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'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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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?
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.
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