hem in huge, rough
voices, wherein, howsoever, seemed to be no anger or threat. So the Maid
took Walter by the hand, and thus they went down quietly, and the Bear-
folk, seeing them, stood all together, facing them, to abide their
coming. Walter saw of them, that though they were very tall and bigly
made, they were not so far above the stature of men as to be marvels. The
carles were long-haired, and shaggy of beard, and their hair all red or
tawny; their skins, where their naked flesh showed, were burned brown
with sun and weather, but to a fair and pleasant brown, nought like to
blackamoors. The queans were comely and well-eyed; nor was there
anything of fierce or evil-looking about either the carles or the queans,
but somewhat grave and solemn of aspect were they. Clad were they all,
saving the young men-children, but somewhat scantily, and in nought save
sheep-skins or deer-skins.

For weapons they saw amongst them clubs, and spears headed with bone or
flint, and ugly axes of big flints set in wooden handles; nor was there,
as far as they could see, either now or afterward, any bow amongst them.
But some of the young men seemed to have slings done about their
shoulders.

Now when they were come but three fathom from them, the Maid lifted up
her voice, and spake clearly and sweetly: "Hail, ye folk of the Bears! we
have come amongst you, and that for your good and not for your hurt:
wherefore we would know if we be welcome."

There was an old man who stood foremost in the midst, clad in a mantle of
deer-skins worked very goodly, and with a gold ring on his arm, and a
chaplet of blue stones on his head, and he spake: "Little are ye, but so
goodly, that if ye were but bigger, we should deem that ye were come from
the Gods' House. Yet have I heard, that how mighty soever may the Gods
be, and chiefly our God, they be at whiles nought so bigly made as we of
the Bears. How this may be, I wot not. But if ye be not of the Gods or
their kindred, then are ye mere aliens; and we know not what to do with
aliens, save we meet them in battle, or give them to the God, or save we
make them children of the Bear. But yet again, ye may be messengers of
some folk who would bind friendship and alliance with us: in which case
ye shall at the least depart in peace, and whiles ye are with us shall be
our guests in all good cheer. Now, therefore, we bid you declare the
matter unto us."

Then spake the Maid: "Father, it were easy