diff options
Diffstat (limited to '32443.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 32443.txt | 3929 |
1 files changed, 3929 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/32443.txt b/32443.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3694b44 --- /dev/null +++ b/32443.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3929 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Saga of Halfred the Sigskald, by Felix Dahn + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Saga of Halfred the Sigskald + A Northern Tale of the Tenth Century + +Author: Felix Dahn + +Translator: Sophie F. E. Veitch + +Release Date: May 19, 2010 [EBook #32443] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAGA OF HALFRED THE SIGSKALD *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive + + + + +Source: http://www.archive.org/details/sagahalfredsigs00veitgoog + + + + + + + SAGA OF HALFRED THE SIGSKALD + + + + + + + SAGA + + OF + + HALFRED THE SIGSKALD + + + _A Northern Tale of the Tenth_ + _Century_ + + + + BY + FELIX DAHN. + + + + TRANSLATED BY SOPHIE F. E. VEITCH. + + + + ALEXANDER GARDNER, + PAISLEY; AND 12 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. + 1886. + + + + + + + CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + + CHAPTER I., + CHAPTER II., + CHAPTER III., + CHAPTER IV., + CHAPTER V., + CHAPTER VI., + CHAPTER VII., + CHAPTER VIII., + CHAPTER IX., + CHAPTER X., + CHAPTER XI., + CHAPTER XII., + CHAPTER XIII., + CHAPTER XIV., + CHAPTER XV., + CHAPTER XVI., + CHAPTER XVII., + CHAPTER XVIII., + CHAPITER XIX., + POSTSCRIPT, + + + + + + + Saga of Halfred the Sigskald. + + + + + CHAPTER I. + + +Nigh upon fifty winters ago, there was growing up in the North a boy +named Halfred. In Iceland, on the Hamund Fjord, stood the splendid hall +of his father, Hamund. + +At that time, so the heathen people believe, elves and goblins still +moved about freely among the Northern nations. And many say that an +elf, who had been friendly to the powerful Hamund, drew near to the +shield cradle of the boy Halfred, and for his first food laid wild +honey upon his lips, and said-- + + "Victory shall be thine in harping-- + Victory shall be thine in singing-- + Sigskald shall all nations name thee." + +But this is a mere idle tale of the heathen people. + +And Halfred grew, and was strong and beautiful. He sat often alone on +the cliffs, and listened how the wind played in rifts in the crags, and +he would fain have tuned his harp to the same strain, and because he +could not do it he was filled with fury. + +And when this fury swept over his forehead the veins in his temples +swelled, and there came a red darkness before his eyes. And then his +arm sometimes did that whereof his head knew nothing. + +When his father died Halfred took the seat of honour in the hall. But +he took no heed to preserve or improve his inheritance. He gave himself +up to harp playing and feats of arms. He devised a new strain in +singing, "Halfred's strain," which greatly charmed all who heard it, +and in which none could imitate him. And in hatchet throwing, not one +of the men of Iceland could equal him. He dashed his hammer through +three shields, and at two ships' lengths he would not miss with its +sharp edge a finger broad arrow shaft. + +His mind was now set upon building a dragon ship, strong and splendid, +worthy of a Viking, wherein he might make voyages, to harry or levy +toll upon island and mainland, or to play his harp in the halls of +kings. + +And through many an anxious night he considered how he should build his +ship, and could devise no plan. Yet the image of the ship was always +before his eyes, as it must be, with prow and stem, with board and bow; +and instead of a dragon it must carry a silver swan on the prow. + +And when, one morning, he came out of the hall, and looked out over the +Fjord, towards the north, there, from the south-south-east, came +floating into Hamund's Bay a mighty ship, with swelling sails. Then +Halfred and his house-churls seized their weapons, and hurried out +either to drive away or welcome the sailors. Ever nearer drove the +ship, but neither helmet nor spear flashed on board, and though they +shouted through the trumpet all was still. Then Halfred and his +followers sprang into the boat, and rowed to the great ship, and saw +that it was altogether empty, and climbed on board. And this was the +most splendid dragon ship that ever spread sail on the salt seas. But +instead of a dragon it bore a silver swan upon the prow. + +And moreover also, Halfred told me, the ship was in all things the +same as the image he had seen in his night and day dreams; forty oars +in iron rowlocks, the deck pavillioned with shields, the sails +purple-striped, the prow carved with runes against breakers, and the +ropes of sea-dogs' skin. And the high-arched silver wings of the swan +were ingeniously carved, and the wind rushed through them with a +melodious sound. + +And Halfred sprang up to the seat of honour on the upper-deck, upon +which lay spread a purple royal mantle, and a silver harp, with a +swan's head, leaned against it. + +And Halfred said-- + + "Singing Swan shalt thou be called, my ship; + Singing and victorious shalt thou sail." + +And many said the elf who had given him his name had sent the Singing +Swan to him. + +But that is an idle tale of the heathen people. For it has often +happened that slightly anchored ships have broken away in storms, while +the seamen were carousing ashore. + + + + + CHAPTER II. + + +And forthwith it became known that Halfred had armed the best of his +house churls, and his followers, with good weapons, to set forth as a +Viking to conquer, and as a Skald to sing. + +And over the whole of Iceland, and the islands all around, there was +much talk about the Singing Swan, which "Oski"[1] himself--that is the +god of the heathen people--had sent to Halfred Hamundson. "He is the +son of Oski; nothing shall miscarry with him, be it man's hate, or +woman's love, in sword thrusts, or in harp playing; great treasure and +rich Skald rewards shall he win, and his gentle hand can take and +spend, but keep nothing." + +And now there came many, drawn to him by the wish to be his sailing +comrades, even from the furthest islands of the western sea, so that he +could have manned seven ships. He manned, however, only the Singing +Swan, with three hundred men whom he chose himself, and with them he +set sail upon the sea. + +And now there would be much which might be told about the great +victories which Halfred won, through many long years, with hammer +and harp, on all the seas from Mikilgard--which the Latins call +Byzantium--even to the island of Hibernia, in the far west. + +And of all these feats and victories, voyages and minstrelsy, and +contests of arms and harp playing, had I, as a child by the cloister +hearth, heard the Skalds sing, and wandering guests recount, long +before I looked into Halfred's sea-grey eyes. + +For during the long time that he was wholly lost sight of, and the +Singing Swan had vanished in flames, and all people held Halfred for +dead, the Skalds composed many songs about him. But that was later. + +At that time Halfred thus roamed about everywhere, singing and +triumphing, winning fights at sea, and contests in palaces. And because +he was victor over all the Skalds in singing competitions, the people +named him "Sigskald," and from that, the heathen people, prophesying +backwards, invented, perhaps, that fable about the elf which had given +him honey, and his name, in the cradle. + +And he amassed great spoils, and many hundred rings of red gold, and +gave them all away again to his sailing comrades. And yet he still +heaped up rich hords upon the Singing Swan; and brought also much +treasure to Hamund's hall, where he was wont to pass the winter. + +And he splendidly improved the hall, and built over against it a great +Mead hall, in which a thousand men could drink: and six steps led to +the seat of honour in the Mead hall. + +But the most costly thing among all his spoils was a +candelabrum--"Lampas" the Greeks call it--half as high as a man, of +pure gold, with seven flaming arms, which far away, in the land of +Greece, he had borne away from a marble city that he had burned. + +And this treasure Halfred himself prized highly, who otherwise cared +nothing for gold. And at the Yule feast, and the Midsummer feast, and +at all high festivals, it must stand close before him upon the table, +with its sevenfold flame. + +But that at which everyone wondered most was, that all people who saw +Halfred, and heard him sing, seemed to be forced to be friendly to him. +It often happened that even the Skalds whom he vanquished in song +contests, themselves conceived great love for him, and praised his +strains more than their own. + +But this is truly the most incredible thing that can be told of Skalds. +Compared to this it is a small thing that a wooer whom he had +supplanted in a woman's favour should become his friend and blood +brother. But that was later. + +And, indeed, because everything seemed miraculous, those heathen people +invented that legend that he was the son of Oski, and that therefore +neither men's wrath nor maiden's pride could withstand him; that a god +was throned upon his forehead, who dazzled all eyes; with many more +such fables. + +Above all they say that his smile could conquer all hearts, as the +midsummer sun melts the ice. + +And about this also they tell a story. + +That is, that once, in the depth of winter, he found at the foot of +Snaeja-Tjoell, a little maiden of five years old, nearly frozen to +death. She had strayed from her mother's cottage, and could not find +the way back. + +And although Halfred was very weary, and had many followers with him, +he sent them all nevertheless alone to the hall, took the child himself +upon his shoulder, and travelled many stages further, always tracking +the tiny footprints of the little maiden, who had fallen fast asleep, +until he found her mother's cottage. And he laid the child in the +mother's arms, and she woke and smiled. And the mother wished for him, +as a reward, that he should smile henceforth like a child that sees its +mother again. And this also had Oski granted to him. + +But this is a mere idle tale of the heathen people; for there is no +Oski; and no heathen gods; and perchance also no[2] .... I say that he +carried the child back himself, carefully, to the mother. Many a Viking +would only, from compassion, have thrust her deeper in the snow; the +best would have given her to one of his followers to carry to the hall. +But to carry her back, himself, through the snow, to her mother, that +would no Viking have done that I know; above all when he was tired and +hungry. + +I say, then, in Halfred there was great goodness of heart, such as is +generally wont to be found alone in innocent children; and therefore +his smile was heart-winning, as is a child's smile. And out of this, +therefore, have the heathen people invented that gift of Oski. + +For that he did carry the child to the mother, that I certainly, +myself, fully and undoubtingly believe of Halfred. And I would be the +last not to believe it of him. + +Nevertheless he could become suddenly very wrathful, when the veins in +his temples swelled. Then, often, if any enemy roused him by defiance, +he would dash, blindly raging, among the spears, like a Berseker. + +Over and above all this, they tell many tales of the god-like gifts +which made maidens love him. But that is not a miracle, as it comes +very near being that a conquered singer should love him. + +For he possessed a brilliant noble countenance, which no one forgot who +had once seen it, and a heart-winning soft, yet powerful voice. He +avoided rude jesting; and he could always divine what was the peculiar +charm of every fair maiden's beauty; and he knew how to put it to her +as a riddle, over which she herself had long been vainly pondering. + +But other riddles, also, he knew well how to find out. + + + + + CHAPTER III. + + +And thus had Halfred now, for many years, roamed about as a Viking and +as a Skald, and had won fame and red gold; and once more he again +celebrated the Yule feast at home in his hall. + +And there were very many hundred men assembled there in the Mead hall +which he had fitted up. All his sailing comrades, and very many +Icelanders, and many foreign guests, from Austrvegr, and even from +Hylmreck, and Dyflin, on the western sea. Among them also the Skald, +Vandrad, from Tiunderland. + +And the Bragi cup[3] passed round, and many men vowed vows thereon, and +many a one pledged himself to daring deeds, which he would perform +before Midsummertide, or die. Halfred also, as well as the guests, had +drunk a great deal of mead; more than he was wont to drink, as he +himself, afterwards, earnestly told me. + +And this also the heathen point to in him as a miraculous gift of his +father Oski; that he could drink far far more than other men, in +fact--and they hold him therein very lucky--as many horns full as he +chose, without the heron of forgetfulness[4] sweeping through his +dizzied brain. + +But this is foolishly said, for even I can scare away the heron, if I, +after each draught, think quietly to myself, and do not propose many +toasts; for such attract the heron. + +Halfred had now certainly emptied many horns; but as yet he had vowed +no vow. Silent and grave he sat in the seat of the honour, as befitted +the host; exhorted the tardy drinkers--there were not however many of +them--by sending the cup bearer to them, with the drinking horn; and +smiled quietly, when many a one vowed vows which he would never fulfil. + +Then arose from his seat Vandrad the Skald, from Tiunderland, and stood +upon the second step of the dais, and spoke. Halfred had vanquished him +five times, and yet the Skald was a faithful loving friend to him-- + + "Vows have here been now vowed by many + Guests of small worth. + But Halfred, the Lord of the mead hall, + Still holds his thoughts hidden. + I laud him, most lofty, + No vows hath he need of, + His name may content him. + Yet I miss in the mead hall + One thing to the mighty, + To the man is awanting + A maiden to wife. + What rapture if only, + From the high seat of honour, + The horn to us, downward, + The dazzling white hand + Of the nobly born Princess, + Harthild, should hold." + +All the guests kept silence when Vandrad had spoken. Halfred looked +proudly down upon him, and very gently, he told me later, he felt the +veins in his temples swell, as, smiling, he asked the Skald--but it was +the smile of a king, not a child's smile-- + + "And what then of Harthild, + Her beauty and fame, + Canst thou here sound the praise, + In Halfred's mead hall?" + +Then said Vandrad-- + + "For all that thou knowest, + Thou far roaming Viking, + Hast thou never heard Harthild's + Descent and renown + Proclaimed on the harp? + From Upsala's ancient + Deep rooted stem + The maiden is sprung. + Hartstein the Haggard, + Men call her father, + The powerful monarch + Of far spreading fame. + His daughter close guarded + He haughtily holds; + All wooers rejecting, + Who cannot excel him + In throwing the hammer. + And no less the maiden + All men avoideth, + Man-like her own mood. + With good cause she boasteth + Herself in deep riddles + Above all the Skalds + Skilful to be. + 'Breaker of men's wits' + In dread and in envy, + They call her in Nordland. + To every wooer + Who fain her proud spirit + In wedlock would bind, + Tells she the same + Close sealed riddle; + For none--not the wisest-- + Has ever yet solved it. + Then scornfully laughing, + With her sharp scissors, + --For so runs the statute-- + To shame him, she sheareth + From the hero his hair." + +Then Halfred's temple veins swelled fearfully. He shook back the thick +black locks which flowed down even to his shoulders, and drained off a +deep drinking horn. Then he sprang from his seat, and seized the Bragi +cup, on which vows were wont to be vowed. Once more he paused, set down +the Bragi cup again, and asked-- + + "But Skald, say now, quickly, + --Oft hast thou seen her-- + This men avoider. + Beautiful is she? + This breaker of men's wits, + Would the bride's wreath become her?" + +Vandrad replied-- + + "Nor soft nor gentle, + Is she, nor lovely, + But proud and stately + Stands her tall form. + Nor could another + Carry so fitly + The crown of a king." + +Then Halfred again took up the Bragi cup, strode forward to the highest +step which led to his seat of honour, and paused where exactly in the +centre was burned into the oaken floor a circle, in red runes, so small +that a man could only tread therein with one foot. Halfred kneeled +down, planted his left foot within the circle, and lifted the Bragi cup +in his right hand, high above his head. + +And all were very eager to hear what he would now say; for this was the +strongest, the most solemn form in which vow could be vowed. And +Halfred said-- + + "Ere yet the on coming + Midsummer tide + Shall sink in the sea, + Will I bring Harthild, + The daughter of Hartstein, + Here as my wife, + To dwell in my hall, + Or hold me shall Hell. + + "Her wit-breaking sayings + Will I lay bare, + Her runic riddles + Will I unfold. + Unshamed, and unshaven, + These black locks shake freely. + Her man-despising + Maiden mood quelling, + My wedded wife + Will force her to be. + The breaker of men's wits + Will I break in. + A right noble heir + Of all that I own + She shall here, in my hall, + Soon cherish, my son. + And softly shall sing him + To sleep with the songs + Of his father's great deeds, + Or hold me shall Hell." + +Thus ended the Yule feast, at that time; for all the guests started up +from their seats with a great uproar, in a confused throng, and drank +to Halfred, and shouted that this was the best and most admirable vow +which in the memory of man had been vowed in the north. + +And the tumult was so great that Halfred had to command silence from +the dais, and very soon to send round the parting cup to the uproarious +heroes. + +And Halfred told me that when, under the light of the stars, he crossed +the court to his dwelling-house, he repented of his vow. Not because he +feared King Hartstein's hammer-throwing, or dreaded his daughter's +riddle. But because it is always wiser for a man to see a maiden, +before he determines to make her his wife. + + + + + CHAPTER IV. + + +And so soon as the Austr-Vogen was free from ice, the Singing Swan +sailed towards Svearike, and through numberless perils into the great +sea which lies to the south and east of Upland; and from thence she +followed a river, as far as there was floating depth, upwards towards +Tiunderland, and to Upsala. + +And many will now believe that Halfred had a great struggle and much +difficulty to overcome King Hartstein and his daughter, and will expect +to hear how it came to pass. + +But there is nothing to tell; for everything went easily and quickly +with him, according to his wishes, which the heathen people again +boasted had been thus arranged by Oski. + +King Hartstein was, in general, a flinty-hearted man, full of +suspicion, and short of speech. When, however, he saw Halfred, and +called to him as he entered his hall, and drew near to the throne, and +asked him--"Stranger, what desirest thou in Tiunderland, and of King +Hartstein?"