There then stood the ring of men, each company under its banner; and
beyond them stood the women and children and men unmeet for battle;
and beyond them again the tilted wains and the tents.
Now Face-of-god sat him down on the turf-seat with his bright helm on
his head and his naked sword across his knees, while the horns blew
up loudly, and when they had done, the elder of the Dale-wardens
cried out for silence. Then again arose Face-of-god and said:
'Men of the Dale, and ye friends of the Shepherds, and ye, O valiant
Woodlanders; we are not assembled here to take counsel, for in three
days' time shall the Great Folk-mote be holden, whereat shall be
counsel enough. But since I have been appointed your Chief and War-
leader, till such time as the Folk-mote shall either yeasay or naysay
my leadership, I have sent for you that we may look each other in the
face and number our host and behold our weapons, and see if we be
meet for battle and for the dealing with a great host of foemen. For
now no longer can it be said that we are going to war, but rather
that war is on our borders, and we are blended with it; as many have
learned to their cost; for some have been slain and some sorely hurt.
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