a　sword　by　his　side　and　a　crown　on　his　head；　and　ever　was　he　smiling
  and　joyous；　so　that　Hallblithe；　when　he　looked　on　him；　felt　of　better
  heart　and　smiled　back　on　the　carven　image。
  So　while　Hallblithe　looked　on　these　things；　and　pondered　his　case
  carefully；　all　alone　as　he　was　in　that　alien　hall；　he　heard　a　noise
  without　of　talking　and　laughter；　and　presently　the　pattering　of　feet
  therewith；　and　then　women　came　into　the　hall；　a　score　or　more；　some
  young；　some　old；　some　fair　enough；　and　some　hard…featured　and
  uncomely；　but　all　above　the　stature　of　the　women　whom　he　had　seen　in
  his　own　land。
  So　he　stood　amidst　the　hall…floor　and　abided　them；　and　they　saw　him
  and　his　shining　war…gear；　and　ceased　their　talking　and　laughter；　and
  drew　round　about　him；　and　gazed　at　him；　but　none　said　aught　till　an
  old　crone　came　forth　from　the　ring；　and　said　〃Who　art　thou；　standing
  under　weapons　in　our　hall？〃
  He　knew　not　what　to　answer；　and　held　his　peace；　and　she　spake　again：
  〃Whither　wouldest　thou；　what　seekest　thou？〃
  Then　answered　Hallblithe：　　〃THE　HOUSE　OF　THE　UNDYING。〃
  None　answered；　and　the　other　women　all　fell　away　from　him　at　once；
  and　went　about　their　business　hither　and　thither　through　the　hall。
  But　the　old　crone　took　him　by　the　hand；　and　led　him　up　to　the　dais；
  and　set　him　next　to　the　midmost　high…seat。　　Then　she　made　as　if　she
  would　do　off　his　war…gear；　and　he　would　not　gainsay　her；　though　he
  deemed　that　foes　might　be　anear；　for　in　sooth　he　trusted　in　the　old
  carle　that　he　would　not　bewray　him；　and　moreover　he　deemed　it　would
  be　unmanly　not　to　take　the　risks　of　the　guesting；　according　to　the
  custom　of　that　country。
  So　she　took　his　armour　and　his　weapons　and　bore　them　off　to　a　shut…
  bed　next　to　that　wherein　lay　the　ancient　man；　and　she　laid　the　gear
  within　it；　all　save　the　spear；　which　she　laid　on　the　wall…pins　above；
  and　she　made　signs　to　him　that　therein　he　was　to　lie；　but　she　spake
  no　word　to　him。　　Then　she　brought　him　the　hand…washing　water　in　a
  basin　of　latten；　and　a　goodly　towel　therewith；　and　when　he　had　washed
  she　went　away　from　him；　but　not　far。
  This　while　the　other　women　were　busy　about　the　hall；　some　swept　the
  floor　down；　and　when　it　was　swept　strawed　thereon　rushes　and　handfuls
  of　wild　thyme：　　some　went　into　the　buttery　and　bore　forth　the　boards
  and　the　trestles：　　some　went　to　the　chests　and　brought　out　the　rich
  hangings；　the　goodly　bankers　and　dorsars；　and　did　them　on　the　walls：
  some　bore　in　the　stoups　and　horns　and　beakers；　and　some　went　their
  ways　and　came　not　back　a　while；　for　they　were　busied　about　the
  cooking。　　But　whatever　they　did；　none　hailed　him；　or　heeded　him　more
  than　if　he　had　been　an　image；　as　he　sat　there　looking　on。　　None　save
  the　old　woman　who　brought　him　the　fore…supper；　to　wit　a　great　horn　of
  mead；　and　cakes　and　dried　fish。
  So　was　the　hall　arrayed　for　the　feast　very　fairly；　and　Hallblithe　sat
  there　while　the　sun　westered　and　the　house　grew　dim；　and　dark　at
