is +but sooth that the ransackers and the slayer may soon be known; and +here I declare them unto you: I it was and none other who slew +Rusty; and I was the leader of those who ransacked Penny-thumb, and +cowed Harts-bane of Greentofts. As for the slaying of Rusty, I slew +him because he chased me, and would not forbear, so that I must +either slay or be slain, as hath befallen me erewhile, and will +befall again, methinks. As for the ransacking of Penny-thumb, I +needed the goods that I took, and he needed them not, since he +neither used them, nor gave them away, and, they being gone, he hath +lived no worser than aforetime. Now I say, that if ye will take the +outlawry off me, which, as I hear, ye laid upon me, not knowing me, +then will I handsel self-doom to thee, Bristler, if thou wilt bear +thy grief to purse, and I will pay thee what thou wilt out of hand; +or if perchance thou wilt call me to Holm, thither will I go, if thou +and I come unslain out of this war. As to the ransacking and cowing +of Harts-bane, I say that I am sackless therein, because the man is +but a ruffler and a man of violence, and hath cowed many men of the +Dale; and if he gainsay me, then do I call him to the Holm after this +war is over; either him or any man who will take his place before my +sword.' + +Then he held his peace, and man spake to man, and a murmur arose, as +they said for the more part that it was a fair and manly offer. But +Bristler called his fellows and Penny-thumb to him, and they spake +together; and sometimes Penny-thumb's shrill squeak was heard above +the deep-voiced talk of the others; for he was a man that harboured +malice. But at last Bristler spake out and said: + +'Tall man, we know that thou art a chieftain and of good will to the +men of the Dale and their friends, and that want drave thee to the +ransacking, and need to the manslaying, and neither the living nor +the dead to whom thou art guilty are to be called good men; therefore +will I bring the matter to purse, if thou wilt handsel me self-doom.' + +'Yea, even so let it be,' quoth Folk-might; and stepped forward and +took Bristler by the hand, and handselled him self-doom. Then said +Bristler: + +'Though Rusty was no good man, and though he followed thee to slay +thee, yet was he in his right therein, since he was following up his +goodman's gear; therefore shalt thou pay a full blood-wite for him, +that is to say, the worth of three hundreds in weed-stuff in whatso +goods thou wilt. As for the ransacking of Penny-thumb, he shall deem +himself well paid if thou give him our hundreds in weed-stuff for +that which thou didst borrow of him.' + +Then Penny-thumb set up his squeak again, but no man hearkened to +him, and each man said to his neighbour that it was well doomed of +Bristler, and neither too much nor too little. But Folk-might bade +Wood-wont to bring thither to him that which he had borne to the +Mote; and he brought forth a big sack, and Folk-might emptied it on +the earth, and lo! the silver rings of the slain felons, and they lay +in a heap on the green field, and they were the best of silver. Then +the Elder of the Dale-wardens weighed out from the heap the blood- +wite for Rusty, according to the due measure of the hundred in weed- +stuff, and delivered it unto Bristler. And Folk-might said: + +'Draw nigh now, Penny-thumb, and take what thou wilt of this gear, +which I need not, and grudge not at me henceforward.' + +But Penny-thumb was afraid, and abode where he was; and Bristler +laughed, and said: 'Take it, goodman, take it; spare not other men's +goods as thou dost thine own.' + +And Folk-might stood by, smiling faintly: so Penny-thumb plucked up +a heart, and drew nigh trembling, and took what he durst from that +heap; and all that stood by said that he had gotten a full double of +what had been awarded to him. But as for him, he went his ways +straight from the Mote-stead, and made no stay till he had gotten him +home, and laid the silver up in a strong coffer; and thereafter he +bewailed him sorely that he had not taken the double of that which he +took, since none would have said him nay. + +When he was gone, the Alderman arose and said: + +'Now, since the fines have been paid duly and freely, according to +the dooming of Bristler, take we off the outlawry from Folk-might and +his fellows, and account them to be sackless before us.' + +Then he called for other cases; but no man had aught more to bring +forward against any man, either of the kindreds or the Strangers. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. OF THE GREAT FOLK-MOTE: MEN TAKE REDE OF THE WAR- +FARING, THE FELLOWSHIP, AND THE WAR-LEADER. FOLK-MIGHT TELLETH +WHENCE HIS PEOPLE CAME. THE FOLK-MOTE SUNDERED + + + +Now a great silence fell upon the throng, and they stood as men +abiding some new matter. Unto them arose the Alderman, and said: + +'Men of the Dale, and ye Shepherds and Woodlanders; it is well known +to you that we have foemen in the wood and beyond it; and now have we +gotten sure tidings, that they will not abide at home or in the wood, +but are minded to fall upon us at home. Now therefore I will not ask +you whether ye will have peace or war; for with these foemen ye may +have peace no otherwise save by war. But if ye think with me, three +things have ye to determine: first, whether ye will abide your foes +in your own houses, or will go meet them at theirs; next, whether ye +will take to you as fellows in arms a valiant folk of the children of +the Gods, who are foemen to our foemen; and lastly, what man ye will +have to be your War-leader. Now, I bid all those here assembled, to +speak hereof, any man of them that will, either what they may have +conceived in their own minds, or what their kindred may have put into +their mouths to speak.' + +Therewith he sat down, and in a little while came forth old Hall-ward +of the House of the Steer, and stood before the Alderman, and said: +'O Alderman, all we say: Since war is awake we will not tarry, but +will go meet our foes while it is yet time. The valiant men of whom +thou tellest shall be our fellows, were there but three of them. We +know no better War-leader than Face-of-god of the House of the Face. +Let him lead us.' + +Therewith he went his ways; and next came forth War-well, and said: +'The House of the Bridge would have Face-of-god for War-leader, these +tall men for fellows, and the shortest way to meet the foe.' And he +went back to his place. + +Next came Fox of Upton, and said: 'Time presses, or much might be +spoken. Thus saith the House of the Bull: Let us go meet the foe, +and take these valiant strangers for way-leaders, and Face-of-god for +War-leader.' And he also went back again. + +Then came forth two men together, an old man and a young, and the old +man spake as soon as he stood still: 'The Men of the Vine bid me say +their will: They will not stay at home to have their houses burned +over their heads, themselves slain on their own hearths, and their +wives haled off to thralldom. They will take any man for their +fellow in arms who will smite stark strokes on their side. They know +Face-of-god, and were liefer of him for War-leader than any other, +and they will follow him wheresoever he leadeth. Thus my kindred +biddeth me say, and I hight Fork-beard of Lea. If I live through +this war, I shall have lived through five.' + +Therewith he went back to his place; but the young man lifted up his +voice and said: 'To all this I say yea, and so am I bidden by the +kindred of the Sickle. I am Red-beard of the Knolls, the son of my +father.' And he went to his place again. + +Then came forth Stone-face, and said: 'The House of the Face saith: +Lead us through the wood, O Face-of-god, thou War-leader, and ye +warriors of the Wolf. I am Stone-face, as men know, and this word +hath been given to me by the kindred.' And he took his place again. + +Then came forth together the three chiefs of the Shepherds, to wit +Hound-under-Greenbury, Strongitharm, and the Hyllier; and +Strongitharm spake for all three, and said: + +'The Men of Greenbury, and they of the Fleece and the Thorn, are of +one accord, and bid us say that they are well pleased to have Face- +of-god for War-leader; and that they will follow him and the warriors +of the Wolf to live or die with them; and that they are ready to go +meet the foe at once, and will not skulk behind the walls of +Greenbury.' + +Therewith the three went back again to their places. + +Then came forth that tall man that bare the Banner of the Wolf, when +he had given the staff into the hands of him who stood next. He came +and stood over against the seat of the chieftains; and for a while he +could say no word, but stood struggling with the strong passion of +his joy; but at last he lifted his hands aloft, and cried out in a +loud voice: + +'O war, war! O death! O wounding and grief! O loss of friends and +kindred! let all this be rather than the drawing back of meeting +hands and the sundering of yearning hearts!' and he went back hastily +to his place. But from the ranks of the Woodlanders ran forth a +young man, and cried out: + +'As is the word of Red-wolf, so is my word, Bears-bane of Carlstead; +and this is the word which our little Folk hath put into our mouths; +and O! that our hands may show the meaning of our mouths; for nought +else can.' + +Then indeed went up a great shout, though many forebore to cry out; +for now were they too much moved for words or sounds. And in special +was Face-of-god moved; and he scarce knew which way to look, lest he +should break out into sobs and weeping; for of late he had been much +among the Woodlanders, and loved them much. + +Then all the noise and clamour fell, and it was to men as if they who +had come thither a folk, had now become an host of war. + +But once again the Alderman rose up and spake: + +'Now have ye yeasaid three things: That we take Face-of-god of the +House of the Face for our War-leader; that we fare under weapons at +once against them who would murder us; and that we take the valiant +Folk of the Wolf for our fellows in arms.' + +Therewith he stayed his speech, and this time the shout arose clear +and most mighty, with the tossing up of swords and the clashing of +weapons on shields. + +Then he said: 'Now, if any man will speak, here is the War-leader, +and here is the chief of our new friends, to answer to whatso any of +the kindred would have answered.' + +Thereon came forth the Fiddle from amongst the Men of the Sickle, and +drew somewhat nigh to the Alderman, and said: + +'Alderman, we would ask of the War-leader if he hath devised the +manner of our assembling, and the way of our war-faring, and the day +of our hosting. More than this I will not ask of him, because we wot +that in so great an assembly it may be that the foe may have some spy +of whom we wot not; and though this be not likely, yet some folk may +babble; therefore it is best for the wise to be wise everywhere and +always. Therefore my rede it is, that no man ask any more concerning +this, but let it lie with the War-leader to bring us face to face +with the foe as speedily as he may.' + +All men said that this was well counselled. But Face-of-god arose +and said: 'Ye Men of the Dale, ye Shepherds and Woodlanders, +meseemeth the Fiddle hath spoken wisely. Now therefore I answer him +and say, that I have so ordered everything since the Gate-thing was +holden at Burgstead, that we may come face to face with the foemen by +the shortest of roads. Every man shall be duly summoned to the +Hosting, and if any man fail, let it be accounted a shame to him for +ever.' + +A great shout followed on his words, and he sat down again. But Fox +of Upton came forth and said: + +'O Alderman, we have yeasaid the fellowship of the valiant men who +have come to us from out of the waste; but this we have done, not +because we have known them, otherwise than by what our kinsman Face- +of-god hath told us concerning them, but because we have seen clearly +that they will be of much avail to us in our warfare. Now, +therefore, if the tall chieftain who sitteth beside thee were to do +us to wit what he is, and whence he and his are come, it were well, +and fain were we thereof; but if he listeth not to tell us, that also +shall be well.' + +Then arose Folk-might in his place; but or ever he could open his +mouth to speak, the tall Red-wolf strode forward bearing with him the +Banner of the Wolf and the Sun-burst, and came and stood beside him; +and the wind ran through the folds of the banner, and rippled it out +above the heads of those twain. Then Folk-might spake and said: + + +'O Men of the Dale and the Sheepcotes, I will do as ye bid me do; +And fain were ye of the story if every deal ye knew. +But long, long were its telling, were I to tell it all: +Let it bide till the Cup of Deliverance ye drink from hall to hall. + +'Like you we be of the kindreds, of the Sons of the Gods we come, +Midst the Mid-earth's mighty Woodland of old we had our home; +But of older time we abided 'neath the mountains of the Earth, +O'er which the Sun ariseth to waken woe and mirth. + +Great were we then and many; but the long days wore us thin, +And war, wherein the winner hath weary work to win. +And the woodland wall behind us e'en like ourselves was worn, +And the tramp of the hosts of the foemen adown its glades was borne +On the wind that bent our wheat-fields. So in the morn we rose, +And left behind the stubble and the autumn-fruited close, +And went our ways to the westward, nor turned aback to see +The glare of our burning houses rise over brake and tree. +But the foe was fierce and speedy, nor long they tarried there, +And through the woods of battle our laden wains must fare; +And the Sons of the Wolf were minished, and the maids of the Wolf +waxed few, +As amidst the victory-singing we fared the wild-wood through. + +'So saith the ancient story, that west and west we went, +And many a day of battle we had in brake, on bent; +Whilst here a while we tarried, and there we hastened on, +And still the battle-harvest from many a folk we won. + +'Of the tale of the days who wotteth? Of the years what man can +tell, +While the Sons of the Wolf were wandering, and knew not where to +dwell? +But at last we clomb the mountains, and mickle was our toil, +As high the spear-wood clambered of the drivers of the spoil; +And tangled were the passes and the beacons flared behind, +And the horns of gathering onset came up upon the wind. +So saith the ancient story, that we stood in a mountain-cleft, +Where the ways and the valleys sundered to the right hand and the +left. +There in the place of sundering all woeful was the rede; +We knew no land before us, and behind was heavy need. +As the sword cleaves through the byrny, so there the mountain flank +Cleft through the God-kin's people; and ne'er again we drank +The wine of war together, or feasted side by side +In the Feast-hall of the Warrior on the fruit of the battle-tide. +For there we turned and sundered; unto the North we went +And up along the waters, and the clattering stony bent; +And unto the South and the Sheepcotes down went our sister's sons; +And O for the years passed over since we saw those valiant ones!' + + +He ceased, and laid his right hand on the banner-staff a little below +the left hand of Red-wolf; and men were so keen to hear each word +that he spake, that there was no cry nor sound of voices when he had +done, only the sound of the rippling banner of the Wolf over the +heads of those twain. The Sun-beam bowed her head now, and wept +silently. But the Bride, she had drawn her sword, and held it +upright in her hand before her, and the sun smote fire from out of +it. + +Then it was but a little while before Red-wolf lifted up his voice, +and sang: + + +'Hearken a wonder, O Folk of the Field, +How they that did sunder stand shield beside shield! + +Lo! the old wont and manner by fearless folk made, +On the Bole of the Banner the brothers' hands laid. + +Lo! here the token of what hath betid! +Grown whole is the broken, found that which was hid. + +Now one way we follow whate'er shall befall; +As seeketh the swallow his yesteryear's hall. + +Seldom folk fewer to fight-stead hath fared; +Ne'er have men truer the battle-reed bared. + +Grey locks now I carry, and old am I grown, +Nor looked I to tarry to meet with mine own. + +For we who remember the deeds of old days +Were nought but the ember of battle ablaze. + +For what man might aid us? what deed and what day +Should come where Weird laid us aloof from the way? + +What man save that other of Twain rent apart, +Our war-friend, our Brother, the piece of our heart. + +Then hearken the wonder how shield beside shield +The twain that did sunder wend down to the Field!' + + +Now when he had made an end, men could no longer forebear the shout; +and it went up into the heavens, and was borne by the west-wind down +the Dale to the ears of the stay-at-home women and men unmeet to go +abroad, and it quickened their blood and the spirits within them as +they heard it, and they smiled and were fain; for they knew that +their kinsfolk were glad. + +But when there was quiet on the Mote-field again, Folk-might spake +again and said; + + +'It is sooth that my Brother sayeth, and that now again we wend, +All the Sons of the Wolf together, till the trouble hath an end. +But as for that tale of the Ancients, it saith that we who went +To the northward, climbed and stumbled o'er many a stony bent, +Till we happed on that isle of the waste-land, and the grass of +Shadowy Vale, +Where we dwelt till we throve a little, and felt our might avail. +Then we fared abroad from the shadow and the little-lighted hold, +And the increase fell to the valiant, and the spoil to the battle- +bold, +And never a man gainsaid us with the weapons in our hands; +And in Silver-dale the happy we gat us life and lands. + +'So wore the years o'er-wealthy; and meseemeth that ye know +How we sowed and reaped destruction, and the Day of the overthrow: +How we leaned on the staff we had broken, and put our lives in the +hand +Of those whom we had vanquished and the feeble of the land; +And these were the stone of stumbling, and the burden not to be +borne, +When the battle-blast fell on us and our day was over-worn. +Thus then did our wealth bewray us, and left us wise and sad; +And to you, bold men, it falleth once more to make us glad, +If so your hearts are bidding, and ye deem the deed of worth. +Such were we; what we shall be, 'tis yours to say henceforth.' + + +He said furthermore: 'How great we have been I have told you +already; and ye shall see for yourselves how little we be now. Is it +enough, and will ye have us for friends and brothers? How say ye?' + +They answered with shout upon shout, so that all the place and the +wild-wood round about was full of the voice of their crying; but when +the clamour fell, then spake the Alderman and said: + +'Friend, and chieftain of the Wolf, thou mayst hear by this shouting +of the people that we have no mind to naysay our yea-say. And know +that it is not our use and manner to seek the strong for friends, and +to thrust aside the weak; but rather to choose for our friends them +who are of like mind to us, men in whom we put our trust. From +henceforth then there is brotherhood between us; we are yours, and ye +are ours; and let this endure for ever!' + +Then were all men full of joy; and now at last the battle seemed at +hand, and the peace beyond the battle. + +Then men brought the hallowed beasts all garlanded with flowers into +the Doom-ring, and there were they slain and offered up unto the +Gods, to wit the Warrior, the Earth-god, and the Fathers; and +thereafter was solemn feast holden on the Field of the Folk-mote, and +all men were fain and merry. Nevertheless, not all men abode there +the feast through; for or ever the afternoon was well worn, were many +men wending along the Portway eastward toward the Upper Dale, each +man in his war-gear and with a scrip hung about him; and these were +they who were bound for the trysting-place and the journey over the +waste. + +So the Folk-mote was sundered; and men went to their houses, and +there abode in peace the time of their summoning; since they wotted +well that the Hosting was afoot. + +But as for the Woodlanders, who were at the Mote-stead with all their +folk, women, children, and old men, they went not back again to +Carlstead; but prayed the neighbours of the Middle Dale to suffer +them to abide there awhile, which they yeasaid with a good will. So +the Woodlanders tilted themselves in, the more part of them, down in +the meadows below the Mote-stead, along either side of Wildlake's +Way; but their ancient folk, and some of the women and children, the +neighbours would have into their houses, and the rest they furnished +with victual and all that they needed without price, looking upon +them as their very guests. For indeed they deemed that they could +see that these men would never return to Carlstead, but would abide +with the Men of the Wolf in Silver-dale, once it were won. And this +they deemed but meet and right, yet were they sorry thereof; for the +Woodlanders were well beloved of all the Dalesmen; and now that they +had gotten to know that they were come of so noble a kindred, they +were better beloved yet, and more looked upon. + + + +CHAPTER XL. OF THE HOSTING IN SHADOWY VALE + + + +It was on the evening of the fourth day after the Folk-mote that +there came through the Waste to the rocky edge of Shadowy Vale a band +of some fifteen score of men-at-arms, and with them a multitude of +women and children and old men, some afoot, some riding on asses and +bullocks; and with them were sumpter asses and neat laden with +household goods, and a few goats and kine. And this was the whole +folk of the Woodlanders come to the Hosting in Shadowy Vale and the +Home of the Children of the Wolf. Their leaders of the way were +Wood-father and Wood-wont and two other carles of Shadowy Vale; and +Red-wolf the tall, and Bears-bane and War-grove were the captains and +chieftains of their company. + +Thus then they entered into the narrow pass aforesaid, which was the +ingate to the Vale from the Waste, and little by little its dimness +swallowed up their long line. As they went by the place where the +lowering of the rock-wall gave a glimpse of the valley, they looked +down into it as Face-of-god had done, but much change was there in +little time. There was the black wall of crags on the other side +stretching down to the ghyll of the great Force; there ran the deep +green waters of the Shivering Flood; but the grass which Face-of-god +had seen naked of everything but a few kine, thereon now the tents of +men stood thick. Their hearts swelled within them as they beheld it, +but they forebore the shout and the cry till they should be well +within the Vale, and so went down silently into the darkness. But as +their eyes caught that dim image of the Wolf on the wall of the pass, +man pointed it out to man, and not a few turned and kissed it +hurriedly; and to them it seemed that many a kiss had been laid on +that dear token since the days of old, and that the hard stone had +been worn away by the fervent lips of men, and that the air of the +mirk place yet quivered with the vows sworn over the sword-blade. + +But down through the dark they went, and so came on to the stony +scree at the end of the pass and into the Vale; and the whole Folk +save the three chieftains flowed over it and stood about it down on +the level grass of the Vale. But those three stood yet on the top of +the scree, bearing the war-signs of the Shaft and the Spear, and +betwixt them the banner of the Wolf and the Sunburst newly displayed +to the winds of Shadowy Vale. + +Up and down the Vale they looked, and saw before the tents of men the +old familiar banners of Burgdale rising and falling in the evening +wind. But amidst of the Doom-ring was pitched a great banner, +whereon was done the image of the Wolf with red gaping jaws on a +field of green; and about him stood other banners, to wit, The Silver +Arm on a red field, the Red Hand on a white field, and on green +fields both, the Golden Bushel and the Ragged Sword. + +All about the plain shone glittering war-gear of men as they moved +hither and thither, and a stream of folk began at once to draw toward +the scree to look on those new-comers; and amidst the helmed +Burgdalers and the white-coated Shepherds went the tall men of the +Wolf, bare-headed and unarmed save for their swords, mingled with the +fair strong women of the kindred, treading barefoot the soft grass of +their own Vale. + +Presently there was a great throng gathered round about the +Woodlanders, and each man as he joined it waved hand or weapon toward +them, and the joy of their welcome sent a confused clamour through +the air. Then forth from the throng stepped Folk-might, unarmed save +his sword, and behind him was Face-of-god, in his war-gear save his +helm, hand in hand with the Sun-beam, who was clad in her goodly +flowered green kirtle, her feet naked like her sisters of the +kindred. + +Then Folk-might cried aloud: 'A full and free greeting to our +brothers! Well be ye, O Sons of our Ancient Fathers! And to-day are +ye the dearer to us because we see that ye have brought us a gift, to +wit, your wives and children, and your grandsires unmeet for war. By +this token we see how great is your trust in us, and that it is your +meaning never to sunder from us again. O well be ye; well be ye!' + +Then spake Red-wolf, and said: 'Ye Sons of the Wolf, who parted from +us of old time in that cleft of the mountains, it is our very selves +that we give unto you; and these are a part of ourselves; how then +should we leave them behind us? Bear witness, O men of Burgdale and +the Sheepcotes, that we have become one Folk with the men of Shadowy +Vale, never to be sundered again!' + +Then all that multitude shouted with a loud voice; and when the shout +had died away, Folk-might spake again: + +'O Warriors of the Sundering, here shall your wives and children +abide, while we go a little journey to rejoice our hearts with the +hard handplay, and take to us that which we have missed: and to- +morrow morn is appointed for this same journey, unless ye be over +foot-weary with the ways of the Waste.' + +Red-wolf smiled as he answered: 'This ye say in jest, brother; for +ye may see that our day's journey hath not been over-much for our old +men; how then should it weary those who may yet bear sword? We are +ready for the road and eager for the handplay.' + +'This is well,' said Folk-might, 'and what was to be looked for. +Therefore, brother, do ye and your counsel-mates come straightway to +the Hall of the Wolf; wherein, after ye have eaten and drunken, shall +we take counsel with our brethren of Burgdale and the Sheepcotes, so +that all may be ordered for battle!' + +Said Red-wolf: 'Good is that, if we must needs abide till to-morrow; +for verily we came not hither to eat and drink and rest our bodies; +but it must be as ye will have it.' + +Then the Sun-beam left the hand of Face-of-god and came forward, and +held out both her palms to the Woodland-folk, and spake in a voice +that was heard afar, though it were a woman's, so clear and sweet it +was; and she said: + +'O Warriors of the Sundering, ye who be not needed in the Hall, and +ye our sisters with your little ones and your fathers, come now to us +and down to the tents which we have arrayed for you, and there think +for a little that we are all at our very home that we long for and +have yet to win, and be ye merry with us and make us merry.' + +Therewith she stepped forward daintily and entered into their throng, +and took an old man of the Woodlanders by the hand, and kissed his +cheek and led him away, and the coming rest seemed sweet to him. And +then came other women of the Vale, kind and fair and smiling, and led +away, some an old mother of the Wood-landers, some a young wife, some +a pair of lads; and not a few forsooth kissed and embraced the stark +warriors, and went away with them toward the tents, which stood along +the side of the Shivering Flood where it was at its quietest; for +there was the grass the softest and most abundant. There on the +green grass were tables arrayed, and lamps were hung above them on +spears, to be litten when the daylight should fail. And the best of +the victual which the Vale could give was spread on the boards, along +with wine and dainties, bought in Silver-dale, or on the edges of the +Westland with sword-strokes and arrow-flight. + +There then they feasted and were merry; and the Sun-beam and Bow-may +and the other women of the Vale served them at table, and were very +blithe with them, caressing them with soft words, and with clipping +and kissing, as folk who were grown exceeding dear to them; so that +that eve of battle was softer and sweeter to them than any hour of +their life. With these feasters were God-swain and Spear-fist of the +delivered thralls of Silver-dale as glad as glad might be; but Wolf- +stone their eldest was gone with Dallach to the Council in the Hall. + +The men of Burgdale and the Shepherds feasted otherwhere in all +content, nor lacked folk of the Vale to serve them. Amongst the men +of the Face were the ten delivered thralls who had heart to meet +their masters in arms: seven of them were of Rose-dale and three of +Silver-dale. + +The Bride was with her kindred of the Steer, with whom were many men +of Shadowy Vale, and she served her friends and fellows clad in her +war-gear, save helm and hauberk, bearing herself as one who is +serving dear guests. And men equalled her for her beauty to the Gods +of the High Place and the Choosers of the Slain; and they who had not +beheld her before marvelled at her, and her loveliness held all men's +hearts in a net of desire, so that they forebore their meat to gaze +upon her; and if perchance her hand touched some young man, or her +cheek or sweet-breathed mouth came nigh to his face, he became +bewildered and wist not where he was, nor what to do. Yet was she as +lowly and simple of speech and demeanour as if she were a gooseherd +of fourteen winters. + +In the Hall was a goodly company, and all the leaders of the Folk +were therein, and Folk-might and the War-leader sitting in the midst +of those stone seats on the days. There then they agreed on the +whole ordering of the battle and the wending of the host, as shall be +told later on; and this matter was long a-doing, and when it was +done, men went to their places to sleep, for the night was well worn. + +But when men had departed and all was still, Folk-might, light-clad +and without a weapon, left the Hall and walked briskly toward the +nether end of the Vale. He passed by all the tents, the last whereof +were of the House of the Steer, and came to a place where was a great +rock rising straight up from the plain like sheaves of black staves +standing close together; and it was called Staff-stone, and tales of +the elves had been told concerning it, so that Stone-face had beheld +it gladly the day before. + +The moon was just shining into Shadowy Vale, and the grass was bright +wheresoever the shadows of the high cliffs were not, and the face of +Staff-stone shone bright grey as Folk-might came within sight of it, +and he beheld someone sitting at the base of the rock, and as he drew +nigher he saw that it was a woman, and knew her for the Bride; for he +had prayed her to abide him there that night, because it was nigh to +the tents of the House of the Steer; and his heart was glad as he +drew nigh to her. + +She sat quietly on a fragment of the black rock, clad as she had been +all day, in her glittering kirtle, but without hauberk or helm, a +wreath of wind-flowers about her head, her feet crossed over each +other, her hands laid palm uppermost in her lap. She moved not as he +drew nigh, but said in a gentle voice when he was close to her: + +'Chief of the Wolf, great warrior, thou wouldest speak with me; and +good it is that friends should talk together on the eve of battle, +when they may never meet alive again.' + +He said: 'My talk shall not be long; for thou and I both must sleep +to-night, since there is work to hand to-morrow. Now since, as thou +sayest, O fairest of women, we may never meet again alive, I ask thee +now at this hour, when we both live and are near to one another, to +suffer me to speak to thee of my love of thee and desire for thee. +Surely thou, who art the sweetest of all things the Gods and the +kindreds have made, wilt not gainsay me this?' + +She said very sweetly, yet smiling: 'Brother of my father's sons, +how can I gainsay thee thy speech? Nay, hast thou not said it? What +more canst thou add to it that will have fresh meaning to mine ears?' + +He said: 'Thou sayest sooth: might I then but kiss thine hand?' + +She said, no longer smiling: 'Yea surely, even so may all men do who +can be called my friends--and thou art much my friend.' + +He took her hand and kissed it, and held it thereafter; nor did she +draw it away. The moon shone brightly on them; but by its light he +could not see if she reddened, but he deemed that her face was +troubled. Then he said: 'It were better for me if I might kiss thy +face, and take thee in mine arms.' + +Then said she: 'This only shall a man do with me when I long to do +the like with him. And since thou art so much my friend, I will tell +thee that as for this longing, I have it not. Bethink thee what a +little while it is since the lack of another man's love grieved me +sorely.' + +'The time is short,' said Folk-might, 'if we tell up the hours +thereof; but in that short space have a many things betid.' + +She said: 'Dost thou know, canst thou guess, how sorely ashamed I +went amongst my people? I durst look no man in the face for the +aching of mine heart, which methought all might see through my face.' + +'I knew it well,' he said; 'yet of me wert thou not ashamed but a +little while ago, when thou didst tell me of thy grief.' + +She said: 'True it is; and thou wert kind to me. Thou didst become +a dear friend to me, methought.' + +'And wilt thou hurt a dear friend?' said he. + +'O no,' she said, 'if I might do otherwise. Yet how if I might not +choose? Shall there be no forgiveness for me then?' + +He answered nothing; and still he held her hand that strove not to be +gone from his, and she cast down her eyes. Then he spake in a while: + +'My friend, I have been thinking of thee and of me; and now hearken: +if thou wilt declare that thou feelest no sweetness embracing thine +heart when I say that I desire thee sorely, as now I say it; or when +I kiss thine hand, as now I kiss it; or when I pray thee to suffer me +to cast mine arms about thee and kiss thy face, as now I pray it: if +thou wilt say this, then will I take thee by the hand straightway, +and lead thee to the tents of the House of the Steer, and say +farewell to thee till the battle is over. Canst thou say this out of +the truth of thine heart?' + +She said: 'What then if I cannot say this word? What then?' + +But he answered nothing; and she sat still a little while, and then +arose and stood before him, looking him in the eyes, and said: + +'I cannot say it.' + +Then he caught her in his arms and strained her to him, and then +kissed her lips and her face again and again, and she strove not with +him. But at last she said: + +'Yet after all this shalt thou lead me back to my folk straight-way; +and when the battle is done, if both we are living, then shall we +speak more thereof.' + +So he took her hand and led her on toward the tents of the Steer, and +for a while he spake nought; for he doubted himself, what he should +say; but at last he spake: + +'Now is this better for me than if it had not been, whether I live or +whether I die. Yet thou hast not said that thou lovest me and +desirest me.' + +'Wilt thou compel me?' she said. 