Then there was brought to see him a wise
druid, who was skilled in all maladies of the mind and body, and after
he had talked with the youth he said to his mother, "Thy son is dying
of the burden of a secret which he may not reveal to any man, but
until he reveals it he will have no ease. Let him, therefore, walk
along the high way till he comes to a place where four roads meet. Let
him then turn to the right, and the first tree that he shall meet on
the roadside let him tell the secret to it, and so it may be he shall
be relieved, and his vow will not be broken."
The mother told her son of the druid's advice, and next day he went
upon his way till he came to four cross roads, and he took the road
upon the right, and the first tree he found was a great willow-tree.
So the young man laid his cheek against the bark, and he whispered the
secret to the tree, and as he turned back homeward he felt lightened
of his burden, and he leaped and sang, and ere many days were past he
was as well and light hearted as ever he had been in his life.
Some while after that it happened that the King's harper, namely
Craftiny, broke the straining-post of his harp and went out to seek
for a piece of wood wherewith to mend it. And the first timber he
found that would fit the purpose was the willow-tree by the cross
roads.
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