X: Osberne and Elfhild Hold Converse Together explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Separation and Longing

  The Sundering Flood physically separates Osberne and Elfhild, yet they yearn for each other across the water, unable to kiss or exchange gifts directly.

• Nature and the Supernatural

  Elfhild's gifts from the cave-folk (pipe, necklace, healing) and Osberne's dwarf-wrought whittle suggest a supernatural presence in the natural landscape.

• Love and Sacrifice

  Osberne offers to give Elfhild his whittle, and she wishes to give him her necklace, but both refrain due to the Flood and the nature of the gifts, showing early sacrificial love.

Characters to notice

• Osberne Wulfgrimsson

  Shares his dwarf-wrought whittle and wolf-slaying prowess; composes a love stave for Elfhild; reflects on Steelhead's counsel and Stephen the Eater's friendship.

• Elfhild

  Reveals her secret gifts from the cave-folk: a pipe, a gold and gem necklace, and healing; shows her necklace to Osberne; weeps at his song and expresses mutual love.

• Steelhead

  Mentioned in Osberne's thoughts; Osberne deems he understands Steelhead's rede from this meeting.

• Stephen the Eater

  Osberne has an inkling that Stephen is his friend in a special way beyond the rest of the household.

Key passages

• “So when she was rested she fell to speech again: 'Dear lad, this was the first gift, and I could not but deem that someone had heard me make my moan unseen and had given me that good gift.'”

  After resting, Elfhild told Osberne that her first gift from the cave-folk seemed to come from someone who heard her lamenting unseen.

  Elfhild explains the origin of her pipe.

• “And she drew forth from her bosom a necklace of gold and gems; gold and emerald, gold and sapphire, gold and ruby; and it flashed in the sun, and Osberne thought it a fair toy indeed, but knew not that scarce a queen had got aught so fair in her treasure.”

  Elfhild showed Osberne a dazzling necklace of gold and precious stones, which he admired but did not realize was fit for a queen.

  Elfhild reveals her second gift from the cave-folk.

• “Then his song dropped down, and they stood looking silently at each other, and tears ran over the little maiden's cheeks.”

  After Osberne finished his song, they gazed at each other in silence, and Elfhild wept.

  Elfhild is moved to tears by Osberne's improvised stave.

• “I might not help it; the words came into my mouth, and meseems they be better said than unsaid. Look to it if I do not soon some deed such as bairns be not used to doing.”

  Osberne said he could not help the words that came, and hinted that he would soon do a deed beyond his years.

  Osberne defends his song and foreshadows future heroism.