'To-night I may not say it. Who +shall say what words my lips shall fashion when we stand together +victorious in Silver-dale; then indeed may the time seem long from +now.' + +He said: 'Yea, true is that; yet once again I say that so measured +long and long is the time since first I saw thee in Burgdale before +thou knewest me. Yet now I will not bicker with thee, for be sure +that I am glad at heart. And lo you! our feet have brought us to the +tents of thy people. All good go with thee!' + +'And with thee, sweet friend,' she said. Then she lingered a little, +turning her head toward the tents, and then turned her face toward +him and laid her hand on his neck, and drew his head adown to her and +kissed his cheek, and therewith swiftly and lightly departed from +him. + +Now the night wore and the morning came; and Face-of-god was abroad +very early in the morning, as his custom was; and he washed the night +from off him in the Carles' Bath of the Shivering Flood, and then +went round through the encampment of the host, and saw none stirring +save here and there the last watchmen of the night. He spake with +one or two of these, and then went up to the head of the Vale, where +was the pass that led to Silver-dale; and there he saw the watch, and +spake with them, and they told him that none had as yet come forth +from the pass, and he bade them to blow the horn of warning to rouse +up the Host as soon as the messengers came thence. For forerunners +had been sent up the pass, and had been set to hold watch at divers +places therein to pass on the word from place to place. + +Thence went Face-of-god back toward the Hall; but when he was yet +some way from it, he saw a slender glittering warrior come forth from +the door thereof, who stood for a moment looking round about, and +then came lightly and swiftly toward him; and lo! it was the Sun- +beam, with a long hauberk over her kirtle falling below her knees, a +helm on her head and plated shoes on her feet. She came up to him, +and laid her hand to his cheek and the golden locks of his head (for +he was bare-headed), and said to him, smiling: + +'Gold-mane! thou badest me bear arms, and Folk-might also constrained +me thereto. Lo thou!' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Folk-might is wise then, even as I am; and +forsooth as thou art. For bethink thee if the bow drawn at a venture +should speed the eyeless shaft against thy breast, and send me forth +a wanderer from my Folk! For how could I bear the sight of the fair +Dale, and no hope to see thee again therein?' + +She said: 'The heart is light within me to-day. Deemest thou that +this is strange? Or dost thou call to mind that which thou spakest +the other day, that it was of no avail to stand in the Doom-ring of +the Folk and bear witness against ourselves? This will I not. This +is no light-mindedness that thou beholdest in me, but the valiancy +that the Fathers have set in mine heart. Deem not, O Gold-mane, fear +not, that we shall die before they dight the bride-bed for us.' + +He would have kissed her mouth, but she put him away with her hand, +and doffed her helm and laid it on the grass, and said: + +'This is not the last time that thou shalt kiss me, Gold-mane, my +dear; and yet I long for it as if it were, so high as the Fathers +have raised me up this morn above fear and sadness.' + +He said nought, but drew her to him, and wonder so moved him, that he +looked long and closely at her face before he kissed her; and +forsooth he could find no blemish in it: it was as if it were but +new come from the smithy of the Gods, and exceeding longing took hold +of him. But even as their lips met, from the head of the Vale came +the voice of the great horn; and it was answered straightway by the +watchers all down the tents; and presently arose the shouts of men +and the clash of weapons as folk armed themselves, and laughter +therewith, for most men were battle-merry, and the cries of women +shrilly-clear as they hastened about, busy over the morning meal +before the departure of the Host. But Face-of-god said softly, still +caressing the Sun-beam, and she him: + +'Thus then we depart from this Valley of the Shadows, but as thou +saidst when first we met therein, there shall be no sundering of thee +and me, but thou shalt go down with me to the battle.' + +And he led her by the hand into the Hall of the Wolf, and there they +ate a morsel, and thereafter Face-of-god tarried not, but busied +himself along with Folk-might and the other chieftains in arraying +the Host for departure. + + + +CHAPTER XLI. THE HOST DEPARTETH FROM SHADOWY VALE: THE FIRST DAY'S +JOURNEY + + + +It was about three hours before noon that the Host began to enter +into the pass out of Shadowy Vale by the river-side; and the women +and children, and men unfightworthy, stood on the higher ground at +the foot of the cliffs to see the Host wend on the way. Of these a +many were of the Woodlanders, who were now one folk with them of +Shadowy Vale. And all these had chosen to abide tidings in the Vale, +deeming that there was little danger therein, since that last +slaughter which Folk-might had made of the Dusky Men; albeit Face-of- +god had offered to send them all to Burgstead with two score and ten +men-at-arms to guard them by the way and to eke out the warders of +the Burg. + +Now the fighting-men of Shadowy Vale were two long hundreds lacking +five; of whom two score and ten were women, and three score and ten +lads under twenty winters; but the women, though you might scarce see +fairer of face and body, were doughty in arms, all good shooters in +the bow; and the swains were eager and light-foot, cragsmen of the +best, wont to scaling the cliffs of the Vale in search of the nests +of gerfalcons and such-like fowl, and swimming the strong streams of +the Shivering Flood; tough bodies and wiry, stronger than most grown +men, and as fearless as the best. + +The order of the Departure of the Host was this: + +The Woodlanders went first into the pass, and with them were two +score of the ripe Warriors of the Wolf. Then came of the kindreds of +Burgdale, the Men of the Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull; then the +Men of the Vine and the Sickle; then the Shepherd-folk; and lastly, +the Men of the Face led by Stone-face and Hall-face. With these went +another two score of the dwellers in Shadowy Vale, and the rest were +scattered up and down the bands of the Host to guide them into the +best paths and to make the way easier to them. Face-of-god was +sundered from his kindred, and went along with Folk-might in the +forefront of the Host, while his father the Alderman went as a simple +man-at-arms with his House in the rearward. The Sun-beam followed +her brother and Face-of-god amidst the Warriors of the Wolf, and with +her were Bow-may clad in the Alderman's gift, and Wood-father and his +children. Bow-may had caused her to doff her hauberk for that day, +whereon they looked to fall in with no foeman. As for the Bride, she +went with her kindred in all her war-gear; and the morning sun shone +in the gems of her apparel, and her jewelled feet fell like flowers +upon the deep grass of the upper Vale, and shone strange and bright +amongst the black stones of the pass. She bore a quiver at her back +and a shining yew bow in her hand, and went amongst the bowmen, for +she was a very deft archer. + +So fared they into the pass, leaving peace behind them, with all +their banners displayed, and the banner of the Red-mouthed Wolf went +with the Wolf and the Sun-burst in the forefront of their battle next +after the two captains. + +As for their road, the grassy space between the rock-wall and the +water was wide and smooth at first, and the cliffs rose up like +bundles of spear-shafts high and clear from the green grass with no +confused litter of fallen stones; so that the men strode on briskly, +their hearts high-raised and full of hope. And as they went, the +sweetness of song stirred in their souls, and at last Bow-may fell to +singing in a loud clear voice, and her cousin Wood-wise answered her, +and all the warriors of the Wolf who were in their band fell into the +song at the ending, and the sound of their melody went down the water +and reached the ears of those that were entering the pass, and of +those who were abiding till the way should be clear of them: and +this is some of what they sang: + + +Bow-may singeth: + +Hear ye never a voice come crying + Out from the waste where the winds fare wide? +'Sons of the Wolf, the days are dying, + And where in the clefts of the rocks do ye hide? + +'Into your hands hath the Sword been given, + Hard are the palms with the kiss of the hilt; +Through the trackless waste hath the road been riven + For the blade to seek to the heart of the guilt. + +'And yet ye bide and yet ye tarry; + Dear deem ye the sleep 'twixt hearth and board, +And sweet the maiden mouths ye marry, + And bright the blade of the bloodless sword.' + +Wood-wise singeth: + +Yea, here we dwell in the arms of our Mother + The Shadowy Queen, and the hope of the Waste; +Here first we came, when never another + Adown the rocky stair made haste. + +Far is the foe, and no sword beholdeth + What deed we work and whither we wend; +Dear are the days, and the Year enfoldeth + The love of our life from end to end. + +Voice of our Fathers, why will ye move us, + And call up the sun our swords to behold? +Why will ye cry on the foeman to prove us? + Why will ye stir up the heart of the bold? + +Bow-may singeth: + +Purblind am I, the voice of the chiding; + Then tell me what is the thing ye bear? +What is the gift that your hands are hiding, + The gold-adorned, the dread and dear? + +Wood-wise singeth: + +Dark in the sheath lies the Anvil's Brother, + Hid is the hammered Death of Men. +Would ye look on the gift of the green-clad Mother? + How then shall ye ask for a gift again? + +The Warriors sing: + +Show we the Sunlight the Gift of the Mother, + As foot follows foot to the foeman's den! +Gleam Sun, breathe Wind, on the Anvil's Brother, + For bare is the hammered Death of Men. + + +Therewith they shook their naked swords in the air, and fared on +eagerly, and as swiftly as the pass would have them fare. But so it +was, that when the rearward of the Host was entering the first of the +pass, and was going on the wide smooth sward, the vanward was gotten +to where there was but a narrow space clear betwixt water and cliff; +for otherwhere was a litter of great rocks and small, hard to be +threaded even by those who knew the passes well; so that men had to +tread along the very verge of the Shivering Flood, and wary must they +be, for the water ran swift and deep betwixt banks of sheer rock half +a fathom below their very foot-soles, which had but bare space to go +on the narrow a way. So it held on for a while, and then got safer, +and there was more space for going betwixt cliff and flood; albeit it +was toilsome enough, since for some way yet there was a drift of +stones to cumber their feet, some big and some little, and some very +big. After a while the way grew better, though here and there, where +the cliffs lowered, were wide screes of loose stones that they must +needs climb up and down. Thereafter for a space was there an end of +the stony cumber, but the way betwixt the river and the cliffs +narrowed again, and the black crags grew higher, and at last so +exceeding high, and the way so narrow, that the sky overhead was to +them as though they were at the bottom of a well, and men deemed that +thence they could see the stars at noontide. For some time withal +had the way been mounting up and up, though the cliffs grew higher +over it; till at last they were but going on a narrow shelf, the +Shivering Flood swirling and rattling far below them betwixt sheer +rock-walls grown exceeding high; and above them the cliffs going up +towards the heavens as black as a moonless starless night of winter. +And as the flood thundered below, so above them roared the ceaseless +thunder of the wind of the pass, that blew exceeding fierce down that +strait place; so that the skirts of their garments were wrapped about +their knees by it, and their feet were well-nigh stayed at whiles as +they breasted the push thereof. + +But as they mounted higher and higher yet, the noise of the waters +swelled into a huge roar that drowned the bellowing of the prisoned +wind, and down the pass came drifting a fine rain that fell not from +the sky, for between the clouds of that drift could folk see the +heavens bright and blue above them. This rain was but the spray of +the great force up to whose steps they were climbing. + +Now the way got rougher as they mounted; but this toil was caused by +their gain; for the rock-wall, which thrust out a buttress there as +if it would have gone to the very edge of the gap where-through the +flood ran, and so have cut the way off utterly, was here somewhat +broken down, and its stones scattered down the steep bent, so that +there was a passage, though a toilsome one. + +Thus then through the wind-borne drift of the great force, through +which men could see the white waters tossing down below, amidst the +clattering thunder of the Shivering Flood and the rumble of the wind +of the gap, that tore through their garments and hair as if it would +rend all to rags and bear it away, the banners of the Wolf won their +way to the crest of the midmost height of the pass, and the long line +of the Host came clambering after them; and each band of warriors as +it reached the top cast an unheard shout from amidst the tangled fury +of wind and waters. + +A little further on and all that turmoil was behind them; the sun, +now grown low, smote the wavering column of spray from the force at +their backs, till the rainbows lay bright across it; and the sunshine +lay wide over a little valley that sloped somewhat steeply to the +west right up from the edge of the river; and beyond these western +slopes could men see a low peak spreading down on all sides to the +plain, till it was like to a bossed shield, and the name of it was +Shield-broad. Dark grey was the valley everywhere, save that by the +side of the water was a space of bright green-sward hedged about +toward the mountain by a wall of rocks tossed up into wild shapes of +spires and jagged points. The river itself was spread out wide and +shallow, and went rattling about great grey rocks scattered here and +there amidst it, till it gathered itself together to tumble headlong +over three slant steps into the mighty gap below. + +From the height in the pass those grey slopes seemed easy to +traverse; but the warriors of the Wolf knew that it was far +otherwise, for they were but the molten rock-sea that in time long +past had flowed forth from Shield-broad and filled up the whole +valley endlong and overthwart, cooling as it flowed, and the tumbled +hedge of rock round about the green plain by the river was where the +said rock-sea had been stayed by meeting with soft ground, and had +heaped itself up round about the green-sward. And that great rock- +flood as it cooled split in divers fashions; and the rain and weather +had been busy on it for ages, so that it was worn into a maze of +narrow paths, most of which, after a little, brought the wayfarer to +a dead stop, or else led him back again to the place whence he had +started; so that only those who knew the passes throughly could +thread that maze without immeasurable labour. + +Now when the men of the Host looked from the high place whereon they +stood toward the green plain by the river, they saw on the top of +that rock-wall a red pennon waving on a spear, and beside it three or +four weaponed men gleaming bright in the evening sun; and they waved +their swords to the Host, and made lightning of the sunbeams, and the +men of the Host waved swords to them in turn. For these were the +outguards of the Host; and the place whereon they were was at whiles +dwelt in by those who would drive the spoil in Silver-dale, and +midmost of the green-sward was a booth builded of rough stones and +turf, a refuge for a score of men in rough weather. + +So the men of the vanward gat them down the hill, and made the best +of their way toward the grassy plain through that rocky maze which +had once been as a lake of molten glass; and as short as the way +looked from above, it was two hours or ever they came out of it on to +the smooth turf, and it was moonlight and night ere the House of the +Face had gotten on to the green-sward. + +There then the Host abode for that night, and after they had eaten +lay down on the green grass and slept as they might. Bow-may would +have brought the Sun-beam into the booth with some others of the +women, but she would not enter it, because she deemed that otherwise +the Bride would abide without; and the Bride, when she came up, along +with the House of the Steer, beheld the Sun-beam, that Wood-father's +children had made a lair for her without like a hare's form; and +forsooth many a time had she lain under the naked heaven in Shadowy +Vale and the waste about it, even as the Bride had in the meadows of +Burgdale. So when the Bride was bidden thereto, she went meekly into +the booth, and lay there with others of the damsels-at-arms. + + + +CHAPTER XLII. THE HOST COMETH TO THE EDGES OF SILVER-DALE + + + +So wore the night, and when the dawn was come were the two captains +afoot, and they went from band to band to see that all was ready, and +all men were astir betimes, and by the time that the sun smote the +eastern side of Shield-broad ruddy, they had broken their fast and +were dight for departure. Then the horns blew up beside the banners, +and rejoiced the hearts of men. But by the command of the captains +this was the last time that they should sound till they blew for +onset in Silver-dale, because now would they be drawing nigher and +nigher to the foemen, and they wotted not but that wandering bands of +them might be hard on the lips of the pass, and might hear the horns' +voice, and turn to see what was toward. + +Forth then went the banners of the Wolf, and the men of the vanward +fell to threading the rock-maze toward the north, and in two hours' +time were clear of the Dale under Shield-broad. All went in the same +order as yesterday; but on this day the Sun-beam would bear her +hauberk, and had a sword girt to her side, and her heart was high and +her speech merry. + +When they left the Dale under Shield-broad the way was easy and wide +for a good way, the river flowing betwixt low banks, and the pass +being more like a string of little valleys than a mere gap, as it had +been on the other side of the Dale. But when one third of the day +was past, the way began to narrow on them again, and to rise up +little by little; and at last the rock-walls drew close to the river, +and when men looked toward the north they saw no way, and nought but +a wall. For the gap of the Shivering Flood turned now to the east, +and the Flood came down from the east in many falls, as it were over +a fearful stair, through a gap where there was no path between the +cliffs and the water, nought but the boiling flood and its turmoil; +so that they who knew not the road wondered what they should do. + +But Folk-might led the banners to where a great buttress of the +cliffs thrust itself into the way, coming well-nigh down to the +water, just at the corner where the river turned eastward, and they +got them about it as they might, and on the other side thereof lo! +another gap exceeding strait, scarce twenty foot over, wall-sided, +rugged beyond measure, going up steeply from the great valley: a +little water ran through it, mostly filling up the floor of it from +side to side; but it was but shallow. This was now the battle-road +of the Host, and the vanward entered it at once, turning their backs +upon the Shivering Flood. + +Full toilsome and dreary was that strait way; often great stones hung +above their heads, bridging the gap and hiding the sky from them; nor +was there any path for them save the stream itself; so that whiles +were they wading its waters to the knee or higher, and whiles were +they striding from stone to stone amidst the rattle of the waters, +and whiles were they stepping warily along the ledges of rock above +the deeper pools, and in all wise labouring in overcoming the rugged +road amidst the twilight of the gap. + +Thus they toiled till the afternoon was well worn, and so at last +they came to where the rock-wall was somewhat broken down on the +north side, and great rocks had fallen across the gap, and dammed up +the waters, which fell scantily over the dam from stone to stone into +a pool at the bottom of it. Up this breach, then, below the force +they scrambled and struggled, for rough indeed was the road for them; +and so came they up out of the gap on to the open hill-side, a great +shoulder of the heath sloping down from the north, and littered over +with big stones, borne thither belike by some ice-river of the +earlier days; and one great rock was in special as great as the hall +of a wealthy goodman, and shapen like to a hall with hipped gables, +which same the men of the Wolf called House-stone. + +There then the noise and clatter of the vanward rose up on the face +of the heath, and men were exceeding joyous that they had come so far +without mishap. Therewith came weaponed men out from under House- +stone, and they came toward the men of the vanward, and they were a +half-score of the forerunners of the Wolf; therefore Folk-might and +Face-of-god fell at once into speech with them, and had their +tidings; and when they had heard them, they saw nought to hinder the +host from going on their road to Silver-dale forthright; and there +were still three hours of daylight before them. So the vanward of +the host tarried not, and the captains left word with the men from +under House-stone that the rest of the Host should fare on after them +speedily, and that they should give this word to each company, as men +came up from out the gap. Then they fared speedily up the hillside, +and in an hour's wearing had come to the crest thereof, and to where +the ground fell steadily toward the north, and hereabout the +scattered stones ceased, and on the other side of the crest the heath +began to be soft and boggy, and at last so soft, that if they had not +been wisely led, they had been bemired oftentimes. At last they came +to where the flows that trickled through the mires drew together into +a stream, so that men could see it running; and thereon some of the +Woodlanders cried out joyously that the waters were running north; +and then all knew that they were drawing nigh to Silver-dale. + +No man they met on the road, nor did they of Shadowy Vale look to +meet any; because the Dusky Men were not great hunters for the more +part, except it were of men, and especially of women; and, moreover, +these hill-slopes of the mountain-necks led no-whither and were +utterly waste and dreary, and there was nought to be seen there but +snipes and bitterns and whimbrel and plover, and here and there a +hill-fox, or the great erne hanging over the heath on his way to the +mountain. + +When sunset came, they were getting clear of the miry ground, and the +stream which they had come across amidst of the mires had got clearer +and greater, and rattled down between wide stony sides over the +heath; and here and there it deepened as it cleft its way through +little knolls that rose out of the face of the mountain-neck. As the +Host climbed one of these and was come to its topmost (it was low +enough not to turn the stream), Face-of-god looked and beheld dark- +blue mountains rising up far off before him, and higher than these, +but away to the east, the snowy peaks of the World-mountains. Then +he called to mind what he had seen from the Burg of the Runaways, and +he took Folk-might by the arm, and pointed toward those far-off +mountains. + +'Yea,' said Folk-might, 'so it is, War-leader. Silver-dale lieth +between us and yonder blue ridges, and it is far nigher to us than to +them.' + +But the Sun-beam came close to those twain, and took Face-of-god by +the hand and said: 'O Gold-mane, dost thou see?' and he turned about +and beheld her, and saw how her cheeks flamed and her eyes glittered, +and he said in a low voice: 'To-morrow for mirth or silence, for +life or death.' + +But the whole vanward as they came up stayed to behold the sight of +the mountains on the other side of Silver-dale, and the banners of +the Folk hung over their heads, moving but little in the soft air of +the evening: so went they on their ways. + +The sun sank, and dusk came on them as they followed down the stream, +and night came, and was clear and starlit, though the moon was not +yet risen. Now was the ground firm and the grass sweet and flowery, +and wind-worn bushes were scattered round about them, as they began +to go down into the ghyll that cleft the wall of Silver-dale, and the +night-wind blew in their faces from the very Dale and place of the +Battle to be. The path down was steep at first, but the ghyll was +wide, and the sides of it no longer straight walls, as in the gaps of +their earlier journey, but broken, sloping back, and (as they might +see on the morrow) partly of big stones and shaly grit, partly grown +over with bushes and rough grass, with here and there a little stream +trickling down their sides. As they went, the ghyll widened out, +till at last they were in a valley going down to the plain, in places +steep, in places flat and smooth, the stream ever rattling down the +midst of it, and they on the west side thereof. The vale was well +grassed, and oak-trees and ash and holly and hazel grew here and +there about it; and at last the Host had before it a wood which +filled the vale from side to side, not much tangled with undergrowth, +and quite clear of it nigh to the stream-side. Thereinto the vanward +entered, but went no long way ere the leaders called a halt and bade +pitch the banners, for that there should they abide the daylight. +Thus it had been determined at the Council of the Hall of the Wolf; +for Folk-might had said: 'With an Host as great as ours, and mostly +of men come into a land of which they know nought at all, an +onslaught by night is perilous: yea, and our foes should be over- +much scattered, and we should have to wander about seeking them. Let +us rather abide in the wood of Wood-dale till the morning, and then +display our banners on the hill-side above Silver-dale, so that they +may gather together to fall upon us: in no case shall they keep us +out of the Dale.' + +There then they stayed, and as each company came up to the wood, they +were marshalled into their due places, so that they might set the +battle in array on the edge of Silver-dale, + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. FACE-OF-GOD LOOKETH ON SILVER-DALE: THE BOWMEN'S +BATTLE + + + +There then they rested, as folk wearied with the toilsome journey, +when they had set sure watches round about their campment; and they +ate quietly what meat they had with them, and so gat them to sleep in +the wood on the eve of battle. + +But not all slept; for the two captains went about amongst the +companies, Folk-might to the east, Face-of-god to the west, to look +to the watches, and to see that all was ordered duly. Also the Sun- +beam slept not, but she lay beside Bow-may at the foot of an oak- +tree; she watched Face-of-god as he went away amidst the men of the +Host, and watched and waked abiding his returning footsteps. + +The night was well worn by then he came back to his place in the +vanward, and on his way back he passed through the folk of the Steer +laid along on the grass, all save those of the watch, and the light +of the moon high aloft was mingled with the light of the earliest +dawn; and as it happed he looked down, and lo! close to his feet the +face of the Bride as she lay beside her grand-sire, her head pillowed +on a bundle of bracken. She was sleeping soundly like a child who +has been playing all day, and whose sleep has come