She was of the
kindred with whom the chiefs and great men of the Face mostly wedded,
which was indeed far away kindred of them. She was a fair woman and
strong: not easily daunted amidst perils she was hardy and handy and
light-foot: she could swim as well as any, and could shoot well in
the bow, and wield sword and spear: yet was she kind and
compassionate, and of great courtesy, and the very dogs and kine
trusted in her and loved her. Her hair was dark red of hue, long and
fine and plenteous, her eyes great and brown, her brow broad and very
fair, her lips fine and red: her cheek not ruddy, yet nowise sallow,
but clear and bright: tall she was and of excellent fashion, but
well-knit and well-measured rather than slender and wavering as the
willow-bough. Her voice was sweet and soft, her words few, but
exceeding dear to the listener. In short, she was a woman born to be
the ransom of her Folk.
Now as to the names which the menfolk of the Face bore, and they an
ancient kindred, a kindred of chieftains, it has been said that in
times past their image of the God of the Earth had over his treen
face a mask of beaten gold fashioned to the shape of the image; and
that when the Alderman of the Folk died, he to wit who served the God
and bore on his arm the gold-ring between the people and the altar,
this visor or face of God was laid over the face of him who had been
in a manner his priest, and therewith he was borne to mound; and the
new Alderman and priest had it in charge to fashion a new visor for
the God; and whereas for long this great kindred had been chieftains
of the people, they had been, and were all so named, that the word
Face was ever a part of their names.
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