in the House of the Face. But of his sons the youngest, the new-
comer, was named Hall-face, and his brother the elder Face-of-god;
which name was of old use amongst the kindred, and many great men and
stout warriors had borne it aforetime: and this young man, in great
love had he been gotten, and in much hope had he been reared, and
therefore had he been named after the best of the kindred. But his
mother, who was hight the Jewel, and had been a very fair woman, was
dead now, and Iron-face lacked a wife.

Face-of-god was well-beloved of his kindred and of all the Folk of
the Dale, and he had gotten a to-name, and was called Gold-mane
because of the abundance and fairness of his hair.

As for the young woman that was led in by Iron-face, she was the
betrothed of Face-of-god, and her name was the Bride. She looked
with such eyes of love on him when she saw him in the hall, as though
she had never seen him before but once, nor loved him but since
yesterday; though in truth they had grown up together and had seen
each other most days of the year for many years. She was of the
kindred with whom the chiefs and great men of the Face mostly wedded,
which was indeed far away kindred of them. She was a fair woman and
strong: not easily daunted amidst perils she was hardy and handy and
light-foot: she could swim as well as any, and could shoot well in
the bow, and wield sword and spear: yet was she kind and
compassionate, and of great courtesy, and the very dogs and kine
trusted in her and loved her. Her hair was dark red of hue, long and
fine and plenteous, her eyes great and brown, her brow broad and very
fair, her lips fine and red: her cheek not ruddy, yet nowise sallow,
but clear and bright: tall she was and of excellent fashion, but
well-knit and well-measured rather than slender and wavering as the