fey man fell
At Wethermel:
The grey blade grew glad
In the hands of a lad,
And the tall man and stark
Leapt into the dark.
For the cleaver of war-boards came forth from his door
And guided the hand of the lacking in lore.

But now is the blade
In the dark sheath laid,
And the peace-strings lull
His heart o'erfull.
Up dale and down
The hall-roofs brown
Hang over the peace
Of the year's increase.
No fear rendeth midnight and dieth the day
With no foe save the winter that weareth away.

Then he cried out: "Draw nigh, goodman and grandsire, and take again
the house and lands of Wethermel, as ye had them aforetime before
yesterday was a day." So the goodman came to him and kissed him and
thanked him kind and humbly, and the women came and embraced him and
hung about him. As for Surly John, he had slunk away so soon as he saw
the fall of his master, and now when they looked around for him, they
saw him but as a fleck going swiftly down the Dale. Thereat they all
laughed together, and the laughter eased their hearts, so that they
felt free and happy.

"Now," said Stephen, "what shall we do with this carcass, that was so
fierce and fell this morning?" Said Osberne: "We shall lay him in
earth here in his raiment as he fell, since he died in manly wise,
though belike he has lived as a beast. But his sword I will give to
thee in reward for thy trusty following both now and at other times."

So Stephen fetched mattock and pick, and dug a grave for that champion
amidwards of the hazel-garth, and there they laid him, and heaped up
mould and stones over his grave; and to this day it is called
Hardcastle's Howe there, or for short, and that the oftenest,
Hardcastle.

So they went all of them up to the house, and were merry and joyful.

Chapter XVIII. Elfhild Hears of the Slaying

But two days after this was the tryst-day for Osberne to see his
over-water friend, and he went soberly enough, and came to the
water-side and found her over against him; and she asked of him
tidings. "Tidings enough," said he, "for now have I done a deed beyond
my years, a deed unmeet for a child; to wit, I have slain a man."

"O," she said, "and didst thou sleep after the deed?" Said Osberne:
"Yea, and dreamed never a deal. But I must tell thee I was in my right."
Said Elfhild: "What did he to thee that thou must slay him?" Osberne
said: "He came swaggering into our house an