a great marsh. The marsh was frozen over; not strong enough to bear,
and they all stood looking at it. Then out stepped a stout countryman,
who was so fat, that his nickname was The Pudding. "Are you all
afraid?" he said. "I will go over at once before the king." "Will
you," said the king, "then I will come after you, for whatever bears
you will bear me." Cnut was a little, slight man, and he got easily
over, and Pudding got a piece of land for his reward.

These servants of the king used to flatter him. They told him he was
lord of land and sea, and that every thing would obey him. "Let us
try," said Cnut, who wished to show them how foolish and profane they
were; "bring out my chair to the sea-side." He was at Southampton at
the time, close to the sea, and the tide was coming in. "Now sea," he
said, as he sat down, "I am thy lord, dare not to come near, nor wet
my feet." Of course the waves rolled on, and splashed over him; and
he turned to his servants, and bade them never say words that took
away from the honor due to the only Lord of heaven and earth. He
never put on his crown again after this, but hung it up in Winchester
Cathedral. He was a thorough good king, and there was much grief when
he died, stranger though he was.

A great many Danes had made their homes in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire,
ever since Alfred's time, and some of their customs are still left
there, and some of their words. The worst of them was that they were
great drunkards, and the English learnt this bad custom of them.




CHAPTER VI.