ither."

So did he without delay, and presently they came anigh the Thing-stead;
and the place was fenced cunningly, so that if men would enter they must
go by a narrow way that had a fence of tree-trunks on each side wending
inward like the maze in a pleasance. Thereby now wended the host all
afoot, since it was a holy place and no beast must set foot therein, so
that the horses were left without it: so slowly and right quietly once
more they came into the garth of the Thing-stead; and lo, a many folk
there, of the Wolfings and the Bearings and other kindreds, who had
gathered thereto; and albeit these were not warriors in their prime, yet
were there none save the young children and the weaker of the women but
had weapons of some kind; and they were well ordered, standing or sitting
in ranks like folk awaiting battle. There were booths of boughs and
rushes set up for shelter of the feebler women and the old men and
children along the edges of the fence, for the Hall-Sun had bidden them
keep the space clear round about the Doom-ring and the Hill-of-Speech as
if for a mighty folk-mote, so that the warriors might have room to muster
there and order their array. There were some cooking-fires lighted about
the aforesaid booths, but neither many nor great, and they were screened
with wattle from the side that lay toward the Romans; for the Hall-Sun
would not that they should hold up lanterns for their foemen to find them
by. Little noise there was in that stronghold, moreover, for the hearts
of all who knew their right hands from their left were set on battle and
the destruction of the foe that would destroy the kindreds.

Anigh the Speech-Hill, on its eastern side, had the bole of a slender
beech tree been set up, and at the top of it a cross-beam was nailed on,
and therefrom hung the wondrous lamp, the Hall-Sun, glimmering from on
high, and though its light was but a glimmer amongst the mighty wood, yet
was it also screened on three sides from the sight of the chance wanderer
by wings of thin plank. But beneath her namesake as beforetime in the
Hall sat the Hall-Sun, the maiden, on a heap of faggots, and she was
wrapped in a dark blue cloak from under which gleamed the folds of the
fair golden-broidered gown she was wont to wear at folk-motes, and her
right hand rested on a naked sword that lay across her knees: beside her
sat the old man Sorli, the Wise in War, and about her were slim lads and
sturdy maidens and old