The Roots of the Mountains

men knew where to go straight to the sticks that would quarter best for bow-staves; whereas the Alderman had the right of hewing in that wood. So they went forth, those brethren

y met she greeted Face-of-god and kissed him as her wont was; and he looked upon her and saw how fair she was, and how kind and friendly were her eyes that beheld him, and

ghest kindred! Would that I had ha

as he had been before. So indeed it seemed of him; for though at first he was moody and of few words, yet presently he cursed himself for a mar-sport, and so fell into the talk, and enforced himself to be merry; a

es on the beauty of the Bride and the lovely ways of her body: but presently he remembered all that had betid, and turned away again as one who is noting what it behoves him not to

midday they rested on the green slope without the Yew-wood; and they ate bread and flesh and onions and apples, and drank red wine of the Da

e hill and o

m the city f

have a soo

gs of the

hey hap on

steel from h

tale of the

ed hosts of th

rom murder-c

is as the mo

tell how ma

their host as t

ry men at the

ed nor stayed

erchants, w

e with the helm

ight for li

re spent and our

f the Mountain

all the wo

he chapmen

he eve and th

have true t

the way when the

fair, what

thus upo

fear of the

e carles that

weary wit

drink on the

u down in

day sun is b

ou shall we

forth to the

r plenty and

e tidings th

e hill and o

m the mountai

hey learned a

gs of the

-tide and the

maids must

place were the

as hung with s

was high we dr

the guests and wer

ome back when th

carts wend ac

d o'er agai

r ways; bu

world in the

e, though the

arms if ye wi

your host sh

death in the

e, though the

ut of a thorn-bush and sung his song also, the sweet herald of coming winter; and the lapwings wheeled about, bla

loser at Gold-mane would she have noted any change in him belike; for the meat and the good wine, and the fair s

ad through the fair afternoon; by seeming all three in all content. But yet Gold-mane, as from time to time he