  last；　and　they　lighted　the　candles　up　and　down　the　hall。　　But　a
  little　after　these　were　lit；　a　great　horn　was　winded　close　without；
  and　thereafter　came　the　clatter　of　arms　about　the　door；　and　exceeding
  tall　weaponed　men　came　in；　one　score　and　five；　and　strode　two　by　two
  up　to　the　foot　of　the　dais；　and　stood　there　in　a　row。　　And　Hallblithe
  deemed　their　war…gear　exceeding　good；　they　were　all　clad　in　ring…
  locked　byrnies；　and　had　steel　helms　on　their　heads　with　garlands　of
  gold　wrought　about　them　and　they　bore　spears　in　their　hands；　and
  white　shields　hung　at　their　backs。　　Now　came　the　women　to　them　and
  unarmed　them；　and　under　their　armour　their　raiment　was　black；　but
  they　had　gold　rings　on　their　arms；　and　golden　collars　about　their
  necks。　　So　they　strode　up　to　the　dais　and　took　their　places　on　the
  high…seat；　not　heeding　Hallblithe　any　more　than　if　he　were　an　image
  of　wood。　　Nevertheless　that　man　sat　next　to　him　who　was　the　chieftain
  of　all　and　sat　in　the　midmost　high…seat；　and　he　bore　his　sheathed
  sword　in　his　hand　and　laid　it　on　the　board　before　him；　and　he　was　the
  only　man　of　those　chieftains　who　had　a　weapon。
  But　when　these　were　set　down　there　was　again　a　noise　without；　and
  there　came　in　a　throng　of　men　armed　and　unarmed　who　took　their　places
  on　the　end…long　benches　up　and　down　the　hall；　with　these　came　women
  also；　who　most　of　them　sat　amongst　the　men；　but　some　busied　them　with
  the　serving：　　all　these　men　were　great　of　stature；　but　none　so　big　as
  the　chieftains　on　the　high…seat。
  Now　came　the　women　in　from　the　kitchen　bearing　the　meat；　whereof　no
  little　was　flesh…meat；　and　all　was　of　the　best。　　Hallblithe　was　duly
  served　like　the　others；　but　still　none　spake　to　him　or　even　looked　on
  him；　though　amongst　themselves　they　spoke　in　big；　rough　voices　so
  that　the　rafters　of　the　hall　rang　again。
  When　they　had　eaten　their　fill　the　women　filled　round　the　cups　and
  the　horns　to　them；　and　those　vessels　were　both　great　and　goodly。　　But
  ere　they　fell　to　drinking　uprose　the　chieftain　who　sat　furthest　from
  the　midmost　high…seat　on　the　right　and　cried　a　health：　　〃THE　TREASURE
  OF　THE　SEA！〃　　Then　they　all　stood　up　and　shouted；　women　as　well　as
  men；　and　emptied　their　horns　and　cups　to　that　health。　　Then　stood　up
  the　man　furthest　on　the　left　and　cried　out；　〃Drink　a　health　to　the
  Undying　King！〃　　And　again　all　men　rose　up　and　shouted　ere　they　drank。
  Other　healths　they　drank；　as　the　〃Cold　Keel；〃　the　〃Windworn　Sail；〃
  the　〃Quivering　Ash〃　and　the　〃Furrowed　Beach。〃　　And　the　wine　and　mead
  flowed　like　rivers　in　that　hall　of　the　Wild　Men。　　As　for　Hallblithe；
  he　drank　what　he　would　but　stood　not　up；　nor　raised　his　cup　to　his
  lips　when　a　health　was　drunk；　for　he　knew　not　whether　these　men　were
  his　friends　or　his　foes；　and　he　deemed　it　would　be　little…minded　to
  drink　to　their　healths；　lest　he　might　be　drinking　death　and　confusion
  to　his　own　kindred。
  But　when　men　had　drunk　a　while；　again　a　horn　blew　at　the　nether　end
