love with the promised bride of the young lord your
friend? How would you answer to him, should the lady favor your hopes?"
said she.

"With sword and axe I would give him a meeting, and let the best man
win."

[Illustration: "HERE IS A GLOVE I PICKED UP ON THE WAY."]

At parting, the lady drew from her pocket a glove embroidered with gold,
and said to the farmer, "Here is a glove I picked up on the way thither;
as I am a stranger here, I will leave it with you in order that you may
find the owner."

Next day she sent out the crier to say that she had lost a glove
embroidered with gold, and that she would take the man who found it for
her husband, if the man were willing.

The young farmer heard the proclamation, and, half wild with joy, and
half doubting his good fortune, took his way to the house of the lady.
He presented the glove, and modestly reminded her of the reward promised
to the finder, and although that reward was far above his hopes, it was
what his heart most ardently desired.

Before he left her, she confirmed the promise of the crier, and agreed
to take him for her husband. The report was soon spread abroad, and
coming to the young lord's ears, he demanded that the farmer should
resign his claim to the lady, or else meet him in single combat.

The farmer answered that he would never resign the lady while there was
breath in his body, but that he would meet the young lord when and where
he pleased, and with whatever weapons he liked to choose.

Swords and bucklers being chosen, on the day appointed for the fight the
lord and the farmer, accompanied by their seconds, or shield-bearers,
and their friends, met to settle their difference. With the assistance
of their shields the combatants warded off each other's blows for some
time, but at last the farmer clove his adversary's shield in twain, and
following up his advantage, brought the young lord to his knees by a
blow on his helmet.

Then putting his sword to his throat, he made the young lord resign all
claim to the lady, and beg his own life.

Soon the handsome young farmer and the rich and beautiful lady were
married, and after a time she told him of her device of the glove, and
how the game that she hunted that day with her dogs and her cross-bow
was the young farmer himself. Both agreed that for the hunter and the
hunted that hunting was the happiest that had ever been undertaken in
Thule.

* * * * *

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