The Roots of the Mountains: Wherein Is Told Somewhat of the Lives of the Men of Burgdale, Their Friends, Their Neighbours, Their Foemen, and Their Fellows in ArmsMorris, William
Science
The Roots of the Mountains: Wherein Is Told Somewhat of the Lives of the Men of Burgdale, Their Friends, Their Neighbours, Their Foemen, and Their Fellows in Arms
Morris, William
Fantasy fiction
Said the new-comer: ‘Thanks have thou for thy greeting and for thy
bidding! And that bidding shall we take, whatsoever may come of it; for
we are minded to abide with thee for a while. But know thou, O Alderman
of the Dalesmen, that I am not sackless toward thee and thine. My name
is Folk-might of the Children of the Wolf, and this woman is the
Sun-beam, my sister, and these behind me are of my kindred, and are well
beloved and trusty. We are no evil men or wrong-doers; yet have we been
driven into sore straits, wherein men must needs at whiles do deeds that
make their friends few and their foes many. So it may be that I am thy
foeman. Yet, if thou doubtest of me that I shall be a baneful guest,
thou shalt have our weapons of us, and then mayest thou do thy will upon
us without dread; and here first of all is my sword!’
Therewith he cast down the flowering branch he was bearing, and pulled
his sword from out his sheath, and took it by the point, and held out the
hilt to Iron-face.
But the Alderman smiled kindly on him and said:
‘The blade is a good one, and I say it who know the craft of
sword-forging; but I need it not, for thou seest I have a sword by my
side. Keep your weapons, one and all; for ye have come amongst many and
those no weaklings: and if so be that thy guilt against us is so great
that we must needs fall on you, ye will need all your war-gear. But
hereof is no need to speak till the time of the Folk-mote, which will be
holden in three days’ wearing; so let us forbear this matter till then;
for I deem we shall have enough to say of other matters. Now,
Folk-might, sit down beside me, and thou also, Sun-beam, fairest of
women.’
Therewith he looked into her face and reddened, and said:
‘Yet belike thou hast a word of greeting for my son, Face-of-god, unless
it be so that ye have not seen him before?’
Then Face-of-god came forward, and took Folk-might by the hand and kissed
him; and he stood before the Sun-beam and took her hand, and the world
waxed a wonder to him as he kissed her cheeks; and in no wise did she
change countenance, save that her eyes softened, and she gazed at him
full kindly from the happiness of her soul.
Then Face-of-god said: ‘Welcome, Guests, who erewhile guested me so well:
now beginneth the day of your well-doing to the men of Burgdale;
therefore will we do to you as well as we may.’
Then Folk-might and the Sun-beam sat them down with the chieftains, one
on either side of the Alderman, but Face-of-god passed forth to the
others, and greeted them one by one: of them was Wood-father and his
three sons, and Bow-may; and they rejoiced exceedingly to see him, and
Bow-may said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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