  of　the　hall；　and　straightway　folk　arose　from　the　endlong　tables；　and
  took　away　the　boards　and　trestles；　and　cleared　the　floor　and　stood
  against　the　wall；　then　the　big　chieftain　beside　Hallblithe　arose　and
  cried　out：　　〃Now　let　man　dance　with　maid；　and　be　we　merry！　　Music；
  strike　up！〃　　Then　flew　the　fiddle…bows　and　twanged　the　harps；　and　the
  carles　and　queens　stood　forth　on　the　floor；　and　all　the　women　were
  clad　in　black　raiment；　albeit　embroidered　with　knots　and　wreaths　of
  flowers。　　A　while　they　danced　and　then　suddenly　the　music　fell；　and
  they　all　went　back　to　their　places。　　Then　the　chieftain　in　the　high…
  seat　arose　and　took　a　horn　from　his　side；　and　blew　a　great　blast　on
  it　that　filled　the　hall；　then　he　cried　in　a　loud　voice：　　〃Be　we
  merry！　　Let　the　champions　come　forth！〃
  Men　shouted　gleefully　thereat；　and　straightway　ran　into　the　hall　from
  out　the　screens　three　tall　men　clad　all　in　black　armour　with　naked
  swords　in　their　hands；　and　stood　amidst　the　hall…floor；　somewhat　on
  one　side；　and　clashed　their　swords　on　their　shields　and　cried　out：
  〃Come　forth　ye　Champions　of　the　Raven！〃
  Then　leapt　Hallblithe　from　his　seat　and　set　his　hand　to　his　left
  side；　but　no　sword　was　there；　so　he　sat　down　again；　remembering　the
  warning　of　the　Elder；　and　none　heeded　him。
  Then　there　came　into　the　hall　slowly　and　mournfully　three　men…at…
  arms；　clad　and　weaponed　like　the　warriors　of　his　folk；　with　the　image
  of　the　Raven　on　their　helms　and　shields。　　So　Hallblithe　refrained
  him；　for　besides　that　this　seemed　like　to　be　a　fair　battle　of　three
  against　three；　he　doubted　some　snare；　and　he　determined　to　look　on
  and　abide。
  So　the　champions　fell　to　laying　on　strokes　that　were　no　child's　play；
  though　Hallblithe　doubted　if　the　edges　bit；　and　it　was　but　a　little
  while　before　the　Champions　of　the　Raven　fell　one　after　another　before
  the　Wild　Men；　and　folk　drew　them　by　the　heels　out　into　the　buttery。
  Then　arose　great　laughter　and　jeering；　and　exceeding　wroth　was
  Hallblithe；　howbeit　he　refrained　him　because　he　remembered　all　he　had
  to　do。　　But　the　three　Champions　of　the　Sea　strode　round　the　hall；
  tossing　up　their　swords　and　catching　them　as　they　fell；　while　the
  horns　blew　up　behind　them。
  After　a　while　the　hall　grew　hushed；　and　the　chieftain　arose　and
  cried：　　〃Bring　in　now　some　sheaves　of　the　harvest　we　win；　we　lads　of
  the　oar　and　the　arrow！〃　　Then　was　there　a　stir　at　the　screen　doors；
  and　folk　pressed　forward　to　see；　and；　lo；　there　came　forward　a　string
  of　women；　led　in　by　two　weaponed　carles；　and　the　women　were　a　score
  in　number；　and　they　were　barefoot　and　their　hair　hung　loose　and　their
  gowns　were　ungirt；　and　they　were　chained　together　wrist　to　wrist；　yet
  had　they　gold　at　arm　and　neck：　　there　was　silence　in　the　hall　when
  they　stood　amidst　of　the　floor。
  Then　indeed　Hallblithe　could　not　refrain　himself；　and　he　leapt　from
  his　seat　and　on　to　the　board；　and　over　it；　and　ran　down　the　hall；　and
  came　to　those　women　and　looked　them　in　the　face　one　by　one；　w