came　to　those　women　and　looked　them　in　the　face　one　by　one；　while　no
  man　spake　in　the　hall。　　But　the　Hostage　was　not　amongst　them；　nay
  forsooth；　they　none　of　them　favoured　of　the　daughters　of　his　people；
  though　they　were　comely　and　fair；　so　that　again　Hallblithe　doubted　if
  this　were　aught　but　a　feast…hall　play　done　to　anger　him；　whereas
  there　was　but　little　grief　in　the　faces　of　those　damsels；　and　more
  than　one　of　them　smiled　wantonly　in　his　face　as　he　looked　on　them。
  So　he　turned　about　and　went　back　to　his　seat；　having　said　no　word；
  and　behind　him　arose　much　mocking　and　jeering；　but　it　angered　him
  little　now；　for　he　remembered　the　rede　of　the　elder　and　how　that　he
  had　done　according　to　his　bidding；　so　that　he　deemed　the　gain　was
  his。　　So　sprang　up　talk　in　the　hall　betwixt　man　and　man；　and　folk
  drank　about　and　were　merry；　till　the　chieftain　arose　again　and　smote
  the　board　with　the　flat　of　his　sword；　and　cried　out　in　a　loud　and
  angry　voice；　so　that　all　could　hear：　　〃Now　let　there　be　music　and
  minstrelsy　ere　we　wend　bedward！〃
  Therewith　fell　the　hubbub　of　voices；　and　there　came　forth　three　men
  with　great　harps；　and　a　fourth　man　with　them；　who　was　the　minstrel；
  and　the　harpers　smote　their　harps　so　that　the　roof　rang　therewith；
  and　the　noise；　though　it　was　great；　was　tuneable；　and　when　they　had
  played　thus　a　little　while；　they　abated　their　loudness　somewhat；　and
  the　minstrel　lifted　his　voice　and　sang：
  The　land　lies　black
  With　winter's　lack；
  The　wind　blows　cold
  Round　field　and　fold；
  All　folk　are　within；
  And　but　weaving　they　win。
  Where　from　finger　to　finger　the　shuttle　flies　fast；
  And　the　eyes　of　the　singer　look　fain　on　the　cast；
  As　he　singeth　the　story　of　summer　undone
  And　the　barley　sheaves　hoary　ripe　under　the　sun。
  Then　the　maidens　stay
  The　light…hung　sley；
  And　the　shuttles　bide
  By　the　blue　web's　side；
  While　hand　in　hand
  With　the　carles　they　stand。
  But　ere　to　the　measure　the　fiddles　strike　up；
  And　the　elders　yet　treasure　the　last　of　the　cup；
  There　stand　they　a…hearkening　the　blast　from　the　lift；
  And　e'en　night　is　a…darkening　more　under　the　drift。
  There　safe　in　the　hall
  They　bless　the　wall；
  And　the　roof　o'er　head；
  Of　the　valiant　stead；
  And　the　hands　they　praise
  Of　the　olden　days。
  Then　through　the　storm's　roaring　the　fiddles　break　out；
  And　they　think　not　of　warring；　but　cast　away　doubt；
  And；　man　before　maiden；　their　feet　tread　the　floor；
  And　their　hearts　are　unladen　of　all　that　they　bore。
  But　what　winds　are　o'er…cold
  For　the　heart　of　the　bold？
  What　seas　are　o'er…high
  For　the　undoomed　to　die？
  Dark　night　and　dread　wind；
  But　the　haven　we　find。
  Then　ashore　mid　the　flurry　of　stone…washing　surf！
  Cloud…hounds　the　moon　worry；　but　light　lies　the　turf；
  Lo　the　long　dale　before　us！　the　lights　at　the　end；
  Though　the　night　darkens　o'er　us；　bid　whither　to　wend。
  Who　beateth　the　door
  By　the　foot…smitten　floor？
  What　guests　are　these
  From　over　the　seas？
  Take　shield　and　sword
