For indeed this was their father, and the master of the House.
His name was Iron-face, for he was the deftest of weapon-smiths, and
he was the Alderman of the Dalesmen, and well-beloved of them; his
kindred was deemed the noblest of the Dale, and long had they dwelt
in the House of the Face. But of his sons the youngest, the new-
comer, was named Hall-face, and his brother the elder Face-of-god;
which name was of old use amongst the kindred, and many great men and
stout warriors had borne it aforetime: and this young man, in great
love had he been gotten, and in much hope had he been reared, and
therefore had he been named after the best of the kindred. But his
mother, who was hight the Jewel, and had been a very fair woman, was
dead now, and Iron-face lacked a wife.
Face-of-god was well-beloved of his kindred and of all the Folk of
the Dale, and he had gotten a to-name, and was called Gold-mane
because of the abundance and fairness of his hair.
As for the young woman that was led in by Iron-face, she was the
betrothed of Face-of-god, and her name was the Bride. She looked
with such eyes of love on him when she saw him in the hall, as though
she had never seen him before but once, nor loved him but since
yesterday; though in truth they had grown up together and had seen
each other most days of the year for many years.
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