44 The Flame-F lower

When the feast was over Evan went to
seek Honora in her room. But she was
not there. Then he sought her in the
meadows, but found her not; and so toward
evening, still seeking, he came into the
edge of the dark forest.

Now in those days the townships or dwell-
ing-places of the people were surrounded by
belts of forest which separated them one
from the other ; and none lived in the forests,
for these were full of elves, and bad spirits,
and all manner of strange beasts which
breathed fire and noxious vapours, and would
slay men. None passed willingly through
the forests, but would journey (when jour-
neying was needed) by the great roads which
the conquerors had made; and it was an evil
thing to say of any man that he dwelt in the
forests, or even that he went much in them ;
for men knew by that that he must be in
league with the dark spirits dwelling there ;
and men would shun such an one, and might
kill him’as an evil-doer. Evan feared the
forests less than most men, for he had dwelt
much with the conquering race and knew