--And when Halfred, with that smile which Oski had bestowed +upon him, looked into the fierce eyes, and joyously replied--"The best +will I have that Tiunderland and King Hartstein possess--his daughter." +Then the grim old man was at once won, and in his secret heart he +wished that Halfred might be his son-in-law. + +And then they went out to the court for the hammer-throwing, and the +King threw well, but Halfred threw far better, and thus the first trial +was won. + +"Harder will thou find the second," said the old man, and led Halfred +to the Skemma, the chamber of the women, where the breaker of men's +wits, in a shining dark blue mantle, sat among her maidens, a head +taller than any of them. + +And they say that when Halfred entered the chamber, and his glance fell +upon her, a hot tremor passed over her, and a sudden glow dyed her +cheeks crimson, and confused her. + +Certain it is that with a golden spindle, with which she had played +rather than spun, she pricked her finger, and let it fall with a +clatter. + +But Sudha, the foremost of her maidens, the captive daughter of the +King of Halogaland, who sat at her right hand, picked up the spindle, +and held it. And many interpreted this later, as a bad omen. At the +time, however, it was hardly observed. + +And Vandrad the Skald said later to Halfred, that the woman had +been elf-struck at the first sight of him: but he thereupon said +earnestly--"It had been better had I been elf-struck at sight of her; +but I remained unwounded." + +And forthwith King Hartstein assembled all his courtiers, and the women +of the castle, and the guests, in the hall, for the riddle solving. + +And Harthild arose from the arm chair at his right hand, and her face +grew crimson as she looked at Halfred, which--as they declare--had +never before happened to her at the challenging of her riddle. + +She paused for a space, looked downwards, then again upon Halfred, and +now with searching and defiant eyes. And she began-- + + "What is held in Valhalla? + What is hidden in Hell? + What hammers in hammer? + And heads the strong helm? + What begins the host slaughter? + What closes a sigh? + And what holds in Harthild + The head and the heart?" + +Then she would have seated herself, as was her wont after giving out +the riddle; but struck by terror she remained standing, and grasped the +arm of the chair; for Halfred, without any reflecting, stretched his +right hand towards her, and spoke-- + + "Hast thou nothing harder, + Haughty one, hidden? + Then wreathe thy proud head + For Hymen in haste, + For what's held in Valhalla, + What's hidden in Hell, + What hammers in hammer, + And heads the strong helm, + What begins the host slaughter, + And closes a sigh, + What Harthild the haughty + The head and the heart holds, + What hovers deep hidden + In high thoughts of her heart, + And what here has Halfred + To proud Harthild holpen, + 'Tis the Sacred Rune + The hero's own H." + +Then Harthild sank pale with rage in her chair, and covered her head +with her veil. + +But when Hartstein, her father, drew near amidst loud cries of +astonishment from the listeners in the hall, and would have drawn the +veil from her face, she sprang up vehemently, threw back the veil--and +they saw that she had wept--and cried in a harsh voice-- + + "Well has thou solved + The hidden riddle. + With mighty wit + Hast won a wife, + Woe to thee if tenderly + Thou usest her not!" + +All kept silence, uneasy at these threatening unloving words. Halfred +at length broke the stillness, he threw back his head, and shook his +black locks, and laughed--"I will risk that! King Hartstein, this very +day will I pay thee the bride's dower. When prepare we the bridal +feast?" + + + + + CHAPTER V. + +King Hartstein, however, wished for delay, until Hartvik and Eigil +should have returned from a campaign. Then their reception feast and +the marriage could be celebrated together. + +Hartvik was the king's son, and Harthild's own brother; and Eigil was +son to the king's brother, and Harthild's cousin. + +And he would willingly have taken Harthild away as his wife, but she +had said to him, "If thou failest to solve my riddle, thy shorn locks +will cause thee affliction; and if thou solvest my riddle, and I become +thy wife, that will cause thee still deeper affliction, for no love for +thee dwells in my heart: and woe to him who without love wins me for +his wife." + +Then Eigil sadly gave it up, although he was a good riddle solver. + +And when Hartvik and Eigil were returned there soon grew to be a great +friendship between Halfred and Hartvik, and Halfred and Eigil, and both +loved him so well that they said they would lay down their lives for +him. + +And this between Halfred and Hartvik is no great wonder, because +Halfred always won all men's hearts. + +But it may well astonish many that Eigil also should thus love him, who +still cherished as much love to Harthild as formerly; and who yet +clearly saw, as all who had eyes could see, that the harsh maiden was +quite filled with love to Halfred. + +And jealousy does not often allow it to be admitted that the +nightingale has a more charming voice than the carrion crow. + +Hartvik and Egil, however, loved Halfred so dearly that they begged him +to receive them as his blood brothers. + +And on the day before the wedding feast was prepared, therefore, +Hartvik and Eigil became Halfred's blood brethren. + +They stood with him, as the heathen people do, under a strip of turf, +which was lifted on spear points above their heads, the two ends still +cleaving to the ground, and they mixed the blood which flowed from +gashes in their right arms down upon the black earth beneath their +feet. + +And therewith they vowed their heads for ever to the infernal gods if +ever one of the blood brothers should desert the other, in danger or in +need. And so strongly does this oath bind, that even against his own +kith and kin, yea even against his own father, must one blood brother +stand by the other, even until death. + + + + + CHAPTER VI. + +On the day after the wedding, however, Halfred rode alone into the pine +wood. He said he wished to think, and he refused Harthild, who would +have ridden with him, and also his blood brethren. + +Darkly Harthild looked after him as he rode out of the court. But +Sudha, the beautiful daughter of the King of Halogaland, also looked +after him from an overhanging window, and slowly stroked her blue black +hair back from her temples. + +Vandrad the Skald, however, who often staid at Hartstein's Court, and +who was there at that time, had long cherished love for Sudha. And he +had often begged her freedom from King Hartstein, but in vain; the +stern man had always denied him. + +And heretofore she had not listened unwillingly when he sang. But when +in these days he drew near to her, and spoke of a song which he had +composed in her praise, she turned away and said--"On the lips of one +only have the gods laid honey." + +And when in the evening Halfred returned from the pinewood towards the +royal castle, he was leading his weary horse by the bridle, for the +moon shone but fitfully through storm-rent clouds, there sat upon the +runic-stone hard by the road a closely veiled woman, and she cried to +him and said-- + +"Halfred Hamundson, whereof on the first day of thy marriage, ridest +thou alone in the pinewood?" + +"If thou knowest that, O wise Vala," said Halfred, pausing--and he +heaved a sigh--"then knowest thou more than Halfred Hamundson." + +"I will tell thee," replied the veiled one. "Thou hast sought a woman, +and found what is nigher to a man, rough, harsh, and devoid of charm. +The Singing Swan hath paired thee with the vulture's brood. Thou +chosest the hard flint stone, near to it lay glowing at thy feet the +rose, exhaling fragrance towards thee." + +Then Halfred sprang upon his horse, and cried to the veiled one-- + +"Nobler hold I it in a woman to be too cold, than too ardent." And he +dashed away. + +And only once, as he told me, he looked back. So beautiful, he said, +had she never before been, in the full light of day, as now in the +moonlight, her black eyes glittered--for she had torn off her head +covering--and she called after him by his name, "Halfred," and her +blue-black hair fluttered round her in the night wind like a ghostly +veil. + + + + + CHAPTER VII. + + +And when the depth of winter was passed, and the spring was come, +Halfred sent a message to Upsala, to King Hartstein, that at the +midsummer tide Dame Harthild should bear a child. + +And the wise women had thrown runic rods over her seven times, and had +learned each time by unerring signs that the child should be a son. And +already was his name chosen, "Sigurd Sigskaldson." + +And Halfred bade the king, and Hartvik and Eigil, and Vandred the +Skald, and all the people from the castle at Upsala, as many as the +ships would hold, to be his guests at Hamund's hall, twenty nights +before the midsummer tide. + +And there, at the birth and naming of the boy, a great feast should be +held, such as had never before been held in Iceland. + +And King Hartstein gave answer that he and all his people, as many as +twelve ships could carry, would come as bidden, to the feast. + +Thus at the beginning of the month of roses came King Hartstein, and +Hartvik, and Eigil, and many hundred men from the castle at Upsala; and +people from all parts of Tiunderland. + +And among the women who came also, the first that descended from the +ship was Sudha. She had begged that she might come, out of longing to +see Harthild. + +And again there was close friendship between Halfred and his +blood-brethren, Hartvik and Eigil. They shared their table and bread +and salt. + +Thus they waited the birth of the heir of the hall, on the midsummer +day, and made ready a great feast in the Mead hall. + +Rich hangings of silken and woven stuffs which Halfred had borne away +from the islands of Greece were spread upon the wooden walls of the +drinking hall; the floor was strewn deep with rushes and clean straw, +and the tables and benches were set out in two long rows, and one cross +row. + +On all the pillars of the walls were hung curiously interlaced weapons, +which the Viking had gathered from boarded ships, stormed castles, and +victorious battlefields. But on sideboards around were set out the many +cups and horns of gold, silver, bronze, amber, and precious horn, which +the Sigskald had won, by singing in the halls of kings. + +But straight before Halfred towered the lofty candalabrum from Greece, +with its seven flaming arms. + +Eigil and Hartvik were to sit on his left hand, the guests from +Tiunderland and the other strangers on the long benches to the right, +the house churls and islanders on the long benches to the left of the +dais. And the most honoured guests had even cushions for the back, +brought from a pillared marble house which had been burnt on the coast +of Rumaberg. + +The women, however, were not to come into the hall, but to tarry with +Harthild, and await her hour in the chamber of the women. + +This was all splendidly ordered, and Halfred himself told me that +never, neither as guest nor as host, had he seen such magnificent +festival preparations. + +Two days before the feast, as Halfred, wearied with the summer heat, +lay upon his couch after the mid-day meal, Sudha glided softly through +the doorway, and stood before him, and spoke-- + + + "Halfred, skill in song, victory and fame have been thine for + twenty years. + A wife hast thou had for one year--an heir shalt thou have but now. + But never hast thou known Freya's gift--Love's Fulness-- + Contradict me not--thine eye shuns Dame Harthild's seeking glance; + And when thou dreamingly sweepest the strings of thy harp, + thou gazest + Not in Dame Harthild's cold hard face, but upwards towards + the stars. + Halfred, not in the clouds dwelleth that for which thou yearnest. + Not from the stars shall it float down upon thee; upon the + earth it wanders, + It is a woman, who with love's charm, with woman's magic, + can subdue the Singing Swan-- + Woe to thee if thou never findest her-- + What though thou win all fame with sword and harp--the + best is still denied thee. + Askest thou what maketh me so wise, and withal so daring? + Love, love's fulness for thee, thou rich yet poor Sigskald. + Behold, I am but a woman--a captive--but I tell thee there + is heroism even for women. + I have sworn by the infernal gods, as I crossed thy threshold, + that here, in Iceland, I will win thy love, or die." + + +Then Halfred arose from his couch, and spoke-- + + + "Wisdom and madness mingled hast thou spoken. There speaks from + thee more than Sudha. There speaks a soul stricken of the gods. + Horror and compassion seize upon me. I will demand thy + freedom from King Hartstein. Then journey homewards to Halagoland. + There mayest thou find happiness in the arms of some valiant hero. + But here, let Dame Harthild's rights and hearth be sacred + unto thee. Disturb not her happiness." + + +And he seized his spear and strode out. But Sudha cried after him, so +that he still heard her--"Her happiness? Long has she divined her +misery. Soon shall she clearly perceive, the haughty one, that she is +more unspeakably wretched than Sudha." + +Then, the evening of the same day, she called to her Vandrad the Skald, +who still always cherished great love for her, to the well in the +court, as though she would beg him to draw up for her from the depth +the heavy water bucket. This did Vandrad later, when dying, himself +tell Halfred. + +But when he had raised the bucket to the edge of the well, she lightly +laid a finger on his bare arm, and said-- + +"Vandrad, come hither to-night, just when the star Oervandil is +mirrored in this well. Thou shall tell me all that formerly came to +pass here, about that oath on the Bragi cup." + +Vandrad considered within himself, and he looked doubtingly at her. + +Then she said--"Vandrad, I swear to thee by [5]Freya's throat jewels +that I will become thy wife when I leave this island. Wilt thou now +come and tell me all?" + +Then Vandrad swore to do what she required. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +And now the midsummer feast was magnificently celebrated in the hall. +And there were full a thousand guests within the hall; but many +hundreds of the servants and bondmen were camped round about the +building, in the open air. + +Besides the guests from Svearike, there had come from all the +neighbouring coasts and islands many jarl's and great chieftains. Thus +from distant Iceland, the kings Konal, and Kiartan from Dyflin; from +Zealand the Danish Jarl Hako, and Sveno from Lethra; then from West +Gothaland the three brothers, Arnbiorn, Arngeir, and Arnolfr; Jarls of +the Western Goths. There had long been a blood feud, which had been but +newly allayed with blood money, between these three, and the two +brothers Princes of East Gothaland, Helge and Helgrimr. + +And these two, and the other three, would only come with a strong +well-armed following, when they understood that their adversaries had +also been bidden to Halfred's feast. + +And Halfred had taken care that the followers of the Princes of West +Gothaland should be lodged to the right, and those of East Gothaland to +the left, at the back of the hall, in huts of pinewood. And a wooden +wall with strongly closed doors divided the two encampments. + +But also from other vallies of Svearik, besides Tiunderland, from +Tronland, from Herjadel, Jeutland, and Helsingaland, had come many +guests, who had often of old been enemies to the people from +Tiunderland. + +The feast, however, proceeded most joyously from daybreak even +until the night. And when within the hall, and without, where the +foreign servants were encamped, many fires and pine torches were +kindled--before Halfred burned the seven armed candelabrum--it was at +first a right jovial sun fire-feast. + +The men, swinging and emptying the drinking horns, sprang over the +flames, and the Skalds, in songs which they composed at the moment they +rose, vied with each other in praises of Halfred and his deeds with +hammer and harp, and of the Singing Swan, and the hall, and the feast. + +And all the foreign kings also proclaimed that never had they seen so +lordly a midsummer feast celebrated, neither at home, nor in the halls +of any other host. + +Halfred sat with a joyful heart in the seat of honour. He signed to his +harp-bearer to bring him his silver harp, for he wished at the last, to +requite the laudations of the Skalds and the praises of the guests with +thanks and a song of welcome.... And then began that catastrophe which +was to overwhelm Halfred and his house, and the men of Tiunderland, and +all the guests, and many other men and women, altogether strange and +far away, who had never even seen or heard of Halfred and Harthild, in +blood and fire. + +That is to say, the great door of the hall, exactly opposite to the +seat of honour opened, and Dame Harthild strode in. + +Haughtily erect she walked, her head thrown back. A long black mantle +was wrapped around her head and neck and breast, and her whole body; it +floated trailing after her, like the curling wave behind a ship's +stern. + +And Halfred said to one it seemed to him, then, as if the most fearful +of the Fates was striding through the hall. + +Straight up the hall she passed, followed by Sudha and her women, her +glance fixed upon Halfred. + +Slowly, silently, she ascended the six steps of the dais, and paused +straight before Halfred at the table. Only the heavy candelabrum stood +between the two. + +But all the men in the hall sat speechless, and gazed up at the black +woman, who looked like a dark thunder cloud. + +"Halfred Hamundson," she began--and her voice was loud, yet +toneless--"Answers I demand to two questions, before these ten hundred +hearers in thy hall. Lie not to me." + +The blood rose to Halfred's brow, and he felt his temple veins throb +heavily. "If I speak or act," he said to himself, "I know neither what +I should say nor do. Therefore I will keep silence and do nothing." + +But Harthild, with her left hand pressed upon her thigh, +continued--"Didst thou, in that first night, when I held thy hand firm +upon my girdle, and asked thee if thou lovedst me, say Yes or No? +Answer me Sigskald. I and the gods know about that." + +"Yes," said Halfred, and knitted his brows. + +"And is it true, as Vandrad the Skald has sworn, that here, in this +hall, at the Yule feast, after many horns of mead, thou didst vow, as a +wanton wager, that before the midsummer tide, thou would break in the +breaker of men's wits like a stubborn horse, and that to make good +these boasting words thou camest to Tiunderland, and remained, as thou +didst lament, unwounded at sight of me." + +"Speak the truth--lie not again--a thousand listeners hear thee--thou +lordly son of Oski--Is it so?" + +Then Halfred raged in his inmost heart, but he constrained himself, and +replied firmly and distinctly-- + +"It is as thou hast said." + +Then Harthild drew herself up yet higher, and like two serpents +flashed, glances of fearful hatred from her eyes, as she spoke-- + + + "So be thou accursed, from the crown of thy head to the sole of thy + foot, thou who hast deceived and disgraced a hapless woman; + Cursed be thy proud thoughts--Madness shall strike them; + Cursed be thy false eyes--Blindness shall smite them; + Cursed be thy lying Ups--They shall wither and smile no more; + Cursed be thy flattering voice--It shall be dumb; + Thy house and thy hall shall perish in flames--The Singing Swan + shall burn; + Thy hand shall be crippled--thy hammer not strike--thy harp shall + shatter; + Victory shall be denied thee in battle and in song; + Nothing shall any more delight thee, in which of yore thou hast + rejoiced; + The sun of spring--the flowers of the forest--the fire of wine--the + blackbird's song--the greeting of the evening star--Sleepless shall + roll thy groaning head, and if slumber draws near to thee it shall be + with stifling dreams. + Yet a twofold curse shall rend ye both, if thou winnest again a + woman's love. + In madness and disease shall she perish whom thou lovest more than + thy soul. + But the son whom I, wretched one, must bear, shall be his mother's + avenger upon his father. + Liar's son, Scoundrel's son, Harthild's Vengeance shall his name be. + And one day, villain, shall he smite thee, as here, to shame thee + before all men, my hand now strikes thee in the face." + + +And she lifted high her outspread right hand, and aimed a blow over the +table at Halfred's head. + +Halfred sprang up, and to avert such a disgrace threw up his left arm. +Then he struck the heavy seven flaming candalabrum; with a crash the +metal fell with all its flaming arms upon Dame Harthild's breast and +body, and then upon the ground. + +As though struck by lightning stood the woman all in flames--mantle and +hair blazed up. At once the fire caught the straw thickly strewn upon +the floor. + +"King Hartstein, avenge thy unhappy child," shrieked Harthild, in +agony. She believed that in rage Halfred had hurled the candalabrum +upon her. + +The king believed the same, and whilst Halfred grasped at the blazing +woman to rescue her, Kling Hartstein with a cry of "Down thou +scoundrel," struck him a sharp sword stroke on the forehead, so that he +fell stunned. + +And with a second blow he would have slain him, had not Eigil and +Hartvik sprung up and quickly borne away their blood brother. + +Thus it came to pass that from the very outset Halfred could neither +avert nor control this catastrophe--He alone could have done it. + +Now, however, the burning woman and the flaming straw filled everyone +with sudden frenzy. + +The people from Tiunderland rose up in fury when they saw their king's +daughter fall flaming on the crackling straw; and Halfred's comrades +drew their swords when they saw their lord fall bleeding. And flame and +smoke, shrieks of women, and avenging shouts of men filled the hall. + +Then broke loose a fighting and devastation in the hall so gigantic, +say the heathen people, that the like shall never be seen again until +the twilight of the gods, when all demons and giants, goblins and +elves, gnomes, menkind, and pigmies, shall slay each other, and heaven, +earth and hell shall perish in flames. + +Harthild in her burning clothes, was carried out by her shrieking +women. One only was missing. Sudha sprang through flames and arms to +where Halfred lay on his blood-brethren's knees. + +"Dead," she cried; "Slain by Sudha. Then share we death, if not life." +And she drew Halfred's dagger from his belt, and plunged it in her own +breast. + +"Slain Halfred! by my babbling tongue. Sudha slain!" cried Vandrad the +Skald. "I will avenge thee, Halfred." + +And he tore a casting spear from the trophies hanging on the +flame-wreathed wooden pillars, and hurled it whistling at the temples +of King Hartstein, so that he fell dead. + +Wildly shouted the people of Tiunderland, and their near kindred from +West Gothaland, for vengeance for Harthild and King Hartstein. + +And the Jarl Ambiorn, from West Gothaland, seized in both hands a heavy +brazen double-handled tankard, and dashed it down on Vandrad's +forehead, so that he fell. + +But when the Princes from East Gothaland saw this, that their mortal +foes aided the men from Upsala, then they fell, Helgi and Helgrimr, +with furious blows upon both their old enemies, and the guests from +Upsala. + +And now could none any longer give a thought to extinguishing the +blazing straw upon the floor, or the quickly burning silken and woollen +hangings on the walls or the wooden pillars, up which tongues of flame +were creeping. + +For blindly now flew spears and axes, and golden and silver drinking +horns; and many who would have striven for peace, or trodden out the +flames, had fallen, struck down by both sides. + +"Must we alone stand idle among the strange guests at this bloody +midsummer feast?" said the Danish Jarl Hako, to the Irish King Konal, +"so that the Skalds shall taunt us as drink valiant but battle shy. We +have an old strife about stolen horses. Let us fight it out here, thou +Irish Greenpeak!" + +"Thou drunkard of Zealand," was the answer, "I will quench for ever thy +thirst and thy reviling;" and he struck his broad short Irish knife +through his teeth into his throat. + +Then Sveno, his brother, fell furiously upon the Irish king, and their +followers, Danes and Irish, fought by themselves their own battle in +the forefront of the hall, and thus blocked up the door, so that no one +could escape from the hall into the open air. + +And those who had no weapons tore down the trophies from the pillars, +or hurled about the heavy drinking horns, and even the flaming beams +and blocks which already fell from the ceiling, and instead of shields +they defended themselves with the tables. + +And all wildly mingled fought the people of Tiunderland and Iceland, of +Westgothaland and Eastgothaland, of Zealand and Ireland. And hardly did +anyone know who was friend or foe; and many, many men sank down, +wounded or burnt. + +And at last the flames had burst through the roof, and shot blazing up +towards heaven. + +And as the wind from above blew down upon the swelling hangings on the +walls, they flashed up suddenly in a brighter blaze. + +And now the highest beam fell with a crash; and thereupon rang out a +sound as though forty harp strings had all at once uttered their dying +wail. And it was even so, for the beam had severed in twain Halfred's +silver harp, which lay close by his head. + +At this wailing harp cry Halfred opened his eyes, and looked around +him, and all the truth broke upon him. He sprang up and shouted +threateningly through slaughter and flames--Hartvik and Eigil protected +him with shield and sword-- + +"Hold! Peace, peace in the hall! Magic has frenzied us all! Quench, +quench the fire which devours us all!" + +And so great was his power over friends and foes that for a moment all +paused. + +Then hark! From without there thundered on the hindmost door of the +hall heavy axe strokes, and the cry-- + +"Halfred, Halfred, save thy house! Save the Singing Swan!" + +With a crash the door fell inwards, and new devastation was seen, which +kindled afresh the momentarily smothered battle fury in the hall. + +Halfred looked through the doorway. The house of his forefathers, and +the ships in the harbour, and the Singing Swan were all wrapped in +flames. + +The followers of the princes of Westgothaland, who were lodged in the +pine huts, had first heard the din of battle, and seen the flames in +the hall. "To the rescue--to the rescue of our lords," they shouted, +tore down the wooden wall that divided them from the Mead hall, and +hurried to their aid. + +But then there threw themselves upon them, to hinder them, their +hostile neighbours, the followers of the princes of Eastgothaland, who +being too weak to hold the open field, retreated partly into Halfred's +dwelling house, partly to their ships in the Fjord. + +With shouts of triumph the victors followed, crowded with the fugitives +into Halfred's dwelling house, and stormed the ships in the bay; and +dwelling house and ships were suddenly wrapped in flames, either set on +fire by the combatants, or ignited by sparks and burning splinters, +borne by the strong south wind from the roof of the Mead hall. + +Halfred threw one glance at his shattered harp, and the burning house +of his fathers; then he grasped his hammer firmer, and cried-- + +"Come hither to me all Halfred's comrades. Quit the hall. Save the +Swan!" + +And with a mighty onslaught, swinging his hammer round his head, he +burst through the ranks of the men who had already renewed the battle +in the hall. + +Hartvik and Eigil followed on his track, and many of his own people, +and also of the enemy. + +But those who did not leave the drinking hall with him were almost all +at once numbered with the dead. For with a heavy crash, close behind +Halfred, fell the whole burning roof into the hall. + +Halfred glanced back in his rapid course. High upwards shot the blaze, +mingling with sound of shrieks from hundreds slain. Then all was silent +in the midsummer feast hall. + +Halfred rushed on, followed by friends and foes, past his father's +house. He saw the flames creeping up the pillars; within rose the din +of raging conflict; on the threshold lay a slaughtered servant girl. + +Soon Halfred and his comrades reached the bay, where the battle surged +around the high-decked ships. Many were burning. Many dragon's heads +seemed to vomit fire and smoke. + +Around the Singing Swan, however, raged the battle most furiously. In +dense masses the enemy thronged round her, wading, swimming, in boats +and on rafts, they crowded on; others hurled spears and arrows from the +shore at her defenders, and more than one burning arrow had struck and +set fire to her. + +The left wing of the ingeniously carved Swan was on fire; tongues of +fire were creeping up ropes and sails--just as Halfred arrived they +caught the mast. + +Then grief and fury seized upon him. His temple veins swelled almost to +the size of a child's finger. + +"Quench, quench the flames! All hands on deck! Save the Swan! Cut the +anchor-cable. Put out to sea. Fight no more. I will fight for you all." + +His faithful followers obeyed him. The seamen left off fighting, and +laboured only to quench the flames, in which also they soon succeeded, +as no more arrows flew from the land, and the foe were forced to leave +the ship. + +For Halfred raged furiously, as none had ever seen him fight. With a +loud battle-cry he sprang upon the people of Westgothaland and +Tiunderland, and struck them down one after another. + +Loyally aided him Hartvik and Eigil, his blood brethren, and spared not +even their own countrymen and kindred; but thought rather on the blood +oath which bound them more closely to Halfred than to their own +kinsmen. + +And the foe fell back before Halfred and his comrades, from the open +field into the dwelling house, which was half burned down, and +barricaded it. + +And thus he stormed his own house, in which the people from +Westgothaland had before overcome the house churls and the East Goths, +and slain them all. + +Yet a whole hour lasted the conflict. There Halfred, on the threshold +of his house, slew the Danish Jarl Sveno, the last chieftain of the +enemy who still lived, and pressed into the house with his men. + +The people from Westgothaland, Zealand, and Tiunderland, defended +themselves like bears at bay. But at last they were all slain. And from +thence Halfred returned to the Mead hall, which was still glowing, and +searched who there still lived. + +But there, also, all were dead. + +And they found the bodies of King Hartstein, and Sudha, and of the Dane +Hako, and the two Irishmen, Konal and Kiartan, of the Eastgothic +Prince Helge--Helgrimr had fallen on board ship--and of Arngeir and +Arnbiorn--Arnolfr had been slain in the dwelling house--and they found +Vandrad the Skald at the point of death. + +Then he told Halfred how Sudha had prevailed upon him to speak, and +begged him to forgive him the death of so many heroes. And Halfred held +his hand until he was dead. + +But Dame Harthild's body they did not find, although many of her women +lay burnt or slain in the dwelling-house. + +But many bodies were so burnt and charred they could not be recognised. + +And then they turned their search to the ships. + +And all the ships of the foreign guests were burnt, and all those of +the Icelanders which lay in the bay. For at the last, by reason of +Halfred's furious attack, no one had thought any more about +extinguishing them. + +And Halfred, with his trumpet, hailed the Singing Swan, which floated +saved in the moonlight, and went on board with his little troop. + +And there lay slain many hundreds of Halfred's Icelanders, + +The foreign guests, however, who had come to the midsummer feast, lay +all all dead, save only Hartvik and Eigil. + +And Halfred counted when he called all hands before the mast still +seventy men alive. + +All the rest had fallen in that one midsummer night. And there fell +after that wild tumult an awful stillness upon land and sea. And sad +and silent floated the Singing Swan, with scorched sails, upon the +Fjord. + + + + + CHAPTER IX. + +And Halfred has sunk into deep deep silence. Since the fight had ended, +and he had heard Vandrad's dying words, he had not spoken a word. + +But when it was full daylight the Singing Swan drew near the land, and +the men came ashore. + +Silently Halfred signed to his sailing comrades to carry out all the +bodies from the drinking hall, the dwelling-house, and the ships; and +to collect them altogether on the shore. He had seven funeral piles +erected, and upon these all the dead were burned with their weapons. +The ashes, however, of friends and foes Halfred ordered them to mingle. + +And these he poured himself into a great stone-lined grave which he had +had dug on the shore, hard by the water line. And he had earth heaped +thickly upon them, and a huge black block of stone which had once been +thrown out of Hekla rolled thereon. And this cost many days work. + +But Halfred spoke not. And all through the nights he sat upon the grave +and looked now upwards to the stars of the summer night, now downwards +rigidly upon the earth, and the stone grave. And gently gently he +oftimes shook his head. + +But he spoke no word. + +And when after seven nights the sun arose, Hartvik and Eigil drew near +to him, as he sat upon the stone, and then Hartvik spoke-- + + +"Halfred, my blood brother, a great calamity has befallen to thee, to +me, to us. Father and sister and many friends have I lost, and Eigil +has also lost many who were dear to him. We must bear it, all three. +Come, Halfred, Sigskald, arouse thyself! This silence and brooding is +evil. Dwelling-house and Mead hall the fire has burnt--the axe will +build them up. Harps, there are many still upon the earth, and