to him unsought +and happily. Her hands were laid together by her side; her cheek was +as fair and clear as it was wont to be at her best; her face looked +calm and happy, and a lock of her dark-red hair strayed from her +uncovered head over her breast and lay across her wrists, so +peacefully she slept. + +Face-of-god turned his eyes from her at once, and went by swiftly, +and came to his own company. The Sun-beam saw him coming, and rose +straightway to her feet from beside Bow-may, who lay fast asleep, and +she held out her hands to him; and he took them and kissed them, and +he cast his arms about her and kissed her mouth and her face, and she +his in likewise; and she said: + +'O Gold-mane, if this were but the morrow of to-morrow! Yet shall +all be well; shall it not?' + +Her voice was low, but it waked Bow-may, who sat up at once broad +awake, after the manner of a hunter of the waste ever ready for the +next thing to betide, and moreover the Sun-beam had been in her +thoughts these two days, and she feared for her, lest she should be +slain or maimed. Now she smiled on the Sun-beam and said: + +'What is it? Does thy mind forebode evil? That needeth not. I tell +thee it is not so ill for us of the sword to be in Silver-dale. +Thrice have I been there since the Overthrow, and never more than a +half-score in company, and yet am I whole to-day.' + +'Yea, sister,' said Face-of-god, 'but in past times ye did your deed +and then fled away; but now we come to abide here, and this night is +the last of lurking.' + +'Ah,' she said, 'a little way from this I saw such things that we had +good will to abide here longer, few as we were, but that we feared to +be taken alive.' + +'What things were these?' said Face-of-god. + +'Nay,' she said, 'I will not tell thee now; but mayhap in the lighted +winter feast-hall, when the kindred are so nigh us and about us that +they seem to us as if they were all the world, I may tell it thee; or +mayhap I never shall.' + +Said the Sun-beam, smiling: 'Thou wilt ever be talking, Bow-may. +Now let the War-leader depart, for he will have much to do.' + +And she was well at ease that she had seen Face-of-god again; but he +said: + +'Nay, not so much; all is well-nigh done; in an hour it will be broad +day, and two hours thereafter shall the Banner be displayed on the +edge of Silver-dale.' + +The cheek of the Sun-beam flushed, and paled again, as she said: +'Yea, we shall stand even as our Fathers stood on the day when, +coming from off the waste, they beheld it, and knew it would be +theirs. Ah me! how have I longed for this morn. But now--Tell me, +Gold-mane, dost thou deem that I am afraid? And I whom thou hast +deemed to be a God.' + +Quoth Bow-may: 'Thou shalt deem her twice a God ere noon-tide, +brother Gold-mane. But come now! the hour of deadly battle is at +hand, and we may not laugh that away; and therefore I bid thee +remember, Gold-mane, how thou didst promise to kiss me once more on +the verge of deadly battle.' + +Therewith she stood up before him, and he tarried not, but kind and +smiling took her face between his two hands and kissed her lips, and +she cast her arms about him and kissed him, and then sank down on the +grass again, and turned from him, and laid her face amongst the grass +and the bracken, and they could see that she was weeping, and her +body was shaken with sobs. But the Sun-beam knelt down to her, and +caressed her with her hand, and spake kind words to her softly, while +Face-of-god went his ways to meet Folk-might. + +Now was the dawn fading into full daylight; and between dawn and +sunrise were all men stirring; for the watch had waked the hundred- +leaders, and they the leaders of scores and half-scores, and they the +whole folk; and they sat quietly in the wood and made no noise. + +In the night the watch of the Sickle had fallen in with a thrall who +had stolen up from the Dale to set gins for hares, and now in the +early morning they brought him to the War-leader. He was even such a +man as those with whom Face-of-god had fallen in before, neither +better nor worse than most of them: he was sore afraid at first, but +by then he was come to the captains he understood that he had +happened upon friends; but he was dull of comprehension and slow of +speech. Albeit Folk-might gathered from him that the Dusky Men had +some inkling of the onslaught; for he said that they had been +gathering together in the marketplace of Silver-stead, and would do +so again soon. Moreover, the captains deemed from his speech that +those new tribes had come to hand sooner than was looked for, and +were even now in the Dale. Folk-might smiled as one who is not best +pleased when he heard these tidings; but Face-of-god was glad to hear +thereof; for what he loathed most was that the war should drag out in +hunting of scattered bands of the foe. Herewith came Dallach to them +as they talked (for Face-of-god had sent for him), and he fell to +questioning the man further; by whose answers it seemed that many men +also had come into the Dale from Rose-dale, so that they of the +kindreds were like to have their hands full. Lastly Dallach drew +from the thrall that it was on that very morning that the great Folk- +mote of the Dusky Men should be holden in the market-place of the +Stead, which was right great, and about it were the biggest of the +houses wherein the men of the kindred had once dwelt. + +So when they had made an end of questioning the thrall, and had given +him meat and drink, they asked him if he would take weapons in his +hand and lead them on the ways into the Dale, bidding him look about +the wood and note how great and mighty an host they were. And the +carle yeasaid this, after staring about him a while, and they gave +him spear and shield, and he went with the vanward as a way-leader. + +Again presently came a watch of the Shepherds, and they had found a +man and a woman dead and stark naked hanging to the boughs of a great +oak-tree deep in the wood. This men knew for some vengeance of the +Dusky Men, for it was clear to see that these poor people had been +sorely tormented before they were slain. Also the same watch had +stumbled on the dead body of an old woman, clad in rags, lying +amongst the rank grass about a little flow; she was exceeding lean +and hunger-starved, and in her hand was a frog which she had half +eaten. And Dallach, when he heard of this, said that it was the wont +of the Dusky Men to slay their thralls when they were past work, or +to drive them into the wilderness to die. + +Lastly came a watch from the men of the Face, having with them two +more thralls, lusty young men; these they had come upon in company of +their master, who had brought them up into the wood to shoot him a +buck, and therefore they bare bows and arrows. The watch had slain +the master straightway while the thralls stood looking on. They were +much afraid of the weaponed men, but answered to the questioning much +readier than the first man; for they were household thralls, and +better fed and clad than he, who was but a toiler in the fields. +They yeasaid all his tale, and said moreover that the Folk-mote of +the Dusky Men should be holden in the market-place that forenoon, and +that most of the warriors should be there, both the new-comers and +the Rose-dale lords, and that without doubt they should be under +arms. + +To these men also they gave a good sword and a helm each, and bade +them be brisk with their bows, and they said yea to marching with the +Host; and indeed they feared nothing so much as being left behind; +for if they fell into the hands of the Dusky Men, and their master +missing, they should first be questioned with torments, and then +slain in the evillest manner. + +Now whereas things had thus betid, and that they knew thus much of +their foemen, Face-of-god called all the chieftains together, and +they sat on the green grass and held counsel amongst them, and to one +and all it seemed good that they should suffer the Dusky Men to +gather together before they meddled with them, and then fall upon +them in such order and such time as should seem good to the captains +watching how things went; and this would be easy, whereas they were +all lying in the wood in the same order as they would stand in +battle-array if they were all drawn up together on the brow of the +hill. Albeit Face-of-god deemed it good, after he had heard all that +they who had been in the Stead could tell him thereof, that the +Shepherd-Folk, who were more than three long hundreds, and they of +the Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull, four hundreds in all, should +take their places eastward of the Woodlanders who had led the +vanward. + +Straightway the word was borne to these men, and the shift was made: +so that presently the Woodlanders were amidmost of the Host, and had +with them on their right hands the Men of the Steer, the Bridge, and +the Bull, and beyond them the Shepherd-Folk. But on their left hand +lay the Men of the Vine, then they of the Sickle, and lastly the Men +of the Face, and these three kindreds were over five hundreds of +warriors: as for the Men of the Wolf, they abode at first with those +companies which they had led through the wastes, though this was +changed afterwards. + +All this being done, Face-of-god gave out that all men should break +their fast in peace and leisure; and while men were at their meat, +Folk-might spake to Face-of-god and said: 'Come, brother, for I +would show thee a goodly thing; and thou, Dallach, come with us.' + +Then he brought them by paths in the wood till Face-of-god saw the +sky shine white between the tree-boles, and in a little while they +were come well-nigh out of the thicket, and then they went warily; +for before them was nought but the slopes of Wood-dale, going down +steeply into Silver-dale, with nought to hinder the sight of it, save +here and there bushes or scattered trees; and so fair and lovely it +was that Face-of-god could scarce forbear to cry out. He saw that it +was only at the upper or eastern end, where the mountains of the +Waste went round about it, that the Dale was narrow; it soon widened +out toward the west, and for the most part was encompassed by no such +straight-sided a wall as was Burgdale, but by sloping hills and +bents, mostly indeed somewhat higher and steeper than the pass +wherein they were, but such as men could well climb if they had a +mind to, and there were any end to their journey. The Dale went due +west a good way, and then winded about to the southwest, and so was +hidden from them thereaway by the bents that lay on their left hand. +As it was wider, so it was not so plain a ground as was Burgdale, but +rose in knolls and little hills here and there. A river greater than +the Weltering Water wound about amongst the said mounds; and along +the side of it out in the open dale were many goodly houses and +homesteads of stone. The knolls were mostly covered over with vines, +and there were goodly and great trees in groves and clumps, chiefly +oak and sweet chestnut and linden; many were the orchards, now in +blossom, about the homesteads; the pastures of the neat and horses +spread out bright green up from the water-side, and deeper green +showed the acres of the wheat on the lower slopes of the knolls, and +in wide fields away from the river. + +Just below the pitch of the hill whereon they were, lay Silver-stead, +the town of the Dale. Hitherto it had been an unfenced place; but +Folk-might pointed to where on the western side a new white wall was +rising, and on which, young as the day yet was, men were busy laying +the stones and spreading the mortar. Fair seemed that town to Face- +of-god: the houses were all builded of stone, and some of the +biggest were roofed with lead, which also as well as silver was dug +out of the mountains at the eastern end of the Dale. The market- +place was clear to see from where they stood, though there were +houses on all sides of it, so wide it was. From their standing-place +it was but three furlongs to this heart of Silver-dale; and Face-of- +god could see brightly-clad men moving about in it already. High +above their heads he beheld two great clots of scarlet and yellow +raised on poles and pitched in front of a great stone-built hall +roofed with lead, which stood amidmost of the west end of the Place, +and betwixt those poles he saw on a mound with long slopes at its +sides somewhat of white stone, and amidmost of the whole Place a +great stack of faggot-wood built up four-square. Those red and +yellow things on the poles he deemed would be the banners of the +murder-carles; and Folk-might told him that even so it was, and that +they were but big bunches of strips of woollen cloth, much like to +great ragmops, save that the rags were larger and longer: no other +token of war, said Folk-might, did those folk carry, save a +crookbladed sword, smeared with man's blood, and bigger than any man +might wield in battle. + +'Art thou far-seeing, War-leader?' quoth he. 'What canst thou see in +the market-place?' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Far-seeing am I above most men, and I see in the +Place a man in scarlet standing by the banner, which is pitched in +front of the great stone hall, near to the mound with the white stone +on it; and meseemeth he beareth a great horn in his hand.' + +Said Folk-might: 'Yea, and that stone hall was our Mote-house when +we were lords of the Dale, and thence it was that they who are now +thralls of the Dusky Men sent to them their message and token of +yielding. And as for that white stone, it is the altar of their god; +for they have but one, and he is that same crook-bladed sword. And +now that I look, I see a great stack of wood amidmost the market- +place, and well I know what that betokeneth.' + +'Lo you!' said Face-of-god, 'the man with the horn is gone up on to +the altar-mound, and meseemeth he is setting the little end of the +horn to his mouth.' + +'Hearken then!' said Folk-might. And in a moment came the hoarse +tuneless sound of the horn down the wind towards them; and Folk-might +said: + +'I deem I should know what that blast meaneth; and now is it time +that the Host drew nigher to set them in array behind these very +trees. But if ye will, War-leader, we will abide here and watch the +ways of the foemen, and send Dallach with the word to the Host; also +I would have thee suffer me to bid hither at once two score and ten +of the best of the bowmen of our folk and the Woodlanders, and Wood- +wise to lead them, for he knoweth well the land hereabout, and what +is good to do.' + +'It is good,' said Face-of-god. 'Be speedy, Dallach!' + +So Dallach departed, running lightly, and the two chiefs abode there; +and the horn in Silver-stead blew at whiles for a little, and then +stayed; and Folk-might said: + +'Lo you! they come flockmeal to the Mote-stead; the Place will be +filled ere long.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Will they make offerings to their god at the +hallowing in of their Folk-mote? Where then are the slaughter- +beasts?' + +'They shall not long be lacking,' said Folk-might. 'See you it is +getting thronged about the altar and the Mote-house.' + +Now there were four ways into the Market-place of Silver-stead turned +toward the four airts, and the midmost of the kindreds' battle looked +right down the southern one, which went up to the wood, but stopped +there in a mere woodland path, and the more part of the town lay +north and west of this way, albeit there was a way from the east +also. But the hill-side just below the two captains lay two furlongs +west of this southern way; and it went down softly till it was gotten +quite near to the backs of the houses on the south side of the +Market-place, and was sprinkled scantly with bushes and trees as +aforesaid; but at last were there more bushes, which well-nigh made a +hedge across it, reaching from the side of the southern way; and a +foot or two beyond these bushes the ground fell by a steep and broken +bent down to the level of the Market-place, and betwixt that fringe +of bushes and the backs of the houses on the south side of the Place +was less it maybe than a full furlong: but the southern road +aforesaid went down softly into the Market-place, since it had been +fashioned so by men. + +Now the two chiefs heard a loud blast of horns come up from the town, +and lo! a great crowd of men wending their ways down the road from +the north, and they came into the market-place with spears and other +weapons tossing in the air, and amidst of these men, who seemed to be +all of the warriors, they saw as they drew nigher some two score and +ten of men clad in long raiment of yellow and scarlet, with tall +spiring hats of strange fashion on their heads, and in their hands +long staves with great blades like scythes done on to them; and +again, in the midst of these yellow and red glaive-bearers, in the +very heart of the throng were some score of naked folk, they deemed +both men and women, but were not sure, so close was the throng; nor +could they see if they were utterly naked. + +'Lo you, brother!' quoth Folk-might, 'said I not that the beasts for +the hewing should not tarry? Yonder naked folk are even they: and +ye may well deem that they are the thralls of the Dusky Men; and +meseemeth by the whiteness of their skins they be of the best of +them. For these felons, it is like, look to winning great plenty of +thralls in Burgdale, and so set the less store on them they have, and +may expend them freely.' + +As he spake they heard the sound of men marching in the wood behind +them, and they turned about and saw that there was come Wood-wise, +and with him upwards of two score and ten of the bowmen of the +Woodlanders and the Wolf--huntsmen, cragsmen, and scourers of the +Waste; men who could shoot the chaffinch on the twig a hundred yards +aloof; who could make a hiding-place of the bennets of the wayside +grass, or the stem of the slender birch-tree. With these must needs +be Bow-may, who was the closest shooter of all the kindreds. + +So then Wood-wise told the War-leader that Dallach had given the word +to the Host, and that all men were astir and would be there presently +in their ordered companies; and Face-of-god spake to Folk-might, and +said: 'Chief of the Wolf, wilt thou not give command to these +bowmen, and set them to the work; for thou wottest thereof.' + +'Yea, that will I,' said Folk-might, and turned to Wood-wise, and +said: 'Wood-wise, get ye down the slope, and loose on these felons, +who have a murder on hand, if so be ye have a chance to do it wisely. +But in any case come ye all back; for all shall be needed yet to-day. +So flee if they pursue, for ye shall have us to flee to. Now be ye +wary, nor let the curse of the Wolf and the Face lie on your +slothfulness.' + +Wood-wise did but nod his head and lift his hand to his fellows, who +set off after him down the slope without more tarrying. They went +very warily, as if they were hunting a quarry which would flee from +them; and they crept amongst the grass and stones from bush to bush +like serpents, and so, unseen by the Dusky Men, who indeed were +busied over their own matters, they came to the fringe of bushes +above the broken ground aforesaid, and there they took their stand, +and before them below those steep banks was but the space at the back +of the houses. As to the houses, as aforesaid, they were not so high +as elsewhere about the Market-place; and at the end of a long low +hall there was a gap between its gable and the next house, whereby +they had a clear sight of the Place about the god's altar and the +banners, and the great hall of Silver-dale, with the double stair +that went up to the door thereof. + +There then they made them ready, and Wood-wise set men to watch that +none should come sidelong on them unawares; their bows were bent and +their quivers open, and they were eager for the fray. + +Thus they beheld the Market-place from their cover, and saw that +those folk who were to be hewn to the god were now standing facing +the altar in a half-ring, and behind them in another half-ring the +glaive-bearers who had brought them thither stood glaive in hand +ready to hew them down when the token should be given; and these were +indeed the priests of the god. + +There was clear space round about these poor slaughter-thralls, so +that the bowmen could see them well, and they told up a score of +them, half men, half women, and they were all stark naked save for +wreaths of flowers about their middles and their necks; and they had +shackles of lead about their wrists; which same lead should be taken +out of the fire wherein they should be burned, and from the shape it +should take after it had passed through the fire would the priests +foretell the luck of the deed to be done. + +It was clear to be seen from thence that Folk-might was right when he +said that these slaughter-thralls were of the best of the house- +thralls and bed-mates of the Dusky Men, and that these felons were +open-handed to their god, and would not cheat him, or withhold from +him the best and most delicate of all they had. + +Now spake Wood-wise to those about him: 'It is sure that Folk-might +would have us give these poor thralls a chance, and that we must +loose upon the felons who would hew them down; and if we are to come +back again, we can go no nigher. What sayest thou, Bow-may? Is it +nigh enough? Can aught be done?' + +'Yea, yea,' she said, 'nigh enough it is; but let Gold-ring be with +me and half a score of the very best, whether they be of our folk or +the Woodlanders, men who cannot miss such a mark; and when we have +loosed, then let all loose, and stay not till our shot be spent. +Haste, now haste! time presseth; for if the Host showeth on the brow +of the hill, these felons will hew down their slaughter-beasts before +they turn on their foemen. Let the grey-goose wing speed trouble and +confusion amongst them.' + +But ere she had done her words Wood-wise had got to speaking quietly +with the Woodlanders; and Bears-bane, who was amidst them, chose out +eight of the best of his folk, men who doubted nothing of hitting +whatever they could see in the Market-place; and they took their +stand for shooting, and with them besides Bow-may were two women and +four men of the Wolf, and Gold-ring withal, a carle of fifty winters, +long, lean, and wiry, a fell shooter if ever anyone were. + +So all these notched their shafts and laid them on the yew, and each +had between the two last fingers of the shaft-hand another shaft +ready, and a half score more stuck into the ground before him. + +Now giveth Wood-wise the word to these sixteen as to which of the +felons with the glaives they shall each one aim at; and he saith +withal in a soft voice: 'Help cometh from the Hill; soon shall +battle be joined in Silver-dale.' + +Thus stand they watching Bow-may and Gold-ring till they draw home +the notches; and amidst their waiting the glaive-bearing felons fall +a-singing a harsh and ugly hymn to their crooked-sword god, and the +Market-stead is thronged endlong and overthwart with the tribes of +the Dusky Men. + +There now standeth Bow-may far-sighted and keen-eyed, her face as +pale as a linen sleeve, an awful smile on her glittering eyes and +close-set lips, and she feeling the twisted string of the red yew and +the polished sides of the notch, while the yelling song of the Dusky +priests quavers now and ends with a wild shrill cry, and she noteth +the midmost of the priests beginning to handle his weapon: then +swift and steady she draweth home the notches, while the yew bow +standeth still as the oak-bole ere the summer storm ariseth, and the +twang of the sixteen strings maketh but one fell sound as the +feathered bane of men goeth on its way. + +There was silence for a moment of time in the Market of Silver-stead, +as if the bolt of the Gods had fallen there; and then arose a huge +wordless yell from those about the altar, and one of the priests who +was left hove up his glaive two-handed to smite the naked slaughter- +thralls; but or ever the stroke fell, Bow-may's second shaft was +through his throat, and he rolled over amidst his dead fellows; and +the other fifteen had loosed with her, and then even as they could +Wood-wise and the others of their company; and all they notched and +loosed without tarrying, and no shout, no word came from their lips, +only the twanging strings spake for them; for they deemed the minutes +that hurried by were worth much joy of their lives to be. And few +indeed were the passing minutes ere the dead men lay in heaps about +the Altar of the Crooked Sword, and the wounded men wallowed amidst +them. + + + +CHAPTER XLIV. OF THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE MEN OF THE STEER, THE BRIDGE, +AND THE BULL + + + +Wild was the turmoil and confusion in the Market-stead; for the more +part of the men therein knew not what had befallen about the altar, +though some clomb up to the top of that stack of faggots built for +the burning of the thralls, and when they saw what was toward fell to +yelling and cursing; and their fellows on the plain Place could not +hear their story for the clamour, and they also fell to howling as if +a wood full of wild dogs was there. + +And still the shafts rained down on that throng from the Bent of the +Bowmen, for another two score men of the Woodlanders had crept down +the hill to them, and shafts failed them not. But the Dusky Men +about the altar, for all their terror, or even maybe because of it, +now began to turn upon the scarce-seen foemen, and to press up wildly +toward the hill-side, though as it were without any order or aim. +Every man of them had his weapons, and those no mere gilded toys, but +their very tools of battle; and some, but no great number, had their +bows with them and a few shafts; and these began to shoot at +whatsoever they could see on the hill-side, but at first so wildly +and hurriedly that they did no harm. + +It must be said of them that at first only those about the altar fell +on toward the hill; for those about the road that led southward knew +not what had betided nor whither to turn. So that at this beginning +of the battle, of all the thousands in the great Place it was but a +few hundreds that set on the Bent of the Bowmen, and at these the +bowmen of the kindreds shot so close and so wholly together that they +fell one over another in the narrow ways between the houses whereby +they must needs go to gather on the plain ground betwixt the backs of +the houses and the break of the hill-side. But little by little the +archers of the Dusky Men gathered behind the corpses of the slain, +and fell to shooting at what they could see of the men of the +kindreds, which at that while was not much, for as bold as they were, +they fought like wary hunters of the Wood and the Waste. + +But now at last throughout all that throng of Felons in the Market- +place the tale began to spread of foemen come into the Dale and +shooting from the Bents, and all they turned their faces to the hill, +and the whole set of the throng was thitherward; though they fared +but slowly, so evil was the order of them, each man hindering his +neighbour as he went. And not only did the Dusky Men come flockmeal +toward the Bent of the Bowmen, but also they jostled along toward the +road that led southward. That beheld Wood-wise from the Bent, and he +was minded to get him and his aback, now that they had made so great +a slaughter of the foemen; and two or three of his fellows had been +hurt by arrows, and Bow-may, she would have been slain thrice over +but for the hammer-work of the Alderman. And no marvel was that; for +now she stood on a little mound not half covered by a thin thorn- +bush, and notched and loosed at whatever was most notable, as though +she were shooting at the mark on a summer evening in Shadowy Vale. +But as Wood-wise was at point to give the word to depart, from behind +them rang out the merry sound of the Burgdale horns, and he turned to +look at the wood-side, and lo! thereunder was the hill bright and +dark with men-at-arms, and over them floated the Banners of the Wolf, +and the Banners of the Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull. Then gave +forth the bowmen of the kindreds their first shout, and they made no +stay in their shooting; but shot the eagerer, for they deemed that +help would come without their turning about to draw it to them: and +even so it was. For straightway down the bent came striding Face-of- +god betwixt the two Banners of the Wolf, and beside him were Red-wolf +the tall and War-grove, and therewithal Wood-wont and Wood-wicked, +and many other men of the Wolf; for now that the men of the kindreds +had been brought face to face with the foe, and there was less need +of them for way-leaders, the more part of them were liefer to fight +under their own banner along with the Woodlanders; so that the +company of those who went under the Wolves was more than three long +hundreds and a half; and the bowmen on the edge of the bent shouted +again and merrily, when they felt that their brothers were amongst +them, and presently was the arrow-storm at its fiercest, and the +twanging of bow-strings and the whistle of the shafts was as the wind +among the clefts of the mountains; for all the new-comers were bowmen +of the best. + +But the kindreds of the Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull, they hung +yet a while longer on the hills' brow, their banners floating over +them and their horns blowing; and the Dusky Felons in the Market- +place beheld them, and fear and rage at once filled their hearts, and +a fierce and dreadful yell brake out from them, and joyously did the +Men of Burgdale answer them, and song arose amongst them even such as +this: + + +The Men of the Bridge sing: + +Why stand ye together, why bear ye the shield, +Now the calf straineth tether at edge of the field? + +Now the lamb bleateth stronger and waters run clear, +And the day groweth longer and glad is the year? + +Now the mead-flowers jostle so thick as they stand, +And singeth the throstle all over the land? + +The Men of the Steer sing: + +No cloud the day darkened, no thunder we heard, +But the horns' speech we hearkened as men unafeared. + +Yea, so merry it sounded, we turned from the Dale, +Where all wealth abounded, to wot of its tale. + +The Men of the Bridge sing: + +What white boles then bear ye, what wealth of the woods? +What chafferers hear ye bid loud for your goods? + +The Men of the Bull sing: + +O the bright beams we carry are stems of the steel; +Nor long shall we tarry across them to deal. + +Hark the men of the cheaping, how loudly they cry +On the hook for the reaping of men doomed to die! + +They all sing: + +Heave spear up! fare forward, O Men of the Dale! +For the Warrior, our war-ward, shall hearken the tale. + + +Therewith they ceased a moment, and then gave a great and hearty +shout all together, and all their horns blew, and they moved on down +the hill as one man, slowly and with no jostling, the spear-men +first, and then they of the axe and the sword; and on their flanks +the deft archers loosed on the stumbling jostling throng of the Dusky +Men, who for their part came on drifting and surging up the road to +the hill. + +But when those big spearmen of the Dale had gone a little way the +horns' voice died out, and their great-staved spears rose up from +their shoulders into the air, and stood so a moment, and then slowly +fell forward, as the oars of the longship fall into the row-locks, +and then over the shoulders of the foremost men showed the steel of +the five ranks behind them, and their own spears cast long bars of +shadow on the whiteness of the sunny road. No sound came from them +now save the rattle of their armour and the tramp of their steady +feet; but from the Dusky Men rose up hideous confused yelling, and +those that could free themselves from the tangle of the