ourneyed by t

roth, and said that the thing was a shame, and that even if it were not so, a boy like Cerdic's son shou

rength he was a match for many above his age, so tall and so lusty was

wn; let those beware its fa

elmar; and he, to spite the boy, gave him the weapons of the strongest-the heaviest spe

wolf cub will bear the weight

red, and he would have borne them in patience but that Hald saw him; and the old Consta

answered him, "and it was but a poor trick of ?thelmar's to g

n these he would keep them, and even ?thelmar sh

boy's words. "That only comes from a proud heart, and t

endangered?" cried Wulnoth.

ou had to use that long spear, which is too clumsy for you, or that sword which is too heavy? The Pr

and gave Wulnoth man's tools more

gh at thee for having these, thou canst the better

gh with laugh, and never bore himself like a boaster, nor was led to talk of

then I hope I shall not prove a nithing, and meanwhile I cannot do bet

t he was modest and well-spoken, and they taught him many things relating to war; and Cerdic his father, each day when the boy used to visit him, made him exercise both with sword

would be angry, and say that he was more fitted to handle a distaff than to hurl a spear. But the King was wrong-the boy was gentle and ki

t watch was kept, and all along the coast the great beacons were piled ready f

ga the Wise was wise no longer, for her stories,

d and the paws were placed in the King's hall, with a rude writing beneath, made by Reinb

y might look at that which was more beautiful than they were; and the wild birds would gather o'er her head, and sing their songs in honor of the fairest of children; and already the jarls spoke to t

e spot where they had met the bear-for they feared no bear now, nor yet the surliest of the wild boars-and while they tarried i

e wonder tale, nor have we found the sign-the thorn-covere

nd her and told them of many things-of wonders from far lands, of the birds' talk and the beasts' talk, and things that men know nothing of; and whil

d; our warders watch, but give no alarm; our swords are keen, but they sing no

O King?" she answered sadly. "It will come su

iest-which of them dost thou speak of? They move fast enough for me, for they ride the storm wind so sw

which she used to aid her steps she marked on the

s head, and thought with pity that surely poor old Wyborga was mad, for

and not thy sign. Canst thou give me no other

was silent for a space, and after that sh

n you see that, then be sure that soon the s

the King. "Giv

to where Wulnoth stoo

s the birds' road, then be sure that the time

f Cerdic, and so the evil should never come. But no mortal foot has trodden the birds' road yet,

d to him, and so Hardacnute and his men rode on, laughing to themselves; for how could old Wyborga speak of any

to the hall, and they wondered also, pondering o

a young noble of Denmark, a dark, black-haired young holda, who had journeyed across the mountains seeking adventure, as he said, an

able, "and a Dane plays false. Kill the stranger

it did not become brave men to be inhospitable; and so this youth, whose name was Os

the Dane striding along, all flushed with wine. Now, Osbert looked upon Wulnoth with scorn, because he was a boy and a thrall, and also beca

and he strode up and seized Edgiva and kissed her, so that she cried out partly in fear and partly in an

antly, thou rude Dane, or I wi

rew his heavy sword, and swung his shield from hi

. That will we see," and with t

his great sword and strode into the courtyard, and struck the weapons apart, and

d the Dane fiercely, "and fo

we know the truth of this business; but, for that m

ew dark when he heard of the slight to Edgiva, who now stood weeping, and he comma

King heard, h

guest, and I may not do this thing. Yet this I will do. Thy arms shall be taken from thee and broken as the arms of a nithing, and thou shalt be scourged wit

as scourged with rods, a blow for each tear that the Princess had shed; and

the beating, and mad with

paid for it, O King. For each blow of the rod blood shall flow, and the sword sing its song. Now I go as thou hast said, for i

rom an angry boy," he said. "Get thee gone wh

r many a mile, and at the foot of which the sea fretted and chafed and broke itself into foam at the high tide; and here they sa

e ground, watching the Princess, who had strayed to gather wild blossoms, whilst Gut

fell upon Wulnoth, and a dark face looked down upon him, and a s

f a Saxon t

in the side, and a red mist rose before Wulno

sound called his spirit back, and that sound was the scream of the P

re is the Princess, thy sister. Go and tell thy father-for this I spar

ver the Raven Rock into the angry sea so far below; and he uttered a great cry, and all his strength seemed to come back, so that he picked up his spear and

that nithing," as the Prince was starting after the wounded Osbert. "We have more to think of tha

ay to the water is long and the path hard; and even if s

ast off his tunic. "Tell thy father, my lord the King, that

d in the water, as when the salmon play in the sunlit waves; and then, while Guthred stood in wond

trouble into the land, and how Wulnoth f