many things of their land and their unhappy
wars with them of the Burg and the griefs and torments which they
endured of them. And this amongst other things, that wherever they
came, they slew all the males even to the sucking babe, but spared the
women, even when they bore them not into captivity.

"'Whereof,' said these poor damsels, 'it cometh that our land is
ill-furnished of carles, so that we women, high and low, go afield and
do many things, as crafts and the like, which in other lands are done
by carles.' In sooth it seemed of them that they were both of stouter
fashion, and defter than women are wont to be. So the champions, part
in jest, part in earnest, bade them do on the armour of the slain
Burgers, and take their weapons, and fell to teaching them how to
handle staff and sword and bow; and the women took heart from the
valiant countenance of their new lovers, and deemed it all bitter
earnest enough, and learned their part speedily; and yet none too soon.
For when the fleers of the Burg came home the Porte lost no time, but
sent out another host to follow after the Champions and their spoil;
for they had learned that those men had not turned about to Hampton
after their victory, but had gone on to the Wheat-wearers.

"So it befell that the host of the Burg came up with the Champions on
the eve of a summer day when there were yet three hours of daylight.
But whereas they had looked to have an easy bargain of their foemen,
since they knew the Champions to be but a few, lo! there was the
hillside covered with a goodly array of spears and glaives and shining
helms. They marvelled; but now for very shame, and because they scarce
could help it, they fell on, and before sunset were scattered to the
winds again, and the fleers had to bear back the tale that the more
part of their foes were women of the Wheat-wearers; but this time few
were those that came back alive to the Burg of the Four Friths; for the
freed captives were hot and eager in the chase, casting aside their
shields and hauberks that they might speed the better, and valuing
their lives at naught if they might but slay a man or two of the
tyrants before they died.

"Thus was the Burg wounded with its own sword: but the matter stopped
not there: for when that victorious host of men and women came into
the land of the Wheat-wearers, all men fled away in terror at first,
thinking that it was a new onset of the men of the Burg; and that all
the mo