For time
presses. Will ye so choose?'
'Yea, yea!' cried all men.
'Good is that, neighbours,' said the Alderman. 'Whom will ye have
for War-leader? Consider well.'
Short was their rede, for every man opened his mouth and cried out
'Face-of-god!' Then said the Alderman:
'The man is young and untried; yet though he is so near akin to me, I
will say that ye will do wisely to take him; for he is both deft of
his hands and brisk; and moreover, of this matter he knoweth more
than all we together. Now therefore I declare him your War-leader
till the time of the Great Folk-mote.'
Then all men shouted with great glee and clashed their weapons; but
some few put their heads together and spake apart a little while, and
then one of them, Red-coat of Waterless to wit, came forward and
said: 'Alderman, some of us deem it good that Stone-face, the old
man wise in war and in the ways of the Wood, should be named as a
counsellor to the War-leader; and Hall-face, a very brisk and strong
young man, to be his right hand and sword-bearer.'
'Good is that,' said Iron-face. 'Neighbours, will ye have it so?'
This also they yeasaid without delay, and the Alderman declared
Stone-face and Hall-face the helpers of Face-of-god in this business.
Pages:
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289