Said the Puny Fox: "Dost thou not remember, O Raven, how thou badest me battle last year on the sea-shore by the side of the Rollers of the Raven?
and how this was to be the prize of battle, that the vanquished should serve the vanquisher year-long, and do all his will?
And now this prize and more thou hast won without battle; for I swear by the Treasure of the Sea, and by the bones of the great Sea-mew yonder, that I will serve thee not year-long but life-long, and that I will help thee in thy quest for thy beloved.

What sayest thou ?" Hallblithe stood speechless a moment, looking past the Puny Fox, rather than at him.

Then the sword tumbled out of his hand on to the grass, and great tears rolled down his cheeks and fell on to his raiment, and he reached out his hand to the Puny Fox and said: "O friend, wilt thou not bring me to her?
for the days wear, and the trees are growing old round about the Acres of the Raven." Then the Puny Fox took his hand; and laughed merrily in his face, and said: "Great is thine heart, O Carrion-biter! But now that thou art my friend I will tell thee that I have a deeming of the whereabouts of thy beloved.

Or where deemest thou was the garden wherein thou sawest her standing on the page of the book in that dream of the night?
So it is, O Raven-son, that it is not for nothing that my grandsire's father lieth in yonder hole of the rocks; for of late he hath made me wise in mighty lore.

Thanks have thou, O kinsman!" And he turned him toward the rock wherein was the grave.
But Hallblithe said: "What is to do now?
Am I not in a land of foemen ?" "Yea, forsooth," said the Puny Fox, "and even if thou knewest where thy love is, thou shouldst hardly escape from this isle unslain, save for me." Said Hallblithe: "Is there not my bark, that I might depart at once?
for I deem not that the Hostage is on the Isle of Ransom." The Puny Fox laughed boisterously and said: "Nay, she is not.