were　folk　new　come　to　the　bliss　of　the　Glittering　Plain。　　So　they
  passed　amidst　these　fair　folk　little　hindered　by　them；　and　into
  Hallblithe's　thoughts　it　came　how　joyous　the　fellowship　of　such
  should　be　and　how　his　heart　should　be　raised　by　the　sight　of　them；　if
  only　his　troth…plight　maiden　were　by　his　side。
  Thus　then　they　came　to　the　King's　pavilion；　where　it　stood　in　a　bight
  of　the　meadow…land　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　with　the　wood　about　it　on
  three　sides。　　So　fair　a　house　Hallblithe　deemed　he　had　never　seen；
  for　it　was　wrought　all　over　with　histories　and　flowers；　and　with　hems
  sewn　with　gold；　and　with　orphreys　of　gold　and　pearl　and　gems。
  There　in　the　door　of　it　sat　the　King　of　the　Land　in　an　ivory　chair；
  he　was　clad　in　golden　gown；　girt　with　a　girdle　of　gems；　and　had　his
  crown　on　his　head　and　his　sword　by　his　side。　　For　this　was　the　hour
  wherein　he　heard　what　any　of　his　folk　would　say　to　him；　and　for　that
  very　end　he　sat　there　in　the　door　of　his　tent；　and　folk　were　standing
  before　him；　and　sitting　and　lying　on　the　grass　round　about；　and　now
  one；　now　another；　came　up　to　him　and　spoke　before　him。
  His　face　shone　like　a　star；　it　was　exceeding　beauteous；　and　as　kind
  as　the　even　of　May　in　the　gardens　of　the　happy；　when　the　scent　of　the
  eglantine　fills　all　the　air。　　When　he　spoke　his　voice　was　so　sweet
  that　all　hearts　were　ravished；　and　none　might　gainsay　him。
  But　when　Hallblithe　set　eyes　on　him；　he　knew　at　once　that　this　was　he
  whose　carven　image　he　had　seen　in　the　Hall　of　the　Ravagers；　and　his
  heart　beat　fast；　and　he　said　to　himself：　　〃Hold　up　thine　head　now；　O
  Son　of　the　Raven；　strengthen　thine　heart；　and　let　no　man　or　god　cow
  thee。　　For　how　can　thine　heart　change；　which　bade　thee　go　to　the
  house　wherefrom　it　was　due　to　thee　to　take　the　pleasure　of　woman；　and
  there　to　pledge　thy　faith　and　troth　to　her　that　loveth　thee　most；　and
  hankereth　for　thee　day　by　day　and　hour　by　hour；　so　that　great　is　the
  love　that　we　twain　have　builded　up。〃
  Now　they　drew　nigh；　for　folk　fell　back　before　them　to　the　right　and
  left；　as　before　men　who　are　new　come　and　have　much　to　do；　so　that
  there　was　nought　between　them　and　the　face　of　the　King。　　But　he
  smiled　upon　them　so　that　he　cheered　their　hearts　with　the　hope　of
  fulfilment　of　their　desires；　and　he　said：　　〃Welcome；　children！　　Who
  be　these　whom　ye　have　brought　hither　for　the　increase　of　our　joy？
  Who　is　this　tall；　ruddy…faced；　joyous　man　so　meet　for　the　bliss　of
  the　Glittering　Plain？　　And　who　is　this　goodly　and　lovely　young　man；
  who　beareth　weapons　amidst　our　peace；　and　whose　face　is　sad　and　stern
  beneath　the　gleaming　of　his　helm？
  Said　the　dark…haired　damsel：　　〃O　King！　　O　Gift…giver　and　assurer　of
  joy！　this　tall　one　is　he　who　was　once　oppressed　by　eld；　and　who　hath
  come　hither　to　thee　from　the　Isle　of　Ransom；　according　to　the　custom
  of　the　land。〃
  Said　the　King：　　〃Tall　man；　it　is　well　that　thou　art　come。　　Now　are
