Gladly will some of the Frisians we know take you at least to the right side of the broad seas." "Aye, gladly would some have Lodbrok the Jarl with them," he answered, smiling strangely.
What he meant, beyond that he might pilot them well, I knew not, nor, indeed, thought that any hidden meaning lay in his words.

So that his saying passed from my mind, until one day when I should have cause to understand it well enough.
I would have taken him now to present him to my mother, but she was gone, and there came to us one of the steward's men, who stared at the Dane as if he were some marvel, having doubtless heard his story from one of the seamen, but covered his wonder by bowing low and bidding him to an inner room where the thane had prepared change of garment for him.

For my father, having the same full belief and trust in the stranger's word, would no more than I treat him in any wise but as an honoured guest.
Then said Lodbrok: "Good shall surely ever be to the house that will thus treat a wanderer.

Hardly would a castaway meet with so great kindness in my own land.

Nor do I think that we Danes have made our name so well loved among English folk that we should look for the like among them." But I answered that we of East Anglia had no cause to blame his people, who had made peace with us and kept it faithfully.
So the man led Lodbrok away, and I too went to seek gear more courtly than salt-stained and tar-spotted blue cloth of Lavenham.
There are few thanes' houses which have so many chambers as ours, for because of the king's friendship with us, my father had added, as it were, house to house, building fresh chambers out around the great hall itself, till all one might see was its long roof among the many that clustered round and against its walls, so that the thanes who came with him, or to see him, might have no cause to complain of ill lodging with Elfric of Reedham.