Riding Together

For many, many days together

The wind blew steady from the East;

For many days hot grew the weather,

About the time of our Lady’s Feast.

For many days we rode together,

Yet met we neither friend nor foe;

Hotter and clearer grew the weather,

Steadily did the East wind blow.

We saw the trees in the hot, bright weather,

Clear-cut, with shadows very black,

As freely we rode on together

With helms unlaced and bridles slack.

And often as we rode together,

We, looking down the green-bank’d stream,

Saw flowers in the sunny weather,

And saw the bubble-making bream.

And in the night lay down together,

And hung above our heads the rood,

Or watch’d night-long in the dewy weather,

The while the moon did watch the wood.

Our spears stood bright and thick together,

Straight out the banners stream’d behind,

As we gallop’d on in the sunny weather,

With faces turn’d towards the wind.

Down sank our threescore spears together,

As thick we saw the pagans ride;

His eager face in the clear fres............