Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/32

 but this I tell thee, that whosoever was afraid then, thou shalt be afraid now. And he rose up and smote his man on the face so that he fell to the ground, and John leapt up and would have smitten his master again; but even therewith comes in the goodwife, and Bridget with her, bearing in the supper smoking hot, and something seemed to hold John back from his blow, and he sat down, surly enough but silent. Then said the goodwife: What is to do here? Hast thou run against the settle-end, John, that thy cheek is red and blue? Laughed the youngling thereat, and a word came into his mouth, and he sang:

All grey on the bent There the sheep-greedy went: The big spear and shield Met the foes of the field. But nought the white teeth In the warriors gat sheath, For master and man Full meetly they ran. But now in this hall The fear off doth fall From one of the twain. And his hand getteth gain, But the other sits there, And new groweth his fear Both of man and of grey. So the meat on board lay, Thou on whom gold doth ride. Meat-goddess grey-eyed; Let the loaf-warden eat. And the man whom he beat. And the lad that doth lie In wall-nook hereby,