It was indeed no stronghold, save that it was not easy to find,
and that the way thither was well defensible were foemen
to try it. The houses thereof were artless, the chiefest
of them like to the great barn of an abbey in our land,
the others low and small; but the people, both men and women,
haunted mostly the big house. As for the folk, they were
for the more part like those whom they had met afore:
strong men, but not high of stature, black-haired, with blue
or grey eyes, cheerful of countenance, and of many words.
Their women were mostly somewhat more than comely, smiling,
kind of speech, but not suffering the caresses of aliens.
They saw no thralls amongst them; and when Ralph asked hereof,
how that might be, since they were men-catchers, they told him
that when they took men and women, as oft they did, they always
sold them for what they would bring to the plain-dwellers;
or else slew them, or held them to ransom, but never brought
them home to their stead. Howbeit, when they took children,
as whiles befell, they sometimes brought them home, and made
them very children of their Folk with many uncouth prayers
and worship of their Gods, who were indeed, as they deemed,
but forefathers of the Folk.
Now Ralph, he and his, being known for friends, these wild men could
not make enough of them, and as it were, compelled them to abide there
three days, feasting them, and making them all the cheer they might.
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