nths or so, and I have more
to sing of than ever I learned with Harald Fairhair," he said one
day, as he made songs on his bed while his wounds were healing.

And he spoke the truth. Never was a winter so full of deeds wrought
by a king and a valiant people that were worth a scald's
remembrance.

Now Osmund had a last message from Alfred that day, and in the
morning we went together to the bridge. There Guthrum's own
courtmen met us, and they took us into the fortress, beyond which
lies the town, so that we saw little of what straits the host might
be in by this time. In the fortress itself all seemed in order at
least; and there was a guard set at the door of the well-built hut
where the Danish king was, as if some state were yet kept up.

There Guthrum welcomed us, and with him were many chiefs, on whose
faces was the same care-worn look that Osmund had borne when I saw
him at Exeter before Alfred.

"Two messages come to you today," Osmund said; "one by my mouth,
and the other by that of King Ranald Vemundsson, who is with me. I
think you may hear both, and answer them both favourably."

Guthrum made no reply, but took his seat at the upper end of the
one room the hut had; and all the chiefs sat also, leaving us
messengers standing.

Then said Osmund:

"I think it right that I should stand in the presence of my king,
but the son of King Vemund should not do so in any less presence
than that of his overlord."

Thereat Guthrum smiled a little.

"I have heard that Harald of Norway came to blows with his brother
kings because they would not stand before him, and that others have
left that kingdom because they did not choose to do so. Sit down,
King Ranald. Your father's name was well known to all of us in the
old days. I am glad to see his son, though maybe I should not say
so."

"We would rather that he were on our side," said one of the other
chiefs.

Then they set places for both of us, and we waited for Guthrum's
word.

"Well," he said, wearily enough, "let us hear what King Alfred
says."

"Few are his words," said Osmund:

"'Let Guthrum suffer me to choose any hostages that I will for
myself, let him swear to keep the peace hereafter as my under-king
beyond Thames, doing homage to me, and he shall go hence with his
host in honour.' There is also the message of Ranald to add
hereto."

Now I thought that the faces of the chiefs showed that they thought
these terms very light; but they said nothi