d: "Now, then, is the day of your gladness come; for the
old body is dead, and I am the new body of your God, come amongst you for
your welfare."

Then fell a great silence on the Mote, till the old man spake and said:
"What shall I say and live? For if thou be verily the God, and I
threaten thee, wilt thou not destroy me? But thou hast spoken a great
word with a sweet mouth, and hast taken the burden of blood on thy lily
hands; and if the Children of the Bear be befooled of light liars, how
shall they put the shame off them? Therefore I say, show to us a token;
and if thou be the God, this shall be easy to thee; and if thou show it
not, then is thy falsehood manifest, and thou shalt dree the weird. For
we shall deliver thee into the hands of these women here, who shall
thrust thee down into the flow which is hereby, after they have wearied
themselves with whipping thee. But thy man that kneeleth at thy feet
shall we give to the true God, and he shall go to her by the road of the
flint and the fire. Hast thou heard? Then give to us the sign and the
token."

She changed countenance no whit at his word; but her eyes were the
brighter, and her cheek the fresher and her feet moved a little, as if
they were growing glad before the dance; and she looked out over the
Mote, and spake in her clear voice: "Old man, thou needest not to fear
for thy words. Forsooth it is not me whom thou threatenest with stripes
and a foul death, but some light fool and liar, who is not here. Now
hearken! I wot well that ye would have somewhat of me, to wit, that I
should send you rain to end this drought, which otherwise seemeth like to
lie long upon you: but this rain, I must go into the mountains of the
south to fetch it you; therefore shall certain of your warriors bring me
on my way, with this my man, up to the great pass of the said mountains,
and we shall set out thitherward this very day."

She was silent a while, and all looked on her, but none spake or moved,
so that they seemed as images of stone amongst the stones.

Then she spake again and said: "Some would say, men of the Bear, that
this were a sign and a token great enough; but I know you, and how
stubborn and perverse of heart ye be; and how that the gift not yet
within your hand is no gift to you; and the wonder ye see not, your
hearts trow not. Therefore look ye upon me as here I stand, I who have
come from the fairer country and the greenwood of the lands, and see i