to them. "You men," she cried, "why do you not
join in the battle?"
137 "We are slaves, Lady," one of them answered, "forbidden to bear
arms. But if our masters would let us, we would gladly defend them. For
they are good to us.”
138 "I am going out to fight," explained The Lady Hawk. "Any of you
that will join me will earn their freedom and a job in my husband's
homeland."
139 "Can you make such a promise?" asked the man.
140 "I can," promised The Lady Hawk.
141 "Then we are yours!" the man told her.
142 "Go to the dead," ordered The Lady Hawk. "Get armor and
weapons.Wait for me over there."
143 As the men hurried off, The Lady Hawk went to the slightly wounded.
"You men," she cried, "why do you lie here and moan over these
scratches,while your brothers and sisters die? You…you have lost an
eye. Can you not see out of the other one? Can you not still
hold a sword and shield? You...your shield hand is hurt. Can you not
still swing a sword? And you men with leg wounds, you can
still use a bow and arrow! Go up and relieve the bow people, and send
them to me!"
144 The man with the bandaged eye rose. "Lady," he pleaded, "why do you
shame us?"
145 "I do not shame you," answered The Lady Hawk, "I try to bring back
your courage. It is a bad time. Every man matters. Those who can still
stand must fight, or our hour will pass."
146 The man drew his sword and saluted. "Where you lead," he cried, "I
will follow!"
147 Soon, men were hobbling up the hill taking the bow people's place,
and the bow people were rushing back to The Lady. When all was ready,
The Lady looked at her ragged little army. "I don't know any of your
battle prayers," she commented, "I can only say, Lords, give