United States or Saudi Arabia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
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.
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.
'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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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?
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.
Word Of The Day