The Roots of the Mountains<br />Wherein Is Told Somewhat of the Lives of the Men of Burgdale, Their by William Morris (best authors to read txt) 📕

ago I should have said, Yea, If thy lips say the words.  But now, O friend, it seemeth as if thine p. 130heart were already become a part of mine, and I feel as if the chieftain were growing up in me and the longing for deeds: so I say, Tell me, for I were fain to hear what toucheth the welfare of thy Folk and their fellowship with my Folk; for on that also have I set my heart?’

She said gravely and with solemn eyes:

‘What thou sayest is good: full glad am I that I have not plighted my troth to a mere goodly lad, but rather to a chieftain and a warrior.  Now then hearken!  Since I saw thee first in the autumn this hath happened, that the Dusky Men, increasing both in numbers and insolence, have it in their hearts to win more than Silver-dale, and it is years since they have fallen upon Rose-dale and conquered it, rather by murder than by battle, and made all men thralls there, for feeble were the Folk thereof; and doubt it not but that they will look into Burgdale before long.  They are already abroad in the woods, and were it not for the fear of the Wolf they would be thicker therein, and faring wider; for we have slain many of them, coming upon them unawares; and they know not where we dwell, nor who we be: so they fear to spread about over-much and pry into unknown places lest the Wolf howl on them.  Yet beware! for they will gather in numbers that we may not meet, and then will they swarm into the Dale; and if ye would live your happy life that ye love so well, ye must now fight for it; and in that battle must ye needs join yourselves to us, that we may help each other.  Herein have ye nought to choose, for now with you it is no longer a thing to talk of whether ye will help certain strangers and guests and thereby win some gain to yourselves, but whether ye have the hearts to fight for yourselves, and the wits to be the fellows of tall men and stout warriors who have pledged their lives to win or die for it.’

She was silent a little and then turned and looked fondly on Face-of-god and said:

‘Therefore, Gold-mane, we need thee no longer; for thou must needs fight in our battle.  I have no longer aught to do to wheedle p. 131thee to love me.  Yet if thou wilt love me, then am I a glad woman.’

He said: ‘Thou wottest well that thou hast all my love, neither will I fail thee in the battle.  I am not little-hearted, though I would have given myself to thee for no reward.’

‘It is well,’ said the Sun-beam; ‘nought is undone by that which I have done.  Moreover, it is good that we have plighted troth to-day.  For Folk-might will presently hear thereof, and he must needs abide the thing which is done.  Hearken! he cometh.’

For as she spoke there came a glad cry from the women and children, and those two stood up and turned toward the west and beheld the warriors of the Wolf coming down into the Dale by the way that Gold-mane had come.

‘Come,’ said the Sun-beam, ‘here are your brethren in arms, let us go greet them; they will rejoice in thee.’

So they went thither, and there stood eighty and seven men on the grass below the scree and Folk-might their captain; and besides some valiant women, and a few carles who were on watch on the waste, and a half score who had been left in the Dale, these were all the warriors of the Wolf.  They were clad in no holiday raiment, not even Folk-might, but were in sheep-brown gear of the coarsest, like to husbandmen late come from the plough, but armed well and goodly.

But when the twain drew near, the men clashed their spears on their shields, and cried out for joy of them, for they all knew what Face-of-god’s presence there betokened of fellowship with the kindreds; but Folk-might came forward and took Face-of-god’s hand and greeted him and said:

‘Hail, son of the Alderman!  Here hast thou come into the ancient abode of chieftains and warriors, and belike deeds await thee also.’

Yet his brow was knitted as he said these words, and he spake slowly, as one that constraineth himself; but presently his face cleared somewhat and he said:

p. 132‘Dalesman, it behoveth thy people to bestir them if ye would live and see good days.  Hath my sister told thee what is toward?  Or what sayest thou?’

‘Hail to thee, son of the Wolf!’ said Face-of-god.  ‘Thy sister hath told me all; and even if these Dusky Felons were not our foe-men also, yet could I have my way, we should have given thee all help, and should have brought back peace and good days to thy folk.’

Then Folk-might flushed red and spake, as he cast out his hand towards the warriors and up and down toward the Dale:

‘These be my folk, and these only: and as to peace, only those of us know of it who are old men.  Yet is it well; and if we and ye together be strong enough to bring back good days to the feeble men whom the Dusky Ones torment in Silver-dale it shall be better yet.’

Then he turned about to his sister, and looked keenly into her eyes till she reddened, and took her hand and looked at the wrist and said:

‘O sister, see I not the mark on thy wrist of the Ring of the God of the Earth?  Have not oaths been sworn since yesterday?’

‘True it is,’ she said, ‘that this man and I have plighted troth together at the altar of the Doom-ring.’

Said Folk-might: ‘Thou wilt have thy will, and I may not amend it.’  Therewith he turned about to Face-of-god and said:

‘Thou must look to it to keep this oath, whatever other one thou hast failed in.’

Said Face-of-god somewhat wrathfully: ‘I shall keep it, whether thou biddest me to keep it or break it.’

‘That is well,’ said Folk-might, ‘and then for all that hath gone before thou mayest in a manner pay, if thou art dauntless before the foe.’

