"What is his name ?" Then I doubted for a moment; but Harek's quick wit helped me.
"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.