  For　their　greeting…word。
  Lo；　lo；　the　dance　ended！　　Lo；　midst　of　the　hall
  The　fallow　blades　blended！　　Lo；　blood　on　the　wall！
  Who　liveth；　who　dieth？　　O　men　of　the　sea；
  For　peace　the　folk　crieth；　our　masters　are　ye。
  Now　the　dale　lies　grey
  At　the　dawn　of　day；
  And　fair　feet　pass
  O'er　the　wind…worn　grass；
  And　they　turn　back　to　gaze
  On　the　roof　of　old　days。
  Come　tread　ye　the　oaken…floored　hall　of　the　sea！
  Be　your　hearts　yet　unbroken；　so　fair　as　ye　be；
  That　kings　are　abiding　unwedded　to　gain
  The　news　of　our　riding　the　steeds　of　the　main。
  Much　shouting　and　laughter　arose　at　the　song's　end；　and　men　sprang　up
  and　waved　their　swords　above　the　cups；　while　Hallblithe　sat　scowling
  down　on　their　merriment。　　Lastly　arose　the　chieftain　and　called　out
  loudly　for　the　good…night　cup；　and　it　went　round　and　all　men　drank。
  Then　the　horn　blew　for　bed；　and　the　chieftains　went　to　their
  chambers；　and　the　others　went　to　the　out…bowers　or　laid　them　down　on
  the　hall…floor；　and　in　a　little　while　none　stood　upright　thereon。　　So
  Hallblithe　arose；　and　went　to　the　shut…bed　appointed　for　him；　and
  laid　him　down　and　slept　dreamlessly　till　the　morning。
  CHAPTER　VIII：　　HALLBLITHE　TAKETH　SHIP　AGAIN　AWAY　FROM　THE　ISLE　OF
  RANSOM
  When　he　awoke；　the　sun　shone　into　the　hall　by　the　windows　above　the
  buttery；　and　there　were　but　few　folk　left　therein。　　But　so　soon　as
  Hallblithe　was　clad；　the　old　woman　came　to　him；　and　took　him　by　the
  hand；　and　led　him　to　the　board；　and　signed　to　him　to　eat　of　what　was
  thereon；　and　he　did　so；　and　by　then　he　was　done；　came　folk　who　went
  into　the　shut…bed　where　lay　the　Long…hoary；　and　they　brought　him
  forth　bed　and　all　and　bare　him　out　a…doors。　　Then　the　crone　brought
  Hallblithe　his　arms　and　he　did　on　byrny　and　helm；　girt　his　sword　to
  his　side；　took　his　spear　in　his　hand　and　went　out　a…doors；　and　there
  close　by　the　porch　lay　the　Long…hoary　upon　a　horse…litter。　　So
  Hallblithe　came　up　to　him　and　gave　him　the　sele　of　the　day：　　and　the
  elder　said：　　〃Good　morrow；　son；　I　am　glad　to　see　thee。　　Did　they　try
  thee　hard　last　night？〃
  And　Hallblithe　saw　two　of　the　carles　that　had　borne　out　the　elder；
  that　they　were　talking　together；　and　they　looked　on　him　and　laughed
  mockingly；　so　he　said　to　the　elder：　　〃Even　fools　may　try　a　wise　man；
  and　so　it　befell　last　night。　　Yet；　as　thou　seest；　mumming　hath　not
  slain　me。〃
  Said　the　old　man：　　〃What　thou　sawest　was　not　all　mumming；　it　was　done
  according　to　our　customs；　and　well　nigh　all　of　it　had　been　done；　even
  hadst　thou　not　been　there。　　Nay；　I　will　tell　thee；　at　some　of　our
  feasts　it　is　not　lawful　to　eat　either　for　the　chieftains　or　the
  carles；　till　a　champion　hath　given　forth　a　challenge；　and　been
  answered　and　met；　and　the　battle　fought　to　an　end。　　But　ye　men；　what
  hindereth　you　to　go　to　the　horses'　heads　and　speed　on　the　road　the
  chieftain　who　is　no　longer　way…worthy？〃
  So　they　ran　to　the　horses　and　set　down　the　dale　by　the　riverside；　and
  just　as　Hallblithe　was　going　to　follow　afoot；　there　came　a　swain　from
