ep
on the grass under a quicken tree, and his shield and sword hanging over
his head to a bough thereof, and his horse feeding hoppled higher up the
dale.

"I crept up softly to him with a shaft nocked on the string, but when I
drew near I saw him to be of the sons of the Goths. So I doubted
nothing, but laid down my bow, and stood upright, and went to him and
roused him, and he leapt up, and was wroth.

"I said to him, 'Wilt thou be wroth with a brother of the kindred meeting
him in unpeopled parts?'

"But he reached out for his weapons; but ere he could handle them I ran
in on him so that he gat not his sword, and had scant time to smite at me
with a knife which he drew from his waist.

"I gave way before him for he was a very big man, and he rushed past me,
and I dealt him a blow on the side of the head with my little axe which
is called the War-babe, and gave him a great wound: and he fell on the
grass, and as it happened that was his bane.

"I was sorry that I had slain him, since he was a man of the Goths:
albeit otherwise he had slain me, for he was very wroth and dazed with
slumber.

"He died not for a while; and he bade me fetch him water; and there was a
well hard by on the other side of the tree; so I fetched it him in a
great shell that I carry, and he drank. I would have sung the
blood-staunching song over him, for I know it well. But he said, 'It
availeth nought: I have enough: what man art thou?'

"I said, 'I am a fosterling of the Hrossings, and my mother was taken in
war: my name is Fox.'

"Said he; 'O Fox, I have my due at thy hands, for I am a Markman of the
Elkings, but a guest of the Burgundians beyond the Great River; and the
Romans are their masters and they do their bidding: even so did I who was
but their guest: and I a Markman to fight against the Markmen, and all
for fear and for gold! And thou an alien-born hast slain their traitor
and their dastard! This is my due. Give me to drink again.'

"So did I; and he said; 'Wilt thou do an errand for me to thine own
house?' 'Yea,' said I.

"Said he, 'I am a messenger to the garth of the Romans, that I may tell
the road to the Mark, and lead them through the thicket; and other guides
are coming after me: but not yet for three days or four. So till they
come there will be no man in the Roman garth to know thee that thou art
not even I myself. If thou art doughty, strip me when I am dead and do
my raiment on thee, and take this rin