haired　damsel　hung　down　her　head　before　him　and　said　softly：　　〃Nay；
  nay；　sea…warrior；　this　one　is　too　lovely　to　be　our　mate。　　Sweeter
  love　abides　him；　and　lips　more　longed　for。〃
  Then　stirred　Hallblithe's　heart　within　him　and　he　said：　　〃O　Eagle　of
  the　Sea；　thou　hast　thy　youth　again：　　what　then　wilt　thou　do　with　it？
  Wilt　thou　not　weary　for　the　moonlit　main；　and　the　washing　of　waves
  and　the　dashing　of　spray；　and　thy　fellows　all　glistening　with　the
  brine？　　Where　now　shall　be　the　alien　shores　before　thee；　and　the
  landing　for　fame；　and　departure　for　the　gain　of　goods？　　Wilt　thou
  forget　the　ship's　black　side；　and　the　dripping　of　the　windward　oars；
  as　the　squall　falleth　on　when　the　sun　hath　arisen；　and　the　sail
  tuggeth　hard　on　the　sheet；　and　the　ship　lieth　over　and　the　lads　shout
  against　the　whistle　of　the　wind？　　Has　the　spear　fallen　from　thine
  hand；　and　hast　thou　buried　the　sword　of　thy　fathers　in　the　grave　from
  which　thy　body　hath　escaped？　　What　art　thou；　O　Warrior；　in　the　land
  of　the　alien　and　the　King？　　Who　shall　heed　thee　or　tell　the　tale　of
  thy　glory；　which　thou　hast　covered　over　with　the　hand　of　a　light
  woman；　whom　thy　kindred　knoweth　not；　and　who　was　not　born　in　a　house
  wherefrom　it　hath　been　appointed　thee　from　of　old　to　take　the
  pleasure　of　woman？　　Whose　thrall　art　thou　now；　thou　lifter　of　the
  spoil；　thou　scarer　of　the　freeborn？　　The　bidding　of　what　lord　or　King
  wilt　thou　do；　O　Chieftain；　that　thou　mayst　eat　thy　meat　in　the
  morning　and　lie　soft　in　thy　bed　in　the　evening？〃
  〃O　Warrior　of　the　Ravagers；　here　stand　I；　Hallblithe　of　the　Raven；
  and　I　am　come　into　an　alien　land　beset　with　marvels　to　seek　mine　own；
  and　find　that　which　is　dearest　to　mine　heart；　to　wit；　my　troth…plight
  maiden　the　Hostage　of　the　Rose；　the　fair　woman　who　shall　lie　in　my
  bed；　and　bear　me　children；　and　stand　by　me　in　field　and　fold；　by
  thwart　and　gunwale；　before　the　bow　and　the　spear；　by　the　flickering
  of　the　cooking…fire；　and　amidst　the　blaze　of　the　burning　hall；　and
  beside　the　bale…fire　of　the　warrior　of　the　Raven。　　O　Sea…eagle；　my
  guester　amongst　the　foemen；　my　fellow…farer　and　shipmate；　say　now
  once　for　all　whether　thou　wilt　help　me　in　my　quest；　or　fall　off　from
  me　as　a　dastard？〃
  Again　the　maidens　shrank　before　his　clear　and　high…raised　voice；　and
  they　trembled　and　grew　pale。
  But　the　Sea…eagle　laughed　from　a　countenance　kind　with　joy；　and　said：
  〃Child　of　the　Raven；　thy　words　are　good　and　manly：　　but　it　availeth
  nought　in　this　land；　and　I　wot　not　how　thou　wilt　fare；　or　why　thou
  hast　been　sent　amongst　us。　　What　wilt　thou　do？　　Hadst　thou　spoken
  these　words　to　the　Long…hoary；　the　Grandfather；　yesterday；　his　ears
  would　have　been　deaf　to　them；　and　now　that　thou　speakest　them　to　the
  Sea…eagle；　this　joyous　man　on　the　Glittering　Plain；　he　cannot　do
  according　to　them；　for　there　is　no　other　land　than　this　which　can
  hold　him。　　Here　he　is　strong　and　stark；　and　full　of　joy　and　love；　but
  otherwhere　he　would　be　but　a　gibbering　ghost　drifting　down　the　wind
