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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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