the Warden heeded Hallblithe nothing. They ate and
drank and then went to their rest, and Hallblithe lay in a shut-bed off
from the hall, but the Warden brought the seekers otherwhere, so that
Hallblithe saw them not after he had gone to bed; but as for him he slept
and forgot that aught was.

In the morning when he awoke he felt very strong and well-liking; and he
beheld his limbs that they were clear of skin and sleek and fair; and he
heard one hard by in the hall carolling and singing joyously. So he
sprang from his bed with the wonder of sleep yet in him, and drew the
curtains of the shut-bed and looked forth into the hall; and lo on the
high-seat a man of thirty winters by seeming, tall, fair of fashion, with
golden hair and eyes as grey as glass, proud and noble of aspect; and
anigh him sat another man of like age to look on, a man strong and burly,
with short curling brown hair and a red beard, and ruddy countenance, and
the mien of a warrior. Also, up and down the hall, paced a man younger
of aspect than these two, tall and slender, black-haired and dark-eyed,
amorous of countenance; he it was who was singing a snatch of song as he
went lightly on the hall pavement: a snatch like to this

Fair is the world, now autumn's wearing,
And the sluggard sun lies long abed;
Sweet are the days, now winter's nearing,
And all winds feign that the wind is dead.

Dumb is the hedge where the crabs hang yellow,
Bright as the blossoms of the spring;
Dumb is the close where the pears grow mellow,
And none but the dauntless redbreasts sing.

Fair was the spring, but amidst his greening
Grey were the days of the hidden sun;
Fair was the summer, but overweening,
So soon his o'er-sweet days were done.

Come then, love, for peace is upon us,
Far off is failing, and far is fear,
Here where the rest in the end hath won us,
In the garnering tide of the happy year.

Come from the grey old house by the water,
Where, far from the lips of the hungry sea,
Green groweth the grass o'er the field of the slaughter,
And all is a tale for thee and me.

So Hallblithe did on his raiment and went into the hall; and when those
three saw him they smiled upon him kindly and greeted him; and the noble
man at the board said: "Thanks have thou, O Warrior of the Raven, for thy
help in our need: thy reward from us shall not be lacking."

Then the brown-haired man came up to him, and