And the world hath become strange to me, and empty of friends." Then she said: "Art thou verily Hallblithe?
For I also have been encompassed by lies, and beset by images of things unhelpful." "Yea," said he, "I am Hallblithe of the Ravens, wearied with desire for my troth-plight maiden." Then came the rosy colour into the fairness of her face, as the rising sun lighteth the garden of flowers in the June morning; and she said: "If thou art Hallblithe, tell me what befell to the finger-gold-ring that my mother gave me when we were both but little." Then his face grew happy, and he smiled, and he said: "I put it for thee one autumntide in the snake's hole in the bank above the river, amidst the roots of the old thorn-tree, that the snake might brood it, and make the gold grow greater; but when winter was over and we came to look for it, lo! there was neither ring nor snake, nor thorn-tree: for the flood had washed it all away." Thereat she smiled most sweetly, and whereas she had been looking on him hitherto with strained and anxious eyes, she now beheld him simply and friendly; and she said: "O Hallblithe, I am a woman indeed, and thy speech-friend.

This is the flesh that desireth thee, and the life that is thine, and the heart which thou rejoicest.

But now tell me, who are these huge images around us, amongst whom I have sat thus, once in every moon this year past, and afterwards I was taken back to the women's bower?
Are they men or mountain-giants?
Will they slay us, or shut us up from the light and air?
Or hast thou made peace with them?
Wilt thou then dwell with me here, or shall we go back again to Cleveland by the Sea?
And when, oh when, shall we depart ?" He smiled and said: "Quick come thy questions, beloved.

These are the folks of the Ravagers and the Sea-eagles: they be men, though fierce and wild they be.

Our foes they have been, and have sundered us; but now are they our friends, and have brought us together.