oth's S

of which he could see the green glades of the forest, and there before him sat

hardly able to remember anything of what had gone beside; and

tween life and death, but thou hast turned back, as I knew thou would

d Wyborga took up her favorite symbol again-a l

nother land, Wulnoth," she said. And

dark sayings. Tell me in plain words, for

" she said. "But now thou must rest and

struck down?" he asked. "Methinks th

scaped to the woods. Thy father and mother, and the King and Queen, and Hald and all the mighty ones ha

ed Wulnoth. "For I will follow those pirates to the end of the world,

earn, ere ye two meet again, for so I read your lives. Now sleep, and

opened not his eyes. But then when he awoke he felt strong again,

and I thank thee. Didst t

answered. "One who found thee nigh t

has no realm to come to now, methinks she is still my Princess, and I must do my work. But then I am swor

is very fair, and as she grows older there will be

a, "methinks thou dost love her

d I would give every dr

. How wouldst thou like to give up all such thoughts, Wulnoth, and to abide here, and perchanc

ew himself up, and

s may not be. For think, is it meet for a king's daughter to live her life like savage maiden? and is it right for a thrall, and a thrall's son, to ask a princes

rga smile

never have been. But listen to my words. Thou canst not seek the Prince yet, for thou wilt have far to go, and thou wi

"What must I learn, mother, an

ll before the entrance of the cave, and there entered the wild

he Wise has bidden me to teach thee if thou wilt be taught; but the time will be long and the work hard, for

st I learn, Osth?" and the berserke

go; and Wyborga promised that each new moon he should come and see them in the cave. So Wulnoth consented an

of the stream. And he ate wild fruit and goat's flesh; and each morning Osth set him to roll great stones u

e top, and if they did they are no use there," but to that O

d he set to work again, and rolled the stones all day long though h

, Wulnoth? Canst pull of

ld do that," answered Wuln

ry

took a firm grip on a branch and pu

answered, "Rolling stones. Each stone added a little, and each little join

from point to point, until he was as surefooted as the

t throw the giant, and each time the giant

sth? I shall never conquer thee."

must labor," and again

d the giant said, "Canst wrestle

ther can any man." But Os

is paws. But Wulnoth took a good grip and squeezed his ribs, and threw him

e I got thi

," answered Osth. "Thou mus

ake him work until his bones ached and his limbs grew weary, but he grew strong and mighty, and could run all day and not stop, and climb the steepest hill, and leap the widest

Edgiva, and it seemed to him that Edgiva grew more and mor

nths ago and Edgiva was a child, and now she is a woman,

borga laugh

r every moon that thou hast been yonder a year h

nt has kept me so busy," he answered.

swiftly has time flown. Thou art tw

lnoth look wrot

y friend, and here I have tarried playing for seven years, and he is a slave. I h

go and talk with Edgiva, for she has been learning too, and she now knows the wonder tale of which

went to Edg

I may hear the story which she says you know. Though befo

ars, and hearing with the heart; and which hearing thine will b

ho made all things. And she told how this God had sent His Son, who was the Lord Christ, and the Bretwalda of all angels; and how men had put Him to death on the cross, and crowned Him with thorns,

ike not the tale, and I like not Wyborga for telling it to thee. The gods of our Northland were men truly, and did heroes' deeds; but as for this Lord of thine, methinks he deserved to die for the nithing and the

want not servant or thrall, Wu

dost thou w

art finds out, and thou wilt never truly fin

t I like it not. Fit for women and nithings perhaps, but for men an

e said. "May fortune speed

" he cried. "Wilt thou

ulnoth was angry, for who was this whom Edgiva called Lord

ht that after all he had no right to be angry, for

her, and he felt that he must go back and tell he

and called to Wyborga and to Edgiva, but no answer came

d the night owl cried, and then he sat down and wept, for he thought tha

ough in going she had taken all life and light with her; and he sat down and wept, and cried her name aloud, and said that he love

forth to seek for Guthred. As for Edgiva, she has gone where her Lord will

hat task is that, Wybor

therefore, go and search in the world, and when you have found the strongest and the noblest, and the

d gone-the darkness of the forest ha

one-alone without a single friend, not knowing whither to go to search

with Osth the giant, and this is how he lo