so　that　Hallblithe　saw　them　not　after　he　had　gone　to　bed；　but　as　for
  him　he　slept　and　forgot　that　aught　was。
  In　the　morning　when　he　awoke　he　felt　very　strong　and　well…liking；　and
  he　beheld　his　limbs　that　they　were　clear　of　skin　and　sleek　and　fair；
  and　he　heard　one　hard　by　in　the　hall　carolling　and　singing　joyously。
  So　he　sprang　from　his　bed　with　the　wonder　of　sleep　yet　in　him；　and
  drew　the　curtains　of　the　shut…bed　and　looked　forth　into　the　hall；　and
  lo　on　the　high…seat　a　man　of　thirty　winters　by　seeming；　tall；　fair　of
  fashion；　with　golden　hair　and　eyes　as　grey　as　glass；　proud　and　noble
  of　aspect；　and　anigh　him　sat　another　man　of　like　age　to　look　on；　a
  man　strong　and　burly；　with　short　curling　brown　hair　and　a　red　beard；
  and　ruddy　countenance；　and　the　mien　of　a　warrior。　　Also；　up　and　down
  the　hall；　paced　a　man　younger　of　aspect　than　these　two；　tall　and
  slender；　black…haired　and　dark…eyed；　amorous　of　countenance；　he　it
  was　who　was　singing　a　snatch　of　song　as　he　went　lightly　on　the　hall
  pavement：　　a　snatch　like　to　this
  Fair　is　the　world；　now　autumn's　wearing；
  And　the　sluggard　sun　lies　long　abed；
  Sweet　are　the　days；　now　winter's　nearing；
  And　all　winds　feign　that　the　wind　is　dead。
  Dumb　is　the　hedge　where　the　crabs　hang　yellow；
  Bright　as　the　blossoms　of　the　spring；
  Dumb　is　the　close　where　the　pears　grow　mellow；
  And　none　but　the　dauntless　redbreasts　sing。
  Fair　was　the　spring；　but　amidst　his　greening
  Grey　were　the　days　of　the　hidden　sun；
  Fair　was　the　summer；　but　overweening；
  So　soon　his　o'er…sweet　days　were　done。
  Come　then；　love；　for　peace　is　upon　us；
  Far　off　is　failing；　and　far　is　fear；
  Here　where　the　rest　in　the　end　hath　won　us；
  In　the　garnering　tide　of　the　happy　year。
  Come　from　the　grey　old　house　by　the　water；
  Where；　far　from　the　lips　of　the　hungry　sea；
  Green　groweth　the　grass　o'er　the　field　of　the　slaughter；
  And　all　is　a　tale　for　thee　and　me。
  So　Hallblithe　did　on　his　raiment　and　went　into　the　hall；　and　when
  those　three　saw　him　they　smiled　upon　him　kindly　and　greeted　him；　and
  the　noble　man　at　the　board　said：　　〃Thanks　have　thou；　O　Warrior　of　the
  Raven；　for　thy　help　in　our　need：　　thy　reward　from　us　shall　not　be
  lacking。〃
  Then　the　brown…haired　man　came　up　to　him；　and　clapped　him　on　the　back
  and　said　to　him：　　〃Brisk　man　of　the　Raven；　good　is　thy　help　at　need；
  even　so　shall　be　mine　to　thee　henceforward。〃
  But　the　young　man　stepped　up　to　him　lightly；　and　cast　his　arms　about
  him；　and　kissed　him；　and　said：　　〃O　friend　and　fellow；　who　knoweth　but
  I　may　one　day　help　thee　as　thou　hast　holpen　me？　though　thou　art　one
  who　by　seeming　mayst　well　help　thyself。　　And　now　mayst　thou　be　as
  merry　as　I　am　to…day！〃
  Then　they　all　three　cried　out　joyously：　　〃It　is　the　Land！　　It　is　the
  Land！〃
  So　Hallblithe　knew　that　these　men　were　the　two　elders　and　the　sad　man
  of　yesterday；　and　that　they　had　renewed　their　youth。
  Joyously　now　did　those　men　break　their　fast：　　nor　did　Hallblithe　make
