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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.
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?
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.
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.
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."
'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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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