Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/121

 a goodly woman of some thirty summers, came up to him and bade the old carle hold his peace and not scold at the boy; For, said she, the lad is so well-liking that he hath good right already to deal with any woman as he will; and when he groweth older by a half score years, God-a-mercy, which of us shall be able to say him nay! Would I were younger by that tale of years, that I might be able presently to follow him all over the world. And therewith she kissed him betwixt the eyes and went her ways. But as before, he was but half pleased to be so kissed, as a mere child. Shortly to say, they made great feast there for the joy of all these things, and rode back to the Dale in a day or two, and came safe and sound to Wethermel.

Now at the next meeting 'twixt the two children Osberne bore down all those fair things; and he found Elfhild on the ness, and she looking shy and dear, for he had told her that he was going to the cheaping. And now was her hair no longer spread abroad, but bound up close to her head, and she was clad in a seemly gown of homespun, with black hosen and skin shoes well laced.

Straightway after the first greetings was great ado about shooting those fair things across the water; and when they were all across, Elfhild undid them, and wept for sheer joy of them and for love of her valiant friend, and at last she sat nigh the edge hugging them all to her bosom, and said: Now, sweetheart, is the tale on thy side, for thou must tell me all that thou hast seen and done.