the +Singing Swan spreads out her hardly singed pinions. Come, Halfred, +drink! Here I have brought thee from the Greek spoils of the Singing +Swan a cup of Chios wine, which thou ever lovedst. Drink, speak, and +live!" + + +Halfred stood up with a sigh, took the cup from Hartvik's hand, and +poured the wine slowly upon the grave; the earth drank it greedily in. + + +"Come hither again about midnight. Then will I give ye an answer. I +cannot even yet think clearly. Once more will I ask the gods who dwell +in the stars if they even yet deny me an answer." + + +And he sat down again upon the stone, and covered his face with his +hands. + +And when about midnight the two came, Halfred pointed towards the +heavens-- + + + "There are so many thousand thousand stars, but they are all dumb to + me. + Unceasingly, for seven days and nights, have I asked myself, and + asked the stars, wherefore have the Gods allowed this awful thing to + happen? + Is it a crime that I vowed a vow, such as many which are vowed in + the north? + Hundreds of women had heard it without resentment. + Is it my crime that Dame Harthild was differently minded? + And it was no lie that I bore love to her, on that night. + Love's fulness truly it was not--as Sudha named it. + That may be. Never knew I love's fulness. + And be it so. If the Gods hate me for an evil deed, wherefore do + they not punish me alone? + Wherefore let others--so many others--suffer and atone for + _my_ sin? + Wherefore should King Hartstein perish, and many other princes, + and thousands of men from all coasts and islands? + Wherefore should Dame Harthild perish, whom they would have + avenged, and our unborn son? + How have all these sinned? Answer me, ye two, if ye know more than + do I and the stars?" + + +But his blood brethren were silent, and Halfred continued-- + + + "Yet there must be Gods! + Who has else bound the giants, calmed the sea, levelled the earth, + arched the heavens, and strewn the stars? Who else guides the battle? + and how, after death, come mighty heroes to Valhalla, and the evil to + the dark serpent hell? + For that awful fearful thought which already from afar has come + darkly into my mind, that perhaps no Gods live! I will think it no + more. + There must be Gods. I cannot cannot think otherwise, and my + throbbing brain is driven to frenzy. + And if there are Gods, they must be also good, and wise, and + mighty, and just. + Else it would be indeed yet more frightful to think that beings, + mightier and wiser than mankind, delighted in the misery of men, + like an evil urchin who for sport impales a captured beetle. + This, therefore, one dare not think,--neither, indeed,--that + there are no Gods, or that there are evil Gods. + And therefore will I in devout submission endure this awful calamity, + waiting till, in the course of years, I guess this riddle also. So hard + an one was never yet set before me. + But ye, ye faithful ones, who stood by me to the death, and spared + not your own kindred, and have lost your nearest through me; ye will I + never forsake, all my life long; and great gratitude will I bear ye, + and my dearest shall ye be for evermore. For ye alone will I live." + + +Then spake Hartvik-- + + +"Not thus must thou speak, Halfred. The harp thou shalt again strike +victoriously, the hammer shalt thou again joyously wield under the blue +heavens of Greece. The blood of the vine shalt thou quaff, and a woman +more enchanting than----" + +Then Halfred sprang up from the black stone-- + + + "Silence, Hartvik: Thou blasphemest. + Who is stricken so heavily as I, by the hatred of the Gods, who + live and are just, he stands as a lightning-blasted tree by the way. + Birds sing not upon it, the dew moistens it not, the sun kisses it + not. + How should I sing and laugh, drink and kiss, through whom hath + fallen upon so many thousand men and women utter destruction, or the + sorrow of death for evermore? + No, otherwise have I vowed to myself. + Long did I doubt if I still could live, after such a calamity as + the Gods have laid upon this head, and I could not, did I not believe + in good Gods, and tarry for the solving of this riddle. + But joy and happiness have no more part in Halfred Hamundson. I + renounce them for ever." + + +And he kneeled down, and took from his breast pouch a leathern bottle, +which was filled with white ashes. And slowly he strewed them all over +his long flowing black locks, and his face, and breast, and body. + + + "Hear me, ye good all ruling Gods, and ye glittering all seeing + stars of heaven; and of men-kind upon earth, Hartvik and Eigil, my + blood brethren! + Here I renounce, on account of the awful calamity which I have + drawn down upon wife and child, and many hundred friends and + strangers, I renounce for ever happiness and joy, song, wine, and + the love of women. + To the dead alone, slain for my crime, with whose ashes I here + cover myself upon their grave mound, do I belong; and among the + living, to my faithful blood brethren. + And if I break this solemnly sworn vow, then be Dame Harthild's + curse wholly fulfilled." + + +And the stars and his friends in silence heard his vow. + + + + + CHAPTER X. + +And Halfred kept his word. + +Year after year passed away--he told me he no longer knew how often. +Meanwhile midsummer returned--and Halfred lived a life which was as a +living death. + +Hartvik and Eigil commanded the Singing Swan, and ruled their sailing +comrades. They chose the design, the port, and the course of their +voyages. Halfred without word, wish, or choice, let everything be. + +Only, when the south wind grew too strong for Hartvik's hand, Halfred +strode silently to the helm, and steered until the sea was calm again. + +Also, when Vikings attacked the ship, Halfred had forbidden that the +Singing Swan, either by sea or land, should do harm to any--and the +danger became overwhelming, Halfred silently--he raised the battle cry +no more--grasped his hammer, and dashed among the enemy until they gave +way. + +But he wielded his hammer only with his left hand--his shield he had +laid aside--and neither with helmet nor mail did he protect his head +and breast. + +And throughout the whole year he wore the garment which on that +midsummer night smoke, flame and blood had darkly dyed. + +When the Singing Swan drew near the land--the black flame marks on the +wings none were allowed to efface--and Hartvik and Eigil and the +sailors went to the halls of kings, Halfred stayed lying upon deck, and +kept guard over the ship. + +And he drank only water out of a cup of the bitter juniperwood. + +Eigil brought once, from a king's halls where the Sigskald of yore had +often been a guest, a splendid golden harp, which the queen, in +greeting to her old friend, had sent as a present. + +But as the ship turned out of the bay the harp, with a light rush, +glided into the sea. + +And once Halfred lay at midsummer in Iceland, on the shore by the black +stone--for every midsummer night he spent alone there, his friends must +remain on the ship--and looked very very sad. For his face had grown +very pale. + +Then there came a woman, and a wonderfully beautiful maiden, who was +her daughter, and stood before him; and he turned away his face, but +the mother spoke-- + + +"I know thee, even yet, Halfred Sigskald. I can never forget thy face, +although the smile of Oski no longer plays thereon, and though the +furrows on thy brow are deeply scored as with a plough. This maiden +dids't thou, fifteen years ago, lay in my arms a sleeping child. See +how beautiful she has become, as no other in all Iceland. And this +wreath of summer flowers has she twined for thee. Set it upon thy pale +brow, and thou shalt be healed, for gratitude has woven it." + + +Then Halfred sprang up, took the wreath from the beautiful blushing +maiden's hand, lifted with mighty force the huge block upwards, threw +the wreath under it, and let the black stone fall heavily in its place +again. + +The mother and maiden, weeping, departed. + +And during these years Halfred spoke hardly to any, save Hartvik and +Eigil, and to them only when he must. + +And what he said was weak and mournful. + +And his voice had become very low. + +And he was very kind to everyone, above all to those below him. + +And often in the night the sailors heard him sigh, and turn himself +upon the straw bed upon the deck, where always, even in the cold +winter, he lay under the stars. + +And they heard him often speak when there was no one at hand with whom +he could talk. + +And at table he rested his head upon his left hand, and kept his eyes +cast downwards, or looked into the far far distance. + +And he almost never complained, only he often shook his head gently, +and pressed very very often his left hand upon his breast, and said +many times-- + +"The fresh air of heaven shuns me. I cannot breathe. If I will breathe +I must sigh. My heart is almost crushed." + +And Hartvik and Eigil said one to the other--"He is ill." + +And once, when they sailed to Greece, Hartvik secretly called a +physician--they are very skilful there--and the physician watched +Halfred many days and nights, and said-- + +"It is a heavy malady under which this poor man suffers. + +"And many have already quietly died of it, or sunk into madness. + +"We call it 'Melancholy.'" + + + + + CHAPTER XI. + + +And the Singing Swan sailed again into the western seas, in the late +spring and early summer, at the time which the Latins call "Mensus +Madius." + +And because of the long voyage the provisions were exhausted, and the +ship also needed rest and repairing. + +And Halfred's blood brethren said to him, when they came into the +waters of the island of Hibernia-- + +"Both men and stores need caring for: we will land at King Thorul's sea +castle, and provide all that we need on board. Far famed is King +Thorul's hall; there they have great skill on the harp. Come with us to +the city; rejoice thy heart in human fellowship, for there thou cans't +not, as heretofore, lie upon the ship. Even to the Singing Swan will +many people come, workmen and traders, and thou wouldst not be alone +under thy stars. Shall we not steer for the green island?" + +And Halfred nodded, and Hartvik joyfully turned the helm sharp to the +west. + +When, however, they saw the towers of Thorul's hall rise from the waves +in the morning light, Halfred, with his own hand, lowered the smaller +boat, which lay fastened on the deck near the helm, and said-- + +"When ye have rejoiced yourselves at King Thorurs court, and have +provided for the ship, seek me, after twenty nights, on yonder small +rocky island." + +And he took arrow, and bow, and fishing hook, sprang into the boat, and +rowed to the island. + +But, the Singing Swan sailed further to the west. + +And Halfred landed upon the small rocky island; he found a fitting bay, +and drew his boat high up upon the white sand of the shore. + +And then there came floating to him on the air something which was +strange and yet well known to him. Only under the golden stars of +Greece and Rome had he ever heretofore enjoyed the intoxication of such +fragrance. + +There is, that is to say, a flower of the delicate hue of a maiden's +cheek, "Rosa" the Latins call it, and its fragrance is as the kiss of +pure maiden lips. + +And this flower had the Roman heroes, so long as they were powerful in +these western lands, carefully tended in their houses and gardens. Long +since, however, had the Roman heroes vanished, their stately dwellings +were abandoned and ruined, their gardens grown wild. + +And wild also had grown the maiden tinted flower which they call Rosa, +and had spread all over the island, and flourished luxuriantly +everywhere, and breathed forth a strong intoxicating perfume. + +On these small islands which lie round about the great western island +of Hibernia, the air is always mild; the snow seldom there remains +lying on the land, and only slightly, and for a short time are the +streams frozen. + +And the singing birds which elsewhere retreat before the frost, rest +for the winter in these retreats, where meadows, shrubs, and trees, +remain green even in the severest seasons. For it rains often there, +and moist is the breath of the billows rolling around. + +And the heathen people, therefore, call these islands "Baldur's +Islands," for Baldur they name the God of the spring dawning. + +And as Halfred climbed up the hill from the shore, all the underwood +and sweet-springing thorns were in full bloom; white thorn and red +thorn and black thorn and the wild roses. + +And also the many splendid fruit trees which the Roman heroes had +brought with them from the south and the east, were in full bloom. + +And from every shrub and tree resounded the sweet tones of the grey +brown singing bird, which the Latins call "Luscinia," the Greeks +"Philomela," but we, the "Nightingale." + +And Halfred strode upwards and inland, by the side of a clear rapid +stream, which flowed over white pebbles, through light green copsewood. +On the height he came to a transparent copse of alders, young beeches, +and slender white birches. There lovely broad-winged butterflies +flitted over the beautiful flowers in the sunny glades. Deep in the +thicket sang the thrush. The tops and pliant boughs of the birches +nodded and waved. + +And then there came to him, borne on the morning wind, yet other sounds +than the song of the nightingale, far clearer and softer, as from the +lightly-touched strings of a harp; but which sounded far more beautiful +than any harp playing, either of his own or any other Skald, which he +had ever heard. + +And from high above, as if from heaven, the tones appeared to come. +Halfred followed the sounds, which powerfully moved and allured him. + +No sound since the last dying shriek of his harp had reached his soul +through his ears. These harp tones aroused his soul. He believed that +elves or Bragi, the song God, were harping in the air. + +He wished not to scare the singer, but to listen. Softly he passed on, +choosing his steps; the wood-grass betrayed him not, for it was soft, +long, and thick. + +He had now come quite near to the sound, yet still he saw not the +singer. Cautiously he parted the thick white thorn bushes, and +perceived then a small green mound, upon which stood in a circle six +beeches. But the seventh, the tallest, stood in the centre, and towered +above them all; and around its trunk wound an ornamental staircase made +of white wood; and made of the same white wood there was a slight +platform fitted in where the broad branches of the beech spread +themselves out. The railing of both staircase and platform was +ingeniously carved. + +From this airy bower floated down the wonderful tones. + +Halfred drew nearer, and spied through the branches and the crevices of +the platform. His heart throbbed high with amazement, awe, and +yearning. + +There he saw the player. + +On the railing leaned a boy who was wonderfully beautiful, so +beautiful, Halfred said to me, that never had he seen such beauty upon +earth--so beautiful as the elves must be, in which the heathen people +believe. + +He was altogether white--his slender face was white as the stone which +the Greeks call "Alabaster;" the folded garment which reached from his +neck to his knees was white, and white were the leathern shoes upon his +feet. + +But the eyes and hair of the boy were like gold. + +And Halfred said to me that the eyes were the golden brown of the +eagle's eyes. In the shining hair, however, which a net of the same +colour confined, instead of a hat, played hither and thither, bright +sun-tinted gleams, as though a sunbeam had lost itself therein, and now +vainly sought to find an outlet. + +And the boy played upon a small three-sided stringed instrument, such +as only the Skalds of Hibernia carry, and played a wholly unknown +melody. + +And he played and sang so beautifully, that Halfred had never yet heard +such playing and singing; mournful and yet blissful at the same time, +was the melody, like the pain of yearning, which yet for no pleasure of +the earth would the heart resign. + +And Halfred told me that for the first time since that midsummer night +a warm breath passed again over his soul. + +And the beautiful boy in the airy bower enchained his eyes, and the +mournful yearning song entranced his soul. + +And for the first time, for many, many years, his breast could heave +with a full drawn breath. + +And tears filled his eyes, and restored and healed him, and made him +young once more, like cool dew upon the heath after a burning sun. + +And at the close of every two lines the words of the song rang +harmoniously together, like--and yet again not altogether entirely +like--as though two voices sought each other in sound and echo. + +Or as when man and woman, one and yet two, are folded together in a +kiss. + +The boy sang in the soft lisping Irish language, which Halfred well +knew. But that closing concord had he never heard, and it resounded far +more pleasingly upon the ear than did the dead consonant staves of the +Skalds. + +And this was the boy's song,-- + + + "On light slender branches blowing + White rose yearns through May's young bloom-- + Sun God, 'tis for thee I'm glowing, + When wilt thou, thy bright face showing, + Quaff full deep my fresh perfume? + When wilt thou, for ardour sighing, + Greet my flowers in trembling bliss? + Come, and must I rue thee dying, + Leave within my chalice lying, + Fiery sweet, thy fervid kiss." + +Here closed the boy's song and playing with a clear resounding chord on +the strings. + +And as soon as he ceased, and had hung his harp on the boughs, lo! +there came flying from the nearest shrub two snow-white doves, which +lighted one on the right, the other on the left shoulder of the boy, +who smiling stroked