And I will go as a gleeman, and be welcome enough as a Saxon who has enough love of Danes to learn some northern sagas for them!" "My king," I cried, "this is too perilous altogether." He looked quaintly at me.
"Go to, cousin; are you to have all the glory?
If you went, why not I?
Maybe I too may find a chance of helping some fair maiden on the way back." Then I prayed him to do nothing rash, for that he was the one hope of England.
"And maybe the one man in England who can do any good by going, therefore," he answered.

"And neither you nor I would ask any man to do for us what we durst not do ourselves." "You will be known, my king," I said.
Whereon he held out his hands, which were hard and horny now with hard work, and he laughed as he did so.
"Look at those," he said, "and at my unkempt hair and beard! Verily I may be like Alfred the king in some ways, but not in these.

They will pass me anywhere." So I could not dissuade him, and ever as I tried to do so he waxed more cheerful, and made sport of me, throwing my own doings in my teeth, and laughing about Thora.

So I was fain to get away from his presence, lest I should grow angry at last.

And when I was going he said: "Have no fear, cousin; I will not go unless I am well prepared." So I went, and next day was back in Athelney, riding hard; for Hubba's ships had been sighted from the Quantocks, and they were heading for the Parret.