But she stood up and went to an ambrye in the wall and brought forth
a horn shod and lipped with silver of ancient fashion, and she poured
wine into it and held it forth and said:
'O guest from the Dale, I pledge thee! and when thou hast drunk to me
in turn we will talk of weighty matters. For indeed I bear hopes in
my hands too heavy for the daughters of men to bear; and thou art a
chieftain's son, and mayst well help me to bear them; so let us talk
simply and without guile, as folk that trust one another.'
So she drank and held out the horn to him, and he took the horn and
her hand both, and he kissed her hand and said:
'Here in this Hall I drink to the Sons of the Wolf, whosoever they
be.' Therewith he drank and he said: 'Simply and guilelessly indeed
will I talk with thee; for I am weary of lies, and for thy sake have
I told a many.'
'Thou shalt tell no more,' she said; 'and as for the health thou hast
drunk, it is good, and shall profit thee. Now sit we here in these
ancient seats and let us talk.'
So they sat them down while the sun was westering in the March
afternoon, and she said:
'Tell me first what tidings have been in the Dale.
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