throng rushed +desperately against the on-rolling hedge of steel, and the whole +throng shoved on behind them. Then met steel and men; here and there +an ash-stave broke; here and there a Dusky Felon rolled himself +unhurt under the ash-staves, and hewed the knees of the Dalesmen, and +a tall man came tottering down; but what men or wood-wights could +endure the push of spears of those mighty husbandmen? The Dusky Ones +shrunk back yelling, or turned their backs and rushed at their own +folk with such fierce agony that they entered into the throng, till +the terror of the spear reached to the midmost of it and swayed them +back on the hindermost; for neither was there outgate for the felons +on the flanks of the spearmen, since there the feathered death beset +them, and the bowmen (and the Bride amongst the foremost) shot wholly +together, and no shaft flew idly. But the wise leaders of the +Dalesmen would not that they should thrust in too far amongst the +howling throng of the Dusky Men, lest they should be hemmed in by +them; for they were but a handful in regard to them: so there they +stayed, barring the way to the Dusky Men, and the bowmen still loosed +from the flanks of them, or aimed deftly from betwixt the ranks of +the spearmen. + +And now was there a space of ten strides or more betwixt the Dalesmen +and their foes, over which the spears hung terribly, nor durst the +Dusky Men adventure there; and thereon was nought but men dead or +sorely hurt. Then suddenly a horn rang thrice shrilly over all the +noise and clamour of the throng, and the ranks of the spearmen +opened, and forth into that space strode two score of the swordsmen +and axe-wielders of the Dale, their weapons raised in their hands, +and he who led them was Iron-hand of the House of the Bull: tall he +was, wide-shouldered, exceeding strong, but beardless and fair-faced. +He bore aloft a two-edged sword, broad-bladed, exceeding heavy, so +that few men could wield it in battle, but not right long; it was an +ancient weapon, and his father before him had called it the Barley- +scythe. With him were some of the best of the kindreds, as Wolf of +Whitegarth, Long-hand of Oakholt, Hart of Highcliff, and War-well the +captain of the Bridge. These made no tarrying on that space of the +dead, but cried aloud their cries: 'For the Burg and the Steer! for +the Dale and the Bridge! for the Dale and the Bull!' and so fell at +once on the Felons; who fled not, nor had room to flee; and also they +feared not the edge-weapons so sorely as they feared those huge +spears. So they turned fiercely on the swordsmen, and chiefly on +Iron-hand, as he entered in amongst them the first of all, hewing to +the right hand and the left, and many a man fell before the Barley- +scythe; for they were but little before him. Yet as one fell another +took his place, and hewed at him with the steel axe and the crooked +sword; and with many strokes they clave his shield and brake his helm +and rent his byrny, while he heeded little save smiting with the +Barley-scythe, and the blood ran from his arm and his shoulder and +his thigh. + +But War-well had entered in among the foe on his left hand, and +unshielded hove up a great broad-bladed axe, that clave the iron +helms of the Dusky Men, and rent their horn-scaled byrnies. He was +not very tall, but his shoulders were huge and his arms long, and +nought could abide his stroke. He cleared a ring round Iron-hand, +whose eyes were growing dim as the blood flowed from him, and hewed +three strokes before him; then turned and drew the champion out of +the throng, and gave him into the arms of his fellows to stanch the +blood that drained away the might of his limbs; and then with a great +wordless roar leaped back again on the Dusky Men as the lion leapeth +on the herd of swine; and they shrank away before him; and all the +swordsmen shouted, 'For the Bridge, for the Bridge!' and pressed on +the harder, smiting down all before them. On his left hand now was +Hart of Highcliff wielding a good sword hight Chip-driver, wherewith +he had slain and hurt a many, fighting wisely with sword and shield, +and driving the point home through the joints of the armour. But +even therewith, as he drave a great stroke at a lord of the Dusky +Ones, a cast-spear came flying and smote him on the breast, so that +he staggered, and the stroke fell flatlings on the shield-boss of his +foe, and Chip-driver brake atwain nigh the hilts; but Hart closed +with him, and smote him on the face with the pommel, and tore his axe +from his hand and clave his skull therewith, and slew him with his +own weapon, and fought on valiantly beside War-well. + +Now War-well had fought so fiercely that he had rent his own hauberk +with the might of his strokes, and as he raised his arm to smite a +huge stroke, a deft man of the Felons thrust the spike of his war-axe +up under his arm; and when War-well felt the smart of the steel, he +turned on that man, and, letting his axe fall down to his wrist and +hang there by its loop, he caught the foeman up by the neck and the +breech, and drave him against the other Dusky Ones before him, so +that their weapons pierced and rent their own friend and fellow. +Then he put forth the might of his arms and the pith of his body, and +hove up that felon and cast him on to the heads of his fellow murder- +carles, so that he rent them and was rent by them. Then War-well +fell on again with the axe, and all the champions of the Dale shouted +and fell on with him, and the foe shrank away; and the Dalesmen +cleared a space five fathoms' length before them, and the spearmen +drew onward and stood on the space whereon the first onslaught had +been. + +Then drew those hewers of the Dale together, and forth from the +company came the man that bare the Banner of the Bridget and the +champions gathered round him, and they ordered their ranks and strode +with the Banner before them three times to and fro across the road +athwart the front of the spearmen, and then with a great shout drew +back within the spear-hedge. Albeit five of the champions of the +Dale had been slain outright there, and the more part of them hurt +more or less. + +But when all were well within the ranks, once again blew the horn, +and all the spears sank to the rest, and the kindreds drave the +spear-furrow, and a space was swept clear before them, and the cries +and yells of the Dusky Men were so fierce and wild that the rough +voices of the Dalesmen were drowned amidst them. + +Forth then came every bowman of the kindred that was there and loosed +on the Dusky Men; and they forsooth had some bowmen amongst them, but +cooped up and jostled as they were they shot but wildly; whereas each +shaft of the Dale went home truly. + +But amongst the bowmen forth came the Bride in her glittering war- +gear, and stepped lightly to the front of the spearmen. Her own yew +bow had been smitten by a shaft and broken in her hand: so she had +caught up a short horn bow and a quiver from one of the slain of the +Dusky Men; and now she knelt on one knee under the shadow of the +spears nigh to her grandsire Hall-ward, and with a pale face and +knitted brow notched and loosed, and notched and loosed on the throng +of foemen, as if she were some daintily fashioned engine of war. + +So fared the battle on the road that went from the south into the +Market-stead. Valiantly had the kindred fought there, and no man of +them had blenched, and much had they won; but the way was perilous +before them, for the foe was many and many. + + + +CHAPTER XLV. OF FACE-OF-GOD'S ONSLAUGHT + + + +Now the banners of the Wolf flapped and rippled over the heads of the +Woodlanders and the Men of the Wolf; and the men shot all they might, +nor took heed now to cover themselves against the shafts of the Dusky +Men. As for these, for all they were so many, their arrow-shot was +no great matter, for they were in very evil order, as has been said; +and moreover, their rage was so great to come to handy strokes with +these foemen, that some of them flung away their bows to brandish the +axe or the sword. Nevertheless were some among the kindred hurt or +slain by their arrows. + +Now stood Face-of-god with the foremost; and from where he stood he +could see somewhat of the battle of the Dalesmen, and he wotted that +it was thriving; therefore he looked before him and close around him, +and noted what was toward there. The space betwixt the houses and +the break of the bent was crowded with the fury of the Dusky Men +tossing their weapons aloft, crying to each other and at the kindred, +and here and there loosing a bow-string on them; but whatever was +their rage they might not come a many together past a line within ten +fathom of the bent's end; for three hundred of the best of bowmen +were shooting at them so ceaselessly that no Dusky man was safe of +any bare place of his body, and they fell over one another in that +penfold of slaughter, and for all their madness did but little. + +Yet was the heart of the War-leader troubled; for he wotted that it +might not last for ever, and there seemed no end to the throng of +murder-carles; and the time would come when the arrowshot would be +spent, and they must needs come to handy strokes, and that with so +many. + +Now a voice spake to him as he gazed with knitted brows and careful +heart on that turmoil of battle: + +'What now hast thou done with the Sun-beam, and where is her brother? +Is the Chief of the Wolf skulking when our work is so heavy? And +thou meseemeth art overlate on the field: the mowing of this meadow +is no sluggard's work.' + +He turned and beheld Bow-may, and gazed on her face for a moment, and +saw her eyes how they glittered, and how the pommels of her cheeks +were burning red and her lips dry and grey; but before he answered he +looked all round about to see what was to note; and he touched Bow- +may on the shoulder and pointed to down below where a man of the +Felons had just come out of the court of one of the houses: a man +taller than most, very gaily arrayed, with gilded scales all over +him, so that, with his dark face and blue eyes, he looked like some +strange dragon. Bow-may spake not, but stamped her foot with anger. +Yet if her heart were hot, her hand was steady; for she notched a +shaft, and just as the Dusky Chief raised his axe and brandished it +aloft, she loosed, and the shaft flew and smote the felon in the +armpit and the default of the armour, and he fell to earth. But even +as she loosed, Face-of-god cried out in a loud voice: + +'O lads of battle! shoot close and all together. Tarry not, tarry +not! for we need a little time ere sword meets sword, and the others +of the kindreds are at work!' + +But Bow-may turned round to him and said: 'Wilt thou not answer me? +Where is thy kindness gone?' + +Even as she was speaking she had notched and loosed another shaft, +speaking as folk do who turn from busy work at loom or bench. + +Then said Face-of-god: 'Shoot on, sister Bow-may! The Sun-beam is +gone with her brother, and he is with the Men of the Face.' + +He broke off here, for a man fell beside him hurt in the neck, and +Face-of-god took his bow from his hands and shot a shaft, while one +of the women who had been hurt also tended the newly-wounded man. +Then Face-of-god went on speaking: + +'She was unwilling to go, but Folk-might and I constrained her; for +we knew that this is the most perilous place of the battle--hah! see +those three felons, Bow-may! they are aiming hither.' + +And again he loosed and Bow-may also, but a shaft rattled on his helm +withal and another smote a Woodlander beside him, and pierced through +the calf of his leg, as he turned and stooped to take fresh arrows +from a sheaf that lay there; but the carle took it by the notch and +the point, and brake it and drew it out, and then stood up and went +on shooting. And Face-of-god spake again: + +'Folk-might skulketh not; nor the Men of the Vine, and the Sickle, +and the Face, nor the Shepherd-Folk: soon shall they be making our +work easy to us, if we can hold our own till then. They are on the +other roads that lead into the square. Now suffer me, and shoot on!' + +Therewith he looked round about him, and he saw on the left hand that +all was quiet; and before him was the confused throng of the Dusky +Men trampling their own dead and wounded, and not able as yet to +cross that death-line of the arrow so near to them. But on his right +hand he saw how they of the kindreds held them firm on the way. Then +for a moment of time he considered and thought, till him-seemed he +could see the whole battle yet to be foughten; and his face flushed, +and he said sharply: 'Bow-may, abide here and shoot, and show the +others where to shoot, while the arrows hold out; but we will go +further for a while, and ye shall follow when we have made the rent +great enough.' + +She turned to him and said: 'Why art thou not more joyous? thou art +like an host without music or banners.' + +'Nay,' said he, 'heed not me, but my bidding!' + +She said hastily: 'I think I shall die here; since for all we have +shot we minish them nowise. Now kiss me this once amidst the battle, +and say farewell.' + +He said: 'Nay, nay; it shall not go thus. Abide a little while, and +thou shalt see all this tangle open, as the sun cleaveth the clouds +on the autumn morning. Yet lo thou! since thou wilt have it so.' + +And he bent forward and kissed her face, and now the tears ran over +it, and she said smiling somewhat: 'Now is this more than I looked +for, whatso may betide.' + +But while she was yet speaking he cried in a great voice: + +'Ye who have spent your shot, or have nigh spent it, to axe and +sword, and follow me to clear the ground 'twixt the bent and the +halls. Let each help each, but throng not each other. Shoot wisely, +ye bowmen, and keep our backs clear of the foe. On, on! for the Burg +and the Face, for the Burg and the Face!' + +Therewith he leapt down the steep of the hill, bounding like the +hart, with Dale-warden naked in his hand; and they that followed were +two score and ten; and the arrows of their bowmen rained over their +heads on the Dusky Men, as they smote down the first of the foemen, +and the others shrieked and shrank from them, or turned on them +smiting wildly and desperately. + +But Face-of-god swept round the great sword and plunged into that sea +of turmoil and noise and evil sights and savours, and even therewith +he heard clearly a voice that said: 'Goldring, I am hurt; take my +bow a while!' and knew it for Bow-may's; but it came to his ears like +the song of a bird without meaning; for it was as if his life were +changed at once; and in a minute or two he had cut thrice with the +edge and thrust twice with the point, eager, but clear-eyed and deft; +and he saw as in a picture the foe before him, and the grey roofs of +Silver-stead, and through the gap in them the tops of the blue ridges +far aloof. And now had three fallen before him, and they feared him, +and turned on him, and smote so many together that their strokes +crossed each other, and one warded him from the other; and he laughed +aloud and shielded himself, and drave the point of Dale-warden amidst +the tangle of weapons through the open mouth of a captain of the +Felons, and slashed a cheek with a back-stroke, and swept round the +edge to his right hand and smote off a blue-eyed snub-nosed head; and +therewith a pole-axe smote him on the left side of his helm, so that +he tottered; but he swung himself round, and stood stark and upright, +and gave a short hack with the edge, keeping Dale-warden well in +hand, and a gold-clad felon, a champion of them, and their tallest on +the ground, fell aback, his throat gaping more than the mouth of him. + +Then Face-of-god shouted and waved Dale-warden aloft to the Banner of +the Wolf that floated behind and above him, and he cried out: 'As I +have promised so have I done!' And he looked about, and beheld how +valiantly his fellows had been doing; for before him now was a space +of earth with no man standing on his feet thereon, like the swathe of +the mowers of June; and beyond that was the crowd of the Dusky Men +wavering like the tall grass abiding the scythe. + +But a minute, and they fell to casting at Face-of-god and his fellows +spears and knives and shields and whatsoever would fly; and a spear +smote him on the breast, but entered not; and a bossed shield fell +over his face withal, and a plummet of sling-lead smote his helm, and +he fell to earth; but leapt up again straightway, and heard as he +arose a great shout close to him, and a shrill cry, and lo! at his +left side Bow-may, her sword in her hand, and the hand red with blood +from a shaft-graze on her wrist, and a white cloth stained with blood +about her neck; and on his right side Wood-wise bearing the banner +and crying the Wolf-whoop; for the whole company was come down from +the slope and stood around him. + +Then for a little while was there such a stilling of the tumult about +him there, that he heard great and glad cries from the Road of the +South of 'The Burg and the Steer! The Dale and the Bridge! The Dale +and the Bull!' And thereafter a terrible great shrieking cry, and a +huge voice that cried: 'Death, death, death to the Dusky Men!' And +thereafter again fierce cries and great tumult of the battle. + +Then Face-of-god shook Dale-warden in the air, and strode forward +fiercely, but not speedily, and the whole company went foot for foot +along with him; and as he went, would he or would he not, song came +into his mouth, a song of the meadows of the Dale, even such as this: + + +The wheat is done blooming and rust's on the sickle, + And green are the meadows grown after the scythe. +Come, hands for the dance! For the toil hath been mickle, + And 'twixt haysel and harvest 'tis time to be blithe. + +And what shall the tale be now dancing is over, + And kind on the meadow sits maiden by man, +And the old man bethinks him of days of the lover, + And the warrior remembers the field that he wan? + +Shall we tell of the dear days wherein we are dwelling, + The best days of our Mother, the cherishing Dale, +When all round about us the summer is telling, + To ears that may hearken, the heart of the tale? + +Shall we sing of these hands and these lips that caress us, + And the limbs that sun-dappled lie light here beside, +When still in the morning they rise but to bless us, + And oft in the midnight our footsteps abide? + +O nay, but to tell of the fathers were better, + And of how we were fashioned from out of the earth; +Of how the once lowly spurned strong at the fetter; + Of the days of the deeds and beginning of mirth. + +And then when the feast-tide is done in the morning, + Shall we whet the grey sickle that bideth the wheat, +Till wan grow the edges, and gleam forth a warning + Of the field and the fallow where edges shall meet. + +And when cometh the harvest, and hook upon shoulder + We enter the red wheat from out of the road, +We shall sing, as we wend, of the bold and the bolder, + And the Burg of their building, the beauteous abode. + +As smiteth the sickle amid the sun's burning + We shall sing how the sun saw the token unfurled, +When forth fared the Folk, with no thought of returning, + In the days when the Banner went wide in the world. + + +Many saw that he was singing, but heard not the words of his mouth, +for great was the noise and clamour. But he heard Bow-may, how she +laughed by his side, and cried out: + +'Gold-mane, dear-heart, now art thou merry indeed; and glad am I, +though they told me that I am hurt.--Ah! now beware, beware!' + +For indeed the Dusky Men, seeing the wall of steel rolling down on +them, and cooped up by the houses, so that they scarce knew how to +flee, turned in the face of death, the foremost of them, and rushed +furiously on the array of the Woodlanders, and all those behind +pressed on them like the big wave of the ebbing sea when the gust of +the wind driveth it landward. + +The Woodlanders met them, shouting out: 'The Greenwood and the Wolf, +the Greenwood and the Wolf!' But not a few of them fell there, +though they gave not back a foot; for so fierce now were the Dusky +Men, that hewing and thrusting at them availed nought, unless they +were slain outright or stunned; and even if they fell they rolled +themselves up against their tall foe-men, heeding not death or wounds +if they might but slay or wound. There then fell War-grove and ten +others of the Woodlanders, and four men of the Wolf, but none before +he had slain his foeman; and as each man fell or was hurt grievously, +another took his place. + +Now a felon leapt up and caught Gold-ring by the neck and drew him +down, while another strove to smite his head off; but the stout carle +drave a wood-knife into the side of the first felon, and drew it out +speedily and smote the other, the smiter, in the face with the same +knife, and therewith they all three rolled together on the earth +amongst the feet of men. Even so did another felon by Bow-may, and +dragged her down to the ground, and smote her with a long knife as +she tumbled down; and this was a feat of theirs, for they were long- +armed like apes. + +But as to this felon, Dale-warden's edge split his skull, and Face- +of-god gathered his might together and bestrode Bow-may, till he had +hewed a space round about him with great two-handed strokes; and yet +the blade brake not. Then he caught up Bow-may from the earth, and +the felon's knife had not pierced her hauberk, but she was astonied, +and might not stand upon her feet; and Face-of-god turned aside a +little with her, and half bore her, half thrust her through the +throng to the rearward of his folk, and left her there with two +carlines of the Wolf who followed the host for leechcraft's sake, and +then turned back shouting: 'For the Face, for the Face!' and there +followed him back to the battle, a band of those who were fresh as +yet, and their blades unbloodied, the young men of the Woodlands. + +The wearier fighters made way for them as they came on shouting, and +Face-of-god was ahead of them all, and leapt at the foemen as a man +unwearied and striking his first stroke, so wondrous hale he was; and +they drave a wedge amidst of the Dusky Men, and then turned about and +stood back to back hewing at all that drifted on them. But as Face- +of-god cleared a space about him, lo! almost within reach of his +sword-point up rose a grim shape from the earth, tall, grey-haired, +and bloody-faced, who uttered the Wolf-whoop from amidst the terror +of his visage, and turned and swung round his head an axe of the +Dusky Men, and fell to smiting them with their own weapon. The Dusky +Men shrieked in answer to his whoop, and all shrunk from him and +Face-of-god; but a cry of joy went up from the kindred, for they knew +Gold-ring, whom they deemed had been slain. So they all pressed on +together, smiting down the foe before them, and the Dusky Men, some +turned their backs and drave those behind them, till they too turned +and were strained through the passages and courts of the houses, and +some were overthrown and trodden down as they strove to hold face to +the Woodlanders, and some were hewn down where they stood; but the +whole throng of those that were on their feet drifted toward the +Market-place, the Woodlanders following them ever with point and +edge, till betwixt the bent and the houses no foeman stood up against +them. + +Then they stood together, and raised the whoop of victory, and blew +their horns long and loud in token of their joy, and the Woodland men +lifted up their voices and sang: + + + Now far, far aloof + Standeth lintel and roof, + The dwelling of days + Of the Woodland ways: + Now nought wendeth there + Save the wolf and the bear, + And the fox of the waste + Faring soft without haste. +No carle the axe whetteth on oak-laden hill; +No shaft the hart letteth to wend at his will; +None heedeth the thunder-clap over the glade, +And the wind-storm thereunder makes no man afraid. +Is it thus then that endeth man's days on Mid-earth, +For no man there wendeth in sorrow or mirth? + + Nay, look down on the road + From the ancient abode! + Betwixt acre and field + Shineth helm, shineth shield. + And high over the heath + Fares the bane in his sheath; + For the wise men and bold + Go their ways o'er the wold. +Now the Warrior hath given them heart and fair day, +Unbidden, undriven, they fare to the fray. +By the rock and the river the banners they bear, +And their battle-staves quiver 'neath halbert and spear; +On the hill's brow they gather, and hang o'er the Dale +As the clouds of the Father hang, laden with bale. + + Down shineth the sun + On the war-deed half done; + All the fore-doomed to die, + In the pale dust they lie. + There they leapt, there they fell, + And their tale shall we tell; + But we, e'en in the gate + Of the war-garth we wait, +Till the drift of war-weather shall whistle us on, +And we tread all together the way to be won, +To the dear land, the dwelling for whose sake we came +To do deeds for the telling of song-becrowned fame. +Settle helm on the head then! Heave sword for the Dale! +Nor be mocked of the dead men for deedless and pale. + + + +CHAPTER XLVI. MEN MEET IN THE MARKET OF SILVER-STEAD + + + +So sang they; but Face-of-god went with Red-wolf, who was hurt +sorely, but not deadly, and led him back toward the place just under +the break of the bent; and there he found Bow-may in the hands of the +women who were tending her hurts. She smiled on him from a pale face +as he drew nigh, and he looked kindly at her, but he might not abide +there, for haste was in his feet. He left Red-wolf to the tending of +the women, and clomb the bent hastily, and when he deemed he was high +enough, he looked about him; and somewhat more than half an hour had +worn since Bow-may had sped the first shaft against the Dusky Men. + +He looked down into the Market-stead, and deemed he could see that +nigh the Mote-house the Dusky Men were gathering into some better +order; but they were no longer drifting toward the southern bents, +but were standing round about the altar as men abiding somewhat; and +he deemed that they had gotten more bowshot than before, and that +most of them bare bows. Though so many had been slain in the battles +of the southern bents, yet was the Market-stead full of them, so to +say, for others had come thereto in place of those that had fallen. + +But now as he looked arose mighty clamour amongst them; and a little +west of the Altar was a stir and a hurrying onward and around as in +the eddies of a swift stream. Face-of-god wotted not what was +betiding there, but he deemed that they were now ware of the onfall +of Folk-might and Hall-face and the men of Burgdale, for their faces +were all turned to where that was to be looked for. + +So he turned and looked on the road to the east of him, where had +been the battle of the Steer, but now it was all gone down toward the +Market-place, and he could but hear the clamour of it; but nought he +saw thereof, because of the houses that hid it. + +Then he cast his eyes on the road that entered the Market-stead from +the north, and he saw thereon many men gathered; and he wotted not +what they were; for though there were weapons amongst them, yet were +they not all weaponed, as far as he could see. + +Now as he looked this way and that, and deemed that he must tarry no +longer, but must enter into the courts of the houses before him and +make his way into the Market-stead, lo! a change in the throng of +Dusky Warriors nigh the Mote-house, and the ordered bands about the +Altar fell to drifting toward the western way with one accord, with +great noise and hurry and fierce cries of wrath. Then made Face-of- +god no delay, but ran down the bent at once, and at the break of it +came upon Bow-may standing upright and sword in hand; and as he +passed, she joined herself to him, and said: 'What new tidings now, +Gold-mane?' + +'Tidings of battle!' he cried; 'tidings of victory! Folk-might hath +fallen on, and the Dusky Men run hastily to meet him. Hark, hark!' + +For as he spoke came a great noise of horns, and Bow-may said: 'What +horn is that blowing?' + +He stayed not, but shouted aloud: 'For the Face, for the Face! Now +will we fall upon their backs!' + +Therewith was he come to his company, and he cried out to them: +'Heard ye the horn, heard ye the horn? Now follow me into the +Market-place; much is yet to do!' + +Even therewith came the sound of other horns, and all men were silent +a moment, and then shouted all together, for the Wood-landers knew it +for the horn of the Shepherds coming on by the eastward way. + +But Face-of-god waved his sword aloft and set on at once, and they +followed and gat them through the courts of the houses and their +passages into the Market-place. There they found more room than they +looked to find; for the foemen had drawn away on the left hand toward +the battle of Folk-might, and on the right hand toward the battle of +the Steer; and great was the noise and cry that came thence. + +Now stood Face-of-god under the two banners of the Wolf in the +Market-place of Silver-stead, and scarce had he time to be high- +hearted, for needs must he ponder in his mind what thing were best to +do. For on the left hand he deemed the foe was the strongest and +best ordered; but there also were the kindreds the doughtiest, and it +was little like that the felons should overcome the spear-casters of +the Face and the glaive-bearers of the Sickle, and the bowmen of the +Vine: there also were the wisest leaders, as the stark elder Stone- +face, and the tall Hall-face, and his father of the unshaken heart, +and above all Folk-might, fierce in his wrath, but his anger burning +steady and clear, like the oaken butt on the hearth of the hall. + +Then as his mind pictured him amongst the foe, it made therewith +another picture of the slender warrior Sun-beam caught in the tangle +of battle, and longing for him and calling for him amidst the hard +hand-play. And thereat his face flushed, and all his body waxed hot, +and he was on the very point of leading the onset against the foe on +the left. But therewith he bethought him of the bold men of the +Steer and the Bridge and the Bull weary with much fighting; and he +remembered also that the Bride was amongst them and fighting, it +might be, amidst the foremost, and if she were slain how should he +ever hold up his head again. He bethought him also that the +Shepherds, who had fallen on by the eastern road, valiant as they +were, were scarce so well armed or so well led as the others. +Therewithal he bethought him (and again it came like a picture into +his mind) of falling on the foemen by whom the southern battle was +beset, and then the twain of them meeting the Shepherds, and lastly, +all those three companies joined together clearing the Market-place, +and meeting the men under Folk-might in the midst thereof. + +Therefore, scant had he been pondering these things in his mind for a +minute ere he cried out: 'Blow up horns, blow up! forward banners, +and follow me, O valiant men! to the helping of the Steer, the +Bridge, and the Bull; deep have they thrust into the Dusky Throng, +and belike are hard pressed. Hark how the clamour ariseth from their +besetters! On now, on!' + +Therewith hung a star of sunlight on his sword as he raised it aloft, +and the Wolf-whoop rang out terribly in the Market-place, for now had +the Woodlanders also learned it, and the hearts of the foemen sank as +they heard the might and the mass thereof. Then the battle of the +Woodlanders swept round and fell upon the flank of them who were +besetting the kindreds, as an iron bar smiteth the soft fir-wood; and +they of the kindreds heard their cry, but faintly and confusedly, so +great was the turmoil of battle about them. + +Now once more was Bow-may by the side of Face-of-god; and if she had +not the might of the mightiest, yet had she the deftness of the +deftest. And now was