University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The Collected Works of William Morris

With Introductions by his Daughter May Morris

expand sectionI. 
expand sectionII. 
expand sectionIII, IV, V, VI. 
expand sectionVII. 
expand sectionIX. 
expand sectionX. 
expand sectionXII. 
expand sectionXIV. 
expand sectionXV. 
expand sectionXVI. 
expand sectionXVII. 
collapse sectionXXI. 
expand section 
collapse section 
expand sectionIII. 
collapse sectionV. 
  
expand sectionVI. 
expand sectionVII. 
expand sectionX. 
expand sectionXVII. 
CHAPTER XVII. THE SLAYING OF HARDCASTLE.
expand sectionXXIX. 
expand sectionXXXVI. 
expand sectionXXXVII. 
expand section 
expand sectionXXIV. 


65

CHAPTER XVII. THE SLAYING OF HARDCASTLE.

[Songs extracted from the prose narrative.]


66

[Came sword and shield]

[Osberne.]
Came sword and shield
To the hazelled field
Where the fey man fell
At Wethermel:
The grey blade grew glad
In the hands of a lad,
And the tall man and stark
Leapt into the dark.
For the cleaver of war-boards came forth from his door
And guided the hand of the lacking in lore.
But now is the blade
In the dark sheath laid,
And the peace-strings lull
His heart o'erfull.
Up dale and down
The hall-roofs brown
Hang over the peace
Of the year's increase.
No fear rendeth midnight, and dieth the day
With no foe save the winter that weareth away.