t look on the Maid whiles she ate, or suffer Walter to
behold her the while. Afterwards, when they had eaten, some twenty men,
weaponed after their fashion, made them ready to wend with the Maiden up
into the mountains, and anon they set out thitherward all together.
Howbeit, the huge men held them ever somewhat aloof from the Maid; and
when they came to the resting-place for that night, where was no house,
for it was up amongst the foot-hills before the mountains, then it was a
wonder to see how carefully they built up a sleeping-place for her, and
tilted it over with their skin-cloaks, and how they watched nightlong
about her. But Walter they let sleep peacefully on the grass, a little
way aloof from the watchers round the Maid.

CHAPTER XXIX: WALTER STRAYS IN THE PASS AND IS SUNDERED FROM THE MAID

Morning came, and they arose and went on their ways, and went all day
till the sun was nigh set, and they were come up into the very pass; and
in the jaws thereof was an earthen howe. There the Maid bade them stay,
and she went up on to the howe, and stood there and spake to them, and
said: "O men of the Bear, I give you thanks for your following, and I
bless you, and promise you the increase of the earth. But now ye shall
turn aback, and leave me to go my ways; and my man with the iron sword
shall follow me. Now, maybe, I shall come amongst the Bear-folk again
before long, and yet again, and learn them wisdom; but for this time it
is enough. And I shall tell you that ye were best to hasten home
straightway to your houses in the downland dales, for the weather which I
have bidden for you is even now coming forth from the forge of storms in
the heart of the mountains. Now this last word I give you, that times
are changed since I wore the last shape of God that ye have seen,
wherefore a change I command you. If so be aliens come amongst you, I
will not that ye send them to me by the flint and the fire; rather,
unless they be baleful unto you, and worthy of an evil death, ye shall
suffer them to abide with you; ye shall make them become children of the
Bears, if they be goodly enough and worthy, and they shall be my children
as ye be; otherwise, if they be ill-favoured and weakling, let them live
and be thralls to you, but not join with you, man to woman. Now depart
ye with my blessing."

Therewith she came down from the mound, and went her ways up the pass so
lightly, that it was to Walter, standing amongst