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against him。 Then he said： 〃Will ye hearken to the word of an evil
man； a robber of the folks？〃
Spake the chieftain from the dais： 〃Words will not hurt us； sea…
warrior； and thou art but one among many； wherefore thy might this
eve is but as the might of a new…born baby。 Speak； and afterwards
eat and drink； and depart safe from amongst us！〃
Spake the Puny Fox： 〃What is gone with Hallblithe； a fair young man
of your kindred； and with the Hostage of the Rose； his troth…plight
maiden？〃
Then was the hush yet greater in the hall； so that you might have
heard a pin drop； and the chieftain said： 〃It is a grief of ours
that they are gone； and that none hath brought us back their dead
bodies that we might lay them in the Acre of the Fathers。〃
Then leapt up a man from the end…long table nigh to Fox； and cried
out： 〃Yea； folk！ they are gone； and we deem that runagates of thy
kindred； O new…come man； have stolen them from us； wherefor they
shall one day pay us。〃
Then laughed the Puny Fox and said： 〃Some would say that stealing
Hallblithe was like stealing a lion； and that he might take care of
himself； though he was not as big as I am。〃
Said the last speaker： 〃Did thy kin or didst thou steal him； O evil
man？〃
〃Yea； I stole him；〃 quoth Fox； 〃but by sleight； and not by might。〃
Then uprose great uproar in the hall； but the chieftain on the high…
seat cried out： 〃Peace； peace！〃 and the noise abated； and the
chieftain said： 〃Dost thou mean that thou comest hither to give us
thine head for making away with Hallblithe and the Hostage？〃
〃I mean to ask rather；〃 said the Fox； 〃what thou wilt give me for the
bodies of these twain？〃
Said the chieftain： 〃A boat…load of gold were not too much if thou
shouldst live a little longer。〃
Quoth the Puny Fox： 〃Well； in anywise I will go and bring in the
bodies aforesaid； and leave my reward to the goodwill of the Ravens。〃
Therewith he turned about to go； but lo！ there already in the door
stood Hallblithe holding the Hostage by the hand； and many in the
hall saw them； for the door was wide。 Then they came in and stood by
the side of the Puny Fox； and all men in the hall arose and shouted
for joy。 But when the tumult was a little abated； the Puny Fox cried
out： 〃O chieftain； and all ye folk！ if a boat…load of gold were not
too much reward for the bringing back the dead bodies of your
friends； what reward shall he have who hath brought back their bodies
and the souls therein？〃
Said the chieftain： 〃The man shall choose his own reward。〃 And the
men in the hall shouted their yeasay。
Then said the Puny Fox： 〃Well； then； this I choose； that ye make me
one of your kindred before the fathers of old time。〃
They all cried out that he had chosen wisely and manfully； but
Hallblithe said： 〃I bid you do for him no less than this； and ye
shall wot that he is already my sworn brother…in…arms。〃
Now the chieftain cried out： 〃O Wanderers from over the sea； come up
hither and sit with us and be merry at last！〃
So they went up to the dais； Hallblithe and the Hostage； and the Puny
Fox and the six maidens withal。 And since the night was yet young；
the supper of the men of the Ravens was turned into the wedding…feast
of Hallblithe and the Hostage； and that very night she became a wife
of the Ravens； that she might bear to the House the best of men and
the fairest of women。
But on the morrow they brought the Puny Fox to the mote…stead of the
kindreds that he might stand before the fathers and be made a son of
the kindred； and this they did because of the word of Hallblithe； and
because they believed in the tale which he told them of the
Glittering Plain and the Acre of the Undying。 The four maidens also
were made sisters of the House； and the other twain were sent home to
their own kindred in all honour。
Of the Puny Fox it is said that he soon lost and forgot all the lore
which he had learned of the ancient men； living and dead； and became
as other men and was no wizard。 Yet he was exceeding valiant and
doughty； and he ceased not to go with Hallblithe wheresoever he went；
and many deeds they did together； whereof the memory of men hath
failed： but neither they nor any man of the Ravens came any more to
the Glittering Plain； or heard any tidings of the folk that dwell
there。
HEREWITH ENDETH THE TALE。
End