Moreover, the women had set garlands of
flowers on their heads and the helms of the men, and for the most
part they were slim of body and tall and light-limbed, and as dainty
to look upon as the willow-boughs that waved on the brook-side.
Thither had the goodmen who were guesting the Runaways brought their
guests, even now much bettered by their new soft days; and much the
poor folk marvelled at all this joyance, and they scarce knew where
they were; but to some it brought back to their minds days of joyance
before the thralldom and all that they had lost, so that their hearts
were heavy a while, till they saw the warriors of the kindreds
streaming into the mead and bethought them why they carried steel.
Now by then the sun was fully up there was a great throng on the
Portway, and this was the folk of the Burg on their way to the
Weapon-mead. The men-at-arms were in the midst of the throng, and at
the head of them was the War-leader, with the banner of the Face
before him, wherein was done the image of the God with the ray-ringed
head. But at the rearward of the warriors went the Alderman and the
Burg-wardens, before whom was borne the banner of the Burg pictured
with the Gate and its Towers; but in the midst betwixt those two was
the banner of the Steer, a white beast on a green field.
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