Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/90

 all over his body; and therewith he said: In our days and the olden time it was the wont of fathers to bless their children in this wise, but for thee, thy father is dead, and thy nighest kinsman is little-hearted and somewhat of a churl. Thus then have I done to thee to take the place of a father to thee, I who am of the warriors of while agone. And I think it will avail thee; and it is borne in upon me that before very long thou wilt need this avail, if thou art to live and do the deeds I would have thee. Now it is done, so cover thee in thy raiment and rest awhile; and then I will depart and leave thee to the might which I have given thee, and the valiance which hath grown up in thine heart.

So they lay down on the greensward and rested; and Osberne had fetched along with him cakes and cheese, and a keg of good drink, and they took their bever there in all content. But for that time Steelhead spake no more of his folk and the old days, but about the fowl and fish and other wild things that haunted that clough, and of shooting in the bow and so forth. Then they arose and went to their horses, and Steelhead said to Osberne: How is it with the might of thy body, lad? Canst thou do better in wrestling of Board-cleaver? So the youngling stretched himself, and took the sword by the hilts and shook it and waved it about, and tossed it in the air and caught it again, and said: Seest thou, master? Meseems my might is so much eked, that I deem I could swim the stream of the Sundering Flood and overcome it.