The　Story　of　the　Glittering　Plain
  or
  The　Land　of　Living　Men
  by　William　Morris
  CHAPTER　I：　　OF　THOSE　THREE　WHO　CAME　TO　THE　HOUSE　OF　THE　RAVEN
  It　has　been　told　that　there　was　once　a　young　man　of　free　kindred　and
  whose　name　was　Hallblithe：　　he　was　fair；　strong；　and　not　untried　in
  battle；　he　was　of　the　House　of　the　Raven　of　old　time。
  This　man　loved　an　exceeding　fair　damsel　called　the　Hostage；　who　was
  of　the　House　of　the　Rose；　wherein　it　was　right　and　due　that　the　men
  of　the　Raven　should　wed。
  She　loved　him　no　less；　and　no　man　of　the　kindred　gainsaid　their　love；
  and　they　were　to　be　wedded　on　Midsummer　Night。
  But　one　day　of　early　spring；　when　the　days　were　yet　short　and　the
  nights　long；　Hallblithe　sat　before　the　porch　of　the　house　smoothing
  an　ash　stave　for　his　spear；　and　he　heard　the　sound　of　horse…hoofs
  drawing　nigh；　and　he　looked　up　and　saw　folk　riding　toward　the　house；
  and　so　presently　they　rode　through　the　garth　gate；　and　there　was　no
  man　but　he　about　the　house；　so　he　rose　up　and　went　to　meet　them；　and
  he　saw　that　they　were　but　three　in　company：　　they　had　weapons　with
  them；　and　their　horses　were　of　the　best；　but　they　were　no　fellowship
  for　a　man　to　be　afraid　of；　for　two　of　them　were　old　and　feeble；　and
  the　third　was　dark　and　sad；　and　drooping　of　aspect：　　it　seemed　as　if
  they　had　ridden　far　and　fast；　for　their　spurs　were　bloody　and　their
  horses　all　a…sweat。
  Hallblithe　hailed　them　kindly　and　said：　　〃Ye　are　way…worn；　and　maybe
  ye　have　to　ride　further；　so　light　down　and　come　into　the　house；　and
  take　bite　and　sup；　and　hay　and　corn　also　for　your　horses；　and　then　if
  ye　needs　must　ride　on　your　way；　depart　when　ye　are　rested；　or　else　if
  ye　may；　then　abide　here　night…long；　and　go　your　ways　to…morrow；　and
  meantime　that　which　is　ours　shall　be　yours；　and　all　shall　be　free　to
  you。〃
  Then　spake　the　oldest　of　the　elders　in　a　high　piping　voice　and　said：
  〃Young　man；　we　thank　thee；　but　though　the　days　of　the　springtide　are
  waxing；　the　hours　of　our　lives　are　waning；　nor　may　we　abide　unless
  thou　canst　truly　tell　us　that　this　is　the　Land　of　the　Glittering
  Plain：　　and　if　that　be　so；　then　delay　not；　lead　us　to　thy　lord；　and
  perhaps　he　will　make　us　content。〃
  Spake　he　who　was　somewhat　less　stricken　in　years　than　the　first：
  〃Thanks　have　thou！　but　we　need　something　more　than　meat　and　drink；　to
  wit　the　Land　of　Living　Men。　　And　Oh！　but　the　time　presses。〃
  Spake　the　sad　and　sorry　carle：　　〃We　seek　the　Land　where　the　days　are
  many：　　so　many　that　he　who　hath　forgotten　how　to　laugh；　may　learn　the
  craft　again；　and　forget　the　days　of　Sorrow。〃
  Then　they　all　three　cried　aloud　and　said：
  〃Is　this　the　Land？　　Is　this　the　Land？〃
  But　Hallblithe　wondered；　and　he　laughed　and　said：　　〃Wayfarers；　look
  under　the　sun　down　the　plain　which　lieth　betwixt　the　mountains　and
  the　sea；　and　ye　shall　behold　the　meadows　all　gleaming　with　the　spring
  lilies；　yet　do　we　not　call　this　the　Glittering　Plain；　but　Cleveland
