And now was there a space of ten strides or more betwixt the Dalesmen
and their foes, over which the spears hung terribly, nor durst the
Dusky Men adventure there; and thereon was nought but men dead or
sorely hurt. Then suddenly a horn rang thrice shrilly over all the
noise and clamour of the throng, and the ranks of the spearmen
opened, and forth into that space strode two score of the swordsmen
and axe-wielders of the Dale, their weapons raised in their hands,
and he who led them was Iron-hand of the House of the Bull: tall he
was, wide-shouldered, exceeding strong, but beardless and fair-faced.
He bore aloft a two-edged sword, broad-bladed, exceeding heavy, so
that few men could wield it in battle, but not right long; it was an
ancient weapon, and his father before him had called it the Barley-
scythe. With him were some of the best of the kindreds, as Wolf of
Whitegarth, Long-hand of Oakholt, Hart of Highcliff, and War-well the
captain of the Bridge. These made no tarrying on that space of the
dead, but cried aloud their cries: 'For the Burg and the Steer! for
the Dale and the Bridge! for the Dale and the Bull!' and so fell at
once on the Felons; who fled not, nor had room to flee; and also they
feared not the edge-weapons so sorely as they feared those huge
spears.
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