  of　night。　　Therefore　in　whatsoever　thou　mayst　do　within　this　land　I
  will　stand　by　thee　and　help　thee；　but　not　one　inch　beyond　it　may　my
  foot　go；　whether　it　be　down　into　the　brine　of　the　sea；　or　up　into　the
  clefts　of　the　mountains　which　are　the　wall　of　this　goodly　land。
  〃Thou　hast　been　my　shipmate　and　I　love　thee；　I　am　thy　friend；　but
  here　in　this　land　must　needs　be　the　love　and　the　friendship。　　For　no
  ghost　can　love　thee；　no　ghost　may　help　thee。　　And　as　to　what　thou
  sayest　concerning　the　days　gone　past　and　our　joys　upon　the　tumbling
  sea；　true　it　is　that　those　days　were　good　and　lovely；　but　they　are
  dead　and　gone　like　the　lads　who　sat　on　the　thwart　beside　us；　and　the
  maidens　who　took　our　hands　in　the　hall　to　lead　us　to　the　chamber。
  Other　days　have　come　in　their　stead；　and　other　friends　shall　cherish
  us。　　What　then？　　Shall　we　wound　the　living　to　pleasure　the　dead；　who
  cannot　heed　it？　　Shall　we　curse　the　Yuletide；　and　cast　foul　water　on
  the　Holy　Hearth　of　the　winter　feast；　because　the　summer　once　was　fair
  and　the　days　flit　and　the　times　change？　　Now　let　us　be　glad！　　For
  life　liveth。〃
  Therewith　he　turned　about　to　his　damsel　and　kissed　her　on　the　mouth。
  But　Hallblithe's　face　was　grown　sad　and　stern；　and　he　spake　slowly
  and　heavily：　　〃So　is　it；　shipmate；　that　whereas　thou　sayest　that　the
  days　flit；　for　thee　they　shall　flit　no　more；　and　the　day　may　come　for
  thee　when　thou　shalt　be　weary；　and　know　it；　and　long　for　the　lost
  which　thou　hast　forgotten。　　But　hereof　it　availeth　nought　for　me　to
  speak　any　longer；　for　thine　ears　are　deaf　to　these　words；　and　thou
  wilt　not　hear　them。　　Therefore　I　say　no　more　save　that　I　thank　thee
  for　thy　help　whatsoever　it　may　be；　and　I　will　take　it；　for　the　day's
  work　lieth　before　me；　and　I　begin　to　think　that　it　may　be　heavy
  enough。〃
  The　women　yet　looked　downcast；　and　as　if　they　would　be　gone　out　of
  earshot；　but　the　Sea…eagle　laughed　as　one　who　is　well　content；　and
  said：　　〃Thou　thyself　wilt　make　it　hard　for　thyself　after　the　wont　of
  thy　proud　and　haughty　race；　but　for　me　nothing　is　hard　any　longer；
  neither　thy　scorn　nor　thy　forebodings　of　evil。　　Be　thou　my　friend　as
  much　as　thou　canst；　and　I　will　be　thine　wholly。　　Now　ye　women；
  whither　will　ye　lead　us？　　For　I　am　ready　to　see　any　new　thing　ye　will
  show　us。〃
  Said　his　damsel：　　〃We　will　take　you　to　the　King；　that　your　hearts　may
  be　the　more　gladdened。　　And　as　for　thy　friend　the　Spearman；　O　Sea…
  warrior；　let　not　his　heart　be　downcast。　　Who　wotteth　but　that　these
  two　desires；　the　desire　of　his　heart；　and　the　desire　of　a　heart　for
  him；　may　not　be　one　and　the　same　desire；　so　that　he　shall　be　fully
  satisfied？〃　　As　she　spoke　she　looked　sidelong　at　Hallblithe；　with　shy
  and　wheedling　eyes；　and　he　wondered　at　her　word；　and　a　new　hope
  sprang　up　in　his　heart　that　he　was　presently　to　be　brought　face　to
  face　with　the　Hostage；　and　that　this　was　that　love；　sweeter　than
  their　love；　which　abode　in　him；　and　his　heart　became　lighter；　and　his
