Bow-may would
have brought the Sun-beam into the booth with some others of the
women, but she would not enter it, because she deemed that otherwise
the Bride would abide without; and the Bride, when she came up, along
with the House of the Steer, beheld the Sun-beam, that Wood-father's
children had made a lair for her without like a hare's form; and
forsooth many a time had she lain under the naked heaven in Shadowy
Vale and the waste about it, even as the Bride had in the meadows of
Burgdale. So when the Bride was bidden thereto, she went meekly into
the booth, and lay there with others of the damsels-at-arms.
CHAPTER XLII. THE HOST COMETH TO THE EDGES OF SILVER-DALE
So wore the night, and when the dawn was come were the two captains
afoot, and they went from band to band to see that all was ready, and
all men were astir betimes, and by the time that the sun smote the
eastern side of Shield-broad ruddy, they had broken their fast and
were dight for departure. Then the horns blew up beside the banners,
and rejoiced the hearts of men. But by the command of the captains
this was the last time that they should sound till they blew for
onset in Silver-dale, because now would they be drawing nigher and
nigher to the foemen, and they wotted not but that wandering bands of
them might be hard on the lips of the pass, and might hear the horns'
voice, and turn to see what was toward.
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