  thy　days　changed　and　thou　yet　alive。　　For　thee　battle　is　ended；　and
  therewith　the　reward　of　battle；　which　the　warrior　remembereth　not
  amidst　the　hard　hand…play：　　peace　hath　begun；　and　thou　needest　not　be
  careful　for　the　endurance　thereof：　　for　in　this　land　no　man　hath　a
  lack　which　he　may　not　satisfy　without　taking　aught　from　any　other。　　I
  deem　not　that　thine　heart　may　conceive　a　desire　which　I　shall　not
  fulfil　for　thee；　or　crave　a　gift　which　I　shall　not　give　thee。〃
  Then　the　Sea…eagle　laughed　for　joy；　and　turned　his　head　this　way　and
  that；　so　that　he　might　the　better　take　to　him　the　smiles　of　all　those
  that　stood　around。
  Then　the　King　said　to　Hallblithe：　　〃Thou　also　art　welcome；　I　know
  thee　who　thou　art：　　meseemeth　great　joy　awaiteth　thee；　and　I　will
  fulfil　thy　desire　to　the　uttermost。〃
  Said　Hallblithe：　　〃O　great　King　of　a　happy　land；　I　ask　of　thee　nought
  save　that　which　none　shall　withhold　from　me　uncursed。〃
  〃I　will　give　it　to　thee；〃　said　the　King；　〃and　thou　shalt　bless　me。
  But　what　is　it　which　thou　wouldst？　　What　more　canst　thou　have　than
  the　Gifts　of　the　land？〃
  Said　Hallblithe：　　〃I　came　hither　seeking　no　gifts；　but　to　have　mine
  own　again；　and　that　is　the　bodily　love　of　my　troth…plight　maiden。
  They　stole　her　from　me；　and　me　from　her；　for　she　loved　me。　　I　went
  down　to　the　sea…side　and　found　her　not；　nor　the　ship　which　had　borne
  her　away。　　I　sailed　from　thence　to　the　Isle　of　Ransom；　for　they　told
  me　that　there　I　should　buy　her　for　a　price；　neither　was　her　body
  there。　　But　her　image　came　to　me　in　a　dream　of　the　night；　and　bade　me
  seek　to　her　hither。　　Therefore；　O　King；　if　she　be　here　in　the　land；
  show　me　how　I　shall　find　her；　and　if　she　be　not　here；　show　me　how　I
  may　depart　to　seek　her　otherwhere。　　This　is　all　my　asking。〃
  Said　the　King：　　〃Thy　desire　shall　be　satisfied；　thou　shalt　have　the
  woman　who　would　have　thee；　and　whom　thou　shouldst　have。〃
  Hallblithe　was　gladdened　beyond　measure　by　that　word；　and　now　did　the
  King　seem　to　him　a　comfort　and　a　solace　to　every　heart；　even　as　he
  had　deemed　of　his　carven　image　in　the　Hall　of　the　Ravagers；　and　he
  thanked　him；　and　blessed　him。
  But　the　King　bade　him　abide　by　him　that　night；　and　feast　with　him。
  〃And　on　the　morrow；〃　said　he；　〃thou　shalt　go　thy　ways　to　look　on　her
  whom　thou　oughtest　to　love。〃
  Therewith　was　come　the　eventide　and　beginning　of　night；　warm　and
  fragrant　and　bright　with　the　twinkling　of　stars；　and　they　went　into
  the　King's　pavilion；　and　there　was　the　feast　as　fair　and　dainty　as
  might　be；　and　Hallblithe　had　meat　from　the　King's　own　dish；　and　drink
  from　his　cup；　but　the　meat　had　no　savour　to　him　and　the　drink　no
  delight；　because　of　the　longing　that　possessed　him。
  And　when　the　feast　was　done；　the　damsels　led　Hallblithe　to　his　bed　in
  a　fair　tent　strewn　with　gold　about　his　head　like　the　starry　night；
  and　he　lay　down　and　slept　for　sheer　weariness　of　body。
  CHAPTER　XIII：　　HALLBLITHE　BEHOLDETH　THE　WOMAN　WHO　LOVETH　HIM
  But　on　the　morrow　the　men　arose；　and　the　Sea…eagle　and　his　damsel