their heads, and slowly, thoughtfully, with +stately, and yet almost timed step, came down the white wooden stairs, +and stood upon the beautiful flowery turf of the greenwood glade. + +Halfred dreaded that he might terrify the gentle harper if he stepped +suddenly out of the thicket before him. + +Therefore he called to him first, from a distance, in a soft voice, +slowly drawing nearer. + +"Hail, gentle boy! If thou art mortal, may the Gods be gracious to +thee. If thou art thyself a God, or as I surmise one of the light +elves, then be not ungracious to me, a mortal man." + +Then the boy turned slowly towards him, without seeming to be +terrified, or even surprised, and as Halfred now drew nearer, he said +in a melodious vibrating voice-- + +"Welcome, Halfred. Art thou come at last? I have tarried long for +thee." + +And he offered him both hands; the glance of the golden eyes sinking +deep into Halfred's soul. + +Halfred, however, dared not to touch those hands. He felt, from the +very depths of his being, a quickening warmth uprise, and send rippling +through body and soul a quiver of delight--of joy in surpassing +beauty--but also of holy awe, as in the presence of gods or spirits; +for he had no longer any doubt that it was no earthly being who stood +before him. + +Voice and breath almost failed him as he asked-- + +"Who hath proclaimed to thee Halfred's coming, and name!" + +"The moonlight." + +"Then art thou indeed, as I had already perceived, the prince of the +light elves, to whom moon and stars speak words. Be gracious to me, O +loveliest of the Gods." + +Then the boy smiled. "I am a child of earth, like thyself, Halfred. +Draw nearer. Take my hands." + +"But who art thou, if thou art mortal!" asked Halfred, still +hesitating. + +"Thoril, King Thorul's orphan grandchild." + +"And wherefore dwellest thou here alone, on this small island, as +though hidden, and not in King Thorul's hall?" + +"He dreamed thrice that danger threatened me, in the month when the +wild roses blow; a strange ship which should come into his harbour +would carry me away, never to be seen again. + +"To render me quite safe against this danger he sent me here to this +small outlying island, at which, because of its circling cliffs, no +ship can land. Only Moengal, his ancient armour-bearer, and his wife, +my foster-mother, are with me; yonder, in that small wooden house, +behind the beech mound, we live. But so long as the dear lord shines, +and the gay butterflies flit over the flowers, I tarry here in hidden +airy bower." + +"But, thou wonderful boy, if thou art really a child of earth, how +could the moon reveal to thee my coming and my name?" + +"I sleep not in the moonlight, because it entices me out and upwards. +It lifts me by force from my couch, and upwards to itself. With closed +eyes, they say, I wander then away on the narrowest ridges of the roof; +and far away, through forest and mountain, I see what shall happen in +the future, and the distance. + +"Carefully they guarded me, therefore, in the king's hall. But here, the +clear moon looks freely through the rifts in our cottage roof. + +"And I saw, seven nights ago, a ship, with a swan on the prow, that drew +nearer and nearer. On the deck lay sleepless a dark-bearded man, with a +noble countenance. 'Halfred,' his two friends called him. + +"And ever nearer floated the sailing Swan. But when, one cloudy night, +the moon shone not upon my pillow, and my eyes could not see the ship, +and the man, then yearning seized upon me for that noble countenance. +And I laid my pillow and my head, since then, ever carefully under the +full flood of the moonlight. And night after night I gazed again on +that lofty forehead and these palid temples. + +"But still more beautiful and lordly art thou, than thy dream picture; +and never have I seen a man to equal thee." + +"But thou," cried Halfred, seizing both the singer's hands, "art like +Baldur in spring beauty, gentle boy. + +"Never have I seen such perfect charm in youth or in maiden. Like +sunshine upon chilled limbs, like Chios wine through parched throat, +flows thy beauty through my eyes deep into my soul. Thou art as the +blackbird's song and the wood flowers: as the evening star in golden +clouds; thou art as the most wonderful song which ever resounded from +the lips of a Skald; thyself, as thou livest and movest, thou art pure +poetry. + +"O Thoril, golden boy, how gentle thou art! how thou hast quickened my +grief-worn heart. O Thoril, leave me never again! + +"Take up once more thy magic harp; uplift once more that sweet song, +which has awakened my soul from the sleep of death. + +"O come, let me lay my heavy head upon thy knee, and gaze in thy sunny +wondrous face, while thou tunest thy harp, and playest and singest." + +And thus they both did. + +And trustfully flew one of the doves from Thoril's hand to Halfred's +broad shoulder, and cooed lovingly to the other. + +And when the song was ended, Halfred seized again the two hands of the +boy, and drew them slowly slowly over his forehead, and his moist eyes. + +And it all was as it stands written in the sacred books of the Jews, of +the King full of sadness and heaviness, who could only be healed by the +harp-playing of the son of Jesse. + + + + + CHAPTER XII. + +And this lasted many days; and upon Halfred's forehead the lines and +furrows disappeared, one after another. And once more he could draw a +deep full breath without sighing. + +And he carried his head again proudly erect, when he did not purposely +bend down to look into the golden eyes of the boy, which ever again and +again he did. + +And so much did Halfred dread to lose Thoril again, that he never left +his side the live-long day. And because Thoril's couch and sleeping +chamber were, as he said, so small that Halfred could not share them, +he lay before the door upon the threshold. + +Nevertheless he still could not sleep; but now, because with ardent +yearning he listened to the breathing of the sleeper. And with the +earliest dawn of morning he would rouse Thoril from sleep and his +sleeping chamber. + +And it seemed as if the old gift of Oski was given back to Halfred, +the winning of all hearts. For the two guardians of the boy, who +full of mistrust had seen the strange man approach their cottage, +holding Thoril's hand--the ancient Moengal had rushed at him with a +spear--were at once gentle and won, when he begged, with the old smile +of Oski--"Let me be healed at Thoril's golden eyes." + +But on the thirtieth day--the time when the Singing Swan should come +for him was long passed, but Halfred thought not of that--the two went +out with hooks and lines to catch fish. For Moengal's provisions were +exhausted. + +In the midst of the island lay a dark lake, surrounded by steep high +cliffs. But from the lake a streamlet flowed to the open sea. In a +small boat they could row upon this lake, and down the streamlet to the +sea. And there were many splendid fish called silver salmon in the +lake, and in the stream, and even down in the salt sea. + +And Halfred and Thoril rowed over the lake the whole morning, and laid +ground hooks and nets. + +And when, towards mid-day, the heat burned more and more fiercely down +upon them, Halfred said-- + +"Come away from this shadeless depth. There above, on the cliff, I see +falling the glittering spray of a silver rill--amidst alders, amidst +wild roses it springs. There above, it is cool and shady. Easily shall +we find a grotto in the rock. I long for that fresh spring water. And +there above, to the left, nod dark sweet berries--they quench the +thirst, and young boys love them. Let us climb up. I will gladly aid +thee." + +And slowly they climbed the steep face of the cliff. Thoril now aided, +now followed by Halfred. + +Then there floated to them, half-way up to the fountain, a strong +perfume from a hollow linden tree, like wine, but it was wild honey +which the wood-bees had gathered there. + +And Thoril dipped his forefinger deep in the bright thick mixture, and +laid it upon Halfred's lips, and smiled at him, and said-- + +"Take it. It is very sweet." + +And most enchanting he looked. + +Then Halfred exclaimed-- + +"Such honey, so say the people, the Gods have laid upon my lips. Try if +it is true." + +And he suddenly clapped Thoril's head, which was bent down towards him, +with both hands, and kissed him on his full lips. + +Then both started asunder. A burning glow shot through Halfred's frame. +But Thoril turned away his face, quivering slightly, and rapidly +climbed up the cliff. + +Halfred paused, and drew a deep breath-- + +Then he followed. + +"See, Thoril," cried Halfred halting, "this cavern, hollowed by the +elves in the rock. The thick thorn bushes, with the perfumed red +flowers, almost hide the entrance; and see there, how the brown +nightingale on her nest guards the small doorway, and how the honey +bees swarm around. Here will we stop and rest as we descend, when we +have drunk above." + +But Thoril made no answer, and climbed more quickly upwards. + +They had still some fifty paces to climb upwards to the edge of the +cliff whence the spring water fell in silver spray. Halfred was +surprised that henceforward the boy went steadily on, turning his back +to him, and if he sought to aid him in climbing, held on his course +without looking round. + +Fiercely beat the noontide down upon the cliff; all around was deep +silence; only blue flies darted buzzing through the sunshine, and from +high in the heavens sounded often the shrill cries of soaring falcons, +which with outspread pinions circled over their heads. + +They had now mounted so high that far away over the small island they +could see, on three sides, beneath and around them, the blue sea +appear. + +And the sea encircled the blooming island with its dark steel-blue arm, +like a mail-clad hero a blooming women. + +But from the far west drew near a white sail. + +At last they had reached the height. Thoril stood above, hard by the +waterfall, where scarcely could a pair of human feet find standing room +upon the wet slippery crumbling stone. + +Beneath him, some five feet lower, Halfred halted, and looked towards +him. "Give me to drink, I am parched with thirst," he cried to him. + +And Thoril drew from his fishing pouch a curved, silvery shining, +mother of pearl shell. He raised himself on tiptoe, filled the shell to +the brim, and turned to reach it down to Halfred. Then his foot slipped +on the polished stone, vainly he tried to save himself, spreading out +his arms on the bare rock wall. Halfred saw him falling downwards, +straight upon himself, and opened wide his strong arms to receive the +light burden. But lo!--a miracle. In the rapid fall the buckle broke +which fastened over the breast Thoril's white linen garment; wide +outspreading, down over the shoulders, fell the garment; at the same +moment fell the net which confined the golden hair--a rich flood of +waving tresses spread themselves over the shining neck and swelling +breast. + +"A woman art thou? a maiden?" shouted Halfred exultingly. "Thanks to +ye, O stars. Yes; this is Love's fullness." + +And the beautiful maiden hid her glowing cheeks in Halfred's neck. + +With a few strides he bore his light burden down to the grotto they had +passed in climbing, and bending the branches of the rose bushes aside +placed her safely within its shelter. The nightingale, which there sat +singing on her nest, flew only to a short distance; and then returned +and sang and warbled unceasingly. And the bees flew humming among the +wild roses. + +And when the crimson glow of the evening sun shone over the island +Halfred and Thoril descended the cliff. And now the girl's face was +infinitely more beautiful than of yore. She wore her hair no longer in +the net, but waving freely, so that like a mantle spun of threads of +sunny gold it covered her from her throat to her knees. And instead of +the lost buckle a small spray of the thorn bush, with a full blown +rose, fastened her garment over the breast. + +Thus, hand in hand, they descended to the lake, and then Thora took +from the boat her three-sided harp, and thus they wandered down by the +streamlet which flowed from the lake to the sea, and on to the bay, +towards the west. + +And the ship, which from the west had held her course towards the +island, was the Singing Swan. + +There, at a short distance, she now lay at anchor in the bay; her sails +shining brightly in the evening light. And the ship's boat glided over +the water towards the shore, to bring Halfred and the smaller boat, +rowed by Hartvik and Eigil. + +And the blood brethren sprang on shore, and marvelled greatly, when +they saw Halfred stand there, hand in hand with a wonderfully beautiful +woman. Silently their glances questioned him. + +But Halfred spoke, twining his arms round the slender girl-- + +"This is Thora the golden-eyed. King Thorul's daughter. + +"She was hidden from me here, and clad in boy's clothing that I might +not find her. + +"Nevertheless I have found her, according to the course of the stars and +the will of the Gods--Love her as myself--for she is my wife." + + + + + CHAPTER XIII. + + +And now it was very wonderful to see what a wholly different man +Halfred had became since he had won Thora. + +He threw off his tattered clothing, and clad himself in the most costly +royal raiment of scarlet and rich gold, which lay stored away as a +special treasure among the spoils of the Singing Swan. + +He quaffed the sparkling Chios wine from a silver cup, and eagerly +pledged Thora in Freya's love. + +He played often upon her harp, and sang new songs far more beautiful +and ardent, and moving according to a melody which he invented, and +called "Thora's melody." + +And his youth seemed to be given back to him, for the deep furrows +vanished from his forehead, his eyes, which had always been cast down, +as though he revolved the past, or his own thoughts, now looked +brightly upwards again, and around his lips again played joyously the +smile of Oski. + +And he stirred not night or day from his young wife's side; and was +never weary of stroking her long golden hair, or looking deep into her +golden joyfully glistening eyes. + +But in the night he often held her high aloft in his arms, and silently +showed her to the silent stars. + +And he had himself seized the helm, to turn the Singing Swan towards +the south, for he said, "Thora shall see the islands of the blest, in +the blue Grecian waters, where marble statues, white and slender as +herself, look out from among evergreen laurels." + +And the flame marks on the Swan's wings were effaced, and mast and +spars must always be wreathed with flowers, for Thora loved flowers. + +But the young wife had eyes for Halfred alone. She spoke but few words; +but with sweet smiles she often whispered-- + +"Yes, verily, thou art the Son of Heaven. Mortal men, such as I have +often seen in my father's hall, could never be at once so strong and so +gentle. Thou art like the sea a furious irresistible God, and withal a +lovely dreaming child." + +And when she glided across the ship, all in snow white garments, and +with her golden flowing hair, the men on the rowing benches sat with +oars suspended, and Hartvik, at the helm, forgot to guide the ship's +course, and followed her steps with wondering eyes. + +And when they drew near to land, and the people saw her hovering on the +wings of the Singing Swan--where she loved to stand--they brought +offerings of flowers, for they believed that Frigg, or Freya, had +sailed in to visit them. + +And Halfred told me that she grew more beautiful from day to day. + +And in this wise passed four times seven nights. + +And Halfred was so infatuated and absorbed in Thora, that he did not in +the least observe what was brewing among the sailors, or how his blood +brethren, who held themselves aloof from him, whispered together. + +He heard once, as he remembered afterwards that Hartvik whispered to +Eigil, "No I tell thee. He will never do it himself, or by free will. +Therefore the physician must by force burn out the wound from the +sufferer." + +He neither noticed nor understood these words. But soon afterwards he +understood them. + +One clear moonlight night Halfred and Thora had already sought their +couch in their chamber between the decks, from whence a small gangway +and flight of steps led upwards, and Thora had fallen asleep. Ere +Halfred fell asleep however, it seemed to him as though he detected +that the Singing Swan was, very slowly certainly, but perceptibly +turning. She groaned, as though resisting the pressure of the helm; and +he thought that he heard, through the open gangway, the sound of many +steps upon the deck, and of whispering voices, and now and again of +weapons clashing. + +Instinctively he glanced towards the head of the couch; where his +hammer hung, guarding his bride's pillow. The loop was empty. The +hammer was missing. + +Quickly, but lightly, so as not to wake the sleeper, he sprang up the +narrow stairs. He was just in time. Hartvik and Eigil were in the act +to close the small trap door, which fastened over the gangway with a +bolt, and thus confine the pair between decks. There, now, stood +Halfred, his right foot on the deck, his left on the highest step. +Hartvik and Eigil started up, and drew back a pace. Hartvik was leaning +upon Halfred's hammer. The ship's crew stood armed in a half circle +behind him. The helm also was surrounded by armed men, and had been +turned. The ship no longer sailed towards the south-east, but held west +north-west, and the sails were half-reefed. + +"What do ye here my blood brethren?" said Halfred, softly--for he +thought of Thora--and was more amazed than angry. "Are ye mad, or have +ye grown faithless." + +For a while all were silent, startled