Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/33

 And thou Gold-tree the fair, And the milk-mother dear, Lest the meat wax a-cold Both for bold and unbold.

Hereat all laughed, but the two men somewhat from one side of their mouths. And the goodman said: See thou to it, kinsman, lest stripes be thy song-pay. But Osberne laughed from a fair and merry face and sang again:

And therewith he fell to his meat and ate stoutly, and to the women it seemed that their little kinsman had the making of a champion in him, and his staves they loved dearly in their hearts, and they smiled upon him kindly; and he looked from one to the other, and quoth he:

As for the goodman, now the meat was getting into him the wrath was running off, and he thought within himself that presently he should have great avail of his grandson.