  came　to　Hallblithe；　for　the　other　two　damsels　were　departed；　and　the
  Sea…eagle　said　to　him：
  〃Here　am　I　well　honoured　and　measurelessly　happy；　and　I　have　a
  message　for　thee　from　the　King。〃
  〃What　is　it？〃　said　Hallblithe；　but　he　deemed　that　he　knew　what　it
  would　be；　and　he　reddened　for　the　joy　of　his　assured　hope。
  Said　the　Sea…eagle：　　〃Joy　to　thee；　O　shipmate！　　I　am　to　take　thee　to
  the　place　where　thy　beloved　abideth；　and　there　shalt　thou　see　her；
  but　not　so　as　she　can　see　thee；　and　thereafter　shalt　thou　go　to　the
  King；　that　thou　mayst　tell　him　if　she　shall　accomplish　thy　desire。〃
  Then　was　Hallblithe　glad　beyond　measure；　and　his　heart　danced　within
  him；　and　he　deemed　it　but　meet　that　the　others　should　be　so　joyous
  and　blithe　with　him；　for　they　led　him　along　without　any　delay；　and
  were　glad　at　his　rejoicing；　and　words　failed　him　to　tell　of　his
  gladness。
  But　as　he　went；　the　thoughts　of　his　coming　converse　with　his　beloved
  curled　sweetly　round　his　heart；　so　that　scarce　anything　had　seemed　so
  sweet　to　him　before；　and　he　fell　a…pondering　what　they　twain；　he　and
  the　Hostage；　should　do　when　they　came　together　again；　whether　they
  should　abide　on　the　Glittering　Plain；　or　go　back　again　to　Cleveland
  by　the　Sea　and　dwell　in　the　House　of　the　Kindred；　and　for　his　part　he
  yearned　to　behold　the　roof　of　his　fathers　and　to　tread　the　meadow
  which　his　scythe　had　swept；　and　the　acres　where　his　hook　had　smitten
  the　wheat。　　But　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　will　wait　till　I　hear　her
  desire　hereon。〃
  Now　they　went　into　the　wood　at　the　back　of　the　King's　pavilion　and
  through　it；　and　so　over　the　hill；　and　beyond　it　came　into　a　land　of
  hills　and　dales　exceeding　fair　and　lovely；　and　a　river　wound　about
  the　dales；　lapping　in　turn　the　feet　of　one　hill…side　or　the　other；
  and　in　each　dale　（for　they　passed　through　two）　was　a　goodly　house　of
  men；　and　tillage　about　it；　and　vineyards　and　orchards。　　They　went　all
  day　till　the　sun　was　near　setting；　and　were　not　weary；　for　they
  turned　into　the　houses　by　the　way　when　they　would；　and　had　good
  welcome　and　meat　and　drink　and　what　they　would　of　the　folk　that　dwelt
  there。　　Thus　anigh　sunset　they　came　into　a　dale　fairer　than　either　of
  the　others；　and　nigh　to　the　end　where　they　had　entered　it　was　an
  exceeding　goodly　house。　　Then　said　the　damsel：
  〃We　are　nigh…hand　to　our　journey's　end；　let　us　sit　down　on　the　grass
  by　this　river…side　whilst　I　tell　thee　the　tale　which　the　King　would
  have　thee　know。〃
  So　they　sat　down　on　the　grass　beside　the　brimming　river；　scant　two
  bowshots　from　that　fair　house；　and　the　damsel　said；　reading　from　a
  scroll　which　she　drew　from　her　bosom：
  〃O　Spearman；　in　yonder　house　dwelleth　the　woman　foredoomed　to　love
  thee：　　if　thou　wouldst　see　her；　go　thitherward；　following　the　path
  which　turneth　from　the　river…side　by　yonder　oak…tree；　and　thou　shalt
  presently　come　to　a　thicket　of　bay…trees　at　the　edge　of　an　apple…
  orchard；　whose　trees　a