"How say ye, sons, is this to your liking?"

They all said "yea." Then quoth the king; "Nicholas, bring hither
the straws ready dight, and I will give them my sons to draw."

So each young man came up in turn and drew; and King Peter laid
the straws together and looked at them, and said:

"Thus it is, Hugh goeth north with Lancelot, Gregory westward with Clement."
He stayed a moment and then said: "Blaise fareth eastward and Richard
with him. As for thee, Ralph my dear son, thou shalt back with me and
abide in my house and I shall see thee day by day; and thou shalt help me
to live my last years happily in all honour; and thy love shall be my hope,
and thy valiancy my stay."

Therewith he arose and threw his arm about the young man's neck;
but he shrank away a little from his father, and his face grew troubled;
and King Peter noted that, and his countenance fell, and he said:

"Nay nay, my son; grudge not thy brethren the chances
of the road, and the ill-hap of the battle. Here at least
for thee is the bounteous board and the full cup, and the love
of kindred and well-willers, and the fellowship of the folk.
O well is thee, my son, and happy shalt thou be!"

But the young man knit his brows and said no word in answer.

Then came forward those three brethren who were to fare at all adventure,
and they stood before the old man saying nought. Then he laughed and said:
"O ho, my sons! Here in Upmeads have ye all ye need without money,