Wulnoth the Wanderer: A Story of King Alfred of EnglandInman, Herbert
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Wulnoth the Wanderer: A Story of King Alfred of England
Inman, Herbert
Alfred, King of England, 849-899 -- Fiction
For many days did Wulnoth journey southward, for though Lethra was nigh
the sea, and the journey over the Westarweg was the shortest road, yet
he had no boat in which to sail, and, moreover, the time of the storms
was coming, and he knew that to sail alone was to seek for death.
So by land he was forced to go, and the way was long and hard, and many
were the times that he felt he would abide where he was, and give up
this vain search.
And strange was it that whenever these thoughts came to him, then also
came the strange being who was so like himself, and he would cry to
Wulnoth to wrestle with him ere he went farther, and only when Wulnoth
had wrestled and conquered was he able to go on again.
Many were the adventures which he met with, and many the perils he
encountered, yet, still, in spite of all, he went his way over the
long, long leagues towards the southern sea, where he must perforce
take ship of some kind if he wished to reach the sea-king's land on
the other side of the wild Baltic, whereon the storm-king makes his
dwelling-place and rides in his flying palace of lightning and tempest.
He made himself a light spear of hard wood, and with this he hunted the
wild goats and the forest swine, and took their flesh for his food, and
on this and on the wild berries did he live, and for his drink he had
the runnels of clear water and nothing else.
By day he journeyed and by night he slept in the hollow trees or in
caves, living like a wild man and a berserker, and, moreover, looking
like one also, since his face was all grown with a wild beard and his
hair hung in tangled masses to his shoulders.
In those dark nights, when the storms raged and the forest groaned
beneath the buffets of the blast, evil voices called and made mock,
urging him to give up so wild a journey, but in the day time the better
voices always answered and encouraged him; and oft in his dreams Edgiva
the Beautiful would stand beside him and smile, and beckon him on,
whispering to him in tones like the sweet music of the scald's harp--
"Be brave, Wulnoth! Be patient, Wulnoth, for fame, and honor, and love,
and that which is better than fame or honor or love await thee in the
end."
And when Edgiva stood thus, it ever seemed that she ever held that
little cross of wood, bound with grass and wreathed with thorn spray,
which Wyborga the Wise had fashioned in the days long past.
So through the forests and across the mountains and over dreary wastes
did Wulnoth go, and of those whom he met his only question was whether
he was journeying towards the sea-king's land.
"Thou art going aright," he was answered each time he asked that
question. "Thou wilt come to the sea, and there thou must take ship.
But beware what thou doest in the sea-king's land, for fierce and cruel
are the vikings, and their swords sing loudly."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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