Alfred awoke from his sleep with his mind filled with new hopes and anticipations.  The hunting party returned loaded with supplies, and in a state of the greatest exhilaration at their success.  They had fish and game enough to have supplied a little army.  The incident of relieving the beggar, the dream, and their unwonted success confirming it, inspired them all with confidence and hope.  They began to form plans for commencing offensive operations.  They would build fortifications to strengthen their position on the island.  They would collect a force.  They would make sallies to attack the smaller parties of the Danes.  They would send agents and emissaries about the kingdom to arouse, and encourage, and assemble such Saxon forces as were yet to be found.  In a word, they would commence a series of measures for recovering the country from the possession of its pestilent enemy, and for restoring the rightful sovereign to the throne.  The development of these projects and plans, and the measures for carrying them into effect, were very much hastened by an event which suddenly occurred in the neighborhood of Ethelney, the account of which, however, must be postponed to the next chapter.

[Footnote 1:  The name is spelled variously, Ethelney, AEthelney, Ethelingay, &c.  It was in Somersetshire, between the rivers Thone and Parrot.]

[Footnote 2:  As this incident has been so famous, it may amuse the reader to peruse the different accounts which are given of it in the most ancient records which now remain.  They were written in Latin and in Saxon, and, of course, as given here, they are translations.  The discrepancies which the reader will observe in the details illustrate well the uncertainty which pertains to all historical accounts that go back to so early an age.

“He led an unquiet life there, at his cow-herd’s.  It happened that, on a certain day, the rustic wife of the man prepared to bake her bread.  The king, sitting then near the hearth, was making ready his bow and arrows, and other warlike implements, when the ill-tempered woman beheld the loaves burning at the fire.  She ran hastily and removed them, scolding at the king, and exclaiming, ’You man! you will not turn the bread you see burning, but you will be very glad to eat it when it is done!’ This unlucky woman little thought she was addressing the King Alfred.”

In a certain Saxon history the story is told thus: 

“He took shelter in a swain’s house, and also him and his evil wife diligently served.  It happened that, on one day, the swain’s wife heated her oven, and the king sat by it warming himself by the fire.  She knew not then that he was the king.  Then the evil woman was excited, and spoke to the king with an angry mind.  ’Turn thou these loaves, that they burn not, for I see daily that thou art a great eater!’ He soon obeyed this evil woman because she would scold.  He then, the good king, with great anxiety and sighing, called to his Lord, imploring his pity.”