The walls were
bare that evening, but folk were wont to hang up hallings of woven
pictures thereon when feasts and high-days were toward; and all along
the walls were the tenter-hooks for that purpose, and divers weapons
and tools were hanging from them here and there. About the dais
behind the thwart-table were now stuck for adornment leavy boughs of
oak now just beginning to turn with the first frosts. High up on the
gable wall above the tenter-hooks for the hangings were carven fair
imagery and knots and twining stems; for there in the hewn atone was
set forth that same image with the rayed head that was on the outside
wall, and he was smiting the dragon and slaying him; but here inside
the house all this was stained in fair and lively colours, and the
sun-like rays round the head of the image were of beaten gold. At
the lower end of the hall were two doors going into the butteries,
and kitchen, and other out-bowers; and above these doors was a loft
upborne by stone pillars, which loft was the sleeping chamber of the
goodman of the house; but the outward door was halfway between the
said loft and the hearth of the hall.
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