As for these waiting-thralls, the men of the kindreds were gentle and
blithe with them, and often as they served them would they stay their
hands (and especially if they were women), and would draw down their
heads to put a morsel in their mouths, or set the wine-cup to their
lips; and they would stroke them and caress them, and treat them in
all wise as their dear friends. Moreover, when any man was full, he
would arise and take hold of one of the thralls, and set him in his
place, and serve him with meat and drink, and talk with him kindly,
so that the poor folk were much bewildered with joy. And the first
that arose from table were the Sun-beam and Bow-may and Hall-face,
with many of the swains and the women of the Woodlanders; and they
went from table to table serving the others.
The Sun-beam had done off her armour, and went about exceeding fair
and lovely in her kirtle; but Bow-may yet bore her hauberk, for she
loved it, and indeed it was so fine and well-wrought that it was no
great burden. Albeit she had gone down with the Sun-beam and other
women to a fair stream thereby, and there had they bathed and washed
themselves; and Bow-may's hurts, which were not great, had been
looked to and bound up afresh, and she had come to table unhelmed,
with a wreath of wind-flowers round her head.
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