she calm and cool, shielding herself with a +copper-bossed target, and driving home the point of her sharp sword; +white was her face, and her eyes glittered amidst it, and she seemed +to men like to those on whose heads the Warrior hath laid the Holy +Bread. + +As to Wood-wise, he had given the Banner of the red-jawed Wolf to +Stone-wolf, a huge and dreadful warrior some forty winters old, who +had fought in the Great Overthrow, and now hewed down the Dusky Men, +wielding a heavy short-sword left-handed. But Wood-wise himself +fought with a great sword, giving great strokes to the right hand and +the left, and was no more hasty than is the hewer in the winter wood. + +Face-of-god fought wisely and coldly now, and looked more to warding +his friends than destroying his foes, and both to Bow-may and Wood- +wise his sword was a shield; for oft he took the life from the edge +of the upraised axe, and stayed the point of the foeman in mid-air. + +Even so wisely fought the whole band of the Woodlanders and the +Wolves, who got within smiting space of the foe; for they had no will +to cast away their lives when assured victory was so nigh to them. +Sooth to say, the hand-play was not so hard to them as it had been +betwixt the bent and the houses; for the Dusky Men were intent on +dealing with the men of the kindreds from the southern road, who +stood war-wearied before them; and they were hewing and casting at +them, and baying and yelling like dogs; and though they turned about +to meet the storm of the Woodlanders, yet their hearts failed them +withal, and they strove to edge away from betwixt those two fearful +scythes of war, fighting as men fleeing, not as men in onset. But +still the Woodlanders and the Wolves came on, hewing and thrusting, +smiting down the foemen in heaps, till the Dusky Throng grew thin, +and the staves of the Dalesmen and their bright banners in the +morning sun were clear to see, and at last their very faces, kindly +and familiar, worn and strained with the stress of battle, or +laughing wildly, or pale with the fury of the fight. Then rose up to +the heavens the blended shout of the Woodlanders and the Dalesmen, +and now there was nought of foemen betwixt them save the dead and the +wounded. + +Then Face-of-god thrust his sword into its sheath all bloody as it +was, and strode over the dead men to where Hall-ward stood under the +banner of the Steer, and cast his arms about the old carle, and +kissed him for joy of the victory. But Hall-ward thrust him aback +and looked him in the face, and his cheeks were pale and his lips +clenched, and his eyes haggard and staring, and he said in a harsh +voice: + +'O young man, she is dead! I saw her fall. The Bride is dead, and +thou hast lost thy troth-plight maiden. O death, death to the Dusky +Men!' + +Then grew Face-of-god as pale as a linen sleeve, and all the new- +comers groaned and cried out. But a bystander said: 'Nay, nay, it +is nought so bad as that; she is hurt, and sorely; but she liveth +yet.' + +Face-of-god heard him not. He forgot Dale-warden lying in his +sheath, and he saw that the last speaker had a great wood-axe broad +and heavy in his hand, so he cried: 'Man, man, thine axe!' and +snatched it from him, and turned about to the foe again, and thrust +through the ranks, suffering none to stay him till all his friends +were behind and all his foes before him. And as he burst forth from +the ranks waving his axe aloft, bare-headed now, his yellow hair +flying abroad, his mouth crying out, 'Death, death, death to the +Dusky Men!' fear of him smote their hearts, and they howled and fled +before him as they might; for they said that the Dalesmen had prayed +their Gods into the battle. But not so fast could they flee but he +was presently amidst them, smiting down all about him, and they so +terror-stricken that scarce might they raise a hand against him. All +that blended host followed him mad with wrath and victory, and as +they pressed on, they heard behind them the horns and war-cries of +the Shepherds falling on from the east. Nought they heeded that now, +but drave on a fearful storm of war, and terrible was the slaughter +of the Felons. + +It was but a few minutes ere they had driven them up against that +great stack of faggots that had been dight for the burnt-offering of +men, and many of the felons had mounted up on to it, and now in their +anguish of fear were shooting arrows and casting spears on all about +them, heeding little if they were friend or foe. Now were the men of +the kindreds at point to climb this twiggen burg; but by this time +the fury of Face-of-god had run clear, and he knew where he was and +what he was doing; so he stayed his folk, and cried out to them: +'Forbear, climb not! let the torch help the sword!' And therewith he +looked about and saw the fire-pot which had been set down there for +the kindling of the bale-fire, and the coals were yet red in it; so +he snatched up a dry brand and lighted it thereat, and so did divers +others, and they thrust them among the faggots, and the fire caught +at once, and the tongues of flame began to leap from faggot to faggot +till all was in a light low; for the wood had been laid for that very +end, and smeared with grease and oil so that the burning to the god +might be speedy. + +But the fierceness of the kindreds heeded not the fire, nor overmuch +the men who leapt down from the stack before it, but they left all +behind them, faring straight toward the western outgate from the +Market-stead; and Face-of-god still led them on; though by now he was +wholly come to his right mind again, albeit the burden of sorrow yet +lay heavy on his heart. He had broken his axe, and had once more +drawn Dale-warden from his sheath, and many felt his point and edge. + +But now, as they chased, came a rush of men upon them again, as +though a new onset were at hand. That saw Face-of-god and Hall-ward +and War-well, and other wise leaders of men, and they bade their folk +forbear the chase, and lock their ranks to meet the onfall of this +new wave of foemen. And they did so, and stood fast as a wall; but +lo! the onrush that drave up against them was but a fleeing shrieking +throng, and no longer an array of warriors, for many had cast away +their weapons, and were rushing they knew not whither; for they were +being thrust on the bitter edges of Face-of-god's companies by the +terror of the fleers from the onset of the men of the Face, the +Sickle, and the Vine, whom Hall-face and Stone-face were leading, +along with Folk-might. Then once again the men of Face-of-god gave +forth the whoop of victory, and pressed forward again, hewing their +way through the throng of fleers, but turning not to chase to the +right or the left; while at their backs came on the Shepherd-folk, +who had swept down all that withstood them; for now indeed was the +Market-stead getting thinner of living men. + +So led the War-leader his ordered ranks, till at last over the +tangled crowd of runaways he saw the banners of the Burg and the Face +flashing against the sun, and heard the roar of the kindreds as they +drave the chase towards them. Then he lifted up his sword, and stood +still, and all the host behind him stayed and cast a huge shout up to +the heavens, and there they abode the coming of the other Dalesmen. + +But the War-leader sent a message to Hound-under-Greenbury, bidding +him lead the Shepherds to the chase of the Dusky Men, who were now +all fleeing toward the northern outgate of the Market. Howbeit he +called to mind the throng he had seen on the northern road before +they were come into the Market-stead, and deemed that way also death +awaited the foemen, even if the men of the kindreds forbore them. + +But presently the space betwixt the Woodlanders and the men of the +Face was clear of all but the dead, so that friend saw the face of +friend; and it could be seen that the warriors of the Face were ruddy +and smiling for joy, because the battle had been easy to them, and +but few of them had fallen; for the Dusky Men who had left the +Market-stead to fall on them, had had room for fleeing behind them, +and had speedily turned their backs before the spear-casting of the +men of the Face and the onrush of the swordsmen. + +There then stood these victorious men facing one another, and the +banner-bearers on either side came through the throng, and brought +the banners together between the two hosts; and the Wolf kissed the +Face, and the Sickle and the Vine met the Steer and the Bridge and +the Bull: but the Shepherds were yet chasing the fleers. + +There in the forefront stood Hall-face the tall, with the joy of +battle in his eyes. And Stone-face, the wise carle in war, stood +solemn and stark beside him; and there was the goodly body and the +fair and kindly visage of the Alderman smiling on the faces of his +friends. But as for Folk-might, his face was yet white and aweful +with anger, and he looked restlessly up and down the front of the +kindreds, though he spake no word. + +Then Face-of-god could no longer forbear, but he thrust Dale-warden +into his sheath, and ran forward and cast his arms about his father's +neck and kissed him; and the blood of himself and of the foemen was +on him, for he had been hurt in divers places, but not sorely, +because of the good hammer-work of the Alderman. + +Then he kissed his brother and Stone-face, and he took Folk-might by +the hand, and was on the point of speaking some word to him, when the +ranks of the Face opened, and lo! the Sun-beam in her bright war- +gear, and the sword girt to her side, and she unhurt and unsullied. + +Then was it to him as when he met her first in Shadowy Vale, and he +thought of little else than her; but she stepped lightly up to him, +and unashamed before the whole host she kissed him on the mouth, and +he cast his mailed arms about her, and joy made him forget many +things and what was next to do, though even at that moment came +afresh a great clamour of shrieks and cries from the northern outgate +of the Market-stead: and the burning pile behind them cast a great +wavering flame into the air, contending with the bright sun of that +fair day, now come hard on noontide. But ere he drew away his face +from the Sun-beam's, came memory to him, and a sharp pang shot +through his heart, as he heard Folk-might say: 'Where then is the +Shield-may of Burgstead? where is the Bride?' + +And Face-of-god said under his breath: 'She is dead, she is dead!' +And then he stared out straight before him and waited till someone +else should say it aloud. But Bow-may stepped forward and said: +'Chief of the Wolf, be of good cheer; our kinswoman is hurt, but not +deadly.' + +The Alderman's face changed, and he said: 'Hast thou seen her, Bow- +may?' + +'Nay,' she said. 'How should I leave the battle? but others have +told me who have seen her.' + +Folk-might stared into the ranks of men before him, but said nothing. +Said the Alderman: 'Is she well tended?' + +'Yea, surely,' said Bow-may, 'since she is amongst friends, and there +are no foemen behind us.' + +Then came a voice from Folk-might which said: 'Now were it best to +send good men and deft in arms, and who know Silver-dale, from house +to house, to search for foemen who may be lurking there.' + +The Alderman looked kindly and sadly on him and said: + +'Kinsman Stone-face, and Hall-face my son, the brunt of the battle is +now over, and I am but a simple man amongst you; therefore, if ye +will give me leave, I will go see this poor kinswoman of ours, and +comfort her.' + +They bade him go: so he sheathed his sword, and went through the +press with two men of the Steer toward the southern road; for the +Bride had been brought into a house nigh the corner of the Market- +place. + +But Face-of-god looked after his father as he went, and remembrance +of past days came upon him, and such a storm of grief swept over him, +as he thought of the Bride lying pale and bleeding and brought anigh +to her death, that he put his hands to his face and wept as a child +that will not be comforted; nor had he any shame of all those +bystanders, who in sooth were men good and kindly, and had no shame +of his grief or marvelled at it, for indeed their own hearts were +sore for their lovely kinswoman, and many of them also wept with +Face-of-god. But the Sun-beam stood by and looked on her betrothed, +and she thought many things of the Bride, and was sorry, albeit no +tears came into her eyes; then she looked askance at Folk-might and +trembled; but he said coldly, and in a loud voice: + +'Needs must we search the houses for the lurking felons, or many a +man will yet be murdered. Let Wood-wicked lead a band of men at once +from house to house.' + +Then said a man of the Wolf hight Hardgrip: 'Wood-wicked was slain +betwixt the bent and the houses.' + +Said Folk-might: 'Let it be Wood-wise then.' + +But Bow-may said: 'Wood-wise is even now hurt in the leg by a +wounded felon, and may not go afoot.' + +Then said Folk-might: 'Is Crow the Shaft-speeder anigh?' + +'Yea, here am I,' quoth a tall man of fifty winters, coming from out +the ranks where stood the Wolves. + +Said Folk-might: 'Kinsman Crow, do thou take two score and ten of +doughty men who are not too hot-headed, and search every house about +the Market-place; but if ye come on any house that makes a stout +defence, send ye word thereof to the Mote-house, where we will +presently be, and we shall send you help. Slay every felon that ye +fall in with; but if ye find in the houses any of the poor folk +crouching and afraid, comfort their hearts all ye may, and tell them +that now is life come to them.' + +So Crow fell to getting his band together, and presently departed +with them on his errand. + + + +CHAPTER XLVII. THE KINDREDS WIN THE MOTE-HOUSE + + + +The din and tumult still came from the north side of the Market- +place, so that all the air was full of noise; and Face-of-god deemed +that the thralls had gotten weapons into their hands and were slaying +their masters. + +Now he lifted up his face, and put his hand on Folk-might's shoulder, +and said in a loud voice: + +'Kinsmen, it were well if our brother were to bid the banners into +the Mote-house of the Wolf, and let all the Host set itself in array +before the said house, and abide till the chasers of the foe come to +us thither; for I perceive that they are now become many, and are +more than those of our kindred.' + +Then Folk-might looked at him with kind eyes, and said: + +'Thou sayest well, brother; even so let it be!' + +And he lifted up his sword, and Face-of-god cried out in a loud +voice: 'Forward, banners! blow up horns! fare we forth with +victory!' + +So the Host drew its ranks together in good order, and they all set +forward, and old Stone-face took the Sun-beam by the hand and led on +behind Folk-might and the War-leader. But when they came to the +Hall, then saw they how the steps that led up to the door were high +and double, going up from each side without any railing or fool- +guard; and crowding the stairs and the platform thereof was a band of +the Dusky Men, as many as could stand thereon, who shot arrows at the +host of the kindreds, howling like dogs, and chattering like apes; +and arrows and spears came from the windows of the Hall; yea, and on +the very roof a score of these felons were riding the ridge and +mocking like the trolls of old days. + +Now when they saw this they stayed a while, and men shielded them +against the shafts; but the leaders drew together in front of the +Host, and Folk-might fell to speech; and his face was very pale and +stern; for now he had had time to think of the case of the Bride, and +fierce wrath, and grief unholpen filled his soul. So he said: + +'Brothers, this is my business to deal with; for I see before me the +stair that leadeth to the Mote-house of my people, and now would I +sit there whereas my fathers sat, when peace was on the Dale, as once +more it shall be to-morrow. Therefore up this stair will I go, and +none shall hinder me; and let no man of the host follow me till I +have entered into the Hall, unless perchance I fall dead by the way; +but stand ye still and look on.' + +'Nay,' said Face-of-god, 'this is partly the business of the War- +leader. There are two stairs. Be content to take the southern one, +and I will take the northern. We shall meet on the plain stone at +the top.' + +But Hall-face said: 'War-leader, may I speak?' + +'Speak, brother,' said Face-of-god. + +Said Hall-face: 'I have done but little to-day, War-leader. I would +stand by thee on the northern stair; so shall Folk-might be content, +if he doeth two men's work who are not little-hearted.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'The doom of the War-leader is that Folk-might +shall fall on by the southern stair to slake his grief and increase +his glory, and Face-of-god and Hall-face by the northern. Haste to +the work, O brothers!' + +And he and Hall-face went to their places, while all looked on. But +the Sun-beam, with her hand still in Stone-face's, she turned white +to the lips, and stared with wild eyes before her, not knowing where +she was; for she had deemed that the battle was over, and Face-of-god +saved from it. + +But Folk-might tossed up his head and laughed, and cried out, 'At +last, at last!' And his sword was in his hand, the Sleep-thorn to +wit, a blade of ancient fame; so now he let it fall and hang to his +wrist by the leash, while he clapped his hands together and uttered +the Wolf-whoop mightily, and all the men of the Wolf that were in the +host, and the Woodlanders withal, uttered it with him. Then he put +his shield over his head and stood before the first of the steps, and +the Dusky Men laughed to see one man come against them, though there +was death in their hearts. But he laughed back at them in triumph, +and set his foot on the step, and let Sleep-thorn's point go into the +throat of a Dusky lord, and thrust amongst them, hewing right and +left, and tumbling men over the edge of the stair, which was to them +as the narrow path along the cliff-side that hangeth over the +unfathomed sea. They hewed and thrust at him in turn; but so close +were they packed that their weapons crossed about him, and one +shielded him from the other, and they swayed staggering on that +fearful verge, while the Sleep-thorn crept here and there amongst +them, lulling their hot fury. For, as desperate as they were, and +fighting for death and not for life, they had a horror of him and of +the sea of hatred below them, and feared where to set their feet, and +he feared nought at all, but from feet to sword-point was but an +engine of slaughter, while the heart within him throbbed with fury +long held back as he thought upon the Bride and her wounding, and all +the wrongs of his people since their Great Undoing. + +So he smote and thrust, till him-seemed the throng of foes thinned +before him: with his sword-pommel he smote a lord of the Dusky Ones +in the face, so that he fell over the edge amongst the spears of the +kindred; then he thrust the point of Sleep-thorn towards the Hall- +door through the breast of another, and then it seemed to him that he +had but one before him; so he hove up the edges to cleave him down, +but ere the stroke fell, close to his ears exceeding loud rang out +the cry, 'For the Burg and the Face! for the Face, for the Face!' and +he drew aback a little, and his eyes cleared, and lo! it was Hall- +face the tall, his long sword all reddened with battle; and beside +him stood Face-of-god, silent and panting, his face pale with the +fierce anger of the fight, and the weariness which was now at last +gaining upon him. There stood those three with no other living man +upon the plain of the stairs. + +Then Face-of-god turned shouting to the Folk, and cried: + +'Forth now with the banners! For now is the Wolf come home. On into +the Hall, O Kindred of the Gods!' + +Then poured the Folk up over the stairs and into the Hall of the +Wolf, the banners flapping over their heads; and first went the War- +leader and Folk-might and Hall-face, and then the three delivered +thralls, Wolf-stone, God-swain, and Spear-fist, and Dallach with +them, though both he and Wolf-stone had been hurt in the battle; and +then came blended together the Men of the Face along with them of the +Wolf who had entered the Market-stead with them, and with these were +Stone-face and Wood-wont and Bow-may, leading the Sun-beam betwixt +them; and now was she come to herself again, though her face was yet +pale, and her eyes gleamed as she stepped across the threshold of the +Hall. + +But when a many were gotten in, and the first-comers had had time to +handle their weapons and look about them, a cry of the utmost wrath +broke from Folk-might and those others who remembered the Hall from +of old. For wretched and befouled was that well-builded house: the +hangings rent away; the goodly painted walls daubed and smeared with +wicked tokens of the Alien murderers: the floor, once bright with +polished stones of the mountain, and strewn with sweet-smelling +flowers, was now as foul as the den of the man-devouring troll of the +heaths. From the fair-carven roof of oak and chestnut-beams hung +ugly knots of rags and shapeless images of the sorcery of the Dusky +Men. And furthermore, and above all, from the last tie-beam of the +roof over the dais dangled four shapes of men-at-arms, whom the older +men of the Wolf knew at once for the embalmed bodies of their four +great chieftains, who had been slain on the day of the Great Undoing; +and they cried out with horror and rage as they saw them hanging +there in their weapons as they had lived. + +There was the Hostage of the Earth, his shield painted with the green +world circled with the worm of the sea. There was the older Folk- +might, the uncle of the living man, bearing a shield with an oak and +a lion done thereon. There was Wealth-eker, on whose shield was done +a golden sheaf of wheat. There was he who bore a name great from of +old, Folk-wolf to wit, bearing on his shield the axe of the hewer. +There they hung, dusty, befouled, with sightless eyes and grinning +mouths, in the dimmed sunlight of the Hall, before the eyes of that +victorious Host, stricken silent at the sight of them. + +Underneath them on the dais stood the last remnant of the battle of +the Dusky Men; and they, as men mad with coming death, shook their +weapons, and with shrieking laughter mocked at the overcomers, and +pointed to the long-dead chiefs, and called on them in the tongue of +the kindreds to come down and lead their dear kinsmen to the high- +seat; and then they cried out to the living warriors of the Wolf, and +bade them better their deed of slaying, and set to work to make alive +again, and cause their kinsmen to live merry on the earth. + +With that last mock they handled their weapons and rushed howling on +the warriors to meet their death; nor was it long denied them; for +the sword of the Wolf, the axe of the Woodland, and the spear of the +Dale soon made an end of the dreadful lives of these destroyers of +the Folks. + + + +CHAPTER XLVIII. MEN SING IN THE MOTE-HOUSE + + + +Then strode the Warriors of the Wolf over the bodies of the slain on +to the dais of their own Hall; and Folk-might led the Sun-beam by the +hand, and now was his sword in its sheath, and his face was grown +calm, though it was stern and sad. But even as he trod the dais +comes a slim swain of the Wolves twisting himself through the throng, +and so maketh way to Folk-might, and saith to him: + +'Chieftain, the Alderman of Burgdale sendeth me hither to say a word +to thee; even this, which I am to tell to thee and the War-leader +both: It is most true that our kinswoman the Bride will not die, but +live. So help me, the Warrior and the Face! This is the word of the +Alderman.' + +When Folk-might heard this, his face changed and he hung his head; +and Face-of-god, who was standing close by, beheld him and deemed +that tears were falling from his eyes on to the hall-floor. As for +him, he grew exceeding glad, and he turned to the Sun-beam and met +her eyes, and saw that she could scarce refrain her longing for him; +and he was abashed for the sweetness of his love. But she drew close +up to him, and spake to him softly and said: + +'This is the day that maketh amends; and yet I long for another day. +When I saw thee coming to me that first day in Shadowy Vale, I +thought thee so goodly a warrior that my heart was in my mouth. But +now how goodly thou art! For the battle is over, and we shall live.' + +'Yea,' said Face-of-god, 'and none shall begrudge us our love. +Behold thy brother, the hard-heart, the warrior; he weepeth because +he hath heard that the Bride shall live. Be sure then that she shall +not gainsay him. O fair shall the world be to-morrow!' + +But she said: 'O Gold-mane, I have no words. Is there no minstrelsy +amongst us?' + +Now by this time were many of the men of the Wolf and the Woodlanders +gathered on the dais of the Hall; and the Dalesmen noting this, and +wotting that these men were now in their own Mote-house, withdrew +them as they might for the press toward the nether end thereof. That +the Sun-beam noted, and that all those about her save the War-leader +were of the kindreds of the Wolf and the Woodland, and, still +speaking softly, she said to Face-of-god: + +'Gold-mane, meseemeth I am now in my wrong place; for now the Wolf +raiseth up his head, but I am departing from him. Surely I should +now be standing amongst my people of the Face, whereto I am going ere +long.' + +He said: 'Beloved, I am now become thy kindred and thine home, and +it is meet for thee to stand beside me.' + +She cast her eyes adown and answered not; and she fell a-pondering of +how sorely she had desired that fair dale, and now she would leave +it, and be content and more than content. + +But now the kindreds had sundered, they upon the dais ranked +themselves together there in the House which their fathers had +builded; and when they saw themselves so meetly ordered, their hearts +being full with the sweetness of hope accomplished and the joy of +deliverance from death, song arose amongst them, and they fell to +singing together; and this is somewhat of their singing: + + + Now raise we the lay + Of the long-coming day! + Bright, white was the sun + When we saw it begun: + O'er its noon now we live; + It hath ceased not to give; + It shall give, and give more + From the wealth of its store. +O fair was the yesterday! Kindly and good +Was the wasteland our guester, and kind was the wood; +Though below us for reaping lay under our hand +The harvest of weeping, the grief of the land; +Dumb cowered the sorrow, nought daring to cry +On the help of to-morrow, the deed drawing nigh. + + All increase throve + In the Dale of our love; + There the ox and the steed + Fed down the mead; + The grapes hung high + 'Twixt earth and sky, + And the apples fell + Round the orchard well. +Yet drear was the land there, and all was for nought; +None put forth a hand there for what the year wrought, +And raised it o'erflowing with gifts of the earth. +For man's grief was growing beside of the mirth +Of the springs and the summers that wasted their wealth; +And the birds, the new-comers, made merry by stealth. + + Yet here of old + Abode the bold; + Nor had they wailed + Though the wheat had failed, + And the vine no more + Gave forth her store. + Yea, they found the waste good + For the fearless of mood. +Then to these, that were dwelling aloof from the Dale, +Fared the wild-wind a-telling the worst of the tale; +As men bathed in the morning they saw in the pool +The image of scorning, the throne of the fool. +The picture was gleaming in helm and in sword, +And shone forth its seeming from cups of the board. + + Forth then they came + With the battle-flame; + From the Wood and the Waste + And the Dale did they haste: + They saw the storm rise, + And with untroubled eyes + The war-storm they met; + And the rain ruddy-wet. +O'er the Dale then was litten the Candle of Day, +Night-sorrow was smitten, and gloom fled away. +How the grief-shackles sunder! How many to morn +Shall awaken and wonder how gladness was born! +O wont unto sorrow, how sweet unto you +Shall be pondering to-morrow what deed is to do! + + Fell many a man + 'Neath the edges wan, + In the heat of the play + That fashioned the day. + Praise all ye then + The death of men, + And the gift of the aid + Of the unafraid! +O strong are the living men mighty to save, +And good is their giving, and gifts that we have! +But the dead, they that gave us once, never again; +Long and long shall they save us sore trouble and pain. +O Banner above us, O God of the strong, +Love them as ye love us that bore down our wrong! + + +So they sang in the Hall; and there was many a man wept, as the song +ended, for those that should never see the good days of the Dale, and +all the joy that was to be; and men swore, by all that they loved, +that they would never forget those that had fallen in the Winning of +Silver-dale; and that when each year the Cups of Memory went round, +they should be no mere names to them, but the very men whom they had +known and loved. + + + +CHAPTER XLIX. DALLACH FARETH TO ROSE-DALE: CROW TELLETH OF HIS +ERRAND: THE KINDREDS EAT THEIR MEAT IN SILVER-DALE + + + +Now Dallach, who had gone away for a while, came back again into the +Hall; and at his back were a half score of men who bore ladders with +them: they were stout men, clad in scanty and ragged raiment, but +girt with swords and bearing axes, those of them who were not +handling the ladders. Men looked on them curiously, because they saw +them to be of the roughest of the thralls. They were sullen and +fierce-eyed to behold, and their hands and bare arms were flecked +with blood; and it was easy to see that they had been chasing the +fleers, and making them pay for their many torments of past days. + +But when Face-of-god beheld this he cried out: 'Ho, Dallach! is it +so that thou hast bethought thee to bring in hither men to fall to +the cleansing of the Hall, and to do away the defiling of the Dusky +Men?' + +'Even so, War-leader,' said Dallach; 'also ye shall know that all +battle is over in Silver-stead; for the thralls fell in numbers not +to be endured on the Dusky Men who had turned their backs to us, and +hindered them from fleeing north. But though they have slain many, +they have not slain all, and the remnant have fled by divers ways +westaway, that they may gain the wood and the ways to Rose-dale; and +the stoutest of the thralls are at their heels, and ever as they go +fresh men from the fields join in the chase with great joy. I have +gathered together of the best of them two hundreds and a half well- +armed; and if thou wilt give me leave, I will get to me yet more, and +follow hard on the fleers, and so get me home to Rose-dale; for +thither will these runaways to meet whatso of their kind may be left +there. Also I would fain be there to set some order amongst the poor +folk of mine own people, whom this day's work hath delivered from +torment. And if thou wilt suffer a few men of the Dalesmen to come +along with me, then shall all things be better done there.' + +'Luck go with thine hands!' said Face-of-god. 