# XXVI: Thiodolf Talketh with the Wood-Sun explained — The House of the Wolfings > Chapter companion for The House of the Wolfings by William Morris. ## What happens Thiodolf and the Hall-Sun leave the camp and go to a wood-lawn where the Wood-Sun sits. The Hall-Sun speaks of two griefs and her power to vanquish one, then departs. Alone, Thiodolf and the Wood-Sun discuss their love, his fate, and the Dwarf-wrought Hauberk. Thiodolf resolves to bear the hauberk no more, choosing to die as a man of the kindreds, and the Wood-Sun confesses she lied about the hauberk's curse to save his life. ## Themes in this chapter ### Fate and Prophecy The Hall-Sun speaks of fate's limits and her power to vanquish one grief; the Wood-Sun acknowledges Weird as master; Thiodolf accepts his death as part of the kindred's destiny. ### Sacrifice and Loss Thiodolf chooses to die for the kindred, casting off the hauberk; the Wood-Sun laments the waning of all things and the pain of farewell. ### Tribal Identity and Kinship Thiodolf affirms his bond with the Wolfings and all kindreds, declaring 'they are mine and I am theirs' and choosing to die as a man of the folk. ## Character check-ins ### Thiodolf Thiodolf is led by the Hall-Sun to the wood-lawn, speaks with the Wood-Sun about love and fate, and resolves to cast off the Dwarf-wrought Hauberk, embracing his mortality and kinship with the people. ### Hall-Sun The Hall-Sun leads Thiodolf to the Wood-Sun, speaks of two griefs and her power to vanquish one, then departs after a tender farewell with her mother. ### Wood-Sun The Wood-Sun sits on the stone seat, speaks with Thiodolf and the Hall-Sun, confesses her lie about the hauberk's curse, and bids farewell to Thiodolf. ## Key lines > I have said that the minutes of this night are dear, and they are passing swiftly; and it may be that thou wilt have much to say and to do before the host is astir with the dawning. The Hall-Sun urges Thiodolf to act quickly because the night is short and dawn will bring battle. _The Hall-Sun emphasizes the urgency of the moment before the host awakens._ > Two griefs I see before me in mighty hearts grown great; And to change both these into gladness outgoes the power of fate. Yet I, a lonely maiden, have might to vanquish one Till it melt as the mist of the morning before the summer sun. The Hall-Sun declares she can overcome one of the two great sorrows she sees, but the other is beyond fate's power to change. _The Hall-Sun speaks of her limited power to alter the griefs of Thiodolf and the Wood-Sun._ > I shall bid my mighty father make choice of death in life, Or life in death victorious and the crownèd end of strife. The Hall-Sun will force Thiodolf to choose between a living death or a glorious death in battle. _The Hall-Sun threatens to compel Thiodolf to decide his fate._ > Therefore I will bear the Hauberk no more in battle; and belike my body but once more: so shall I have lived and death shall not have undone me. Thiodolf decides to fight without the enchanted hauberk, accepting that he may die but will have lived fully. _Thiodolf rejects the hauberk and embraces his mortality._ > I lied to thee concerning the Hauberk when I said that no evil weird went with it: and this I did for the saving of thy life. The Wood-Sun confesses she deceived Thiodolf about the hauberk's curse in an attempt to save him. _The Wood-Sun admits her lie about the hauberk's safety._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_house_of_the_wolfings_se/chapters/xxvi-thiodolf-talketh-with-the-wood-sun - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_house_of_the_wolfings_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_house_of_the_wolfings_se/chapters