m she revealed the
glittering weapon. With her two hands she clasped its hilt, and raised
the Thirsty Sword above the crown of daisies that was upon her hair.

Kenric drew back, for he was yet afraid of this strange witch maiden,
whose fairness and beauty were regarded by the men of Flute as
betokening the spell of her subtle sorcery. But seeing him recoil, Aasta
lowered the weapon and smiled, showing her pearl-white teeth.

"He who would wield this weapon, my lord," said she, "must strip his
heart of all fear and trembling. Take you the sword in hand, and I will
stand before you while you try your power with it. Not hard will it be
to wield it, for it was forged by the hand of Munifican, and so well
balanced is it, and so easy to grip, that a youth of half your strength,
my lord, might swing it for many hours and not be weary."

Then Kenric took the sword in his hard grip, and holding it out at arm's
length he saw that its point was but a span's distance from Aasta's breast.

He bade the girl stand still. Aasta stood like a pillar of stone before
him, with the sunlight upon her red-gold hair; nor did she stir a finger
or blink an eyelash as young Kenric, firm on his feet, flung back his
arms and swung the terrible weapon once, twice, thrice, to right and
left in front of her.

Seeing the maiden's fearless courage, "Now do I in sooth believe," said
he, "that you are in very deed a witch, Aasta. But what you have said of
this sword is, methinks, nothing less than true; and, if you will it so,
then will I take it, so that I may now confront this villain Earl
Roderic, and slay him for my revenge."

"God be your guard! my lord the king," said Aasta, "and may you never
use that sword without just cause."

And so saying she went her ways.

Now, when Kenric, armed with the Thirsty Sword, and with his heart full
of bitter vengeance, came upon the rocky heights of Dunagoil, and held
discourse with one of his friends, a friar of St. Blane's, he learned
that his enemy had already quitted the island, and was now aboard the
English ship on the first stage of his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Not
till then did Kenric remember his sick mother, or think of how he had
set out to summon Elspeth Blackfell to the castle. He blamed himself
beyond measure in that he had allowed his vengeful thoughts to so lead
him away from his higher duty.

But as it happened, Lulach had served him well. When Kenric got back to
Rothesay he found El