'Take whomso thou wilt +of the Burgdalers that have a mind to fare with thee to the number of +five score; and send word of thy thriving to Folk-might, the +chieftain of the Dale; as for us, meseemeth that we shall abide here +no long while. How sayest thou, Folk-might, shall Dallach go?' + +Then Folk-might, who stood close beside him, looked up and reddened +somewhat, as a man caught heedless when he should be heedful; but he +looked kindly on Face-of-god, and said: + +'War-leader, so long as thou art in the Dale which ye kindreds have +won back for us, thou art the chieftain, and no other, and I bid thee +do as thou wilt in this matter, and in all things; and I hereby give +command to all my kindred to do according to thy will everywhere and +always, as they love me; and indeed I deem that thy will shall be +theirs; since it is only fools who know not their well-wishers. How +say ye, kinsmen?' + +Then those about cried out: 'Hail to Face-of-god! Hail to the +Dalesmen! Hail to our friends!' + +But Folk-might went up to Face-of-god, and threw his arms about him +and kissed him, and he said therewithal, so that most men heard him: + +'Herewith I kiss not only thee, thou goodly and glorious warrior! but +this kiss and embrace is for all the men of the kindreds of the Dale +and the Shepherds; since I deem that never have men more valiant +dwelt upon the earth.' + +Therewith all men shouted for joy of him, and were exceeding glad; +but Folk-might spake apart to Face-of-god and said: + +'Brother, I suppose that thou wilt deem it good to abide in this Hall +or anigh it; for hereabouts now is the heart of the Host. But as for +me, I would have leave to depart for a little; since I have an +errand, whereof thou mayest wot.' + +Then Face-of-god smiled on him, and said: 'Go, and all good go with +thee; and tell my father that I would have tidings, since I may not +be there.' So he spake; yet in his heart was he glad that he might +not go to behold the Bride lying sick and sorry. But Folk-might +departed without more words; and in the door of the Hall he met Crow +the Shaft-speeder, who would have spoken to him, and given him the +tidings; but Folk-might said to him: 'Do thine errand to the War- +leader, who is within the Hall.' And so went on his way. + +Then came Crow up the Hall, and stood before Face-of-god and said: +'War-leader, we have done that which was to be done, and have cleared +all the houses about the Market-stead. Moreover, by the rede of +Dallach we have set certain men of the poor folk of the Dale, who are +well looked to by the others, to the burying of the slain felons; and +they be digging trenches in the fields on the north side of the +Market-stead, and carry the carcasses thither as they may. But the +slain whom they find of the kindreds do they array out yonder before +this Hall. In all wise are these men tame and biddable, save that +they rage against the Dusky Men, though they fear them yet. As for +us, they deem us Gods come down from heaven to help them. So much +for what is good: now have I an ill word to say; to wit, that in the +houses whereas we have found many thralls alive, yet also have we +found many dead; for amongst these murder-carles were some of an evil +sort, who, when they saw that the battle would go against them, +rushed into the houses hewing down all before them--man, woman, and +child; so that many of the halls and chambers we saw running blood +like to shambles. To be short: of them whom they were going to hew +to the Gods, we have found thirteen living and three dead, of which +latter is one woman; and of the living, seven women; and all these, +living and dead, with the leaden shackles yet on them wherein they +should be burned. To all these and others whom we have found, we +have done what of service we could in the way of victual and clothes, +so that they scarce believe that they are on this lower earth. +Moreover, I have with me two score of them, who are men of some wits, +and who know of the stores of victual and other wares which the +felons had, and these will fetch and carry for you as much as ye +will. Is all done rightly, War-leader?' + +'Right well,' said Face-of-god, 'and we give thee our thanks +therefor. And now it were well if these thy folk were to dight our +dinner for us in some green field the nighest that may be, and +thither shall all the Host be bidden by sound of horn. Meantime, let +us void this Hall till it be cleansed of the filth of the Dusky Ones; +but hereafter shall we come again to it, and light a fire on the Holy +Hearth, and bid the Gods and the Fathers come back and behold their +children sitting glad in the ancient Hall.' + +Then men shouted and were exceeding joyous; but Face-of-god said once +more: 'Bear ye a bench out into the Market-place over against the +door of this Hall: thereon will I sit with other chieftains of the +kindreds, that whoso will may have recourse to us.' + +So therewith all the men of the kindreds made their ways out of the +Hall and into the Market-stead, which was by this time much cleared +of the slaughtered felons; and the bale for the burnt-offering was +now but smouldering, and a thin column of blue smoke was going up +wavering amidst the light airs of the afternoon. Men were somewhat +silent now; for they were stiff and weary with the morning's battle; +and a many had been hurt withal; and on many there yet rested the +after-grief of battle, and sorrow for the loss of friends and well- +wishers. + +For in the battle had fallen one long hundred and two of the men of +the Host; and of these were two score and five of the kindreds of the +Steer, the Bull, and the Bridge, who had made such valiant onslaught +by the southern road. Of the Shepherds died one score save three; +for though they scattered the foe at once, yet they fell on with such +headlong valour, rather than wisely, that many were trapped in the +throng of the Dusky Men. Of the Woodlanders were slain one score and +nine; for hard had been the fight about them, and no man of them +spared himself one whit. Of the men of the Wolf, who were but a few, +fell sixteen men, and all save two of these in Face-of-god's battle. +Of the Burgdale men whom Folk-might led, to wit, them of the Face, +the Vine, and the Sickle, were but seven men slain outright. In this +tale are told all those who died of their hurts after the day of +battle. Therewithal many others were sorely hurt who mended, and +went about afterwards hale and hearty. + +So as the folk abode in the Market-place, somewhat faint and weary, +they heard horns blow up merrily, and Crow the Shaft-speeder came +forth and stood on the mound of the altar, and bade men fare to +dinner, and therewith he led the way, bearing in his hand the banner +of the Golden Bushel, of which House he was; and they followed him +into a fair and great mead on the southwest of Silver-stead, +besprinkled about with ancient trees of sweet chestnut. There they +found the boards spread for them with the best of victual which the +poor down-trodden folk knew how to dight for them; and especially was +there great plenty of good wine of the sun-smitten bents. + +So they fell to their meat, and the poor folk, both men and women, +served them gladly, though they were somewhat afeard of these fierce +sword-wielders, the Gods who had delivered them. The said thralls +were mostly not of those who had fallen so bitterly on their fleeing +masters, but were men and women of the households, not so roughly +treated as the others, that is to say, those who had been wont to +toil under the lash in the fields and the silver-mines, and were as +wild as they durst be. + +As for these waiting-thralls, the men of the kindreds were gentle and +blithe with them, and often as they served them would they stay their +hands (and especially if they were women), and would draw down their +heads to put a morsel in their mouths, or set the wine-cup to their +lips; and they would stroke them and caress them, and treat them in +all wise as their dear friends. Moreover, when any man was full, he +would arise and take hold of one of the thralls, and set him in his +place, and serve him with meat and drink, and talk with him kindly, +so that the poor folk were much bewildered with joy. And the first +that arose from table were the Sun-beam and Bow-may and Hall-face, +with many of the swains and the women of the Woodlanders; and they +went from table to table serving the others. + +The Sun-beam had done off her armour, and went about exceeding fair +and lovely in her kirtle; but Bow-may yet bore her hauberk, for she +loved it, and indeed it was so fine and well-wrought that it was no +great burden. Albeit she had gone down with the Sun-beam and other +women to a fair stream thereby, and there had they bathed and washed +themselves; and Bow-may's hurts, which were not great, had been +looked to and bound up afresh, and she had come to table unhelmed, +with a wreath of wind-flowers round her head. + +There then they feasted; and their hearts were strengthened by the +meat and drink; and if sorrow were blended with their joy, yet were +they high-hearted through both joy and sorrow, looking forward to the +good days to be in the Dales at the Roots of the Mountains, and the +love and fellowship of Folks and of Houses. + +But as for Face-of-god, he went not to the meadow, but abode sitting +on the bench in the Market-place, where were none else now of the +kindreds save the appointed warders. They had brought him a morsel +and a cup of wine, and he had eaten and drunk; and now he sat there +with Dale-warden lying sheathed across his knees, and seeming to gaze +on the thralls of Silver-dale busied in carrying away the bodies of +the slain felons, after they had stripped them of their raiment and +weapons. Yet indeed all this was before his eyes as a picture which +he noted not. Rather he sat pondering many things; wondering at his +being there in Silver-dale in the hour of victory; longing for the +peace of Burgdale and the bride-chamber of the Sun-beam. Then went +his thought out toward his old playmate lying hurt in Silver-dale; +and his heart was grieved because of her, yet not for long, though +his thought still dwelt on her; since he deemed that she would live +and presently be happy--and happy thenceforward for many years. So +pondered Face-of-god in the Market-place of Silver-dale. + + + +CHAPTER L. FOLK-MIGHT SEETH THE BRIDE AND SPEAKETH WITH HER + + + +Now tells the tale of Folk-might, that he went his ways from the Hall +to the house where the Bride lay; and the swain who had brought the +message went along with him, and he was proud of walking beside so +mighty a warrior, and he talked to Folk-might as they went; and the +sound of his voice was irksome to the chieftain, but he made as +though he hearkened. Yet when they came to the door of the house, +which was just out of the Place on the Southern road (for thereby had +the Bride fallen to earth), he could withhold his grief no longer, +but turned on the threshold and laid his head on the door-jamb, and +sobbed and wept till the tears fell down like rain. And the boy +stood by wondering, and wishing that Folk-might would forbear +weeping, but durst not speak to him. + +In a while Folk-might left weeping and went in, and found a fair hall +sore befouled by the felons, and in the corner on a bed covered with +furs the wounded woman; and at first sight he deemed her not so pale +as he looked to see her, as she lay with her long dark-red hair +strewed over the pillow, her head moving about wearily. A linen +cloth was thrown over her body, but her arms lay out of it before +her. Beside her sat the Alderman, his face sober enough, but not as +one in heavy sorrow; and anigh him was another chair as if someone +had but just got up from it. There was no one else in the hall save +two women of the Woodlanders, one of whom was cooking some potion on +the hearth, and another was sweeping the floor anigh of bran or some +such stuff, which had been thrown down to sop up the blood. + +So Folk-might went up to the Bride, sorely dreading the image of +death which she had grown to be, and sorely loving the woman she was +and would be. + +He knelt down by the bedside, heeding Iron-face little, though he +nodded friendly to him, and he held his face close to hers; but she +had her eyes shut and did not open them till he had been there a +little while; and then they opened and fixed themselves on his +without surprise or change. Then she lifted her right hand (for it +was in her left shoulder and side that she had been hurt) and slowly +laid it on his head, and drew his face to hers and kissed it fondly, +as she both smiled and let the tears run over from her eyes. Then +she spake in a weak voice: + +'Thou seest, chieftain and dear friend, that I may not stand by thy +victorious side to-day. And now, though I were fain if thou wouldst +never leave me, yet needs must thou go about thy work, since thou art +become the Alderman of the Folk of Silver-dale. Yea, and even if +thou wert not to go from me, yet in a manner should I go from thee. +For I am grievously hurt, and I know by myself, and also the leeches +have told me, that the fever is a-coming on me; so that presently I +shall not know thee, but may deem thee to be a woman, or a hound, or +the very Wolf that is the image of the Father of thy kindred; or +even, it may be, someone else--that I have played with time agone.' + +Her voice faltered and faded out here, and she was silent a while; +then she said: + +'So depart, kind friend and dear love, bearing this word with thee, +that should I die, I call on Iron-face my kinsman to bear witness +that I bid thee carry me to bale in Silver-dale, and lay mine ashes +with the ashes of thy Fathers, with whom thine own shall mingle at +the last, since I have been of the warriors who have helped to bring +thee aback to the land of thy folk.' + +Then she smiled and shut her eyes and said: 'And if I live, as +indeed I hope, and how glad and glad I shall be to live, then shalt +thou bring me to thy house and thy bed, that I may not depart from +thee while both our lives last.' + +And she opened her eyes and looked at him; and he might not speak for +a while, so ravished as he was betwixt joy and sorrow. But the +Alderman arose and took a gold ring from off his arm, and spake: + +'This is the gold ring of the God of the Face, and I bear it on mine +arm betwixt the Folk and the God in all man-motes, and I bore it +through the battle to-day; and it is as holy a ring as may be; and +since ye are plighting troth, and I am the witness thereof, it were +good that ye held this ring together and called the God to witness, +who is akin to the God of the Earth, as we all be. Take the ring, +Folk-might, for I trust thee; and of all women now alive would I have +this woman happy.' + +So Folk-might took the ring and thrust his hand through it, and took +her hand, and said: + +'Ye Fathers, thou God of the Face, thou Earth-god, thou Warrior, bear +witness that my life and my body are plighted to this woman, the +Bride of the House of the Steer!' + +His face was flushed and bright as he spoke, but as his words ceased +he noted how feebly her hand lay in his, and his face fell, and he +gazed on her timidly. But she lay quiet, and said softly and slowly: + +'O Fathers of my kindred! O Warrior and God of the Earth! bear +witness that I plight my troth to this man, to lie in his grave if I +die, and in his bed if I live.' + +And she smiled on him again, and then closed her eyes; but opened +them presently once more, and said: + +'Dear friend, how fared it with Gold-mane to-day?' + +Said Folk-might: 'So well he did, that none might have done better. +He fared in the fight as if he had been our Father the Warrior: he +is a great chieftain.' + +She said: 'Wilt thou give him this message from me, that in no wise +he forget the oath which he swore upon the finger-ring as it lay on +the sundial of the Garden of the Face? And say, moreover, that I am +sorry that we shall part, and have between us such breadth of wild- +wood and mountain-neck.' + +'Yea, surely will I give thy message,' said Folk-might; and in his +heart he rejoiced, because he heard her speak as if she were sure of +life. Then she said faintly: + +'It is now thy work to depart from me, and to do as it behoveth a +chieftain of the people and the Alderman of Silver-dale. Depart, +lest the leeches chide me: farewell, my dear!' + +So he laid his face to hers and kissed her, and rose up and embraced +Iron-face, and went his ways without looking back. + +But just over the threshold he met old Hall-ward of the House of the +Steer, who was at point to enter, and he greeted him kindly. The old +man looked on him steadily, and said: 'To-morrow or the day after I +will utter a word to thee, O Chief of the Wolf.' + +'In a good hour,' said Folk-might, 'for all thy words are true.' +Therewith he gat him away from the house, and came to Face-of-god, +where he sat before the altar of the Crooked Sword; and now were the +chiefs come back from their meat, and were sitting with him; there +also were Wood-father and Wood-wont; but Bow-may was with the Sun- +beam, who was resting softly in the fair meadow after all the +turmoil. + +So men made place for Folk-might beside the War-leader, who looked +upon his face, and saw that it was sober and unsmiling, but not heavy +or moody with grief. So he deemed that all was as well as it might +be with the Bride, and with a good heart fell to taking counsel with +the others; and kindly and friendly were the redes which they held +there, with no gainsaying of man by man, for the whole folk was glad +at heart. + +So there they ordered all matters duly for that present time, and by +then they had made an end, it was past sunset, and men were lodged in +the chief houses about the Market-stead. + +Albeit, though they ate their meat with all joy of heart, and were +merry in converse one with the other, the men of the Wolf would by no +means feast in their Hall again till it had been cleansed and +hallowed anew. + + + +CHAPTER LI. THE DEAD BORNE TO BALE: THE MOTE-HOUSE RE-HALLOWED + + + +On the morrow they bore to bale their slain men, and there withal +what was left of the bodies of the four chieftains of the Great +Undoing. They brought them into a most fair meadow to the west of +Silver-stead, where they had piled up a very great bale for the +burning. In that meadow was the Doom-ring and Thing-stead of the +Folk of the Wolf, and they had hallowed it when they had first +conquered Silver-dale, and it was deemed far holier than the Mote- +house aforesaid, wherein the men of the kindred might hold no due +court; but rather it was a Feast-hall, and a house where men had +converse together, and wherein precious things and tokens of the +Fathers were stored up. + +The Thing-stead in the meadow was flowery and well-grassed, and a +little stream winding about thereby nearly cast a ring around it; and +beyond the stream was a full fair grove of oak-trees, very tall and +ancient. There then they burned the dead of the Host, wrapped about +in exceeding fair raiment. And when the ashes were gathered, the men +of Burgdale and the Shepherds left those of their folk for the +kindred to bury there in Silver-dale; for they said that they had a +right to claim such guesting for them that had helped to win back the +Dale. + +But when the Burning was done and the bale quenched, and the ashes +gathered and buried (and that was on the morrow), then men bore forth +the Banners of the Jaws of the Wolf, and the Red Hand, and the Silver +Arm, and the Golden Bushel, and the Ragged Sword, and the Wolf of the +Woodland; and with great joy and triumph they brought them into the +Mote-house and hung them up over the dais; and they kindled fire on +the Holy Hearth by holding up a disk of bright glass to the sun; and +then they sang before the banners. And this is somewhat of the song +that they sang before them: + + +Why are ye wending? O whence and whither? + What shineth over the fallow swords? +What is the joy that ye bear in hither? + What is the tale of your blended words? + +No whither we wend, but here have we stayed us, + Here by the ancient Holy Hearth; +Long have the moons and the years delayed us, + But here are we come from the heart of the dearth. + +We are the men of joy belated; + We are the wanderers over the waste; +We are but they that sat and waited, + Watching the empty winds make haste. + +Long, long we sat and knew no others, + Save alien folk and the foes of the road; +Till late and at last we met our brothers, + And needs must we to the old abode. + +For once on a day they prayed for guesting; + And how were we then their bede to do? +Wild was the waste for the people's resting, + And deep the wealth of the Dale we knew. + +Here were the boards that we must spread them + Down in the fruitful Dale and dear; +Here were the halls where we would bed them: + And how should we tarry otherwhere? + +Over the waste we came together: + There was the tangle athwart the way; +There was the wind-storm and the weather; + The red rain darkened down the day. + +But that day of the days what grief should let us, + When we saw through the clouds the dale-glad sun? +We tore at the tangle that beset us, + And stood at peace when the day was done. + +Hall of the Happy, take our greeting! + Bid thou the Fathers come and see +The Folk-signs on thy walls a-meeting, + And deem to-day what men we be. + +Look on the Holy Hearth new-litten, + How the sparks fly twinkling up aloof! +How the wavering smoke by the sunlight smitten, + Curls up around the beam-rich roof! + +For here once more is the Wolf abiding, + Nor ever more from the Dale shall wend, +And never again his head be hiding, + Till all days be dark and the world have end. + + + +CHAPTER LII. OF THE NEW BEGINNING OF GOOD DAYS IN SILVER-DALE + + + +On the third day there was high-tide and great joy amongst all men +from end to end of the Dale; and the delivered thralls were feasted +and made much of by the kindreds, so that they scarce knew how to +believe their own five senses that told them the good tidings. + +For none strove to grieve them and torment them; what they would, +that did they, and they had all things plenteously; since for all was +there enough and to spare of goods stored up for the Dusky Men, as +corn and wine and oil and spices, and raiment and silver. Horses +were there also, and neat and sheep and swine in abundance. Withal +there was the good and dear land; the waxing corn on the acres; the +blossoming vines on the hillside; and about the orchards and +alongside the ways, the plum-trees and cherry-trees and pear-trees +that had cast their blossom and were overhung with little young +fruit; and the fair apple-trees a-blossoming, and the chestnuts +spreading their boughs from their twisted trunks over the green +grass. And there was the goodly pasture for the horses and the neat, +and the thymy hill-grass for the sheep; and beyond it all, the +thicket of the great wood, with its unfailing store of goodly timber +of ash and oak and holly and yoke-elm. There need no man lack unless +man compelled him, and all was rich enough and wide enough for the +waxing of a very great folk. + +Now, therefore, men betook them to what was their own before the +coming of the Dusky Men; and though at first many of the delivered +thrall-folk feasted somewhat above measure, and though there were +some of them who were not very brisk at working on the earth for +their livelihood; yet were the most part of them quick of wit and +deft of hand, and they mostly fell to presently at their cunning, +both of husbandry and handicraft. Moreover, they had great love of +the kindreds, and especially of the Woodlanders, and strove to do all +things that might pleasure them. And as for those who were dull and +listless because of their many torments of the last ten years, they +would at least fetch and carry willingly for them of the kindreds; +and these last grudged them not meat and raiment and house-room, even +if they wrought but little for it, because they called to mind the +evil days of their thralldom, and bethought them how few are men's +days upon the earth. + +Thus all things throve in Silver-dale, and the days wore on toward +the summer, and the Yule-tide rest beyond it, and the years beyond +and far beyond the winning of Silver-dale. + + + +CHAPTER LIII. OF THE WORD WHICH HALL-WARD OF THE STEER HAD FOR FOLK- +MIGHT + + + +But of the time then passing, it is to be said that the whole host +abode in Silver-dale in great mirth and good liking, till they should +hear tidings of Dallach and his company, who had followed hot-foot on +the fleers of the Dusky Men. And on the tenth day after the battle, +Iron-face and his two sons and Stone-face were sitting about sunset +under a great oak-tree by that stream-side which ran through the +Mote-stead; there also was Folk-might, somewhat distraught because of +his love for the Bride, who was now mending of her hurts. As they +sat there in all content they saw folk coming toward them, three in +number, and as they drew nigher they saw that it was old Hall-ward of +the Steer, and the Sun-beam and Bow-may following him hand in hand. + +When they came to the brook Bow-may ran up to the elder to help him +over the stepping-stones; which she did as one who loved him, as the +old man was stark enough to have waded the water waist-deep. She was +no longer in her war-gear, but was clad after her wont of Shadowy +Vale, in nought but a white woollen kirtle. So she stood in the +stream beside the stones, and let the swift water ripple up over her +ankles, while the elder leaned on her shoulder and looked down upon +her kindly. The Sun-beam followed after them, stepping daintily from +stone to stone, so that she was a fair sight to see; her face was +smiling and happy, and as she stepped forth on to the green grass the +colour flushed up in it, but she cast her eyes adown as one somewhat +shamefaced. + +So the chieftains rose up before the leader of the Steer, and Folk- +might went up to him, and greeted him, and took his hand and kissed +him on the cheek. And Hall-ward said: + +'Hail to the chiefs of the kindred, and my earthly friends!' + +Then Folk-might bade him sit down by him, and all the men sat down +again; but the Sun-beam leaned her back against a sapling ash hard +by, her feet set close together; and Bow-may went to and fro in short +turns, keeping well within ear-shot. + +Then said Hall-ward: 'Folk-might, I have prayed thy kinswoman Bow- +may to lead me to thee, that I might speak with thee; and it is good +that I find my kinsmen of the Face in thy company; for I would say a +word to thee that concerns them somewhat.' + +Said Folk-might: 'Guest, and warrior of the Steer, thy words are +ever good; and if this time thou comest to ask aught of me, then +shall they be better than good.' + +Said Hall-ward: 'Tell me, Folk-might, hast thou seen my daughter the +Bride to-day?' + +'Yea,' said Folk-might, reddening. + +'What didst thou deem of her state?' said Hall-ward. + +Said Folk-might: 'Thou knowest thyself that the fever hath left her, +and that she is mending.' + +Hall-ward said: 'In a few days belike we shall be wending home to +Burgdale: when deemest thou that the Bride may travel, if it were +but on a litter?' + +Folk-might was silent, and Hall-ward smiled on him and said: + +'Wouldst thou have her tarry, O chief of the Wolf?' + +'So it is,' said Folk-might, 'that it might be labour lost for her to +journey to Burgdale at present.' + +'Thinkest thou?' said Hall-ward; 'hast thou a mind then that if she +goeth she shall speedily come back hither?' + +'It has been in my mind,' said Folk-might, 'that I should wed her. +Wilt thou gainsay it? I pray thee, Iron-face my friend, and ye +Stone-face and Hall-face, and thou, Face-of-god, my brother, to lay +thy words to mine in this matter.' + +Then said Hall-ward stroking his beard: 'There will be a seat +missing in the Hall of the Steer, and a sore lack in the heart of +many a man in Burgdale if the Bride come back to us no more. We +looked not to lose the maiden by her wedding; for it is no long way +betwixt the House of the Steer and the House of the Face. But now, +when I arise in the morning and miss her, I shall take my staff and +walk down the street of Burgstead; for I shall say, The Maiden hath +gone to see Iron-face my friend; she is well in the House of the +Face. And then shall I remember how that the wood and the wastes lie +between us. How sayest thou, Alderman?' + +'A sore lack it will be,' said Iron-face; 'but all good go with her! +Though whiles shall I go hatless down Burgstead street, and say, Now +will I go fetch my daughter the Bride from the House of the Steer; +while many a day's journey shall lie betwixt us.' + +Said Hall-ward: 'I will not beat about the bush, Folk-might; what +gift wilt thou give us for the maiden?' + +Said Folk-might: 'Whatever is mine shall be thine; and whatsoever of +the Dale the kindred and the poor folk begrudge thee not, that shalt +thou have; and deemest thou that they will begrudge thee aught? Is +it enough?' + +Hall-ward said: 'I wot not, chieftain; see thou to it! Bow-may, my +friend, bring hither that which I would have from Silver-dale for the +House of the Steer in payment for our maiden.' + +Then Bow-may came forward speedily, and went up to the Sun-beam, and +led her by the hand in front of Folk-might and Hall-ward and the +other chieftains. Then Folk-might started, and leapt up from the +ground; for, sooth to say, he had been thinking so wholly of the +Bride, that his sister was not in his mind, and he had had no deeming +of whither Hall-ward was coming, though the others guessed well +enough, and now smiled on him merrily, when they saw how wild Folk- +might stared. As for the Sun-beam, she stood there blushing like a +rose in June, but looking her brother straight in the face, as Hall- +ward said: + +'Folk-might, chief of the Wolf, since thou wouldst take our maiden +the Bride away from us, I ask thee to make good her place with this +maiden; so that the House of the Steer may not lack, when they who +are wont to wed therein come to us and pray us for a bedfellow for +the best of their kindred.' + +Then became Folk-might smiling and merry like unto the others, and he +said: 'Chief of the Steer, this gift is thine, together with aught +else which thou mayst desire of us.' + +Then he kissed the Sun-beam, and said: 'Sister, we looked for this +to befall in some fashion. Yet we deemed that he that should lead +thee away might abide with us for a moon or two. But now let all +this be, since if thou art not to bear children to the kindreds of +Silver-dale, yet shalt thou bear them to their friends and fellows. +And now choose what gift thou wilt have of us to keep us in thy +memory.' + +She said: 'The memory of my people shall not fade from me; yet +indeed I ask thee for a gift, to wit, Bow-may, and the two sons of +Wood-father that are left since Wood-wicked was slain; and belike the +elder and his wife will be fain to go with their sons, and ye will +not hinder them.' + +'Even so shall it be done,' said Folk-might, and he was silent a +while, pondering; and then he said: + +'Lo you, friends! doth it not seem strange to you that peace +sundereth as well as war? Indeed I deem it grievous that ye shall +have to miss your well-beloved kinswoman. And for me, I am now grown +so used to this woman my sister, though at whiles she hath been +masterful with me, that I shall often turn about and think to speak +to her, when there lie long days of wood and waste betwixt her voice +and mine. + +The Sun-beam laughed in his face, though the tears stood in her eyes, +as she said: 'Keep up thine heart, brother; for at least the way is +shorter betwixt Burgdale and Silver-dale than betwixt life and death; +and the road we shall learn belike.' + +Said Hall-face: 'So it is that my brother is no ill woodman, as ye +learned last autumn.' + +Iron-face smiled, but somewhat sadly; for he beheld Face-of-god, who +had no eyes for anyone save the Sun-beam; and no marvel was that, for +never had she looked fairer. And forsooth the War-leader was not +utterly well-pleased; for he was deeming that there would be delaying +of his wedding, now that the Sun-beam was to become a maid of the +Steer; and in his mind he half deemed that it would be better if he +were to take her by the hand and lead her home through the wild-wood, +he and she alone; and she looked on him shyly, as though she had a +deeming of his thought. Albeit he knew it might not be, that he, the +chosen War-leader, should trouble the peace of the kindred; for he +wotted that all this was done for peace' sake. + +So Hall-ward stood forth and took the Sun-beam's right hand in his, +and said: + +'Now do I take this maiden, Sun-beam of the kindred of the Wolf, and +lead her into the House of the Steer, to be in all ways one of the +maidens of our House, and to wed in the blood wherein we have been +wont to wed. Neither from henceforth let anyone say that this woman +is not of the blood of the Steer; for we have given her our blood, +and she is of us duly and truly.' + +Thereafter they talked together merrily for a little, and then turned +toward the houses, for the sun was now down; and as they went Iron- +face spake to his son, and said: + +'Gold-mane, wilt thou verily keep thine oath to wed the fairest woman +in the world? By how much is this one fairer than my dear daughter +who shall no more dwell in mine house?' