Then cried Wulnoth and said—
"O stranger, who didst take my name and whom I have conquered, can you tell me this riddle, for I am weary of mysteries. Whence comes it that yonder shadow made me strong and you weak?"
"'T is the sign of the mightiest and the strongest," answered the other, and at that Wulnoth laughed aloud in mockery—
"'T is the sign of one who was a nithing," he said; "and yet, if it made me strong, why did it not make thee strong also?"
"Thou wouldst not understand even if I told thee, Wanderer," was the reply. And Wulnoth spoke again—
"Now confess that thou didst lie when thou didst take my name." But the other replied—
"I lied not, for of a surety I am Wulnoth, Cerdic's son!"
"Now this passes all!" cried Wulnoth. "Then who may I be, if thou art Wulnoth?"
"The Wanderer, and thou shalt wander until thy task is done. Yet remember that again thou hast rejected the Strong, and called Him the weak. Hither was I sent to meet thee and to conquer thee, and thou hast conquered me. Well for thee that thou hast conquered Wulnoth, Cerdic's son, for unless thou hadst done this, thou wouldst never have conquered others; and it was for this purpose that Wyborga the Wise sent thee to tarry with Osth the giant to learn strength."
"Thou wilt bewilder me with words," cried Wulnoth impatiently. "I tell thee that I am Wulnoth. Moreover, it was Wulnoth whom Osth did teach, and since thou ownest that he taught me, thou ownest that I am Wulnoth, and thou provest thyself false."