of the shooters, and a
many hurt withal.

"But there were no hurt men inside the Roman array or before it. All
were slain outright, for the hurt men either dragged themselves back to
our folk, or onward to the Roman ranks, that they might die with one more
stroke smitten.

"Now of the aliens the dead lay in heaps in that place, for grim was the
slaughter when the riders of the Bearings and the Wormings fell on the
aliens; and a many of the foemen scorned to flee, but died where they
stood, craving no peace; and to few of them was peace given. There fell
of the Roman footmen five hundred and eighty and five, and the remnant
that fled was but little: but of the slingers and bowmen but eighty and
six were slain, for they were there to shoot and not to stand; and they
were nimble and fleet of foot, men round of limb, very dark-skinned, but
not foul of favour."

Then he said:

"There are men through the dusk a-faring, our speech-fiends and our
kin,
No more shall they crave our helping, nor ask what work to win;
They have done their deeds and departed when they had holpen the
House,
So high their heads are holden, and their hurts are glorious
With the story of strokes stricken, and new weapons to be met,
And new scowling of foes' faces, and new curses unknown yet.
Lo, they dight the feast in Godhome, and fair are the tables spread,
Late come, but well-beloved is every war-worn head,
And the God-folk and the Fathers, as these cross the tinkling bridge,
Crowd round and crave for stories of the Battle on the Ridge."

Therewith he came down from the Speech-Hill and the women-folk came round
about him, and they brought him to the Hall, and washed him, and gave him
meat and drink; and then would he sleep, for he was weary.

Howbeit some of the women could not refrain themselves, but must needs
ask after their speech-friends who had been in the battle; and he
answered as he could, and some he made glad, and some sorry; and as to
some, he could not tell them whether their friends were alive or dead. So
he went to his place and fell asleep and slept long, while the women went
down to acre and meadow, or saw to the baking of bread or the sewing of
garments, or went far afield to tend the neat and the sheep.

Howbeit the Hall-Sun went not with them; but she talked with that old
warrior, Sorli, who was now halt and grown unmeet for the road, but was a
wise man; and she and he together with