  visage　cleared。
  CHAPTER　XII：　　THEY　LOOK　ON　THE　KING　OF　THE　GLITTERING　PLAIN
  So　now　the　women　led　them　along　up　the　stream；　and　Hallblithe　went
  side　by　side　by　the　Sea…eagle；　but　the　women　had　become　altogether
  merry　again；　and　played　and　ran　about　them　as　gamesome　as　young
  goats；　and　they　waded　the　shallows　of　the　clear　bright　stream
  barefoot　to　wash　their　limbs　of　the　sea…brine；　and　strayed　about　the
  meadows；　plucking　the　flowers　and　making　them　wreaths　and　chaplets；
  which　they　did　upon　themselves　and　the　Sea…eagle；　but　Hallblithe　they
  touched　not；　for　still　they　feared　him。　　They　went　on　as　the　stream
  led　them　up　toward　the　hills；　and　ever　were　the　meads　about　them　as
  fair　and　flowery　as　might　be。　　Folk　they　saw　afar　off；　but　fell　in
  with　none　for　a　good　while；　saving　a　man　and　a　maid　clad　lightly　as
  for　mid…summer　days；　who　were　wandering　together　lovingly　and　happily
  by　the　stream…side；　and　who　gazed　wonderingly　on　the　stark　Sea…eagle；
  and　on　Hallblithe　with　his　glittering　spear。　　The　black…haired　damsel
  greeted　these　twain　and　spake　something　to　them；　and　they　laughed
  merrily；　and　the　man　stooped　down　amongst　the　grasses　and　blossoms　of
  the　bank；　and　drew　forth　a　basket；　and　spread　dainty　victuals　on　the
  grass　under　a　willow…tree；　and　bade　them　be　his　guests　that　fair
  afternoon。　　So　they　sat　down　there　above　the　glistering　stream　and
  ate　and　drank　and　were　merry。　　Thereafter　the　new…comers　and　their
  way…leaders　departed　with　kind　words；　and　still　set　their　faces
  towards　the　hills。
  At　last　they　saw　before　them　a　little　wooded　hill；　and　underneath　it
  something　red　and　shining；　and　other　coloured　things　gleaming　in　the
  sun　about　it。　　Then　said　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃What　have　we　yonder？〃
  Said　his　damsel：　　〃That　is　the　pavilion　of　the　King；　and　about　it　are
  the　tents　and　tilts　of　our　folk　who　are　of　his　fellowship：　　for　oft
  he　abideth　in　the　fields　with　them；　though　he　hath　houses　and　halls
  as　fair　as　the　heart　of　man　can　conceive。〃
  〃Hath　he　no　foemen　to　fear？〃　said　the　Sea…eagle。
  〃How　should　that　be？〃　said　the　damsel。　　〃If　perchance　any　came　into
  this　land　to　bring　war　upon　him；　their　battle…anger　should　depart
  when　once　the　bliss　of　the　Glittering　Plain　had　entered　into　their
  souls；　and　they　would　ask　for　nought　but　leave　to　abide　here　and　be
  happy。　　Yet　I　trow　that　if　he　had　foemen　he　could　crush　them　as
  easily　as　I　set　my　foot　on　this　daisy。〃
  So　as　they　went　on　they　fell　in　with　many　folk；　men　and　women；
  sporting　and　playing　in　the　fields；　and　there　was　no　semblance　of　eld
  on　any　of　them；　and　no　scar　or　blemish　or　feebleness　of　body　or
  sadness　of　countenance；　nor　did　any　bear　a　weapon　or　any　piece　of
  armour。　　Now　some　of　them　gathered　about　the　new…corners；　and
  wondered　at　Hallblithe　and　his　long　spear　and　shining　helm　and　dark
  grey　byrny；　but　none　asked　concerning　them；　for　all　knew　that　they
  were　folk　new　come　to　the　bliss　of　the　Glittering　Plain。　　So　they
  pass