There was bread and flesh (though not Gold-mane's venison),
and leeks and roasted chestnuts of the grove, and red-cheeked apples
of the garth, and honey enough of that year's gathering, and medlars
sharp and mellow: moreover, good wine of the western bents went up
and down the hall in great gilded copper bowls and in mazers girt and
lipped with gold.
But when they were full of meat, and had drunken somewhat, they fell
to speech, and Iron-face spake aloud to his son, who had but been
speaking softly to the Bride as one playmate to the other: but the
Alderman said: 'Scarce are the wood-deer grown, kinsman, when I must
needs eat sheep's flesh on a Thursday, though my son has lain abroad
in the woods all night to hunt for me.'
And therewith he smiled in the young man's face; but Gold-mane
reddened and said: 'So is it, kinsman, I can hit what I can see; but
not what is hidden.'
Iron-face laughed and said: 'Hast thou been to the Woodland-Carles?
are their women fairer than our cousins?'
Face-of-god took up the Bride's hand in his and kissed it and laid it
to his cheek; and then turned to his father and said: 'Nay, father,
I saw not the Wood-carles, nor went to their abode; and on no day do
I lust after their women.
Pages:
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42