at Halfred's sudden appearance, +whom they had believed to be sleeping soundly by Thora's side. But +Hartvik recovered and spoke-- + +"It is not we who are mad, or have grown faithless, but thou, our +unhappy brother, under magic spell. We would have accomplished what +must be done without it being possible for thee to hinder it. Thou +shouldst only have trodden the deck again, when, against thine own +will, thou wert restored to health. + +"Now, however, since thou hast too soon learnt this, hear what we, thy +blood brethren and the most of those on board, assembled in ship's +council, last night resolved--resolved for thy weal, although many +opposed it, and would first have spoken with thee. Submit thyself +peaceably, for it is unalterable as the course of the stars, and +although thou art very strong, Halfred Hamundson, bethink thee, thou +art weaponless, and we are seventy." + +Halfred was silent. Fearfully swelled his temple veins; but he thought +of Thora. "She sleeps," he whispered. "Say softly what ye have to say. +I listen." + +"Halfred, our dear blood brother," continued Hartvik softly. "Thou +liest spell bound in the toils of a woman who--I will verily not revile +her, for I love her more ardently than my own heart's blood--whatever +she may be, a mortal woman undoubtedly is not. + +"Here works one of the strongest spells which ever witchcraft wove, and +ever befooled the senses of men. + +"I blame her not as do many of our comrades. + +"She can do no otherwise. This is her very nature. + +"She is in truth an Elfin woman, or what the Irish call their white half +Goddesses. + +"In the old Sagas it is told that there are such magic women, who, +whether they will or not, wherever they come, bewitch the eyes and +hearts of all men. In Herjadal lived such an one, seventy years ago, +and there was no peace in the land until they had hung a mill stone +about her neck, and sunk her where the Fjord is deepest. + +"That this woman is no mortal woman can any one see who only looks once +in her white face, through which all the veins shine blue, and in the +selfish glittering golden eyes. This alone were enough, without that +which many among us have seen; how, lately, when the moon was full, she +rose unperceived from thy side, and floated up upon deck and with +closed eyes danced up and down upon the slightest wing feathers of the +Singing Swan, like an elf in the moon rays. And when the moon went +behind a cloud she glided just as lightly down to thee. + +"But this is the smallest part of her magic. + +"Not thee alone has her beauty ensnared. She hath so crazed all the +ship's crew that they forget work and duty to gaze after her as she +floats along. + +"Yes, even among us, blood friends, hath she kindled frightful sinister +thoughts against thee, and against each other. I, who care not for +women, and Eigil, who never thought of any woman save my burnt sister, +we have lately by night confessed to each other that this silent white +elf woman hath so fearfully crazed our senses, that each of us has +already wished thy death, yes, would even have contrived it, in order +to win this golden haired enchantress. + +"And when we confessed these same thoughts to each other, we were filled +with shame. + +"Yet nevertheless each of us has plotted the death of the other. + +"There must be an end of this. + +"This slender sorceress shall not make men murderers in their thoughts, +who have stood together through fire and blood. + +"We will not throw her overboard, as many of the crew in superstitious +terror advise. Where would be the use? She would swim like a sea bird +on the tops of the waves. But we will bear her back to the lonely +island, where no eye of man can see her, and where no doubt wise gods +had banished her. We would all possess her, and none shall have what +each covets." + +Frightfully throbbed the veins in Halfred's temples, in his rage. "The +first," he said, quite softly, through his gnashing teeth, "the first +who lifts a hand, ay even a look towards her, I will tear his false +heart from his living body." + +And so frightfully threatening was his face to behold that Hartvik and +all the armed men drew back a couple of paces. + +But Eigil stepped forward again, and spoke in a louder voice than +Hartvik had used. + +"Halfred, give way. We have sworn it. We will compel thee." + +"Ye compel me!" cried Halfred, also now in a louder voice. "Murder and +revolt on board the Singing Swan! What saith the Viking code? Like a +dog shall he hang by the neck at the mast head who secretly stirs up +disobedience to the ship's lord." + +"To the ship's lord, yes, when madness crazes him not," shouted Eigil +again. + +"Darest thou to speak of rights, Halfred Hamundson? + +"Only because madness and magic excuse thee, have we not long since +asserted our rights against thee: thou, who every word and bond of +right hast broken. We demand our rights. But thou hast no right to that +woman. + +"Hast thou forgotten, Perjurer, that bloodstained midsummer night on +Hamunds Fjord? Of that, in truth, thou hast not spoken, since, like a +love sick boy, thou hast doted on this slender sorceress. + +"Thou hast forgotten it, but the seamen who sail by yonder spot, they +see with horror the huge black Heckla Stone which there hides an awful +catastrophe, and covers a fearful curse. But huge and heavy as it is, +it cannot bury it. Demanding vengeance the shades of many thousand dead +arise, who lie there, through thy crime, and with whom thou hast broken +faith and oath. + +"For how did'st thou swear in that night? + + +"Here I renounce, on account of the awful calamity which I have drawn +down upon wife and child, and many hundred friends and strangers, I +renounce for ever happiness and joy, song, wine, and the love of women. +To the dead alone, slain for my crime, with whose ashes I here cover +myself on their grave mound, do I belong, and among the living to my +faithful blood-brethren. And if I break this solemnly-sworn vow, then +be Dame Harthild's curse wholly fulfilled." + + +"But thou carest no more for Gods or men, no more for us thy +blood-brethren, who stood by thee to the death; who kept faith with +thee against our own kindred; who defended thy head against King +Hartstein's sword when thou layest defenceless as a child upon our +knees; who for thee have slain our nearest kindred; for thee have given +up sister and beloved. + +"Her also, whose voluptuous lips have kissed forgetfulness upon thy +forehead, even her also has thy selfishness forgotten; for thou wilt +bring destruction upon her, as surely as the Gods hear curses, and +chastise perjury. + +"Doubtless thou hast never told the white armed enchantress what a +fearful curse thou, with each kiss, art drawing down nearer and nearer +upon her head." + +"Silence, Raven," cried Halfred, threateningly, paling with rage and +dread. + +But Eigil continued, "Who knows if the golden eyes would not turn +shuddering from thee did she know that upon thy head rests the curse of +the wedded wife, burned through thee--of thy unborn murdered son. And +thou hast exposed her as well as thyself to the fearful sentence--it +will be fulfilled, for unerring is such deadly hate: + + +"'Cursed be thy proud thoughts--Madness shall strike them; + +"'Cursed be thy false eyes--Blindness shall smite them; + +"'Cursed be thy lying lips--They shall wither and smile no more; + +"'Yet a twofold curse shall rend thee both, if thou winnest again a +woman's love. + +"'In madness and disease shall she perish whom thou lovest more than +thy soul.'" + + +Here sounded a faint soul-harrowing moan from the open gangway. + +"Thou here!" cried Eigil, and paused. + +Halfred turned. There behind him stood Thora, not white as in general, +but with crimson glowing head, like a poppy, her eyes gazing wildly +upwards towards the moon and stars. Suddenly she uplifted both arms on +high, as though to avert from Halfred's head some fearful stroke from +the clouds. Then, once more, a faint but heart piercing moan, and she +fell forwards upon her face, like a crushed flower. Blood flowed from +her mouth. Halfred would have quickly raised her, but lifeless lay the +slight form on his arms. + +"Dead," cried Halfred, "murdered! And ye have murdered her!" + +He let slip the ice-cold form, wrenched with one tremendous spring +forwards his hammer from Hartvik, and swinging it on high, with one +stroke of his arm brought it crashing down upon the heads of both his +blood-brethren, so that brains, blood, and fragments of skulls were +scattered all around. + +With that deed began a slaughter on board the Singing Swan like that of +the midsummer night; only it was much shorter, because there were fewer +to slay. + +It seemed to Halfred as though his temple veins had burst. He felt, +instead of brains, only boiling blood in his head; he tasted blood in +his mouth, he saw only red blood before his eyes. Without choosing, +without asking who was for or against him, he sprang into the thickest +of the crowd of armed men, seized man after man by the throat with his +left hand, and shattered their skulls with the broad side of his +hammer. + +He did not in the least perceive that a handful of men stood by him. He +did not notice the many wounds he received on arms, face, and hands, in +close combat with his despairing foes. He raged on and slew, until all +whom he could see before him lay dead and silent upon the deck. Then he +turned, still brandishing his hammer, and shouted-- + +"Who besides Halfred still breathes on this accursed ship?" + +Then he saw that some six men of those who had aided him kneeled behind +him. They had formed, with their shields, a half circle round Thora's +body, and had turned off many a spear which would have reached the form +of the white sorceress. Halfred perceived this. + +"Stand up," he said, with his left arm wiping away the blood and sweat +from his forehead, and the white foam from his lips. + +He thrust the blood stained hammer into his belt, and kneeled beside +Thora, pillowing on his breast her face, which had become whiter than +ever before. + +"It was too much to bear and to hear at once. The frightful hailstones +of this curse have struck the white rose too heavily." + +Then she opened her eyes, and murmured, "Not for me, only for thee, +have the horrors of this curse overwhelmed me." + +"She lives! she lives! Praise to you, ye gracious Gods," exulted +Halfred, "It could not be that she should die for the crimes of others. +She must be healed, as surely as the Gods live. Had Thora perished for +mine, for other men's guilt; with this hammer must I have slain all the +Gods." + +And tenderly and softly, as a mother a sick child, the mighty man +raised his young wife in both arms, and bore her, treading softly, down +the steps. + +But once more before she left the deck, Thora opened her eyes. She saw +Halfred stained all over with blood. She recognised, by their armour +and clothing, the bodies of Hartvik and Eigil, with frightfully +shattered heads. She saw the whole deck strewn with dead. She saw that +only very few of the ship's crew were left, and shuddering, shrinking, +she closed her eyes again. + + + + + CHAPTER XIV. + + +But Halfred kneeled day and night beside her couch. He held her languid +hand; he listened to her faint breathing; he kissed from her lips the +small drops of blood which often gathered there. + +He had the board which closed the gangway between the decks taken away, +and heaven and the stars shone down upon Thora's pillow. + +When the day had gone ill, and much blood had flowed, and she fell +asleep with the falling night, then he would mount a few steps, draw +his hammer from his belt, and threaten the stars with furious words. + +"If ye let her die for others' guilt, then woe to you, ye Gods, woe to +all who live." + +But had the sufferer gained strength, and smiled lovingly and +peacefully on him; then this same ferocious man mounted upon the deck, +kneeled down, and cried with outstretched arms, and tear-choked voice, + +"Praise, praise, to you, ye gracious Gods! I knew it, verily, that ye +live and rule justly, and would not let her die for others' guilt." + +And if the day wavered between good and evil, between fear and hope, +then he paced the narrow chamber with hasty steps and murmured +inaudibly, + +"Are there Gods! are there Gods! are there gracious Gods?" + +And he believed that Thora heard this not, because she slept. + +But she lay often awake, with closed eyes, and understood it all, and +it troubled her sorely, in waking and dreaming. + +And Halfred now told her, at her mute request, all about Dame Harthild, +and the curse, and how all had happened. + +When he had ended she murmured shuddering, "Much has been fulfilled! If +yet more should be fulfilled, unhappy Halfred." + +It seemed, however, that Thora was better. + +And Halfred resolved at once to carry her upon deck, that she might +breathe the fresh air, and again behold the beauty of sea and heaven. + +And he had the deck carefully cleansed from all traces of the horrible +fight, and ordered the sailors, the day before, to run into a coast +which was bright with summer flowers, and commanded a whole mountain of +flowers, as he said, to be piled upon the ship, for he would have her +laid upon a hill of flowers. + +And the men obeyed; and the whole deck was so thickly strewn with +flowers that nowhere was a bit of wood visible. + +And close by the mast rose a swelling couch of perfumed light +wood-grass, and all the loveliest wood flowers, so high that it reached +to Halfred's breast. + +Over this he spread a rich white linen mantle, and laid the heavily +breathing form upon it. + +And again the moon was full, as on that night of the battle on the +ship. But many storm-rent clouds were still driving across the heavens, +and the sailing disk of the moon had not pierced through them. + +And it was midsummer night. The first that Halfred had not spent by the +black Heckla Stone in Iceland. + +Thora had fallen asleep upon her flowers. + +Halfred had covered her with his own mantle. And he sat close by the +flower hill, and looked into the noble, pale, all bloodless face, and +then quietly before him again. + +"Ye have done all things well, ye merciful dwellers in the stars above. +Ye have requited me, for that I never altogether doubted ye. I will not +again question with ye, wherefore ye have ordained for me this second +fearful thing, that I should be forced to slay my dear blood-brethren, +and so many of the ship's crew. + +"Because ye have saved this wonderful flower, and have not suffered her +guiltless, to perish for other's guilt, for ever will I bless ye. + +"And a song of praise will I compose for you, ye merciful and gracious +Gods; such as never yet has resounded to your praise. Thanks to you, ye +gracious Gods!" + +And thus musing he fell asleep; for it was many many nights since he +had slept. + +Then a piercing cry awoke him, which seemed to ring from the stars. +"Halfred." It fell upon his ear from high above. + +He started up from slumber, and looked upwards. There he saw what +filled him with horror. The full moon had, while he slept, pierced the +clouds, and shone with full radiance upon Thora's face. Now Halfred saw +her, standing swaying, high on the slender cross-spars, many many feet +above his head. + +Like a white ghost she shone in the moonlight; her widely opened eyes +looked out into her future; her right hand she stretched, as though +warding off, into the night. She did not hold fast by the slender +towering mast, on whose giddying height naught else save the seabird, +tossing, rested. And yet she stood firmly erect; but in her face was +despairing woe. + +"O Halfred," she wailed, in a low tone of heart-rending anguish, "O +Halfred--how distracted thy looks--how fearfully tangled hair and +beard! Ah! how thine eye rolls--and half naked--like a Berseker, in +shaggy wolf's skin. And how stained thou art with the blood of +guiltless men. And why threatenest thou the fair-haired shepherd the +light-hearted boy? Beware--beware the sling--guard thyself--turn thy +head--the swing whistles--the stone flies--O Halfred--thine eye." And +bending far forward she stretched, as though she would protect, both +arms into the air. Now she must fall--so it seemed. + +"Fall not, Thora!" cried Halfred upwards. + +Then, as though lightning struck, swift as an arrow, with a wild +shriek, she fell downwards from the giddy height of the mast. + +The white forehead struck upon the deck, her head and golden hair were +bathed in blood. + +"Thora! Thora!" cried Halfred, and raised her up, and looked into +her eyes. Then he fell senseless with her upon his face among the +flowers--for she was dead. + + + + + CHAPTER XV. + + +When Halfred raised himself again--he had already long since recovered +consciousness, but not the power to rise--the sun was fast going down. + +He called the six seamen, who had held themselves shyly aloof in the +stern and lower deck, and spoke, but his voice, he himself told me, +sounded strange to him like that of another person. + +"She is dead. Slain for the sins of others. + +"There are no Gods. + +"Were there Gods I must have dashed out the brains of all of them, one +by one, with this hammer. + +"The whole world, heaven and sea, and hell, I must have burned with +consuming fire. + +"Nothing should any longer be, since Thora no longer is. + +"The world can I not destroy. + +"But the ships, and all that is upon it, I will burn--a great funereal +pile for Thora. + +"Do as I say to ye." + +And he embedded with gentle hands, the dead Thora in the flower mound, +so that almost nothing of her form and clothing were to be seen. + +And by his orders the six men were obliged to bring upon deck all the +weapons, treasures, clothing, and provisions, which were stored in