if we might with art get Merlin, then mightest thou thy will
wholly obtain."

Then was Uther Pendragon the softer in his mood, and gave answer:
"Ulfin, thou hast well said counsel, I give thee in hand thirty
ploughs of land, so that thou get Merlin, and do my will." Ulfin went
through the folk, and sought all the host, and he after a time found
the hermit, and in haste brought him to the king. And the king set to
him in hand seven ploughs of land, if he might find and bring Merlin
to the king. The hermit gan wend in the west end, to a wilderness, to
a mickle wood, where he had dwelt well many winters, and Merlin very
oft sought him there. So soon as the hermit came in, then found he
Merlin, standing under a tree, and sore gan for him long, he saw the
hermit come, as whilom was his custom, he ran towards him, both they
rejoiced for this; they embraced, they kissed, and familiarly spake.
Then said Merlin--much wisdom was with him--"Say thou, my dear friend,
why wouldest thou not say to me, through no kind of thing, that thou
wouldest go to the king? But full quickly I it knew anon as I thee
missed, that thou wert come to Uther the king, and what the king spake
with thee, and of his land thee offered, that thou shouldest bring me
to Uther the king. And Ulfin thee sought, and to the king brought, and
Uther Pendragon forth-right anon, set him in hand thirty ploughs of
land, and he set thee in hand seven ploughs of land. Uther is desirous
after Ygaerne the fair, wondrously much, after Gorlois's wife. But so
long as is eternity, that shall never come, that he obtain her, but
through my stratagem, for there is no woman truer in this world's
realm. And nevertheless he shall possess the fair Ygaerne; and he
shall beget on her what shall widely rule, he shall beget on her a man
exceeding marvellous. So long as is eternity, he shall never die, the
while that this world standeth, his glory shall last, and he shall in
Rome rule the thanes. All shall bow to him that dwelleth in Britain,
of him shall gleemen goodly sing; of his breast noble poets shall eat;
of his blood shall men be drunk; from his eyes shall fly fiery embers;
each finger on his hand shall be a sharp steel brand, stone walls
shall before him tumble; barons shall give way, and their standards
fall! Thus he shall well long fare over all the lands, people to
conquer, and set his laws. These are the tokens of the son, that shall
come of Uther Pendragon and of Ygaerne. Thi