When morning was, the guest came into the hall and found the household
there, and he spake to the goodwife and said: "Dame, I would have done
off this raiment which ye lent me last night and done on mine and left
thine lying there, but mine I might not find."
"Nor thou nor anyone else," she said, "shall find thy rags any more,
good guest, unless they come to life when thou risest from the dead on
the day of doom; for I have peaceably burned them in the garth this
hour ago. God help us if the stead of Wethermel cannot spare a yard or
two of homespun to a guest who cometh in stripped by the storm." The
guest nodded kindly to her; but Osberne said: "Which way ridest thou
this morning, guest, for I would fain lead thee a little way?" "I wend
south from thy door, fair master," said the newcomer; "but as to
riding, 't is Shanks' mare must be my way-beast, unless I go stealing
a horse."
"There is no need for that," said Osberne, "we can find thee a good
horse, and if thou bringest him not back, it will be no loss to us, as
the less hay-need we shall have through winter. Stephen, go thou and
see to it that the horses be ready saddled and bridled when we have
eaten a morsel." The guest laughed and looked to the carle-master, and
said: "How sayest thou, goodman, is the gift given?" The carle smiled
somewhat ruefully, and said: "The gift is given; and soothly it is for
the youngling to give since all will come to him, be it more or less."
"I will take it then," said the guest, "since good will goeth with it;
but look to it goodman, if I reward thee not therefor, for as ragged
as I came into thine house."
Now therewith they break their fast; and the last night's wind has
falled utterly, and the sky is blue and the sun bright, and it is warm
for that season. Then Osberne gives the sealed bundle to Waywearer,
and he took it and did it on to his saddle-bow, and he mounts, and
Osberne also, who is dight in his fair-hued raiment; and they set out
up the Dale, and ride swiftly, and are few-spoken together.
So they rode till they were past the last house, the cot to wit above
told of, and then they came into a fair little clough with a bright
stream running through it toward the Sundering Flood; and there were
bushes and small wood up and down the clough, and there Waywearer,
that is to say, Steelhead, drew rein, and said to Osberne: "Meseems
this is as far as thou needest lead me out, lad, so let us off horse
and go down and sit by the brook."
So they did, and tied their horses to a thorn-bush growing thereby;
and Waywearer took the bundle off his horse and said to Osberne: "Hast
thou any guess at what this good thing is?" Osberne reddened and said:
"That is the sword which thou didst promise me last spring." Waywearer
laughed and said: "Sharp are thine eyes to see a sword through all
this wrappage of cerecloth; surely they be of the warrior kin. But
sooth hast thou said; this is thy sword." And therewith he fell to
undoing the cloth, while the boy looked on eagerly.
At last the hilts and the sheath showed naked: the pommel and cross
were of gold of beauteous and wonderful fashion, such as no smith may
work now, and the grip was wrapped about with golden wire. And the
sheath wherein lay the deadly white edges was of brown leather of
oxhide, studded about with knops of gold and silver, and the
peace-strings were of scarlet silk with golden acorns at the ends.
Said Osberne: "O thou art kind to have brought this for me: and may I
handle it now and at once?"
"Yea," said Steelhead smiling; "but beware, beware!" for he saw the
lad lay his hand to the peace-strings; "do not away the peace-strings,
lest thou be tempted to draw forth the blade. For this sword is hight
Boardcleaver, and was fashioned by the fathers of long ago; and so
wise is he and so eager, that whensoever he cometh forth from the
sheath he will not go back again till he hath had a life. So beware
ever, for mickle scathe shall come of it if he see the heavens and the
earth for light cause."
Somewhat daunted was the bold lad; but he said: "Tell me, thou bright
lord, at what times I shall draw forth Boardcleaver?"
Said Steelhead: "Only then when thou hast the foe before thee: then
draw and be of good courage, for never shall point and edge be dulled
by the eye-shot of the wicked and wizards, as whiles it befals the
common blades of today. For a man of might hath breathed on the edges
amidst much craft of spells, so that nought may master that blade,
save one of its brethren fashioned by the same hands, if such there be
yet upon the earth, whereof I misdoubt me. Now then thou hast the
sword; but I lay this upon thee therewith, that thou be no brawler nor
make-bate, and that thou draw not Boardcleaver in any false quarrel,
or in behalf of any tyrant or evil-doer, or else shall thy luck fail
thee despite the blade that lieth hidden there. But meseemeth nought
shalt thou be of the kind of these wrong-doers. And I say of thee that
thou didst well with me last night. For though thou knewest me
presently, and that I was not without might, yet at first, when thou
tookest me by the hand and leddest me to the fire before all the
house, thou knewest me not, and I was to thee but the ragged gangrel
body whom thy grandsire would have thrust forth into the storm again;
but thou didst to me no worse than if I had been lord and earl."
Now it is to be told, that when Osberne heard these words then first
he knew what praise was, and the heart glowed within him, and his
valiancy grew up therein, and his face was bright and his eyes
glistened with tears; and he spake no word aloud, but he swore to
himself that he would be no worse than his friend Steelhead would have
him to be.
Then he took the sword and girt it to him; and he said: "Master, this
is no long sword, but it is great and heavy, and meseemeth my bairn's
might may never wield it. Shall I not lay it by till I become man?"
"That shall be seen to, fair youngling," said Steelhead. "In an hour
thou shalt have might enough to wield Boardcleaver, though doubtless
thy might shall be eked year by year and month by month thereafter."