"Godred," he said; for the name by which the king had called himself once it was likely that he would use again. "I know of no thanes," she said, though not at once, so that I was sure she knew somewhat more than she thought safe to tell. Then she was going, but Harek stayed her. "Yours is a good spell against the evil eye, mother," he said, "but I can tell you a better." "What is it?" she said eagerly. "News for news," he answered carelessly. "Tell us if you know aught of this thane, and I will tell you." "I said not that there was a thane." she said at once. "Nay, mother; but you denied it not. Come now; I think what I can tell you will save you trouble." She thought for a little, weighing somewhat in her mind, as it seemed, and then she chose to add to her store of witchcraft. "Yonder, then," she said, nodding to the dense alder thickets that hid the river Tone from us, across a stretch of frozen mere or flooded land. "I wot well that he who bides in Denewulf's cottage is a thane, for he wears a gold ring, and wipes his hands in the middle of the towel, and sits all day studying and troubling in his mind in such wise that he is no good to any one--not even turning a loaf that burns on the hearth before his eyes. Ay, they call him Godred." Then my heart leaped up with gladness, and I turned to seek Heregar; but he was coming, and so I waited. Then the dame clamoured for her reward, which Harek had as nearly forgotten as had I. "Mother," the scald said gravely, "when I work a spell with hammer and nail, the footprint into which the nail is driven is of her who cast the evil eye on me." "Why, so it should be." "Nay, but you drive it into your own," he said. She looked, and then looked again. Then she stamped a new print alongside the nailed one, and it was true. She had paid no heed to the matter in her fury, and when she knew that she turned pale. "Man," she cried, "help me out of this. I fear that I have even nailed the evil overlooking fast to myself." "Ay, so you have," said Harek; "but it is you who know little of spells if you cannot tell what to do. Draw the nail out while saying the spell backwards, and then put it into the right place carefully. Then you will surely draw away also any ill that she has already sent you, and fasten it to her." "Then I think she will shrivel up," said the old witch, with much content. "You are a great wizard, lord; and I thank you." "Here is a true saying of a friend of mine," said Heregar, coming up in time to hear this. "But what has come to you, king? have you heard aught?" Now when the old woman heard the thane name the king, before I could answer she cried out and came and clung to my stirrup, taking my hand and kissing it, and weeping over it till I was ashamed. "What is this?" I said.