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Updated: August 23, 2024
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.
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!
'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?
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.
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 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!
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.
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!
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?
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.
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