thought I smelled them burning! Oh, thou
lazy, useless fellow! Thou art ready enough to eat the cakes, but too
lazy to keep them from burning. No wonder thou hast no home, idle as
thou art.

_Alfred._ I pray thee, good dame, forgive me. I was lost in thought of
happier days and forgot my duty. Really I am sorry.

_Switha._ Ay, ay, that is always the way with thee. That smooth tongue
of thine is better to thee than silver or gold; for it obtains for thee
food, lodging, and friends, and softens all the wrath thy faults
provoke. However, I shall set by all the burnt cakes for thy portion of
the week's bread, I promise thee; and thou shalt have no other till they
are all eaten.

_Alfred._ My good mistress, here comes a pilgrim boy to ask thy charity.
May I bestow one of these cakes on him?

_Switha._ Thou mayest do what thou wilt with thine own, man! but do not
presume to give away my property to idle fellows like thyself.

_Alfred._ But, mistress, may I not give him that which was to have been
my portion for dinner?

_Switha._ No, indeed! I have enough to do with feeding one vagrant
without adding all the lazy pilgrims who pass by.

_Alfred._ See, mistress, my amulet! I will give thee this jewel, Switha,
if thou wilt permit me to feed this poor pilgrim.

_Switha._ Very well, then. Give him thy portion while I go and hide the
jewel.

[_Goes out as Odulph enters._]

_Alfred._ Welcome, Odulph! Tell me thy tidings. I hunger for good news.

_Odulph._ My tidings, royal Alfred, are these: Hubba, the Dane, the
terror of England, is slain, and his banner of the Raven waves in my
father's hall!

_Alfred._ What? Is thy father's castle in the possession of the Danes?

_Odulph._ Not so, my royal master; but the banner of the Danes, captured
by your victorious Saxons, hangs in his hall. We were pent up in the
castle by the Danes till our provisions failed. When the last loaf was
eaten, and our archers had launched their last arrows, my valiant father
led the garrison in an attack upon the foe.

_Alfred._ Brave Oscar! And you defeated them!

_Odulph._ Yes, because of the carelessness of the Danes. They believed
they had us in their power, and they never dreamed we would leave the
castle walls. Few as we were, we fell upon them and slew their chiefs.
The soldiers fled, and left our men victorious. Then my father raised
the cry, "Alfred the king!" All the country is calling, "Alfred the
king!"

_Alfred._ The time is r