Great were we then and many; but the long days wore us thin, And war, wherein the winner hath weary work to win. And the woodland wall behind us e’en like ourselves was worn, And the tramp of the hosts of the foemen adown its glades was borne On the wind that bent our wheat-fields. So in the morn we rose, And left behind the stubble and the autumn-fruited close, And went our ways to the westward, nor turned aback to see The glare of our burning houses rise over brake and tree. But the foe was fierce and speedy, nor long they tarried there, And through the woods of battle our laden wains must fare; And the Sons of the Wolf were minished, and the maids of the Wolf waxed few, As amidst the victory-singing we fared the wild-wood through. ‘So saith the ancient story, that west and west we went, And many a day of battle we had in brake, on bent; Whilst here a while we tarried, and there we hastened on, And still the battle-harvest from many a folk we won. ‘Of the tale of the days who wotteth? Of the years what man can tell, While the Sons of the Wolf were wandering, and knew not where to dwell? But at last we clomb the mountains, and mickle was our toil, As high the spear-wood clambered of the drivers of the spoil; And tangled were the passes and the beacons flared behind, And the horns of gathering onset came up upon the wind. So saith the ancient story, that we stood in a mountain-cleft, Where the ways and the valleys sundered to the right hand and the left. There in the place of sundering all woeful was the rede; We knew no land before us, and behind was heavy need. As the sword cleaves through the byrny, so there the mountain flank Cleft through the God-kin’s people; and ne’er again we drank The wine of war together, or feasted side by side In the Feast-hall of the Warrior on the fruit of the battle-tide. For there we turned and sundered; unto the North we went And up along the waters, and the clattering stony bent; And unto the South and the Sheepcotes down went our sister’s sons; And O for the years passed over since we saw those valiant ones!’ He ceased, and laid his right hand on the banner-staff a little below the left hand of Red-wolf; and men were so keen to hear each word that he spake, that there was no cry nor sound of voices when he had done, only the sound of the rippling banner of the Wolf over the heads of those twain. The Sun-beam bowed her head now, and wept silently. But the Bride, she had drawn her sword, and held it upright in her hand before her, and the sun smote fire from out of it. Then it was but a little while before Red-wolf lifted up his voice, and sang: ‘Hearken a wonder, O Folk of the Field, How they that did sunder stand shield beside shield! Lo! the old wont and manner by fearless folk made, On the Bole of the Banner the brothers’ hands laid.