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Yea, father, I shall keep mine oath; for the +Gods, who know much, know that when I swore last Yule I was thinking +of the fair woman going yonder beside Hall-ward, and of none other.' + +'Ah, son!' said Iron-face, 'why didst thou beguile us? Hadst thou +but told us the truth then!' + +'Yea, Alderman,' said Face-of-god smiling, 'and how thou wouldest +have raged against me then, when thou hast scarce forgiven me now! +In sooth, father, I feared to tell you all: I was young; I was one +against the world. Yea, yea; and even that was sweet to me, so +sorely as I loved her--Hast thou forgotten, father?' + +Iron-face smiled, and answered not; and so came they to the house +wherein they were guested. + + + +CHAPTER LIV. TIDINGS OF DALLACH: A FOLK-MOTE IN SILVER-DALE + + + +Three days thereafter came two swift runners from Rose-dale with +tidings of Dallach. In all wise had he thriven, and had slain many +of the runaways, and had come happily to Rose-dale: therein by the +mere shaking of their swords had they all their will; for there were +but a few of the Dusky Warriors in the Dale, since the more part had +fared to the slaughter in Silver-stead. Now therefore had Dallach +been made Alderman of Rose-dale; and the Burgdalers who had gone with +him should abide the coming thither of the rest of the Burgdale Host, +and meantime of their coming should uphold the new Alderman in Rose- +dale. Howbeit Dallach sent word that it was not to be doubted but +that many of the Dusky Men had escaped to the woods, and should yet +be the death of many a mother's son, unless it were well looked to. + +And now the more part of the Burgdale men and the Shepherds began to +look toward home, albeit some amongst them had not been ill-pleased +to abide there yet a while; for life was exceeding soft to them +there, though they helped the poor folk gladly in their husbandry. +For especially the women of the Dale, of whom many were very goodly, +hankered after the fair-faced tall Burgdalers, and were as kind to +them as might be. Forsooth not a few, both carles and queens, of the +old thrall-folk prayed them of Burgdale to take them home thither, +that they might see new things and forget their old torments once for +all, yea, even in dreams. The Burgdalers would not gainsay them, and +there was no one else to hinder; so that there went with the Burgdale +men at their departure hard on five score of the Silver-dale folk who +were not of the kindreds. + +And now was a great Folk-mote holden in Silver-dale, whereto the +Burgdale men and the Shepherds were bidden; and thereat the War- +leader gave out the morrow of the morrow for the day of the departure +of the Host. There also were the matters of Silver-dale duly +ordered: the Men of the Wolf would have had the Woodlanders dwell +with them in the fair-builded stead, and take to them of the goodly +stone houses there what they would; but this they naysaid, choosing +rather to dwell in scattered houses, which they built for themselves +at the utmost limit of the tillage. + +Indeed, the most abode not even there a long while; for they loved +the wood and its deeds. So they went forth into the wood, and +cleared them space to dwell in, and builded them halls such as they +loved, and fell to their old woodland crafts of charcoal-burning and +hunting, wherein they throve well. And good for Silver-dale was +their abiding there, since they became a sure defence and stout +outpost against all foemen. For the rest, wheresoever they dwelt, +they were guest-cherishing and blithe, and were well beloved by all +people; and they wedded with the other Houses of the Children of the +Wolf. + +As to the other matters whereof they took rede at this Folk-mote, +they had mostly to do with the warding of the Dale, and the learning +of the delivered thralls to handle weapons duly. For men deemed it +most like that they would have to meet other men of the kindred of +the Felons; which indeed fell out as the years wore. + +Moreover, Folk-might (by the rede of Stone-face) sent messengers to +the Plain and the Cities, unto men whom he knew there, doing them to +wit of the tidings of Silver-dale, and how that a peaceful and guest- +loving people, having good store of wares, now dwelt therein, so that +chapmen might have recourse thither. + +Lastly spake Folk-might and said: + +'Guests and brothers-in-arms, we have been looking about our new +house, which was our old one, and therein we find great store of +wares which we need not, and which we can but use if ye use them. Of +your kindness therefore we pray you to take of those things what ye +can easily carry. And if ye say the way is long, as indeed it is, +since ye are bent on going through the wood to Rose-dale, and so on +to Burgdale, yet shall we furnish you with beasts to bear your goods, +and with such wains as may pass through the woodland ways.' + +Then rose up Fox of Upton and said: 'O Folk-might, and ye men of the +Wolf, be it known unto you, that if we have done anything for your +help in the winning of Silver-dale, we have thus done that we might +help ourselves also, so that we might live in peace henceforward, and +that we might have your friendship and fellowship therewithal, so +that here in Silver-dale might wax a mighty folk who joined unto us +should be strong enough to face the whole world. Such are the redes +of wise men when they go a-warring. But we have no will to go back +home again made rich with your wealth; this hath been far from our +thought in this matter.' + +And there went up a murmur from all the Burgdalers yeasaying his +word. + +But Folk-might took up the word again and spake: + +'Men of Burgdale and the Sheepcotes, what ye say is both manly and +friendly; yet, since we look to see a road made plain through the +woodland betwixt Burgdale and Silver-dale, and that often ye shall +face us in the feast-hall, and whiles stand beside us in the fray, we +must needs pray you not to shame us by departing empty-handed; for +how then may we look upon your faces again? Stone-face, my friend, +thou art old and wise; therefore I bid thee to help us herein, and +speak for us to thy kindred, that they naysay us not in this matter.' + +Then stood up Stone-face and said: 'Forsooth, friends, Folk-might is +in the right herein; for he may look for anger from the wights that +come and go betwixt his kindred and the Gods, if they see us faring +back giftless through the woods. Moreover, now that ye have seen +Silver-dale, ye may wot how rich a land it is of all good things, and +able to bring forth enough and to spare. And now meseemeth the Gods +love this Folk that shall dwell here; and they shall become a mighty +Folk, and a part of our very selves. Therefore let us take the gifts +of our friends, and thank them blithely. For surely, as saith Folk- +might, henceforth the wood shall become a road betwixt us, and the +thicket a halting-place for friends bearing goodwill in their hands.' + +When he had spoken, men yeasaid his words and forbore the gifts no +longer; and the Folk-mote sundered in all loving-kindness. + + + +CHAPTER LV. DEPARTURE FROM SILVER-DALE + + + +On morrow of the morrow were the Burgdale men and they of the +Shepherds gathered together in the Market-stead early in the morning, +and they were all ready for departure; and the men of the Wolf and +the Woodlanders, and of the delivered thralls a great many, stood +round about them grieving that they must go. There was much talk +between the folk of the Dale and the Guests, and many promises were +given and taken to come and go betwixt the two Dales. There also +were the men of the thrall-folk who were to wend home with the +Burgdalers; and they had been stuffed with good things by the men of +the kindreds, and were as fain as might be. + +As for the Sun-beam, she was somewhat out of herself at first, being +eager and restless beyond her wont, and yet at whiles weeping-ripe +when she called to mind that she was now leaving all those things, +the gain whereof had been a dream to her both waking and sleeping for +these years past. But at last, as she stood in the door of the Mote- +house, and beheld all the throng of folk happy and friendly, it came +over her that she herself had done her full share to bring all this +about, and that all those pleasant places of Silver-dale now full of +the goodly life of man would be there even as she had striven for +them, and that they would be a part of her left behind, though she +were dwelling otherwhere. + +Therewithal she said to herself that it was now her part to wield the +life of men in Burgdale, and begin once more her days of a chieftain +and a swayer of the Folk, and the life of a stirring woman, which the +edge of the sword and the need of the hard hand-play had taken out of +her hands for a while, making her as a child in the hands of the +strong wielders of the blades. + +So now she became calm once more, and her face was clad again with +the full measure of that majesty of beauty which had once overawed +Face-of-god amidst his love of her; and folk beheld her and marvelled +at her fairness, and said: 'She hath an inward sorrow at leaving the +fair Dale wherein her Fathers dwelt, and where her mother's ashes lie +in earth.' Albeit now was her sorrow but little, and much was her +hope, and her foresight of days to be; though all the Dale, yea, +every leaf and twig of it whereby her feet had ever passed, and each +stone of the fair houses, was to her as a picture that she could look +on from henceforth for ever. + +Of the Bride it is to be said that she was now much mended, and she +caused men bear her on a litter out into the Marketplace, that she +might look on the departure of her folk. She had seen Face-of-god +once and again since the Day of Battle, and each time had been kind +and blithe with him; and for Iron-face, she loved him so well that +she was ever loth to let him depart from her, save when Folk-might +was with her. + +And now was the Alderman standing beside her, and she said to him: +'Friend and kinsman, this is the day of departure, and though I must +needs abide behind, and am content to abide, yet doth mine heart ache +with the sundering; for to-morrow when I wake in the morning there +will be no more sending of a messenger to fetch thee to me. Indeed, +great hath been the love between me and my people, and nought hath +come between us to mar it. Now, kinsman, I would see Gold-mane, my +cousin, that I may bid him farewell; for who knoweth if I shall see +him again hereafter?' + +Then went Iron-face and found Face-of-god where he was speaking with +Folk-might and the chieftains, and said to him: + +'Come quickly, for thy cousin the Bride would speak with thee.' + +Face-of-god reddened, and paled afterwards, but he went along with +his father silently; and his heart beat as he came and stood before +the litter whereas the Bride lay, clad all in white and propped up on +fair cushions of red silk. She was frail to look on, and worn and +pale yet; but he deemed that she was very happy. + +She smiled on him, and reached out her hand and said: + +'Welcome once more, cousin!' And he held her hand and kissed it, and +was nigh weeping, so sore was he beset by a throng of memories +concerning her and him in the days when they were little; and he +bethought him of her loving-kindness of past days, beyond that of +most children, beyond that of most maidens; and how there was nothing +in his life but she had a share in it, till the day when he found the +Hall on the Mountain. + +So he said to her: 'Kinswoman, is it well with thee?' + +'Yea,' she said, 'I am now nigh whole of my hurts.' + +He was silent a while; then he said: + +'And otherwise art thou merry at heart?' + +'Yea, indeed,' said she; 'yet thou wilt not find it hard to deem that +I am sorry of the sundering betwixt me and Burgdale.' + +Again was he silent, and said in a while: 'Dost thou deem that I +wrought that sundering?' + +She smiled kindly on him and said: 'Gold-mane, my playmate, thou art +become a mighty warrior and a great chief; but thou art not so mighty +as that. Many things lay behind the sundering which were neither +thou nor I.' + +'Yet,' said he, 'it was but such a little time agone that all things +seemed so sure; and we--to both of us was the outlook happy.' + +'Let it be happy still,' she said, 'now begrudging is gone. Belike +the sundering came because we were so sure, and had no defence +against the wearing of the days; even as it fareth with a folk that +hath no foes.' + +He smiled and said: 'Even as it hath befallen THY folk, O Bride, a +while ago.' + +She reddened, and reached her hand to him, and he took it and held +it, and said: 'Shall I see thee again as the days wear?' + +Said she: 'O chieftain of the Folk, thou shalt have much to do in +Burgdale, and the way is long. Yet would I have thee see my +children. Forget not the token on my hand which thou holdest. But +now get thee to thy folk with no more words; for after all, playmate, +the sundering is grievous to me, and I would not spin out the time +thereof. Farewell!' + +He said no more, but stooped down and kissed her lips, and then +turned from her, and took his ways to the head of the Host, and fell +to asking and answering, and bidding and arraying; and in a little +time was his heart dancing with joy to think of the days that lay +before him, wherein now all seemed happy. + +So was all arrayed for departure when it lacked three hours of noon. +As Folk-might had promised, there were certain light wains drawn by +bullocks abiding the departure of the Host, and of sumpter bullocks +and horses no few; and all these were laden with fair gifts of the +Dale, as silver, and raiment, and weapons. There were many things +fair-wrought in the time of the Sorrow, that henceforth should see +but little sorrow. Moreover, there was plenty of provision for the +way, both meal and wine, and sheep and neat; and all things as fair +as might be, and well-arrayed. + +It was the Shepherds who were to lead the way; and after them were +arrayed the men of the Vine and the Sickle; then they of the Steer, +the Bridge, and the Bull; and lastly the House of the Face, with old +Stone-face leading them. The Sun-beam was to journey along with the +House of the Steer, which had taken her in as a maiden of their +blood; and though she had so much liefer have fared with the House of +the Face, yet she went meekly as she was bidden, as one who has +gotten a great thing, and will make no stir about a small one. + +Along with her were Wood-father and Wood-mother, and Wood-wise, now +whole of his hurt, and Wood-wont, and Bow-may. Save Bow-may, they +were not very joyous; for they were fain of Silver-dale, and it irked +them to leave it; moreover, they also had liefer have gone along with +the House of the War-leader. + +Last of all went those people of the once thralls of the Dusky Men +who had cast in their lot with the Burgdalers, and they were +exceeding merry; and especially the women of them, they were +chattering like the stares in the autumn evening, when they gather +from the fields in the tall elm-trees before they go to roost. + +Now all the men of the Dale, both of the kindreds and of the thrall- +folk, made way for the Host and its havings, that they might go their +ways down the Dale; albeit the Woodlanders clung close to the line of +their ancient friends, and with them, as men who were sorry for the +sundering, were Wolf-stone and God-swain and Spear-fist. But the +chiefs, they drew around Folk-might a little beside the way. + +Now Red-coat of Waterless, who had been hurt, and was now whole +again, cast his arms about Folk-might and kissed him, and said: + +'All the way hence to Burgdale will I sow with good wishes for thee +and thine, and especially for my dear friend God-swain of the Silver +Arm; and I would wish and long that they might turn into spells to +draw thy feet to usward; for we love thee well.' + +In like wise spake other of the Burgdalers; and Folk-might was kind +and blithe with them, and he said: + +'Friends, forget ye not that the way is no longer from you to us than +it is from us to you. One half of this matter it is for you to deal +with.' + +'True is that,' said Red-beard of the Knolls, 'but look you, Folk- +might, we be but simple husbandmen, and may not often stir from our +meadows and acres; even now I bethink me that May is amidst us, and I +am beginning to be drawn by the thought of the haysel. Whereas thou- +-' (and therewith he reddened) 'I doubt that thou hast little to do +save the work of chieftains, and we know that such work is but little +missed if it be undone.' + +Thereat Folk-might laughed; and when the others saw that he laughed, +they laughed also, else had they foreborne for courtesy's sake. + +But Folk-might answered: 'Nay, chief of the Sickle, I am not +altogether a chieftain, now we have gotten us peace; and somewhat of +a husbandman shall I be. Moreover, doubt ye not that I shall do my +utmost to behold the fair Dale again; for it is but mountains that +meet not.' + +Now spake Face-of-god to Folk-might, smiling and somewhat softly, and +said: 'Is all forgiven now, since the day when we first felt each +other's arms?' + +'Yea, all,' said Folk-might; 'now hath befallen what I foretold thee +in Shadowy Vale, that thou mightest pay for all that had come and +gone, if thou wouldest but look to it. Indeed thou wert angry with +me for that saying on that eve of Shadowy Vale; but see thou, in +those days I was an older man than thou, and might admonish thee +somewhat; but now, though but few days have gone over thine head, yet +many deeds have abided in thine hand, and thou art much aged. Anger +hath left thee, and wisdom hath waxed in thee. As for me, I may now +say this word: May the Folk of Burgdale love the Folk of Silver-dale +as well as I love thee; then shall all be well.' + +Then Face-of-god cast his arms about him and kissed him, and turned +away toward Stone-face and Hall-face his brother, where they stood at +the head of the array of the Face; and even therewith came up the +Alderman somewhat sad and sober of countenance, and he pushed by the +War-leader roughly and would not speak with him. + +And now blew up the horns of the Shepherds, and they began to move on +amidst the shouting of the men of Silver-dale; yet were there amongst +the Woodlanders those who wept when they saw their friends verily +departing from them. + +But when they of the foremost of the Host were gotten so far forward +that the men of the Face could begin to move, lo! there was Redesman +with his fiddle amongst the leaders; and he had done a man's work in +the day of battle, and all looked kindly on him. About him on this +morn were some who had learned the craft of singing well together, +and knew his minstrelsy, and he turned to these and nodded as their +array moved on, and he drew his bow across the strings, and +straightway they fell a-singing, even as it might be thus: + + +Back again to the dear Dale where born was the kindred, + Here wend we all living, and liveth our mirth. +Here afoot fares our joyance, whatever men hindred, + Through all wrath of the heavens, all storms of the earth. + +O true, we have left here a part of our treasure, + The ashes of stout ones, the stems of the shield; +But the bold lives they spended have sown us new pleasure, + Fair tales for the telling in fold and on field. + +For as oft as we sing of their edges' upheaving, + When the yellowing windows shine forth o'er the night, +Their names unforgotten with song interweaving + Shall draw forth dear drops from the depths of delight. + +Or when down by our feet the grey sickles are lying, + And behind us is curling the supper-tide smoke, +No whit shall they grudge us the joyance undying, + Remembrance of men that put from us the yoke. + +When the huddle of ewes from the fells we have driven, + And we see down the Dale the grey reach of the roof, +We shall tell of the gift in the battle-joy given, + All the fierceness of friends that drave sorrow aloof. + +Once then we lamented, and mourned them departed; + Once only, no oftener. Henceforth shall we fling +Their names up aloft, when the merriest hearted + To the Fathers unseen of our life-days we sing. + + +Then was there silence in the ranks of men; and many murmured the +names of the fallen as they fared on their way from out the Market- +place of Silver-stead. Then once more Redesman and his mates took up +the song: + + +Come tell me, O friends, for whom bideth the maiden + Wet-foot from the river-ford down in the Dale? +For whom hath the goodwife the ox-waggon laden + With the babble of children, brown-handed and hale? + +Come tell me for what are the women abiding, + Till each on the other aweary they lean? +Is it loitering of evil that thus they are chiding, + The slow-footed bearers of sorrow unseen? + +Nay, yet were they toiling if sorrow had worn them, + Or hushed had they bided with lips parched and wan. +The birds of the air other tidings have borne them - + How glad through the wood goeth man beside man. + +Then fare forth, O valiant, and loiter no longer + Than the cry of the cuckoo when May is at hand; +Late waxeth the spring-tide, and daylight grows longer, + And nightly the star-street hangs high o'er the land. + +Many lives, many days for the Dale do ye carry; + When the Host breaketh out from the thicket unshorn, +It shall be as the sun that refuseth to tarry + On the crown of all mornings, the Midsummer morn. + + +Again the song fell down till they were well on the western way down +Silver-dale; and then Redesman handled his fiddle once more, and +again the song rose up, and such-like were the words which were borne +back into the Market-place of Silver-stead: + + +And yet what is this, and why fare ye so slowly, + While our echoing halls of our voices are dumb, +And abideth unlitten the hearth-brand the holy, + And the feet of the kind fare afield till we come? + +For not yet through the wood and its tangle ye wander; + Now skirt we no thicket, no path by the mere; +Far aloof for our feet leads the Dale-road out yonder; + Full fair is the morning, its doings all clear. + +There is nought now our feet on the highway delaying + Save the friend's loving-kindness, the sundering of speech; +The well-willer's word that ends words with the saying, + The loth to depart while each looketh on each. + +Fare on then, for nought are ye laden with sorrow; + The love of this land do ye bear with you still. +In two Dales of the earth for to-day and to-morrow + Is waxing the oak-tree of peace and good-will. + + +Thus then they departed from Silver-dale, even as men who were a +portion thereof, and had not utterly left it behind. And that night +they lay in the wild-wood not very far from the Dale's end; for they +went softly, faring amongst so many friends. + + + +CHAPTER LVI. TALK UPON THE WILD-WOOD WAY + + + +On the morrow morning when they were on their way again Face-of-god +left his own folk to go with the House of the Steer a while; and +amongst them he fell in with the Sun-beam going along with Bow-may. +So they greeted him kindly, and Face-of-god fell into talk with the +Sun-beam as they went side by side through a great oak-wood, where +for a space was plain green-sward bare of all underwood. + +So in their talk he said to her: 'What deemest thou, my speech- +friend, concerning our coming back to guest in Silver-dale one day?' + +'The way is long,' she said. + +'That may hinder us but not stay us,' said Face-of-god. + +'That is sooth,' said the Sun-beam. + +Said Face-of-god: 'What things shall stay us? Or deemest thou that +we shall never see Silver-dale again?' + +She smiled: 'Even so I think thou deemest, Gold-mane. But many +things shall hinder us besides the long road.' + +Said he: 'Yea, and what things?' + +'Thinkest thou,' said the Sun-beam, 'that the winning of Silver-stead +is the last battle which thou shalt see?' + +'Nay,' said he, 'nay.' + +'Shall thy Dale--our Dale--be free from all trouble within itself +henceforward? Is there a wall built round it to keep out for ever +storm, pestilence, and famine, and the waywardness of its own folk?' + +'So it is as thou sayest,' quoth Face-of-god, 'and to meet such +troubles and overcome them, or to die in strife with them, this is a +great part of a man's life.' + +'Yea,' she said, 'and hast thou forgotten that thou art now a great +chieftain, and that the folk shall look to thee to use thee many days +in the year?' + +He laughed and said: 'So it is. How many days have gone by since I +wandered in the wood last autumn, that the world should have changed +so much!' + +'Many deeds shall now be in thy days,' she said, 'and each deed as +the corn of wheat from which cometh many corns; and a man's days on +the earth are not over many.' + +'Then farewell, Silver-dale!' said he, waving his hand toward the +north. 'War and trouble may bring me back to thee, but it maybe +nought else shall. Farewell!' + +She looked on him fondly but unsmiling, as he went beside her strong +and warrior-like. Three paces from him went Bow-may, barefoot, in +her white kirtle, but bearing her bow in her hand; a leash of arrows +was in her girdle, her quiver hung at her back, and she was girt with +a sword. On the other side went Wood-wont and Wood-wise, lightly +clad but weaponed. Wood-mother was riding in an ox-wain just behind +them, and Wood-father went beside her bearing an axe. Scattered all +about them were the men of the Steer, gaily clad, bearing weapons, so +that the oak-wood was bright with them, and the glades merry with +their talk and singing and laughter, and before them down the glades +went the banner of the Steer, and the White Beast led them the +nearest way to Burgdale. + + + +CHAPTER LVII. HOW THE HOST CAME HOME AGAIN + + + +It was fourteen days before they came to Rose-dale; for they had much +baggage with them, and they had no mind to weary themselves, and the +wood was nothing loathsome to them, whereas the weather was fair and +bright for the more part. They fell in with no mishap by the way. +But a score and three of runaways joined themselves to the Host, +having watched their goings and wotting that they were not foemen. +Of these, some had heard of the overthrow of the Dusky Men in Silver- +dale, and others not. The Burgdalers received them all, for it +seemed to them no great matter for a score or so of new-comers to the +Dale. + +But when the Host was come to Rose-dale, they found it fair arid +lovely; and there they met with those of their folk who had gone with +Dallach. But Dallach welcomed the kindreds with great joy, and bade +them abide; for he said that they had the less need to hasten, since +he had sent messengers into Burgdale to tell men there of the +tidings. Albeit they were mostly loth to tarry; yet when he lay hard +on them not to depart as men on the morrow of a gild-feast, they +abode there three days, and were as well guested as might be, and on +their departure they were laden with gifts from the wealth of Rose- +dale by Dallach and his folk. + +Before they went their ways Dallach spake with Face-of-god and the +chiefs of the Dalesmen, and said: + +'Ye have given me much from the time when ye found me in the wood a +naked wastrel; yet now I would ask you a gift to lay on the top of +all that ye have given me.' + +Said Face-of-god: 'Name the gift, and thou shalt have it; for we +deem thee our friend.' + +'I am no less,' said Dallach, 'as in time to come I may perchance be +able to show you. But now I am asking you to suffer a score or two +of your men to abide here with me this summer, till I see how this +folk new-born again is like to deal with me. For pleasure and a fair +life have become so strange to them, that they scarce know what to do +with them, or how to live; and unless all is to go awry, I must needs +command and forbid; and though belike they love me, yet they fear me +not; so that when my commandment pleaseth them, they do as I bid, and +when it pleaseth them not, they do contrary to my bidding; for it +hath got into their minds that I shall in no case lift a hand against +them, which indeed is the very sooth. But your folk they fear as +warriors of the world, who have slain the Dusky Men in the Market- +place of Silver-stead; and they are of alien blood to them, men who +will do as their friend biddeth (think our folk) against them who are +neither friends or foes. With such help I shall be well holpen.' + +In such wise spake Dallach; and Face-of-god and the chiefs said that +so it should be, if men could be found willing to abide in Rose-dale +for a while. And when the matter was put abroad, there was no lack +of such men amongst the younger warriors, who had noted that the dale +was fair amongst dales and its women fairer yet amongst women. + +So two score and ten of the Burgdale men abode in Rose-dale, no one +of whom was of more than twenty and five winters. Forsooth divers of +them set up house in Rose-dale, and never came back to Burgdale, save +as guests. For a half score were wedded in Rose-dale before the +year's ending; and seven more, who had also taken to them wives of +the goodliest of the Rose-dale women, betook them the next spring to +the Burg of the Runaways, and there built them a stead, and drew a +garth about it, and dug and sowed the banks of the river, which they +called Inglebourne. And as years passed, this same stead throve +exceedingly, and men resorted thither both from Rose-dale and +Burgdale; for it was a pleasant place; and the land, when it was +cured, was sweet and good, and the wood thereabout was full of deer +of all kinds. So their stead was called Inglebourne after the +stream; and in latter days it became a very goodly habitation of men. + +Moreover, some of the once-enthralled folk of Rose-dale, when they +knew that men of their kindred from Silver-dale were going home with +the men of Burgdale to dwell in the Dale, prayed hard to go along +with them; for they looked on the Burgdalers as if they were new Gods +of the Earth. The Burgdale chiefs would not gainsay these men +either, but took with them three score and ten from Rose-dale, men +and women, and promised them dwelling and livelihood in Burgdale. + +So now with good hearts the Host of Burgdale turned their faces +toward their well-beloved Dale; and they made good diligence, so that +in three days' time they were come anigh the edge of the woodland +wilderness. Thither in the even-tide, as they were making ready for +their last supper and bed in the wood, came three men and two women +of their folk, who had been abiding their coming ever since they had +had the tidings of Silver-dale and the battles from Dallach. Great +was the joy of these messengers as they went from company to company +of the warriors, and saw the familiar faces of their friends, and +heard their wonted voices telling all the story of battle and +slaughter. And for their part the men of the Host feasted these +stay-at-homes, and made much of them. But one of them, a man of the +House of the Face, left the Host a little after nightfall, and bore +back to Burgstead at once the tidings of the coming home of the Host. +Albeit since Dallach's tidings of victory had come to the Dale, the +dwellers in