  behind　the　house　leading　a　red　horse　which　he　brought　to　Hallblithe
  as　one　who　bids　mount。　　So　Hallblithe　leapt　into　the　saddle　and　at
  once　caught　up　with　the　litter　of　the　Long…hoary　down　along　the
  river。　　They　passed　by　no　other　house；　save　here　and　there　a　cot
  beside　some　fold　or　byre；　they　went　easily；　for　the　way　was　smooth　by
  the　river…side；　so　in　less　than　two　hours　they　came　where　the　said
  river　ran　into　the　sea。　　There　was　no　beach　there；　for　the　water　was
  ten　fathom　deep　close　up　to　the　lip　of　the　land；　but　there　was　a
  great　haven　land…locked　all　but　a　narrow　outgate　betwixt　the　sheer
  black　cliffs。　　Many　a　great　ship　might　have　lain　in　that　haven；　but
  as　now　there　was　but　one　lying　there；　a　round…ship　not　very　great；
  but　exceeding　trim　and　meet　for　the　sea。
  There　without　more　ado　the　carles　took　the　elder　from　the　litter　and
  bore　him　aboard；　and　Hallblithe　followed　him　as　if　he　had　been　so
  appointed。　　They　laid　the　old　man　adown　on　the　poop　under　a　tilt　of
  precious　web；　and　so　went　aback　by　the　way　that　they　had　come；　and
  Hallblithe　went　and　sat　down　beside　the　Long…hoary；　who　spake　to　him
  and　said：　　〃Seest　thou；　son；　how　easy　it　is　for　us　twain　to　be
  shipped　for　the　land　whither　we　would　go？　　But　as　easy　as　it　is　for
  thee　to　go　thither　whereas　we　are　going；　just　so　hard　had　it　been　for
  thee　to　go　elsewhere。　　Moreover　I　must　tell　thee　that　though　many　an
  one　of　the　Isle　of　Ransom　desireth　to　go　this　voyage；　there　shall
  none　else　go；　till　the　world　is　a　year　older；　and　he　who　shall　go
  then　shall　be　likest　to　me　in　all　ways；　both　in　eld　and　in
  feebleness；　and　in　gibing　speech；　and　all　else；　and　now　that　I　am
  gone；　his　name　shall　be　the　same　as　that　whereby　ye　may　call　me　to…
  day；　and　that　is　Grandfather。　　Art　thou　glad　or　sorry；　Hallblithe？〃
  〃Grandfather；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃I　can　scarce　tell　thee：　　I　move　as
  one　who　hath　no　will　to　wend　one　way　or　other。　　Meseems　I　am　drawn　to
  go　thither　whereas　we　are　going；　therefore　I　deem　that　I　shall　find
  my　beloved　on　the　Glittering　Plain：　　and　whatever　befalleth
  afterward；　let　it　be　as　it　will！〃
  〃Tell　me；　my　son；〃　said　the　Grandfather；　〃how　many　women　are　there　in
  the　world？〃
  〃How　may　I　tell　thee？〃　said　Hallblithe。
  〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　elder；　〃how　many　exceeding　fair　women　are
  there？〃
  Said　Hallblithe；　〃Indeed　I　wot　not。〃
  〃How　many　of　such　hast　thou　seen？〃　said　the　Grandfather。
  〃Many；〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃the　daughters　of　my　folk　are　fair；　and
  there　will　be　many　other　such　amongst　the　aliens。〃
  Then　laughed　the　elder；　and　said：　　〃Yet；　my　son；　he　who　had　been　thy
  fellow　since　thy　sundering　from　thy　beloved；　would　have　said　that　in
  thy　deeming　there　is　but　one　woman　in　the　world；　or　at　least　one　fair
  woman：　　is　it　not　so？〃
  Then　Hallblithe　reddened　at　first；　as　though　he　were　angry；　then　he
  said：　　〃Yea；　it　is　so。〃
  Said　t