the +hold of the Singing Swan. + +And Halfred heaped them around the mast upon the flower mound, and +purple clothing, linen cloth, silken stuff, golden vessels, and soft +cushions, he piled up all round about. + +Then he poured ship's tar over all, and covered it with withered +brushwood, and dry chips from the kitchen. + +And he ordered all sail to be set--a strong warm south wind was +blowing-- + +Then he mounted upon the upper deck, and overlooked all. + +And he nodded his head, well satisfied. And then he descended to the +kitchen, to bring up a burning brand. + +When he came up again he found that the sailors had lowered the two +ship's boats, the larger and the smaller boat, they lay tossing by the +boat ropes, to the right and left of the Singing Swan. + +"Hasten, my lord," cried one of the seamen to him; "so soon as thou +hast thrown the torch, to spring into a boat; for rapidly, in this +gale, will the Singing Swan flame up, and easily might the fire seize +the boats, and cause both thee and all of us to perish." + +Halfred looked with staring eyes at the man "Would ye still live, after +ye have seen this? + +"Think ye that I will live without Thora? after the guiltless for +other's,--for my crime,--hath died? + +"No, with me shall ye all on this ship burn--truly a worthless funeral +pile for Thora." + +"Thou shalt not destroy us, guiltless. Forbid it, Gods!" cried the man, +and sprang upon Halfred, to wrest the firebrand from him. + +But with a fearful blow of his fist Halfred struck him down upon the +deck. + +Laughing shrilly, he shouted, "Gods! Who dare still to believe in Gods, +when Thora, guiltless, has died? + +"There are no Gods, I tell ye. + +"Were there Gods, I must have slain them all. + +"And I will slay, as my deadly enemy, whosoever declares that he still +believes in Gods." + +Furiously he brandished the firebrand in his left hand, the hammer in +his right, and cried to the trembling sailors-- + +"Choose--If ye believe that there are Gods, then I will strike ye down +like this too forward comrade. + +"But if ye renounce the Gods, then may ye live, and depart, and bear +witness everywhere that there are no Gods. + +"Are there Gods?" shouted the maniac, drawing near to the trembling +men. + +"No, my lord; there are no Gods," cried the men, and fell upon their +knees. + +"Then go--and leave me alone to my own will." + +Quickly the seamen descended into the larger boat on the left. + +Halfred, however, stuck the hammer in his belt, and strode with rapid +steps hither and thither upon the deck, and set fire to mast and sail, +and purple clothing and carved work, and to the neck of the Swan on the +prow-wailing, the wind passed once more through the curved wings of the +Swan. + +The strong south wind fanned the crackling flames; quickly was the +ship, on all sides, wrapped in a glowing blaze. The sails streamed like +fiery wings from the mast. + +Silently, with folded arms, Halfred sat upon the upper deck, his eyes +rigidly fixed upon the flower mound. + +Swift as an arrow flew the burning ship before the wind. The fire had +rapidly consumed the dried wood grass, and Thora's form and face were +fully visible. Then Halfred saw how the scorching flames seized upon +Thora's long floating golden hair. "That was the last thing," he said +to me, "that I saw for a long time." + +In unutterable anguish he sprang up, and rushed all along the burning +ship, straight through the flames, to Thora, He sprang upon the flower +mound to embrace the body. + +Then he felt a frightful blow upon his head, and left eye. The half +burned mast had fallen with a crash upon him; he was dashed upon his +face among the flowers and the flames, and darkness closed over him. + + + + + CHAPTER XVI. + + +When Halfred again awoke he lay in the bottom of a small boat, which +drove over the open sea. + +His hammer lay at his right hand. A cruise of water stood at his left +hand. Two oars were in the stem of the boat. + +Halfred started up to look around him. + +Then he perceived that he could only see with difficulty what was on +his left side. He felt for his left eye, and found a bleeding cavity. A +splinter of the mast had struck it out, and a stabbing pain beat +through his brain, which he said never again left him as long as he +lived. + +He looked at his body. In charred rags his burnt clothing hung upon +him. Far in the distance he saw a craft which he recognized as the +larger boat of the Singing Swan. + +The Singing Swan herself had disappeared; but away to the south there +lay a cloud of vapour and smoke over the sea. + +The boat in which Halfred stood he recognised as the smaller boat of +the Singing Swan. Evidently his sailing comrades had dragged the +half-burned maniac from the burning ship, and saved him. + +They had abandoned him to the Gods whom he had blasphemed, and in whom +they believed, to be saved by them, or perish. But no more fellowship +would they have with a man stricken by the heaviest of curses--madness. + +For mad Halfred was, from the hour when he sprang into the flames, and +the mast struck him, until shortly before his death. + +Therefore could he only tell me very little of all that in the meantime +happened either to, or through him. + +But what he did tell me, here I faithfully write down. + +But many many years must he have wandered in madness. + +He told me, moreover, that he saw only before his eyes how Thora fell +from the mast; and how the flames seized her head and hair. And that he +could only think one single thought. "There are no Gods. Were there +Gods I must have slain them. + +"So must I slay all human beings who believe in Gods; for blotted out +from the earth shall be the name and remembrance of the Gods." + +And he could not die until he had slain the last man who still believed +in the Gods. + +And thus he journeyed all about, everywhere, in his small ship; landed +in bays and upon islands, lived upon game which he hunted, or upon +domestic animals which he found in the fields, upon roots and wild +berries from the woods, upon eggs of sea-birds, and mussels from the +rocks. + +And often the storm waves broke high over his boat, and shattered her +planks. But she sank not, nor was he drowned. + +And one day he saw he was wholly naked, the last charred rags had +fallen from him. He was chilled, and when he met a wolf in the wood, he +ran after him so long that he overtook him, slew him with his hammer, +took off his skin, and hung it round his loins. + +And thus he roamed and sailed, half naked, all about the north. And +none recognised in the maniac Berseker, Halfred Sigskald, the son of +Oski. + +And he told me that when he chanced upon mankind, whither they were +many or few, he sprang upon them, and shouted to them his question. + +"Are there Gods?" + +And if they said "Yes," or as the most did, gave him no answer, then he +slew them all with his hammer. But if they said "No," as also many +did--for it was already rumoured throughout the whole north, that a +naked giant wandered through all lands with this question, whom the +people called "God destroyer"--or if they took to flight, then he let +them live. + +And often, from dread, the peasants and the women gave him fruit, +bread, milk, and other food. Many however bound themselves in a league +to go out and slay him, as a wild beast. But they could not stand +before the fury and strength of the maniac. He killed the bold, the +timorous fled. + +He slept hardly at all at night, therefore they could not surprise him +in his sleep. + +Once, when he spent the night in the bam of a peasant, who had +previously renounced the Gods, with all his household, the people from +the court barricaded the straw-filled bam, and set fire to it. But +Halfred burst through the roof, dashed through the flames and arrows, +which could not pierce his body, and slew them all with his hammer. + +And this maniac wandering endured many years. + +And sea storms, and burning suns, and autumn frosts, and winter ice, +beat upon Halfred's half-naked body. + +And his hair and beard stood out like a mane around him. + +But no longer dark, as when of yore he trod, as a wooer. King +Harstein's courts--but snow white. In a single night--the night when +Thora died--his hair had become white. + + + + + CHAPTER XVII. + + +And after many years he came sailing in his rotten boat over the seas +which play around the island of Caledonia. He landed, seized his +hammer, and strode upwards to a steep rocky hill, on which sheep and +goats were grazing. + +It was early morning, in the time when roses begin to bloom. + +Mist floated over the sea, and upon the cliffs. + +Then Halfred saw the shepherd standing above, on the cliff's edge; and +he played a lovely melody upon his shepherd's pipe. + +And at first he doubted whether he should ask this shepherd boy his +question about the Gods, for he left women and boys unquestioned. And +this shepherd seemed to him but a boy. + +But as he climbed nearer to him he saw that the shepherd carried a +spear, and a shepherd's sling, with which to kill wolves. + +And the shepherd lad believed that this was a robber or a Berseker +coming against him and his sheep. + +And he chose out of his leather pouch a sharp heavy stone, and laid it +in his sling, and held it ready to cast it. + +Halfred held his left hand over the eye that remained to him, and +looked upward with difficulty, dazzled, for just then the sun broke out +through the mist clouds exactly above the head of the shepherd, who +thus saw clearly the figure of the half naked man, with tangled +floating hair and beard, who now raising the hammer threateningly +ascended the hill. Upon a slab of stone, under a great ash tree, he +stopped, and cried to the shepherd-- + +"Are there Gods, shepherd boy? Sayest thou yes, then thou must die." + +"Gods, there are not," replied the shepherd, in a clear voice, "but +wise men have taught me there lives one Almighty Triune God, Creator of +Heaven and Earth." + +The man with the hammer paused for a moment as if meditating. + +Such an answer had he never received. + +Soon, however, he sprang threateningly upwards again. + +Preventing him, however, the shepherd swung his sling; whirring flew +the sharp stone; it was a sharp hard three-edged flint stone--I had +carefully reserved it for some great peril--and alas! alas--woe is me, +only too truly did it strike. Without a sound Halfred fell, where he +stood, on his back under the ash tree, himself like to a suddenly +felled tree. + +With a few bounds the shepherd reached the prostrate form, cautiously +holding his spear before him, lest the enemy should suddenly spring up +again. For it might be that he only artfully feigned to be wounded. + +As he drew nearer, however, he saw that it was no deceit, but rather +evident truth. + +Blood streamed over the fallen man's right cheek, and in the cavity of +the right eye stuck the sharp flint stone. + +But pity mingled with dread seized upon the shepherd, as he gazed in +the fearful mighty face of the man who lay mute at his feet. Never +before had he seen so splendid a face; at once so noble, and so sad. + +And superstitious fear overcame him, if it might not be the chief of +the heathen gods, Odhin, the one-eyed, who in the semblance of this +wanderer with the white beard had appeared to him. + +But soon he felt yet deeper sympathy and compassion, for the wounded +man in a weak voice began:-- + +"Whosoever thou mayest be, who hast cast this stone, receive the +thanks, O shepherd boy, of a world and woe weary man. Thou hast taken +from me the light of the second eye also. I need no longer to see +men-kind and the heavens. Neither of them have I understood for a long +time. And soon shall I pass to where questions are no more asked, and +curses no more cursed. I thank thee, whosoever thou mayest be. Thou +hast of all living beings--save one--done the best for Halfred +Hamundson." + +Then with a loud cry I threw my spear on one side, fell upon my knees, +embraced the pale bleeding head, and cried:-- + +"Halfred, Halfred, my father, forgive, forgive me!--I am the murderer-- +and thy son--" + +Now ye who shall one day unroll this parchment--pause at this place, +and look upwards to the sun, if it is day, and to the stars, if it is +night, and ask with Halfred--"Are there Gods?" + +For I, I, who secretly and in dread write these pages during the night +hours, I am the shepherd boy, Halfred's son, who have slain him. + +And the Gods, or the Christian God, have allowed it to come to pass +that the son has blinded and murdered the father. + +I wept hot tears upon my dear father's pale forehead. But he turned his +head, as though he would see me, and said-- + +"It is hard that the curse must be so wholly fulfilled upon me, that I +must be entirely blinded before death. + +"Fain would I have looked closely into thy face, my dear son. + +"Now I know not if the golden cloud I saw spread about thy head was thy +hair or the sun rays. + +"Thou seemedst to me fair to look upon, my boy. + +"But tell me, how do they call thee? + +"Have they verily, at thy birth, named thee Liarson Scoundrelson +Harthildsvengeance? and how did it happen that thou camest into life. I +believed Dame Harthild burned in the dwelling house." + +Then I laid my dear father's head upon my knees, and dried with the +long yellow hair I was at that time still allowed to wear, the blood +from his cheek, and told him all. + +How my mother would not be carried from the burning Mead hall back into +the dwelling house, but rather on to one of the ships of her father. + +How from thence, when the battle and the flames threatened dwelling +house and ships, she was borne by her women and the sailors into a +boat, and therein rowed out upon the Fjord. + +How in the boat she had forthwith given birth to a son, but died +herself; and ere she died had laid her hand upon my head, and said-- + +"Not Liarson--not Scoundrelson--not Harthildsvengeance shall he be +named--no; Fridgifa Sigskaldson."[6] + +"She was right in that," said Halfred. "Thou hast aided the Sigskald to +peace at last." + +And how after she was dead the fearful battle and burning on shore +scared the sailors and women still further out to sea. + +And how the small boat was almost sunk by the fury of a storm from the +west, and all the bondmen and women were washed overboard by the waves, +save one rower, and a bond maiden, who hid the infant under the stern +seat. + +And how, at last, Christian priests, who were sailing out to convert +the heathen people, picked up the half starved wanderers, and brought +all three hither, to the island of the holy Columban; and cleansed both +the two, and the infant, with the water of baptism. + +And how the two, my foster parents, told me all that they knew about my +father, and mother, up to the time of the burning of the Mead hall. + +And how the two were never weary of lauding to me my father's glory in +battle and song. + +And how the monks of Saint Columban, as I grew, would have me taught to +read and write; but I loved far better to go out with the hunters and +shepherds of the monastery, and liked to draw targets on the parchment +leaves for my little cross-bow. + +And how, at length, they declared me unfit for books, when with my +small bolt I had pierced through and through a costly picture which on +the gold ground of a thumb broad margin represented the whole of the +Passion, and promoted me with a sound thrashing to be herd boy of the +monastery. + +And how for many years, since my foster parents were dead, I had kept +the sheep of the monastery; and my sole pleasure therein had been in +fighting with the bears, the wolves, and the eagles, that attacked the +lambs. + +Or in playing upon my shepherd's pipe, or in listening to the roar of +the sea and the forest. + +And Halfred laid my head upon his broad breast, and folded both his +arms around it, and laid his hand upon it, and was still and silent for +a long time. + +And I brought him water to drink from the fountain, and milk from my +flock; and would have drawn the stone from the wound, but he said-- + +"Leave it, my dear son--the end draws near. + +"But I feel the band taken away from my brain, which for many many +years has pressed upon it. + +"And all becomes clear and bright to my thoughts. I can see inwardly +again how all has been, now that I can no longer see outward things. + +"And for thee, and for myself, before I die, I will set forth clearly +and exactly how all has been. Give me once again milk from thy flock to +drink." + +And I gave him to drink, and he laid his head again upon my knee, and +began to tell me, quite clearly and distinctly, all that had come to +pass since that midsummer night. + +And from his lips have I learned all, onward from that midsummer night, +which in the earlier pages of this book I have written out. And much +have I also learned from him, of those earlier times of which my foster +parents could know nothing. + +And I have kept it all in faithful remembrance. + +And as the evening fell he came to the end of his account, and he said, + +"Lay my face so that once more the sun shall shine upon it. Fain would +I feel the dear Lord once again." + +And I did as he commanded. + +And he breathed deeply, and said: + +"It must certainly be spring. A perfume of wild roses floats to me." + +And I told him that he lay under a blooming rose-bush. + +And then a blackbird raised his sweet song from the bush. + +"Thus I hear once more the blackbird's evening song," said Halfred. + +"Now farewell all. Sun and sea, forest and stars of heaven, wild rose +perfume, and songs of birds; and farewell to thee, my dear son. I thank +thee that thou hast released me from madness, and an evil life. + +"I can, to requite thee, as all my heritage, leave thee only this +hammer. Guard it faithfully. + +"Whether there be