"Drink a health to the Undying King!"
And again all men rose up and shouted ere they drank. Other healths they
drank, as the "Cold Keel," the "Windworn Sail," the "Quivering Ash" and
the "Furrowed Beach." And the wine and mead flowed like rivers in that
hall of the Wild Men. As for Hallblithe, he drank what he would but
stood not up, nor raised his cup to his lips when a health was drunk; for
he knew not whether these men were his friends or his foes, and he deemed
it would be little-minded to drink to their healths, lest he might be
drinking death and confusion to his own kindred.

But when men had drunk a while, again a horn blew at the nether end of
the hall, and straightway folk arose from the endlong tables, and took
away the boards and trestles, and cleared the floor and stood against the
wall; then the big chieftain beside Hallblithe arose and cried out: "Now
let man dance with maid, and be we merry! Music, strike up!" Then flew
the fiddle-bows and twanged the harps, and the carles and queens stood
forth on the floor; and all the women were clad in black raiment, albeit
embroidered with knots and wreaths of flowers. A while they danced and
then suddenly the music fell, and they all went back to their places.
Then the chieftain in the high-seat arose and took a horn from his side,
and blew a great blast on it that filled the hall; then he cried in a
loud voice: "Be we merry! Let the champions come forth!"

Men shouted gleefully thereat, and straightway ran into the hall from out
the screens three tall men clad all in black armour with naked swords in
their hands, and stood amidst the hall-floor, somewhat on one side, and
clashed their swords on their shields and cried out: "Come forth ye
Champions of the Raven!"

Then leapt Hallblithe from his seat and set his hand to his left side,
but no sword was there; so he sat down again, remembering the warning of
the Elder, and none heeded him.

Then there came into the hall slowly and mournfully three men-at-arms,
clad and weaponed like the warriors of his folk, with the image of the
Raven on their helms and shields. So Hallblithe refrained him, for
besides that this seemed like to be a fair battle of three against three,
he doubted some snare, and he determined to look on and abide.

So the champions fell to laying on strokes that were no child's play,
though Hallblithe doubted if the edges bit, and it was but a little while
before the Champions of the Raven