Though Jack of the Tofts abode with the King at Oakenham, his sonswent back to the Tofts, and Gilbert was deemed the head man of them;folk gathered to them there, and the wilderness about them becamebuilded in many places, and the Tofts grew into a goodly cheaping town,for those brethren looked to it that all roads in the woodland should be safeand at peace, so that no chapman need to arm him or his folk; nay, amaiden might go to and fro on the woodland ways, with a golden girdleabout her, without so much as the crumpling of a lap of her gown unlessby her own will.
As to David, at first Christopher bade him strongly to abide with himever, for he loved him much. But David nay-said it, and would go hometo the Tofts; and when the King pressed him sore, at last he said: "Friendand fellow, I must now tell thee the very sooth, and then shalt thou sufferme to depart, though the sundering be but sorrow to me. For this it is,that I love thy Lady and wife more than meet is, and here I find it hard tothole my desire and my grief; but down in the thicket yonder amongst mybrethren of the woods, and man and maid, and wife and babe, nay, thevery deer of the forest, I shall become a man again, and be no more apeevish and grudging fool; and as the years wear, shall sorrow wear, andthen, who knows but we may come together again."
Then Christopher smiled kindly on him and embraced him, but theyspake no more of that matter, but sat talking a while, and then bade eachother farewell, and David went his ways to the Tofts. But a few monthsthereafter, when a son had been born to Christopher, David came toOakenrealm, but stayed there no longer than to greet the King, and do himto wit that he was boun for over-sea to seek adventure. Many gifts the King gave him, and they sundered in all loving-kindness, and the Kingsaid: "Farewell, friend, I shall remember thee and thy kindness for ever."But David said: "By the roof in Littledale and by the hearth thereof, thoushalt be ever in my mind."
Thus they parted for that time; but five and twenty years afterwards,when Child Christopher was in his most might and majesty, and Goldilindwas yet alive and lovely, and sons and daughters sat about their board, itwas the Yule feast in the King's Hall at Oakenham, and there came a maninto the hall that none knew, big of stature, grey-eyed and hollow-cheeked,with red hair grizzled, and worn with the helm; a weaponed man,chieftain-like and warrior-like. And when the serving-men asked him ofhis name, and whence and whither, he said: "I have come from over-seasto look upon the King, and when he seeth me he will know my name."Then he put them all aside and would not be gainsaid, but strode up thehall to the high-seat, and stood before the King and said: "Hail, little KingChristopher! Hail, stout babe of the woodland!" Then the King lookedon him and knew him at once, and stood up at once with a glad cry, andcame round unto him, and took his arms about him and kissed him, andled him into the high-seat, and set him betwixt him and Goldilind, and shealso greeted him and took him by the hand and kissed him; and Jack of theTofts, now a very old man, but yet hale and stark, who sat on the left handof the King, leaned toward him and kissed him and blessed him; for lo! itwas David of the Tofts.