O gods so mighty,
From ankle to knee!"
Swinging their weapons in frantic excitement the gathered thousands repeated the terrible oath.
"I will dismiss the army at once; only hear one thing more--your Duke's vow. The many thousand mailed men who broke into the peaceful districts captured one single prisoner, a defenceless woman, a merry little maiden. Many of you, I think, know her."
"Bissula! The little one! The fair one! The red-elf, Suobert's child!" So shouted hundreds of voices.
"Yes, Bissula, Suobert's daughter. Well then: whoever releases her, whoever brings her to me from the Roman camp after the battle, shall receive the Duke's whole share of the booty."
A grateful but sorrowful glance from Adalo rested upon him: the young noble no longer dared to hope.
"The circle is dissolved, the assembly is over," the old commander continued; he then turned the upright stone resting against the trunk of the tree and descended the steps.
The bands, with loud acclamations for the Duke, instantly scattered in all directions down the sides of the mountain, each division following the symbols borne in front of its own district and tribe.
Adalo was going too; but the Duke motioned to him to remain, took from his hand the stag standard and gave it to Sippilo, who bore it proudly down the Holy Mountain.