  by　the　Sea。　　Here　men　die　when　their　hour　comes；　nor　know　I　if　the
  days　of　their　life　be　long　enough　for　the　forgetting　of　sorrow；　for　I
  am　young　and　not　yet　a　yokefellow　of　sorrow；　but　this　I　know；　that
  they　are　long　enough　for　the　doing　of　deeds　that　shall　not　die。　　And
  as　for　Lord；　I　know　not　this　word；　for　here　dwell　we；　the　sons　of　the
  Raven；　in　good　fellowship；　with　our　wives　that　we　have　wedded；　and
  our　mothers　who　have　borne　us；　and　our　sisters　who　serve　us。　　Again　I
  bid　you　light　down　off　your　horses；　and　eat　and　drink；　and　be　merry；
  and　depart　when　ye　will；　to　seek　what　land　ye　will。〃
  They　scarce　looked　on　him；　but　cried　out　together　mournfully：
  〃This　is　not　the　Land！　　This　is　not　the　Land！〃
  No　more　than　that　they　said；　but　turned　about　their　horses　and　rode
  out　through　the　garth　gate；　and　went　clattering　up　the　road　that　led
  to　the　pass　of　the　mountains。　　But　Hallblithe　hearkened　wondering；
  till　the　sound　of　their　horse…hoofs　died　away；　and　then　turned　back
  to　his　work：　　and　it　was　then　two　hours　after　high…noon。
  CHAPTER　II：　　EVIL　TIDINGS　COME　TO　HAND　AT　CLEVELAND
  Not　long　had　he　worked　ere　he　heard　the　sound　of　horsehoofs　once
  more；　and　he　looked　not　up；　but　said　to　himself；　〃It　is　but　the　lads
  bringing　back　the　teams　from　the　acres；　and　riding　fast　and　driving
  hard　for　joy　of　heart　and　in　wantonness　of　youth。〃
  But　the　sound　grew　nearer　and　he　looked　up　and　saw　over　the　turf　wall
  of　the　garth　the　flutter　of　white　raiment；　and　he　said：
  〃Nay；　it　is　the　maidens　coming　back　from　the　seashore　and　the
  gathering　of　wrack。〃
  So　he　set　himself　the　harder　to　his　work；　and　laughed；　all　alone　as
  he　was；　and　said：　　〃She　is　with　them：　　now　I　will　not　look　up　again
  till　they　have　ridden　into　the　garth；　and　she　has　come　from　among
  them；　and　leapt　off　her　horse；　and　cast　her　arms　about　my　neck　as　her
  wont　is；　and　it　will　rejoice　her　then　to　mock　me　with　hard　words　and
  kind　voice　and　longing　heart；　and　I　shall　long　for　her　and　kiss　her；
  and　sweet　shall　the　coming　days　seem　to　us：　　and　the　daughters　of　our
  folk　shall　look　on　and　be　kind　and　blithe　with　us。〃
  Therewith　rode　the　maidens　into　the　garth；　but　he　heard　no　sound　of
  laughter　or　merriment　amongst　them；　which　was　contrary　to　their　wont；
  and　his　heart　fell；　and　it　was　as　if　instead　of　the　maidens'　laughter
  the　voices　of　those　wayfarers　came　back　upon　the　wind　crying　out；　〃Is
  this　the　Land？　　Is　this　the　Land？〃
  Then　he　looked　up　hastily；　and　saw　the　maidens　drawing　near；　ten　of
  the　House　of　the　Raven；　and　three　of　the　House　of　the　Rose；　and　he
  beheld　them　that　their　faces　were　pale　and　woe…begone；　and　their
  raiment　rent；　and　there　was　no　joy　in　them。　　Hallblithe　stood　aghast
  while　one　who　had　gotten　off　her　horse　（and　she　was　the　daughter　of
  his　own　mother）　ran　past　him　into　the　hall；　looking　not　at　him；　as　if
  she　durst　not：　　and　another　rode　off　swiftly　to　the　horse…stalls。
