And whereas the men of the Dry Tree were scant of women at home,
and sore-hearted because of our Lady, they forbore not these women,
but fell to talking with them and loving them; howbeit in
courteous and manly fashion, so that the women deemed themselves
in heaven and were ready to do anything to please their lovers.
So the end of it was that the Champions sent messengers to Hampton
and the Castle of the Scaur to tell what had betid, and they themselves
took the road to the land of the Wheat-wearers, having those women
with them not as captives but as free damsels.
"Now the road to the Wheat-wearing country was long,
and on the way the damsels told their new men many things
of their land and their unhappy wars with them of the Burg
and the griefs and torments which they endured of them.
And this amongst other things, that wherever they came,
they slew all the males even to the sucking babe, but spared
the women, even when they bore them not into captivity.
"'Whereof,' said these poor damsels, 'it cometh that our land is ill-furnished
of carles, so that we women, high and low, go afield and do many things,
as crafts and the like, which in other lands are done by carles.'
In sooth it seemed of them that they were both of stouter fashion,
and defter than women are wont to be. So the champions, part in jest,
part in earnest, bade them do on the armour of the slain Burgers,
and take their weapons, and fell to teaching them how to handle
staff and sword and bow; and the women took heart from the valiant
countenance of their new lovers, and deemed it all bitter earnest
enough, and learned their part speedily; and yet none too soon.
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