But Folk-might went to
and fro to gather tidings: at whiles I with him, at whiles one or
more of Wood-father's children, who with their father and mother and
Bow-may have abided in the Vale ever since the Great Undoing.
'Soon he fell in with thy Folk, and first of all with the
Woodlanders, and that was a joy to him; for wot ye what? He got to
know that these men were the children of those of our Folk who had
sundered from us in the mountain passes time long and long ago; and
he loved them, for he saw that they were hardy and trusty, and
warriors at heart.
'Then he went amongst the Shepherd-Folk, and he deemed them good men
easily stirred, and deemed that they might soon be won to friendship;
and he knew that they were mostly come from the Houses of the
Woodlanders, so that they also were of the kindred.
'And last he came into Burgdale, and found there a merry and happy
Folk, little wont to war, but stout-hearted, and nowise puny either
of body or soul; he went there often and learned much about them, and
deemed that they would not be hard to win to fellowship. And he
found that the House of the Face was the chiefest house there; and
that the Alderman and his sons were well beloved of all the folk, and
that they were the men to be won first, since through them should all
others be won.
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