▁a ▁genu ine ▁conversion ▁to ▁Alfred ' s ▁faith , ▁and ▁is ▁bapt ised ▁after ▁the ▁battle . ▁ ▁Book ▁VIII ▁: ▁The ▁Sc our ing ▁of ▁the ▁Hor se ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁battle , ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁peace ▁comes ▁to ▁W esse x ▁and ▁its ▁king . ▁Alfred ▁encourag es ▁learning ▁and ▁culture , ▁and ▁gives ▁to ▁the ▁need y . ▁He ▁sends ▁expl or ers ▁out ▁to ▁other ▁lands . ▁He ▁ref ra ins ▁from ▁conqu ering ▁other ▁lands , ▁because ▁he ▁feels ▁that ▁he ▁is ▁not ▁worthy ▁to ▁govern ▁anything ▁beyond ▁W esse x . ▁The ▁Sax on ▁people ▁sc our ▁the ▁White ▁Hor se ▁free ▁of ▁we eds , ▁keeping ▁it ▁white ▁and ▁visible . ▁After ▁many ▁years ▁of ▁this ▁peace ▁Alfred ▁is ▁told ▁that ▁the ▁Dan es , ▁under ▁a ▁different ▁leader , ▁have ▁inv aded ▁again . ▁He ▁simply ▁prepar es ▁to ▁fight ▁once ▁more , ▁and ▁summ ons ▁his ▁army . ▁Alfred ▁reve als ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁not ▁so ▁much ▁the ▁violent ▁pag ans ▁that ▁he ▁fear s , ▁but ▁rather ▁the ▁cult ured , ▁sub vers ive ▁pag ans . ▁As ▁he ▁says : ▁ ▁Alfred ▁and ▁his ▁army ▁march ▁to ▁London , ▁and ▁attack ▁the ▁Dan es ▁once ▁again . ▁ ▁In flu ence ▁on ▁other ▁works ▁ ▁Christopher ▁Cla us en ▁has ▁argued ▁that ▁The ▁Ball ad ▁of ▁the ▁White ▁Hor se ▁was ▁a ▁significant ▁influence ▁on ▁J . ▁R . ▁R . ▁Tol k ien ' s ▁The ▁Lord ▁of ▁the ▁R