  any　grim　countenance；　for　he　thought：　　〃That　which　these　dotards　and
  drivellers　have　been　mighty　enough　to　find；　shall　I　not　be　mighty
  enough　to　flee　from？〃　　Breakfast　done；　the　seekers　made　little　delay；
  so　eager　as　they　were　to　behold　the　King；　and　to　have　handsel　of
  their　new　sweet　life。　　So　they　got　them　ready　to　depart；　and　the
  once…captain　said：　　〃Art　thou　able　to　lead　us　to　the　King；　O　Raven…
  son；　or　must　we　seek　another　man　to　do　so　much　for　us？〃
  Said　Hallblithe：　　〃I　am　able　to　lead　you　so　nigh　unto　Wood…end
  （where；　as　I　deem；　the　King　abideth）　that　ye　shall　not　miss　him。〃
  Therewith　they　went　to　the　door；　and　the　Warden　unlocked　to　them；　and
  spake　no　word　to　them　when　they　departed；　though　they　thanked　him
  kindly　for　the　guesting。
  When　they　were　without　the　garth；　the　young　man　fell　to　running　about
  the　meadow　plucking　great　handfuls　of　the　rich　flowers　that　grew
  about；　singing　and　carolling　the　while。　　But　he　who　had　been　king
  looked　up　and　down　and　round　about；　and　said　at　last：　　〃Where　be　the
  horses　and　the　men？〃
  But　his　fellow　with　the　red　beard　said：　　〃Raven…son；　in　this　land
  when　they　journey；　what　do　they　as　to　riding　or　going　afoot？〃
  Said　Hallblithe：　　〃Fair　fellows；　ye　shall　wot　that　in　this　land　folk
  go　afoot　for　the　most　part；　both　men　and　women；　whereas　they　weary
  but　little；　and　are　in　no　haste。〃
  Then　the　once…captain　clapped　the　once…king　on　the　shoulder；　and
  said：　　〃Hearken；　lord；　and　delay　no　longer；　but　gird　up　thy　gown；
  since　here　is　no　mare's　son　to　help　thee：　　for　fair　is　to…day　that
  lies　before　us；　with　many　a　new　fair　day　beyond　it。〃
  So　Hallblithe　led　the　way　inward；　thinking　of　many　things；　yet　but
  little　of　his　fellows。　　Albeit　they；　and　the　younger　man　especially；
  were　of　many　words；　for　this　black…haired　man　had　many　questions　to
  ask；　chiefly　concerning　the　women；　what　they　were　like　to　look　on；
  and　of　what　mood　they　were。　　Hallblithe　answered　thereto　as　long　as
  he　might；　but　at　last　he　laughed　and　said：　　〃Friend；　forbear　thy
  questions　now；　for　meseemeth　in　a　few　hours　thou　shalt　be　as　wise
  hereon　as　is　the　God　of　Love　himself。〃
  So　they　made　diligence　along　the　road；　and　all　was　tidingless　till　on
  the　second　day　at　even　they　came　to　the　first　house　off　the　waste。
  There　had　they　good　welcome；　and　slept。　　But　on　the　morrow　when　they
  arose；　Hallblithe　spake　to　the　Seekers；　and　said：　　〃Now　are　things
  much　changed　betwixt　us　since　the　time　when　we　first　met：　　for　then　I
  had　all　my　desire；　as　I　thought；　and　ye　had　but　one　desire；　and　well
  nigh　lacked　hope　of　its　fulfilment。　　Whereas　now　the　lack　hath　left
  you　and　come　to　me。　　Wherefore　even　as　time　agone　ye　might　not　abide
  even　one　night　at　the　House　of　the　Raven；　so　hard　as　your　desire　lay
  on　you；　even　so　it　fareth　with　me　to…day；　that　I　am　consumed　with　my
  desire；　and　I　may　not　abide　with　you；　lest　that　befall　which
  befalleth　betwixt　the　full　man　and　the　fasting。　　Wherefore　now　I
