Within these years we had increased somewhat in number;
for if we had lost those warriors in the Westland, and some old men
who had died in the Dale, yet our children had grown up (I have now
seen twenty and one summers) and more were growing up. Moreover,
after the first year, from the time when we began to fall upon the
Dusky Men of Silver-dale, from time to time they who went on such
adventures set free such thralls of our blood as they could fall in
with and whom they could trust in, and they dwelt (and yet dwell)
with us in the Dale: first and last we have taken in three score and
twelve of such men, and a score of women-thralls withal.
'Now during these seasons, and not very long ago, after I was a woman
grown, the thought came to me, and to Folk-might also, that there
were kindreds of the people dwelling anear us whom we might so deal
with that they should become our friends and brothers in arms, and
that through them we might win back Silver-dale.
'Of Rose-dale we wotted already that the Folk were nought of our
blood, feeble in the field, cowed by the Dusky Men, and at last made
thralls to them; so nought was to do there.
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