  But　the　others；　leaving　their　horses；　drew　round　about　him；　and　for　a
  while　none　durst　utter　a　word；　and　he　stood　gazing　at　them；　with　the
  spoke…shave　in　his　hand；　he　also　silent；　for　he　saw　that　the　Hostage
  was　not　with　them；　and　he　knew　that　now　he　was　the　yokefellow　of
  sorrow。
  At　last　he　spoke　gently　and　in　a　kind　voice；　and　said：　　〃Tell　me；
  sisters；　what　evil　hath　befallen　us；　even　if　it　be　the　death　of　a
  dear　friend；　and　the　thing　that　may　not　be　amended。〃
  Then　spoke　a　fair　woman　of　the　Rose；　whose　name　was　Brightling；　and
  said：　　〃Hallblithe；　it　is　not　of　death　that　we　have　to　tell；　but　of
  sundering；　which　may　yet　be　amended。　　We　were　on　the　sand　of　the　sea
  nigh　the　Ship…stead　and　the　Rollers　of　the　Raven；　and　we　were
  gathering　the　wrack　and　playing　together；　and　we　saw　a　round…ship
  nigh　to　shore　lying　with　her　sheet　slack；　and　her　sail　beating　the
  mast；　but　we　deemed　it　to　be　none　other　than　some　bark　of　the　Fish…
  biters；　and　thought　no　harm　thereof；　but　went　on　running　and　playing
  amidst　the　little　waves　that　fell　on　the　sand；　and　the　ripples　that
  curled　around　our　feet。　　At　last　there　came　a　small　boat　from　the
  side　of　the　round…ship；　and　rowed　in　toward　shore；　and　still　we
  feared　not；　though　we　drew　a　little　aback　from　the　surf　and　let　fall
  our　gown…hems。　　But　the　crew　of　that　boat　beached　her　close　to　where
  we　stood；　and　came　hastily　wading　the　surf　towards　us；　and　we　saw
  that　they　were　twelve　weaponed　men；　great；　and　grim；　and　all　clad　in
  black　raiment。　　Then　indeed　were　we　afraid；　and　we　turned　about　and
  fled　up　the　beach；　but　now　it　was　too　late；　for　the　tide　was　at　more
  than　half　ebb　and　long　was　the　way　over　the　sand　to　the　place　where
  we　had　left　our　horses　tied　among　the　tamarisk…bushes。　　Nevertheless
  we　ran；　and　had　gotten　up　to　the　pebble…beach　before　they　ran　in
  amongst　us：　　and　they　caught　us；　and　cast　us　down　on　to　the　hard
  stones。
  〃Then　they　made　us　sit　in　a　row　on　a　ridge　of　the　pebbles；　and　we
  were　sore　afraid；　yet　more　for　defilement　at　their　hands　than　for
  death；　for　they　were　evil…looking　men　exceeding　foul　of　favour。　　Then
  said　one　of　them：　　'Which　of　all　you　maidens　is　the　Hostage　of　the
  House　of　the　Rose？'
  〃Then　all　we　kept　silence；　for　we　would　not　betray　her。　　But　the　evil
  man　spake　again：　　'Choose　ye　then　whether　we　shall　take　one；　or　all
  of　you　across　the　waters　in　our　black　ship。'　　Yet　still　we　others
  spake　not；　till　arose　thy　beloved；　O　Hallblithe；　and　said：
  〃'Let　it　be　one　then；　and　not　all；　for　I　am　the　Hostage。'
  〃'How　shalt　thou　make　us　sure　thereof？'　said　the　evil　carle。
  〃She　looked　on　him　proudly　and　said：　　'Because　I　say　it。'
  〃'Wilt　thou　swear　it？'　said　he。
  〃'Yea；'　said　she；　'I　swear　it　by　the　token　of　the　House　wherein　I
  shall　wed；　by　the　wings　of　the　Fowl　that　seeketh　the　Field　of
  Slaying。'
  〃'It　is　enough；'　said　the　man；　'come　thou　with　us。　　And　ye　maidens
  sit　ye　there；　and　move　not　till　we　have　made　way　on　our　ship；　unless
  ye　would　feel