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
Most agreed to this, but some grumbled, and in the end left Hungwar and
marched inland, and amongst these was Hubba, but that was not yet.
Now on the night of the killing of the King, Wulnoth took his spear
in his hand, and, with his sword by his side, he wandered into the
darkness, for his mind was full of restless thoughts, and he cared not
whither his feet bore him.
And as he went he thought of Wyborga and the little cross she had made,
and the wonder tale which Edgiva had told him, and of the way in which
the King had died for his Lord; and he wondered also whether the tales
of the gods of the Northland were true tales or false, and he wondered
whither he must go to seek the strongest and the mightiest lord, now
that old Regner Lodbrok was dead.
And as he wandered he came to a wood, and he entered its darkness and
solitude, for he had little fear of meeting any foe, all having fled
far from the Danes, and only the churls remaining, and they would be
more afraid of him than he need be of them.
It was quiet here, and reminded him of the woods in distant Lethra,
where he had walked with Edgiva the Beautiful in the happy days. And
the Danes had destroyed Lethra and laid it in ruins--and yet he was
serving with the Danes! Wulnoth shook his spear at that thought, and he
said aloud--
"Yet for the while I will tarry, and presently I will speak a word with
the sons of Regner for the deeds they have done to those dear to me,
and then shall Hungwar know who the Wanderer is and why he has joined
him."
And then he paused and stared in wonder, thinking that some night hag
must be playing with him, for from the darkness came the voice of
Edgiva the Beautiful, and it said--
"Greeting, Wanderer, who wast called Wulnoth!"
"Who art thou who callest to me with the voice of my Princess?" he
cried. "Whoever thou art, good or evil, show thyself I command thee by
the name of Thor."
"Little care I for that name, Wanderer," the voice answered, and then
there was silence, and he called again and again, but without success.
Then just as he would have turned back, another voice spoke and said--
"Greeting, Wulnoth!" and this time he made out a figure coming towards
him. And he sprang forward and caught at it, saying--
"Now who art thou who walkest by night and callest greeting to me?"
"One whom thou hast known as a friend, Wulnoth," came the reply, and
Wulnoth knew the voice then for that of Wyborga the Wise, and he cried,
trembling with eagerness--
"O Wyborga, is it thou? How dost thou come into this land? Then I was
not deceived when I thought that my Princess spoke to me not long
since! O Wyborga, lead me to her, for I have sought her with a long and
weary seeking, and my heart failed me at last."
But Wyborga answered--
"No, Wulnoth, for it has already been told to thee that you two will
not meet again to abide until thou hast learnt the wonder tale, which
thou hast till now rejected."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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