  bless　you　and　depart。〃
  They　abounded　in　words　of　good…will　to　him；　and　the　once…king　said：
  〃Abide　with　us；　and　we　shall　see　to　it　that　thou　have　all　the
  dignities　that　a　man　may　think　of。〃
  And　the　once…captain　said：　　〃Lo；　here　is　mine　hand　that　hath　been
  mighty；　never　shalt　thou　lack　it　for　the　accomplishment　of　thine
  uttermost　desire。　　Abide　with　us。〃
  Lastly　said　the　young　man：　　〃Abide　with　us；　Son　of　the　Raven！　　Set
  thine　heart　on　a　fair　woman；　yea　even　were　it　the　fairest；　and　I　will
  get　her　for　thee；　even　were　my　desire　set　on　her。〃
  But　he　smiled　on　them；　and　shook　his　head；　and　said：　　〃All　hail　to
  you！　but　mine　errand　is　yet　undone。〃　　And　therewith　he　departed。
  He　skirted　Wood…end　and　came　not　to　it；　but　got　him　down　to　the　side
  of　the　sea；　not　far　from　where　he　first　came　aland；　but　somewhat
  south　of　it。　　A　fair　oak…wood　came　down　close　to　the　beach　of　the
  sea；　it　was　some　four　miles　end…long　and　over…thwart。　　Thither
  Hallblithe　betook　him；　and　in　a　day　or　two　got　him　wood…wright's
  tools　from　a　house　of　men　a　little　outside　the　wood；　three　miles　from
  the　sea…shore。　　Then　he　set　to　work　and　built　him　a　little　frame…
  house　on　a　lawn　of　the　wood　beside　a　clear　stream；　for　he　was　a　very
  deft　wood…wright。　　Withal　he　made　him　a　bow　and　arrows；　and　shot　what
  he　would　of　the　fowl　and　the　deer　for　his　livelihood；　and　folk　from
  that　house　and　otherwhence　came　to　see　him；　and　brought　him　bread　and
  wine　and　spicery　and　other　matters　which　he　needed。　　And　the　days
  wore；　and　men　got　used　to　him；　and　loved　him　as　if　he　had　been　a　rare
  image　which　had　been　brought　to　that　land　for　its　adornment；　and　now
  they　no　longer　called　him　the　Spearman；　but　the　Wood…lover。　　And　as
  for　him；　he　took　all　in　patience；　abiding　what　the　lapse　of　days
  should　bring　forth。
  CHAPTER　XIX：　　HALLBLITHE　BUILDS　HIM　A　SKIFF
  After　Hallblithe　had　been　housed　a　little　while；　and　the　time　was
  again　drawing　nigh　to　the　twelfth　moon　since　he　had　come　to　the
  Glittering　Plain；　he　went　in　the　wood　one　day；　and；　pondering　many
  things　without　fixing　on　any　one；　he　stood　before　a　very　great　oak…
  tree　and　looked　at　the　tall　straight　bole　thereof；　and　there　came
  into　his　head　the　words　of　an　old　song　which　was　written　round　a
  scroll　of　the　carving　over　the　shut…bed；　wherein　he　was　wont　to　lie
  when　he　was　at　home　in　the　House　of　the　Raven：　　and　thus　it　said：
  I　am　the　oak…tree；　and　forsooth
  Men　deal　by　me　with　little　ruth；
  My　boughs　they　shred；　my　life　they　slay；
  And　speed　me　o'er　the　watery　way。
  He　looked　up　into　that　leafy　world　for　a　little　and　then　turned　back
  toward　his　house；　but　all　day　long；　whether　he　were　at　work　or　at
  rest；　that　posy　ran　in　his　head；　and　he　kept　on　saying　it　over；　aloud
  or　not　aloud；　till　the　day　was　done　and　he　went　to　sleep。
  Then　in　his　sleep　he　dreamed　that　an　exceeding　fair　woman　stood　by
  his　bedside；　and　at　first　she　seemed　to　him　to　be　an　image　of　the
  Hostage。　　But　presently