There then were they gathered under the cliff-wall of the Portway;
and by the road-side had their grooms built them up bowers of green
boughs to shelter them from the sun's burning, which were thatched
with bulrushes, and decked with garlands of the fairest flowers of
the meadows and the gardens.
Forsooth they were a lovely sight to look on, for no fairer women
might be seen in the world; and the eldest of them was scant of five
and twenty winters. Every maiden was clad in as goodly raiment as
she might compass; their sleeves and gown-hems and girdles, yea,
their very shoes and sandals were embroidered so fairly and closely,
that as they shifted in the sun they changed colour like the king-
fisher shooting from shadow to sunshine. According to due custom
every maiden bore some weapon. A few had bows in their hands and
quivers at their backs; some had nought but a sword girt to their
sides; some bore slender-shafted spears, so as not to overburden
their shapely hands; but to some it seemed a merry game to carry long
and heavy thrust-spears, or to bear great war-axes over their
shoulders. Most had their flowing hair coifed with bright helms;
some had burdened their arms with shields; some bore steel hauberks
over their linen smocks: almost all had some piece of war-gear on
their bodies; and one, to wit, Steed-linden of the Sickle, a tall and
fair damsel, was so arrayed that no garment could be seen on her but
bright steel war-gear.
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