The Roots of the Mountains

  CHAPTER XXXIII. THE ALDERMAN GIVES GIFTS TO THEM OF SHADOWY VALE.

  IN the Hall of the Face Folk-might sat on the daïs at the right hand ofthe Alderman, and the Sun-beam on his left hand. But Iron-face also hadbeheld the Bride how her face changed, and he knew the cause, and wasgrieved and angry and ashamed thereof: also he bethought him how thisstranger was sitting in the very place where the Bride used to sit, andof all the love, as of a very daughter, that he had had for her; howbeithe constrained himself to talk courteously and kindly both to Folk-mightand the Sun-beam, as behoved the Chief of the House and the Alderman ofthe Dale. Moreover, he was not a little moved by the goodliness andwisdom of the Sun-beam and the manliness of Folk-might, who was the mostchieftain-like of men.

  But while they sat there Face-of-god went from man to man of the Guests,and made much of each, but especially of Wood-father and his sons andBow-may, and they loved him, and praised him, and deemed him the best ofhall-mates. Nor might the Sun-beam altogether refrain her from lookinglovingly on him, and it could be seen of her that she deemed he was doingwell, and like a wise leader and chieftain.

  So wore away awhile, and men were fulfilled of meat and drink; so thenthe Alderman arose and spake, and said:

  ‘Is it not so, Guests, that ye would now gladly behold our market, andthe goodly wares which the chapmen have brought us from the Cities?’

  Then most men cried out: ‘Yea, yea!’ and Iron-face said:

  ‘Then shall ye go, nor be holden by me from your pleasure. And yekinsmen who are the most guest-fain and the wisest, go ye with ourfriends, and make all things easy and happy for them. But first of all,Guests, I were well pleased if ye would take some small matters out ofour abundance; for it were well that ye see them ere ye stand before thechapmen’s booths, lest ye chaffer with them for what ye have already.’

  They all praised his bounty and thanked him for his goodwill: so he aroseto go to his treasury, and bade certain of his folk go along with him tobear in the gifts. But ere he had taken three steps down the hall,Face-of-god prevented him and said:

  ‘Kinsman, if thou hast anywhere a hauberk somewhat better than folk arewont to bear, such as thine own hand fashioneth, and a sword of the likestuff, I would have thee give them, the sword to my brother-in-armsWood-wise here, and the war-coat to my sister Bow-may, who shooteth sowell in the bow that none may shoot closer, and very few as close; andher shaft it was that delivered me when my skull was amongst the axes ofthe Dusky Men: else had I not been here.’

  Thereat Bow-may reddened and looked down, like a scholar who hath beenover-praised for his learning and diligence; but the Alderman smiled onher and said:

  ‘I thank thee, son, that thou hast let me know what these our two friendsmay be fain of: and as for this damsel-at-arms, it is a little thing thatthou askest for her, and we might have found her something more worthy ofher goodliness; yet forsooth, since we are all bound for the place whereshafts and staves shall be good cheap, a greater treasure might be ofless avail to her.’

  Thereat men laughed, and the Alderman went down the Hall with thosebearers of gifts, and was away for a space while they drank and mademerry: but presently back they came from the treasury bearing loads ofgoodly things which were laid on one of the endlong boards. Then beganthe gift-giving: and first he gave unto Folk-might six golden cupsmarvellously fashioned, the work of four generations of wrights in theDale, and he himself had wrought the last two thereof. To Sun-beam hegave a girdle of gold, fashioned with great mastery, whereon were imagesof the Gods and the Fathers, and warriors, and beasts of the field andfowls of the air; and as he girt it about her loins, he said in a softvoice so that few heard:

  ‘Sun-beam, thou fair woman, time has been when thou wert to us as theedge of the poisonous sword or the midnight torch of the murderer; butnow I know not how it will be, or if the grief which thou hast given mewill ever wear out or not. And now that I have beheld thee, I havelittle to do to blame my son; for indeed when I look on thee I cannotdeem that there is any evil in thee. Yea, however it may be, take thouthis gift as the reward of thine exceeding beauty.’

  She looked on him with kind eyes, and said meekly:

  ‘Indeed, if I have hurt thee unwittingly, I grieve to have hurt so good aman. Hereafter belike we may talk more of this, but now I will but say,that whereas at first I needed but to win thy son’s goodwill, so that ourFolk might come to life and thriving again, now it is come to this, thathe holdeth my heart in his hand and may do what he will with it;therefore I pray thee withhold not thy love either from him or from me.’

  He looked on her wondering, and said: ‘Thou art such an one as might makethe old man young, and the boy grow into manhood suddenly; and thy voiceis as sweet as the voice of the song-birds singing in the dawn of earlysummer soundeth to him who hath been sick unto death, but who hathescaped it and is mending. And yet I fear thee.’

  Therewith he kissed her hand and turned unto the others, and he gave untoBow-may a hauberk of ring-mail of his own fashioning, a sure defence anda wonderful work, and the collar thereof was done with gold and gems.

  But he said to her: ‘Fair damsel-at-arms, faithful is thy face, and thefashion of thee is goodly: now art thou become one of the best of ourfriends, and this is little enough to give thee; yet would we fain wardthy body against the foeman; so grieve us not by gainsaying us.’

  And Bow-may was exceeding glad, and scarce knew how to cease handlingthat marvel of ring-mail.

  Then to Wood-wise Iron-face gave a most goodly sword, the blade allmarked with dark lines like the stream of an eddying river, the hilts ofsteel and gold marvellously wrought; and all the work of a smith who haddwelt in the house of his father’s father, and was a great warrior.

  Unto Wood-father he gave a very goodly helm parcel-gilded; and to hissons and the other folk fair gifts of weapons and jewels and girdles andcups and other good things; so that their hearts were full of joy, andthey all praised his open hand.

  Then some of the best and merriest of the kinsmen of the Face, andFace-of-god with them, brought the Guests out into the street and amongthe booths. There Face-of-god beheld the Bride again; and she wasstanding by the booth of a chapman and dealing with him for a piece ofgoodly silken cloth to be a gown for one of her guests, and she wastalking and smiling as she chaffered with him, as her wont was; for shewas ever very friendly of demeanour with all men. But he noted that shewas yet exceeding pale, and he was right sorry thereof, for he loved herfriendly; yet now had he no shame for all that had befallen, when hebethought him of the Sun-beam and the love she had for him. And also hehad a deeming that the Bride would better of her grief.