Anger
hath left thee, and wisdom hath waxed in thee. As for me, I may now
say this word: May the Folk of Burgdale love the Folk of Silver-dale
as well as I love thee; then shall all be well.'
Then Face-of-god cast his arms about him and kissed him, and turned
away toward Stone-face and Hall-face his brother, where they stood at
the head of the array of the Face; and even therewith came up the
Alderman somewhat sad and sober of countenance, and he pushed by the
War-leader roughly and would not speak with him.
And now blew up the horns of the Shepherds, and they began to move on
amidst the shouting of the men of Silver-dale; yet were there amongst
the Woodlanders those who wept when they saw their friends verily
departing from them.
But when they of the foremost of the Host were gotten so far forward
that the men of the Face could begin to move, lo! there was Redesman
with his fiddle amongst the leaders; and he had done a man's work in
the day of battle, and all looked kindly on him. About him on this
morn were some who had learned the craft of singing well together,
and knew his minstrelsy, and he turned to these and nodded as their
array moved on, and he drew his bow across the strings, and
straightway they fell a-singing, even as it might be thus:
Back again to the dear Dale where born was the kindred,
Here wend we all living, and liveth our mirth.
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