the steads of the country-side had left Burgstead and +gone home to their own houses; so that there was no great multitude +abiding in the Thorp. + +So early on the morrow was the Host astir; but ere they came to +Wildlake's Way, the Shepherd-folk turned aside westward to go home, +after they had bidden farewell to their friends and fellows of the +Dale; for their souls longed for the sheepcotes in the winding +valleys under the long grey downs; and the garths where the last +year's ricks shouldered up against the old stone gables, and where +the daws were busy in the tall unfrequent ash-trees; and the green +flowery meadows adown along the bright streams, where the crowfoot +and the paigles were blooming now, and the harebells were in flower +about the thorn-bushes at the down's foot, whence went the savour of +their blossom over sheep-walk and water-meadow. + +So these went their ways with many kind words; and two hours +afterwards all the rest of the Host stood on the level ground of the +Portway; but presently were the ranks of war disordered and broken up +by the joy of the women and children, as they fell to drawing goodman +or brother or lover out of the throng to the way that led speediest +to their homesteads and halls. For the War-leader would not hold the +Host together any longer, but suffered each man to go to his home, +deeming that the men of Burgstead, and chiefly they of the Face and +the Steer, would suffice for a company if any need were, and they +would be easily gathered to meet any hap. + +So now the men of the Middle and Lower Dale made for their houses by +the road and the lanes and the meadows, and the men of the Upper Dale +and Burgstead went their ways along the Portway toward their halls, +with the throng of women and children that had come out to meet them. +And now men came home when it was yet early, and the long day lay +before them; and it was, as it were, made giddy and cumbered with the +exceeding joy of return, and the thought of the day when the fear of +death and sundering had been ever in their hearts. For these new +hours were full of the kissing and embracing of lovers, and the +sweetness of renewed delight in beholding the fair bodies so sorely +desired, and hearkening the soft wheedling of longed-for voices. +There were the cups of friends beneath the chestnut trees, and the +talk of the deeds of the fighting-men, and of the heavy days of the +home-abiders; many a tale told oft and o'er again. There was the +singing of old songs and of new, and the beholding the well-loved +nook of the pleasant places, which death might well have made nought +for them; and they were sweet with the fear of that which was past, +and in their pleasantness was fresh promise for the days to come. + +So amid their joyance came evening and nightfall; and though folk +were weary with the fulness of delight, yet now for many their +weariness led them to the chamber of love before the rest of deep +night came to them to make them strong for the happy life to be begun +again on the morrow. + +House by house they feasted, and few were the lovers that sat not +together that even. But Face-of-god and the Sun-beam parted at the +door of the House of the Face; for needs must she go with her new +folk to the House of the Steer, and needs must Face-of-god be amongst +his own folk in that hour of high-tide, and sit beside his father +beneath the image of the God with the ray-begirt head. + + + +CHAPTER LVIII. HOW THE MAIDEN WARD WAS HELD IN BURGDALE + + + +Now May was well worn when the Host came home to Burgdale; and on the +very morrow of men's home-coming they began to talk eagerly of the +Midsummer Weddings, and how the Maiden Ward would be the greatest and +fairest of all yet seen, whereas battle and the deliverance from +battle stir up the longing and love both of men and maidens; much +also men spake of the wedding of Face-of-god and the Sun-beam; and +needs must their wedding abide to the time of the Maiden Ward at +Midsummer, and needs also must the Sun-beam go on the Ward with the +other Brides of the Folk. So then must Face-of-god keep his soul in +patience till those few days were over, doing what work came to hand; +and he held his head high among the people, and was well looked to of +every man. + +In all matters the Sun-beam helped him, both in doing and in +forbearing; and now so wonderful and rare was her beauty, that folk +looked on her with somewhat of fear, as though she came from the very +folk of the Gods. + +Indeed she seemed somewhat changed from what she had been of late; +she was sober of demeanour during these last days of her maidenhood, +and sat amongst the kindred as one communing with herself: of few +words she was and little laughter; but her face clear, not overcast +by any gloom or shaken by passion: soft and kind was she in converse +with others, and sweet were the smiles that came into her face if +others' faces seemed to crave for them. For it must be said that as +some folk eat out their hearts with fear of the coming evils, even so +was she feeding her soul with the joy of the days to be, whatever +trouble might fall upon them, whereof belike she foreboded some. + +So wore the days toward Midsummer, when the wheat was getting past +the blossoming, and the grass in the mown fields was growing deep +green again after the shearing of the scythe; when the leaves were +most and biggest; when the roses were beginning to fall; when the +apples were reddening, and the skins of the grape-berries gathering +bloom. High aloft floated the light clouds over the Dale; deep blue +showed the distant fells below the ice-mountains; the waters +dwindled; all things sought the shadow by daytime, and the twilight +of even and the twilight of dawn were but sundered by three hours of +half-dark night. + +So in the bright forenoon were seventeen brides assembled in the Gate +of Burgstead (but of the rest of the Dale were twenty and three +looked for), and with these was the Sun-beam, her face as calm as the +mountain lake under a summer sunset, while of the others many were +restless, and babbling like April throstles; and not a few talked to +her eagerly, and in their restless love of her dragged her about +hither and thither. + +No men were to be seen that morning; for such was the custom, that +the carles either departed to the fields and the acres, or abode +within doors on the morn of the day of the Maiden Ward; but there was +a throng of women about the Gate and down the street of Burgstead, +and it may well be deemed that they kept not silence that hour. + +So fared the Brides of Burgstead to the place of the Maiden Ward on +the causeway, whereto were come already the other brides from steads +up and down the Dale, or were even then close at hand on the way; and +among them were Long-coat and her two fellows, with whom Face-of-god +had held converse on that morning whereon he had followed his fate to +the Mountain. + +There then were they gathered under the cliff-wall of the Portway; +and by the road-side had their grooms built them up bowers of green +boughs to shelter them from the sun's burning, which were thatched +with bulrushes, and decked with garlands of the fairest flowers of +the meadows and the gardens. + +Forsooth they were a lovely sight to look on, for no fairer women +might be seen in the world; and the eldest of them was scant of five +and twenty winters. Every maiden was clad in as goodly raiment as +she might compass; their sleeves and gown-hems and girdles, yea, +their very shoes and sandals were embroidered so fairly and closely, +that as they shifted in the sun they changed colour like the king- +fisher shooting from shadow to sunshine. According to due custom +every maiden bore some weapon. A few had bows in their hands and +quivers at their backs; some had nought but a sword girt to their +sides; some bore slender-shafted spears, so as not to overburden +their shapely hands; but to some it seemed a merry game to carry long +and heavy thrust-spears, or to bear great war-axes over their +shoulders. Most had their flowing hair coifed with bright helms; +some had burdened their arms with shields; some bore steel hauberks +over their linen smocks: almost all had some piece of war-gear on +their bodies; and one, to wit, Steed-linden of the Sickle, a tall and +fair damsel, was so arrayed that no garment could be seen on her but +bright steel war-gear. + +As for the Sun-beam, she was clad in a white kirtle embroidered from +throat to hem with work of green boughs and flowers of the goodliest +fashion, and a garland of roses on her head. Dale-warden himself was +girt to her side by a girdle fair-wrought of golden wire, and she +bore no other weapon or war-gear; and she let him lie quiet in his +scabbard, nor touched the hilts once; whereas some of the other +damsels would be ever drawing their swords out and thrusting them +back. But all noted that goodly weapon, the yoke-fellow of so many +great deeds. + +There then on the Portway, between the water and the rock-wall, rose +up plenteous and gleeful talk of clear voices shrill and soft; and +whiles the maidens sang, and whiles they told tales of old days, and +whiles they joined hands and danced together on the sweet summer dust +of the highway. Then they mostly grew aweary, and sat down on the +banks of the road or under their leafy bowers. + +Noon came, and therewithal goodwives of the neighbouring Dale, who +brought them meat and drink, and fruit and fresh flowers from the +teeming gardens; and thereafter for a while they nursed their joy in +their bosoms, and spake but little and softly while the day was at +its hottest in the early afternoon. + +Then came out of Burgstead men making semblance of chapmen with a +wain bearing wares, and they made as though they were wending down +the Portway westward to go out of the Dale. Then arose the weaponed +maidens and barred the way to them, and turned them back amidst +fresh-springing merriment. + +Again in a while, when the sun was westering and the shadows growing +long, came herdsmen from down the Dale driving neat, and making as +though they would pass by into Burgstead, but to them also did the +maidens gainsay the road, so that needs must they turn back amidst +laughter and mockery, they themselves also laughing and mocking. + +And so at last, when the maidens had been all alone a while, and it +was now hard on sunset, they drew together and stood in a ring, and +fell to singing; and one Gold-may of the House of the Bridge, a most +sweet singer, stood amidst their ring and led them. And this is +somewhat of the meaning of their words: + + +The sun will not tarry; now changeth the light, +Fail the colours that marry the Day to the Night. + +Amid the sun's burning bright weapons we bore, +For this eve of our earning comes once and no more. + +For to-day hath no brother in yesterday's tide, +And to-morrow no other alike it doth hide. + +This day is the token of oath and behest +That ne'er shall be broken through ill days and best. + +Here the troth hath been given, the oath hath been done, +To the Folk that hath thriven well under the sun. + +And the gifts of its giving our troth-day shall win +Are the Dale for our living and dear days therein. + +O Sun, now thou wanest! yet come back and see +Amidst all that thou gainest how gainful are we. + +O witness of sorrow wide over the earth, +Rise up on the morrow to look on our mirth! + +Thy blooms art thou bringing back ever for men, +And thy birds are a-singing each summer again. + +But to men little-hearted what winter is worse +Than thy summers departed that bore them the curse? + +And e'en such art thou knowing where thriveth the year, +And good is all growing save thralldom and fear. + +Nought such be our lovers' hearts drawing anigh, +While yet thy light hovers aloft in the sky. + +Lo the seeker, the finder of Death in the Blade! +What lips shall be kinder on lips of mine laid? + +La he that hath driven back tribes of the South! +Sweet-breathed is thine even, but sweeter his mouth. + +Come back from the sea then, O sun! come aback, +Look adown, look on me then, and ask what I lack! + +Come many a morrow to gaze on the Dale, +And if e'er thou seest sorrow remember its tale! + +For 'twill be of a story to tell how men died +In the garnering of glory that no man may hide. + +O sun sinking under! O fragrance of earth! +O heart! O the wonder whence longing has birth! + + +So they sang, and the sun sank indeed; and amidst their singing the +eve was still about them, though there came a happy murmur from the +face of the meadows and the houses of the Thorp aloof. But as their +song fell they heard the sound of footsteps a many on the road; so +they turned and stood with beating hearts in such order as when a +band of the valiant draw together to meet many foes coming on them +from all sides, and they stand back to back to face all comers. And +even therewith, their raiment gleaming amidst the gathering dusk, +came on them the young men of the Dale newly delivered from the grief +of war. + +Then in very deed the fierce mouths of the raisers of the war-shout +were kind on the faces of tender maidens. Then went spear and axe +and helm and shield clattering to the earth, as the arms of the new- +comers went round about the bodies of the Brides, weary with the long +day of sunshine, and glee and loving speech, and the maidens suffered +the young men to lead them whither they would, and twilight began to +draw round about them as the Maiden Band was sundered. + +Some, they were led away westward down the Portway to the homesteads +thereabout; and for divers of these the way was long to their halls, +and they would have to wend over long stretches of dewy meadows, and +hear the night-wind whisper in many a tree, and see the east begin to +lighten with the dawn before they came to the lighted feast that +awaited them. But some turned up the Portway straight towards +Burgstead; and short was their road to the halls where even now the +lights were being kindled for their greeting. + +As for the Sun-beam, she had been very quiet the day long, speaking +as little as she might do, laughing not at all, and smiling for +kindness' sake rather than for merriment; and when the grooms came +seeking their maidens, she withdrew herself from the band, and stood +alone amidst the road nigher to Burgstead than they; and her heart +beat hard, and her breath came short and quick, as though fear had +caught her in its grip; and indeed for one moment of time she feared +that he was not coming to her. For he had gone with the other grooms +to that gathered band, and had passed from one to the other, not +finding her, till he had got him through the whole company, and +beheld her awaiting him. Then indeed he bounded toward her, and +caught her by the hands, and then by the shoulders, and drew her to +him, and she nothing loth; and in that while he said to her: + +'Come then, my friend; lo thou! they go each their own way toward the +halls of their houses; and for thee have I chosen a way--a way over +the foot-bridge yonder, and over the dewy meadows on this best even +of the year.' + +'Nay, nay,' she said, 'it may not be. Surely the Burgstead grooms +look to thee to lead them to the gate; and surely in the House of the +Face they look to see thee before any other. Nay, Gold-mane, my +dear, we must needs go by the Portway.' + +He said: 'We shall be home but a very little while after the first, +for the way I tell of is as short as the Portway. But hearken, my +sweet! When we are in the meadows we shall sit down for a minute on +a bank under the chestnut trees, and thence watch the moon coming up +over the southern cliffs. And I shall behold thee in the summer +night, and deem that I see all thy beauty; which yet shall make me +dumb with wonder when I see it indeed in the house amongst the +candles.' + +'O nay,' she said, 'by the Portway shall we go; the torch-bearers +shall be abiding thee at the gate.' + +Spake Face-of-god: 'Then shall we rise up and wend first through a +wide treeless meadow, wherein amidst the night we shall behold the +kine moving about like odorous shadows; and through the greyness of +the moonlight thou shalt deem that thou seest the pink colour of the +eglantine blossoms, so fragrant they are.' + +'O nay,' she said, 'but it is meet that we go by the Portway.' + +But he said: 'Then from the wide meadow come we into a close of +corn, and then into an orchard-close beyond it. There in the ancient +walnut-tree the owl sitteth breathing hard in the night-time; but +thou shalt not hear him for the joy of the nightingales singing from +the apple-trees of the close. Then from out of the shadowed orchard +shall we come into the open town-meadow, and over its daisies shall +the moonlight be lying in a grey flood of brightness. + +'Short is the way across it to the brim of the Weltering Water, and +across the water lieth the fair garden of the Face; and I have dight +for thee there a little boat to waft us across the night-dark waters, +that shall be like wavering flames of white fire where the moon +smites them, and like the void of all things where the shadows hang +over them. There then shall we be in the garden, beholding how the +hall-windows are yellow, and hearkening the sound of the hall-glee +borne across the flowers and blending with the voice of the +nightingales in the trees. There then shall we go along the grass +paths whereby the pinks and the cloves and the lavender are sending +forth their fragrance, to cheer us, who faint at the scent of the +over-worn roses, and the honey-sweetness of the lilies. + +'All this is for thee, and for nought but for thee this even; and +many a blossom whereof thou knowest nought shall grieve if thy foot +tread not thereby to-night; if the path of thy wedding which I have +made, be void of thee, on the even of the Chamber of Love. + +'But lo! at last at the garden's end is the yew-walk arched over for +thee, and thou canst not see whereby to enter it; but I, I know it, +and I lead thee into and along the dark tunnel through the moonlight, +and thine hand is not weary of mine as we go. But at the end shall +we come to a wicket, which shall bring us out by the gable-end of the +Hall of the Face. Turn we about its corner then, and there are we +blinking on the torches of the torch-bearers, and the candles through +the open door, and the hall ablaze with light and full of joyous +clamour, like the bale-fire in the dark night kindled on a ness above +the sea by fisher-folk remembering the Gods.' + +'O nay,' she said, 'but by the Portway must we go; the straightest +way to the Gate of Burgstead.' + +In vain she spake, and knew not what she said; for even as he was +speaking he led her away, and her feet went as her will went, rather +than her words; and even as she said that last word she set her foot +on the first board of the foot-bridge; and she turned aback one +moment, and saw the long line of the rock-wall yet glowing with the +last of the sunset of midsummer, while as she turned again, lo! +before her the moon just beginning to lift himself above the edge of +the southern cliffs, and betwixt her and him all Burgdale, and Face- +of-god moreover. + +Thus then they crossed the bridge into the green meadows, and through +the closes and into the garden of the Face and unto the Hall-door; +and other brides and grooms were there before them (for six grooms +had brought home brides to the House of the Face); but none deemed it +amiss in the War-leader of the folk and the love that had led him. +And old Stone-face said: 'Too many are the rows of bee-skeps in the +gardens of the Dale that we should begrudge wayward lovers an hour's +waste of candle-light.' + +So at last those twain went up the sun-bright Hall hand in hand in +all their loveliness, and up on to the dais, and stood together by +the middle seat; and the tumult of the joy of the kindred was hushed +for a while as they saw that there was speech in the mouth of the +War-leader. + +Then he spread his hands abroad before them all and cried out: 'How +then have I kept mine oath, whereas I swore on the Holy Boar to wed +the fairest woman of the world?' + +A mighty shout went rattling about the timbers of the roof in answer +to his word; and they that looked up to the gable of the Hall said +that they saw the ray-ringed image of the God smile with joy over the +gathered folk. + +But spake Iron-face unheard amidst the clamour of the Hall: 'How +fares it now with my darling and my daughter, who dwelleth amongst +strangers in the land beyond the wild-wood?' + + + +CHAPTER LIX. THE BEHEST OF FACE-OF-GOD TO THE BRIDE ACCOMPLISHED: A +MOTE-STEAD APPOINTED FOR THE THREE FOLKS, TO WIT, THE MEN OF +BURGDALE, THE SHEPHERDS, AND THE CHILDREN OF THE WOLF + + + +Three years and two months thereafter, three hours after noon in the +days of early autumn, came a wain tilted over with precious webs of +cloth, and drawn by eight white oxen, into the Market-place of +Silver-stead: two score and ten of spearmen of the tallest, clad in +goodly war-gear, went beside it, and much people of Silver-dale +thronged about them. The wain stayed at the foot of the stair that +led up to the door of the Mote-house, and there lighted down +therefrom a woman goodly of fashion, with wide grey eyes, and face +and hands brown with the sun's burning. She had a helm on her head +and a sword girt to her side, and in her arms she bore a yearling +child. + +And there was come Bow-may with the second man-child born to Face-of- +god. + +She stayed not amidst the wondering folk, but hastened up the stair, +which she had once seen running with the blood of men: the door was +open, and she went in and walked straight-way, with the babe in her +arms, up the great Hall to the dais. + +There were men on the dais: amidmost sat Folk-might, little changed +since the last day she had seen him, yet fairer, she deemed, than of +old time; and her heart went forth to meet the Chieftain of her Folk, +and the glad tears started in her eyes and ran down her cheeks as she +drew near to him. + +By his side sat the Bride, and her also Bow-may deemed to have waxed +goodlier. Both she and Folk-might knew Bow-may ere she had gone half +the length of the hall; and the Bride rose up in her place and cried +out Bow-may's name joyously. + +With these were sitting the elders of the Wolf and the Woodlanders, +the more part of whom Bow-may knew well. + +On the dais also stood aside a score of men weaponed, and looking as +if they were awaiting the word which should send them forth on some +errand. + +Now stood up Folk-might and said: 'Fair greeting and love to my +friend and the daughter of my Folk! How farest thou, Bow-may, best +of all friendly women? How fareth my sister, and Face-of-god my +brother? and how is it with our friends and helpers in the goodly +Dale?' + +Said Bow-may: 'It is well both with all those and with me; and my +heart laughs to see thee, Folk-might, and to look on the elders of +the valiant, and our lovely sister the Bride. But I have a message +for thee from Face-of-god: wilt thou that I deliver it here?' + +'Yea surely,' said Folk-might, and came forth. and took her hand, and +kissed her cheeks and her mouth. The Bride also came forth and cast +her arms about her, and kissed her; and they led her between them to +a seat on the dais beside Folk-might. + +But all men looked on the child in her arms and wondered what it was. +But Bow-may took the babe, which was both fair and great, and set it +on the knees of the Bride, and said: + +'Thus saith Face-of-god: "Friend and kinswoman, well-beloved +playmate, the gift which thou badest of me in sorrow do thou now take +in joy, and do all the good thou wouldest to the son of thy friend. +The ring which I gave thee once in the garden of the Face, give thou +to Bow-may, my trusty and well-beloved, in token of the fulfilment of +my behest."' + +Then the Bride kissed Bow-may again, and fell to fondling of the +child, which was loth to leave Bow-may. + +But she spake again: 'To thee also, Folk-might, I have a message +from Face-of-god, who saith: "Mighty warrior, friend and fellow, all +things thrive with us, and we are happy. Yet is there a hollow place +in our hearts which grieveth us, and only thou and thine may amend +it. Though whiles we hear tell of thee, yet we see thee not, and +fain were we, might we see thee, and wot if the said tales be true. +Wilt thou help us somewhat herein, or wilt thou leave us all the +labour? For sure we be that thou wilt not say that thou rememberest +us no more, and that thy love for us is departed." This is his +message, Folk-might, and he would have an answer from thee.' + +Then laughed Folk-might and said: 'Sister Bow-may, seest thou these +weaponed men hereby?' + +'Yea,' she said. + +Said he: 'These men bear a message with them to Face-of-god my +brother. Crow the Shaft-speeder, stand forth and tell thy friend +Bow-may the message I have set in thy mouth, every word of it.' + +Then Crow stood forth and greeted Bow-may friendly, and said: +'Friend Bow-may, this is the message of our Alderman: "Friend and +helper, in the Dale which thou hast given to us do all things thrive; +neither are we grown old in three years' wearing, nor are our +memories worsened. We long sore to see you and give you guesting in +Silver-dale, and one day that shall befall. Meanwhile, know this: +that we of the Wolf and the Woodland, mindful of the earth that bore +us, and the pit whence we were digged, have a mind to go see Shadowy +Vale once in every three years, and there to hold high-tide in the +ancient Hall of the Wolf, and sit in the Doom-ring of our Fathers. +But since ye have joined yourselves to us in battle, and have given +us this Dale, our health and wealth, without price and without +reward, we deem you our very brethren, and small shall be our hall- +glee, and barren shall our Doom-ring seem to us, unless ye sit there +beside us. Come then, that we may rejoice each other by the sight of +face and sound of voice; that we may speak together of matters that +concern our welfare; so that we three Kindreds may become one Folk. +And if this seem good to you, know that we shall be in Shadowy Vale +in a half-month's wearing. Grieve us not by forbearing to come." +Lo, Bow-may, this is the message, and I have learned it well, for +well it pleaseth me to bear it.' + +Then said Folk-might: 'What say'st thou to the message, Bow-may?' + +'It is good in all ways,' said she, 'but is it timely? May our folk +have the message and get to Shadowy Vale, so as to meet you there?' + +'Yea surely,' said Folk-might, 'for our kinsmen here shall take the +road through Shadowy Vale, and in four days' time they shall be in +Burgdale, and as thou wottest, it is scant a two days' journey thence +to Shadowy Vale.' + +Therewith he turned to those men again, and said: 'Kinsman Crow, +depart now, and use all diligence with thy message.' + +So the messengers began to stir; but Bow-may cried out: 'Ho! Folk- +might, my friend, I perceive thou art little changed from the man I +knew in Shadowy Vale, who would have his dinner before the fowl were +plucked. For shall I not go back with these thy messengers, so that +I also may get all ready to wend to the Mote-house of Shadowy Vale?' + +But the Bride looked kindly on her, and laughed and said: 'Sister +Bow-may, his meaning is that thou shouldest abide here in Silver-dale +till we depart for the Folk-thing, and then go thither with us; and +this I also pray thee to do, that thou mayst rejoice the hearts of +thine old friends; and also that thou mayst teach me all that I +should know concerning this fair child of my brother and my sister.' + +And she looked on her so kindly as she caressed the babe, that Bow- +may's heart melted, and she cried out: + +'Would that I might never depart from the house wherein thou +dwellest, O Bride of my Kinsman! And this that thou biddest me is +easy and pleasant for me to do. But afterwards I must get me back to +Burgdale; for I seem to have left much there that calleth for me.' + +'Yea,' said Folk-might, 'and art thou wedded, Bow-may? Shalt thou +never bend the yew in battle again?' + +Said Bow-may soberly: 'Who knoweth, chieftain? Yea, I am wedded now +these two years; and nought I looked for less when I followed those +twain through the wild-wood to Burgdale.' + +She sighed therewith, and said: 'In all the Dale there is no better +man of his hands than my man, nor any goodlier to look on, and he is +even that Hart of Highcliff whom thou knowest well, O Bride!' + +Said the Bride: 'Thou sayest sooth, there is no better man in the +Dale.' + +Said Bow-may: 'Sun-beam bade me wed him when he pressed hard upon +me.' She stayed awhile, and then said: 'Face-of-god also deemed I +should not naysay the man; and now my son by him is of like age to +this little one.' + +'Good is thy story,' said Folk-might; 'or deemest thou, Bow-may, that +such strong and goodly women as thou, and women so kind and friendly, +should forbear the wedding and the bringing forth of children? Yea, +and we who may even yet have to gather to another field before we +die, and fight for life and the goods of life.' + +'Thou sayest well,' she said; 'all that hath befallen me is good +since the day whereon I loosed shaft from the break of the bent over +yonder.' + +Therewith she fell a-musing, and made as though she were hearkening +to the soft voice of the Bride caressing the new-come baby; but in +sooth neither heard nor saw what was going on about her, for her +thoughts were in bygone days. Howbeit presently she came to herself +again, and fell to asking many questions concerning Silver-dale and +the kindred, and those who had once been thralls of the Dusky Men; +and they answered all duly, and told her the whole story of the Dale +since the Day of the Victory. + +So Bow-may and the carles who had come with her abode for that half- +month in Silver-dale, guested in all love by the folk thereof, both +the kindreds and the poor folk. And Bow-may deemed that the Bride +loved Face-of-god's child little less than her own, whereof she had +two, a man and a woman; and thereat was she full of joy, since she +knew that Face-of-god and the Sun-beam would be fain thereof. + +Thereafter, when the time was come, fared Folk-might and the Bride, +and many of the elders and warriors of the Wolf and the Woodland, to +Shadowy Vale; and Dallach and the best of Rose-dale went with them, +being so bidden; and Bow-may and her following, according to the word +of the Bride. And in Shadowy Vale they met Face-of-god and Alderman +Iron-face, and the chiefs of Burgdale and the Shepherds, and many +others; and great joy there was at the meeting. And the Sun-beam +remembered the word which she spoke to Face-of-god when first he came +to Shadowy Vale, that she would be wishful to see again the dwelling +wherein she had passed through so much joy and sorrow of her younger +days. But if anyone were fain of this meeting, the Alderman was glad +above all, when he took the Bride once more in his arms, and caressed +her whom he had deemed should be a very daughter of his House. + +Now telleth the tale of all these kindreds, to wit, the Men of +Burgdale and the Sheepcotes; and the Children of the Wolf, and the +Woodlanders, and the Men of Rose-dale, that they were friends +henceforth, and became as one Folk, for better or worse, in peace and +in war, in waning and waxing; and that whatsoever befell them, they +ever held Shadowy Vale a holy place, and for long and long after they +met there in mid-autumn, and held converse and counsel together. + +NO MORE AS NOW TELLETH THE TALE OF THESE KINDREDS AND FOLKS, BUT +MAKETH AN ENDING. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE ROOTS OF THE MOUNTAINS *** + +This file should be named rtmt10.txt or rtmt10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, rtmt11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, rtmt10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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