‘I look to be no blencher in the battle,’ said Face-of-god; ‘that is not the fashion of our kindred, whosoever may be before us.  Yea, and even were it thy blade, O mighty warrior of the Wolf, I would do my best to meet it in manly fashion.’

p. 133As 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.’

Then in a while he spake again:

‘Thou must pardon us if our words are rough; for we have stood in rough places, where we had to speak both short and loud, whereas there was much to do.  But now will we twain talk of matters that concern chieftains who are going on a hard adventure.  And ye women, do ye dight the Hall for the evening feast, which shall be the feast of the troth-plight for you twain.  This indeed we owe thee, O guest; for little shall be thine heritage which thou shalt have with my sister, over and above that thy sword winneth for thee.’

But the Sun-beam said: ‘Hast thou any to-night?’

‘Yea,’ he said; ‘Spear-god, how many was it?’

There came forward a tall man bearing an axe in his right hand, and carrying over his shoulder by his left hand a bundle of silver arm-rings just such as Gold-mane had seen on the felons who were slain by Wood-grey’s house.  The carle cast them on the ground and then knelt down and fell to telling them over; and then looked up and said: ‘Twelve yesterday in the wood where the battle was going on; and this morning seven by the tarn in the pine-wood and six near this eastern edge of the wood: one score and five all told.  But, Folk-might, they are coming nigh to Shadowy Vale.’

‘Sooth is that,’ said Folk-might; ‘but it shall be looked to.  Come now apart with me, Face-of-god.’

So the others went their ways toward the Hall, while Folk-might led the Burgdaler to a sheltered nook under the sheer rocks, and there they sat down to talk, and Folk-might asked p. 134Gold-mane closely of the muster of the Dalesmen and the Shepherds and the Woodland Caries, and he was well pleased when Face-of-god told him of how many could march to a stricken field, and of their archery, and of their weapons and their goodness.

All this took some time in the telling, and now night was coming on apace, and Folk-might said:

‘Now will it be time to go to the Hall; but keep in thy mind that these Dusky Men will overrun you unless ye deal with them betimes.  These are of the kind that ye must cast fear into their hearts by falling on them; for if ye abide till they fall upon you, they are like the winter wolves that swarm on and on, how many soever ye slay.  And this above all things shall help you, that we shall bring you whereas ye shall fall on them unawares and destroy them as boys do with a wasp’s nest.  Yet shall many a mother’s son bite the dust.

‘Is it not so that in four weeks’ time is your spring-feast and market at Burgstead, and thereafter the great Folk-mote?’

‘So it is,’ said Gold-mane.

‘Thither shall I come then,’ said Folk-might, ‘and give myself out for the slayer of Rusty and the ransacker of Harts-bane and Penny-thumb; and therefor shall I offer good blood-wite and theft-wite; and thy father shall take that; for he is a just man.  Then shall I tell my tale.  Yet it may be thou shalt see us before if battle betide.  And now fair befall this new year; for soon shall the scabbards be empty and the white swords be dancing in the air, and spears and axes shall be the growth of this spring-tide.’

And he leaped up from his seat and walked to and fro before Gold-mane, and now was it grown quite dark.  Then Folk-might turned to Face-of-god and said:

‘Come, guest, the windows of the Hall are yellow; let us to the feast.  To-morrow shalt thou get thee to the beginning of this work.  I hope of thee that thou art a good sword; else have I p. 135done a folly and my sister a worse one.  But now forget that, and feast.’

Gold-mane arose, not very well at ease, for the man seemed overbearing; yet how might he fall upon the Sun-beam’s kindred, and the captain of these new brethren in arms?  So he spake not.  But Folk-might said to him:

‘Yet I would not have thee forget that I was wroth with thee when I saw thee to-day; and had it not been for the coming battle I had drawn sword upon thee.’

Then Face-of-god’s wrath was stirred, and he said:

‘There is yet time for that! but why art thou wroth with me?  And I shall tell thee that there is little manliness in thy chiding.  For how may I fight with thee, thou the brother of my plighted speech-friend and my captain in this battle?’

‘Therein thou sayest sooth,’ said Folk-might; ‘but hard it was to see you two standing together; and thou canst not give the Bride to me as I give my sister to thee.  For I have seen her, and I have seen her looking at thee; and I know that she will not have it so.’

Then they went on together toward the Hall, and Face-of-god was silent and somewhat troubled; and as they drew near to the Hall, Folk-might spake again:

‘Yet time may amend it; and if not, there is the battle, and maybe the end.  Now be we merry!’

So they went into the Hall together, and there was the Sun-beam gloriously arrayed, as erst in the woodland bower, and Face-of-god sat on the daïs beside her, and the uttermost sweetness of desire entered into his soul as he noted her eyes and her mouth, that were grown so kind to him, and her hand that strayed toward his.

The Hall was full of folk, and all those warriors were there with Wood-father and his sons, and Wood-mother, and Bow-may and many other women; and Gold-mane looked down the Hall and deemed that he had never seen such stalwarth bodies of men, or p. 136so bold and meet for battle: as for the women he had seen fairer in Burgdale, but these were fair