The House of the Wolfings | Page 3

man must bow himself as he
came into the hall; which custom maybe was a memory of the days of
onslaught when the foemen were mostly wont to beset the hall;
whereas in the days whereof the tale tells they drew out into the fields
and fought unfenced; unless at whiles when the odds were over great,
and then they drew their wains about them and were fenced by the
wain-burg. At least it was from no niggardry that the door was made
thus low, as might be seen by the fair and manifold carving of knots
and dragons that was wrought above the lintel of the door for some
three foot's space. But a like door was there anigh the other gable-end,
whereby the women entered, and it was called the Woman's-door.
Near to the house on all sides except toward the wood were there many
bowers and cots round about the penfolds and the byres: and these were

booths for the stowage of wares, and for crafts and smithying that were
unhandy to do in the house; and withal they were the dwelling-places
of the thralls. And the lads and young men often abode there many days
and were cherished there of the thralls that loved them, since at whiles
they shunned the Great Roof that they might be the freer to come and
go at their pleasure, and deal as they would. Thus was there a clustering
on the slopes and bents betwixt the acres of the Wolfings and the
wild-wood wherein dwelt the wolves.
As to the house within, two rows of pillars went down it endlong,
fashioned of the mightiest trees that might be found, and each one
fairly wrought with base and chapiter, and wreaths and knots, and
fighting men and dragons; so that it was like a church of later days that
has a nave and aisles: windows there were above the aisles, and a
passage underneath the said windows in their roofs. In the aisles were
the sleeping-places of the Folk, and down the nave under the crown of
the roof were three hearths for the fires, and above each hearth a luffer
or smoke-bearer to draw the smoke up when the fires were lighted.
Forsooth on a bright winter afternoon it was strange to see the three
columns of smoke going wavering up to the dimness of the mighty roof,
and one maybe smitten athwart by the sunbeams. As for the timber of
the roof itself and its framing, so exceeding great and high it was, that
the tale tells how that none might see the fashion of it from the
hall-floor unless he were to raise aloft a blazing faggot on a long pole:
since no lack of timber was there among the men of the Mark.
At the end of the hall anigh the Man's-door was the dais, and a table
thereon set thwartwise of the hall; and in front of the dais was the
noblest and greatest of the hearths; (but of the others one was in the
very midmost, and another in the Woman's-Chamber) and round about
the dais, along the gable-wall, and hung from pillar to pillar were
woven cloths pictured with images of ancient tales and the deeds of the
Wolfings, and the deeds of the Gods from whence they came. And this
was the fairest place of all the house and the best-beloved of the Folk,
and especially of the older and the mightier men: and there were tales
told, and songs sung, especially if they were new: and thereto also were
messengers brought if any tidings were abroad: there also would the

elders talk together about matters concerning the House or the
Mid-mark or the whole Folk of the Markmen.
Yet you must not think that their solemn councils were held there, the
folk-motes whereat it must be determined what to do and what to
forbear doing; for according as such councils, (which they called
Things) were of the House or of the Mid-mark or of the whole Folk,
were they held each at the due Thing-steads in the Wood aloof from
either acre or meadow, (as was the custom of our forefathers for long
after) and at such Things would all the men of the House or the
Mid-mark or the Folk be present man by man. And in each of these
steads was there a Doomring wherein Doom was given by the
neighbours chosen, (whom now we call the Jury) in matters between
man and man; and no such doom of neighbours was given, and no such
voice of the Folk proclaimed in any house or under any roof, nor even
as aforesaid on the tilled acres or the depastured meadows. This was the
custom of our forefathers, in memory, belike, of the