Gods--I know not. Methinks that men can never search +it out. But I tell thee, my son, whether Gods live or not, hammer +throwing, and harp playing, and sunshine, and the kiss of woman, these +are the rewards of life. + +"Mayest thou win a wife who is but a faint reflection of Thora. + +"Then hail to thee, my son! + +"Bury me here, where mingles the roar of the forest and the sea. + +"Farewell my dear son. Dame Harthild's curse thou hast turned for me +into a blessing." + +And he died. + +The blackbird ceased singing in the bush. And as the sun sank, one warm +full flood of his rays streamed full upon that mighty face. + +Thus died the son of Oski. + + + + + CHAPTER XVIII. + + +When now my dear father was dead, whom I myself had slain, I wept +bitterly, and lay all night by the side of the dead. + +And when the sun again arose I considered what I should now do. + +At first I thought I would drive the flock to the monastery, which lay +some six stages distant, and relate all to the monks, and confess how I +had, all unwittingly, slain my own father; and beg for absolution for +myself, and for a Christian grave for my dear father. + +But I bethought me that the monks would not bury my father with +Christian honours, since he had died a heathen. And neither would they +allow me to burn him, after the custom of the heathen people, because +the heathen gods would thus be brought much into remembrance. And they +would certainly throw him, unhonoured, into the sea, as they had +already done to a heathen from Zealand. + +So I resolved to be silent about it all, and not to betray my dear dead +father to the priests. + +And thus could I neither confess the death blow, nor receive counsel +respecting my guiltless crime. + +And from thence was the beginning of my freeing my mind from the monks +and their creed. + +And I knew, quite near, of a cavern, which was known only to me, for it +had a very small entrance, and I had only discovered it because I had +followed a stone marten which had slipped into it. A fallen block of +stone concealed the entrance, and I found many ashes and remnants of +bones within the spacious cavern, which opened towards the sea. In +early days, no doubt, the heathen Scots had burnt their dead here. +Thither I carried, not without much difficulty, my dear dead father, +and set him upright in the cavern, his face turned towards the sea. The +roots of the oaks and ashes which waved above the cavern, penetrated +through the stone downwards almost to his head. Above him roared the +forest, before him roared the sea. There did I place my dear father, +and rolled the stone again to the entrance. + +But even his hammer, his only possession, I dared not keep. Even should +I tell the monks I had found it, or bought it from sailors--they would +not have left it with me, for strong heathen victory runes were +engraved on the haft. + +So I laid then the hammer also close to the right hand of the dead. +"Guard it for me, dear father," I said, "till I need it again. Then +will I fetch it." + +But from that hour there came a great change over my disposition. + +That which had most delighted me, to fight for my sheep with wolves, +bears, and birds of prey--that attracted me no more. + +Rather the question which had driven my dear father even to madness, if +there be a God, or Gods? And how it could be that such fearful things +should come to pass as are here set down in this history, from the vow +upon the Bragi cup, on to this great horror, that the son had slain his +own father. These questionings seized upon me, and would not let me +rest, any more than my dear father. + +And as my dear father of yore looked up to the stars, and implored the +heathen Gods for enlightenment, so also did I look up to the stars for +illumination, praying to Christ and the saints. + +But to me also the heavens were dumb. + +Then I said to myself--"Here on the sheep pastures, and from the roar +of the sea, and from the light of the stars, wilt thou find no answer +all thy life long, any more than thy dear father. + +"But in the books of the monks, the Latin ones and those others, with +the crinkled runic flourishes, lie hidden all holy and worldly wisdom. + +"And when thou can'st read them, all will be clear to thee in heaven +and upon earth." + +And so I took leave of my dear father, gathered my sheep together, and +drove them to the monastery. + +"Art thou gone mad, Irenaeus?" asked the porter, as he opened the door +for me and my bleating charge, "that thou drivest home before shearing +time. They will scourge thee again." + +"I was mad," I replied, "but now I will become a scholar. Now another +may scare the wolves. I will learn Greek." + +And thus I also said to the good Abbot Aelfrik, before whom I was at +once led for chastisement. + +But he said-- + +"Lay the scourge aside. Perchance the boy, who has always been a +heathenish worldly Saul, has become suddenly a Paul, through the grace +of the holy Columban. He shall have his wish. If he holds to it--then +it is a work of the saints. If his zeal flags, then it is a wile of +Satan, and he shall go out again to his sheep." + +But I kept silence, and said nothing about the reason for which I +wished to learn. + +And my zeal did not flag, and I learned Latin and Greek, and read all +the books that they had in the monastery, the Christian ones of the +church fathers, which they call theology, and many heathen ones, of the +old world wisdom, which they call philosophy. + +And I soon perceived that often, in one church father, was found just +the contrary of what was in another church father. + +And that Aristotle reviled Plato, and that Cicero tried to make sense +of it all, and could not. + +And after that I, in three, four years, had read through all the books +which they had in the monastery, and had contended all night long with +all the monks in the monastery, I knew no more of that which I wished +to know than on the day when I had buried my dear father. + +The old good-natured fat Abbot Aelfrik however--he was of noble race, +and had formerly been a warrior at the court of the Scottish King, and +loved me--often said to me, + +"Give up these searchings Fridgifa"--for he willingly called me by my +heathen name when we were alone. "Thou must believe, not question. And +drink often, between whiles good ale or wine, and sing a song to the +harp"--for he had taught me harp playing, in which I had great delight, +and which he loved much, and everyone said that none could play the +harp like me in all Scotland; "and forget not either often to throw the +lance at the target in the monastery garden. Much book reading withers +the body." + +And I remembered that my dear father's last words had been just the +same. And often and often I stole away to my dear father's hill, +brought forth the hammer, exercised myself in hammer throwing by star +light, and sat then for hours before the cavern, and listened to the +roar of wind, wood, and wave. + +And now it often seemed to me as if, in such moods, I came nearer to +the truth than through all the books of the Christian priests, and +heathen philosophers. + +And I almost believe I shall not stay much longer in the monastery. + +Especially since, lately, a skald from Halogaland visited the +monastery, and told of the life at the court of King Harald; of his +lordly royal hall, in which twenty skalds by turns play the harp. + +And how the boldest heroes ever willingly enter his service. + +And how year by year his warlike expeditions are crowned with victory. + +And of Gunnlodh, his wonderfully beautiful golden-haired daughter, who +pledges the bravest heroes and the best skalds in the horn. + +Since then, my inclination no longer turns towards psalm-singing and +vigils. + +But certainly they will not easily let me leave the monastery. + +For because I can write Latin and Greek well, Aaron, the new Abbot, the +Italian, who has succeeded the good peace-loving Aelfrik, makes me +unceasingly write out manuscripts, which they then sell for a great +price, in Britain, and even in Germany. + +And Aaron is very sharp upon my track, because I seem to him to lack +true Christian zeal. + +And did he know that upon these parchment sheets, whereupon I ought to +have written out, for the seventeenth time, the treatise of Lactantius +"de mortibus persecutorum," I have, by night, written out the history +of my dear father--it would not pass without many days' fasting, and +some score of penitential psalms. + +Lately he actually threatened me to have "some one" scourged, who ever +again came too late for the Hora. + +That "someone" was I. For I had just begun to write about the battle on +the Singing Swan, and could not tear myself away from it when the Hora +bell called. + +But ere the son of Halfred the Sigskald endures scourging on the +back,--rather will I slay Aaron and all his Italian monks. + +But for slaying I need something different from this copying style. + + * * * * * + +Thus far had I written by Good Friday. + +For a long while could I not contrive to write further. For the hatred, +jealousy, and mistrust of Aaron and his hangers-on--there are many of +his Italian countrymen come with him from Rumaberg--grow constantly +greater. He has forbidden me to write by night. + +Only by day, and in the library, no longer in my cell, may I write. And +the transcript of Lactantius I am to deliver to him on the appointed +parchment by Whitsuntide, on pain of seven days' fasting. + +My resentment increases against this priestly tyranny. + +Only rarely, and by stealth, can I get at these pages. Also I can only +with great difficulty reach my dear father's hill. They track my lonely +wanderings. + +It will soon come to open war. At any rate I will provide myself with a +sure weapon. + + * * * * * + +With difficulty did I, yesterday evening, in the sleeve of my frock, +bring my dear father's hammer into the monastery. I have hidden it in +the outer court, but where--that I do not trust even to these pages. I +think much over the question of my dear father, and I believe that soon +I shall find the truth. + + * * * * * + +For three days I could not write at all. The skald from King Harald's +court has again been a guest in the monastery. + +I have made him tell me all about the life at that court. It is just as +in my dear father's days. Certainly King Harald and all his courtiers +are heathens, and their warlike expeditions are mostly against +Christian kings and bishops. But that does not make me waver in my +purpose, which is firmly resolved. He told me much about Gunnlodh. + +In twenty nights a ship of King Harald's will sail again into the +harbour from... + + * * * * * + +I know now the answer to Halfred's question. + +There are no heathen Gods. + +But neither is there any Christian God, who, almighty, all merciful, +all wise, allowed that the father should be slain by the son. + +Rather, that only happens upon earth which is necessary, and what men +do and do not, that must they do and not do; as the north wind must +bring cold, the south wind warmth; and as the stone thrown must fall to +the earth. Why must it fall? No one knows. But it must. + +But men should not sigh and question and despair, rather rejoice in +hammer throwing and harp playing, in sunshine and Greek wine, and in +the beauty of women. + +For that is a lie that it is a sin to long for a beautiful woman. +Otherwise must the human race die out; if all become so devout as no +more to long for a woman. + +And the dead are dead, and no longer living. + +Otherwise had the shade of my dear father long since appeared to me, at +my earnest entreaty. + +Of what alone, however, man should believe; of that I will speak +hereafter. + +Without fear shall he live, and without hope shall he die. + +In this monastery, however, will I remain no longer than----. + + + + + CHAPTER XIX. + + +Thus far had he written, the God forsaken Brother Irenaeus. Here fell +the righteous judgment of Heaven upon him. + +I, Aaron of Perusia, called by the grace of God to feed these lambs of +the holy Columban, had also the grace given to me to drive the diseased +sheep from the flock. + +Long was I on the track of him and his worldly, heathenish, sinful, +ungodly, yea God-blaspheming doings; his guilty conscience had rightly +boded this. Step by step I had him watched by Italian brethren, full of +godly zeal, without his observing it. The most pious of them, Brother +Ignatius of Spoletum, succeeded in winning his confidence--for stupidly +unsuspicious are they--these barbarians--through often allowing him to +entertain him with harp playing, Irenaeus begged from him one day some +ink powder from his store, as he had used up his appointed portion, and +from the "Head of the Pharisees"--thus the shameless sinner termed his +abbot and chief shepherd--could not obtain fresh supplies, without +delivering over what he had written with the former supply. + +Brother Ignatius at once, as was his pious obligation, told all to me, +his abbot. But the ink powder he gave to him, with that wisdom of the +serpent which is well pleasing to God in his priests. + +Soon thereafter the sinner set out again upon one of those secret +expeditions which have ever been his wont, remaining out the whole +night when some errand had allowed him to escape from the monastery. I +never forbade him to go out, for I hoped through one of these secret +expeditions, most easily to discover his hidden doings. I sent, spies +after him every time; but every time he suddenly and mysteriously +disappeared among the wooded crags along the shore. + +This time I myself sent him out, and as soon as he had left the +monastery court I at once made a most rigorous search through the whole +of his cell. + +There at last I found, after much labour, these blasphemous pages, +written very small, in his accursed graceful handwriting, and artfully +hidden in a crevice between two stone slabs of the floor. + +I took the devil's work with me, and read and read, with growing +horror. So much sin, so much worldliness, so much heathenish delight in +fighting and singing, in drinking and carnal love, so much, finally, of +doubt, of unbelief, of naked blasphemy, had, under the roof of the holy +Columban, under my pastoral staff, grown up, and been written out! + +Abhorrence seized upon me, and holy indignation. + +Forthwith I summoned the Italian brethren to special secret council and +judgment. I pointed out to them the deadly poison of these writings, +which indeed were full of the seven deadly sins; and the unanimous +sentence was pronounced. First, three hundred lashes with the scourge; +then immuring in the chastisement cell, with vinegar, water, and bread, +until repentant contrition and the fullest amendment were made +manifest. + +Impatiently we awaited the return of the accursed sinner. + +With the vesper bell he entered the door of the monastery court. + +Immediately I placed myself before the door, shot the iron bolt, +and called forward the Italian brethren. The greater number, the +Anglo-Saxons, who were well disposed towards the blasphemer, on account +of his sinful harp playing, and lukewarm in zeal for the Lord, I had +before collected in the refectory, and locked up until the offender +should be secured. + +Hastily the Italians came, and behind them several armed bondmen of the +monastery. Then, in place of all accusation, I held up these pages +before the miserable wretch, and pronounced the agreed upon sentence. + +Then, ere we were aware, the God-detested criminal sprang with +lightning speed to the cistern in the court, and drew forth from behind +it a frightful horrible hammer. + +"Dear hammer of Halfred, aid his son today," he cried in a threatening +voice. + +And the next thing was--it seemed to me as though the Heavens fell upon +my head and neck--I sank upon the ground. + +Only after a long while did I awake again. + +Then I lay upon my bed, a man given up, and the brethren from Italy +lamented around my couch; and recounted that the furious Samson had, +with a second blow, shattered the bolt on the door, and made his +escape. The monastery servants, indeed, followed him, and several of +the brethren, led by brother Ignatius. But when the fugitive suddenly +turned, and slew the foremost of the pursuers, one of the monastery +servants, who would have seized him, with the frightful hammer, and +struck down brother Ignatius, severely wounded, the others gave up the +pursuit. At once he again disappeared, as always, among the cliffs and +woods. + +Never have we seen him since, although from the very day of my +awakening I had him carefully searched for all along the coast. The +cavern of which these accursed pages speak could we not find. I would +have had the bones of the old heathen murderer thrown into the sea. +Probably the son concealed himself there, until he could leave the +island on some ship. I however, in consequence of the blow from his +hammer, which shattered my shoulder and collar bone, on one side, have +to suffer all my life long from a hideous twist of the neck, which is +exceedingly prejudicial to the dignity of an abbot. + +This sinful book of abominations however, I sent to Rome, to the holy +Bishop, with the question, whether we should burn it, or preserve it, +to aid in tracing and convicting the escaped monk, should we succeed in +capturing him again? + +For a long long time came no answer. + +But after many many years the book came back from Rome, with the +command to keep it--only the blasphemous passages therein were +erased--and as a warning example to others, was the Abbot of St. +Columban to append to these pages an account from an accompanying +letter of the Archbishop Adaldag of Hamburg, of how dreadful a fate +had, through the righteous judgments of God, ended this apostate's +sinful life of the highest earthly enjoyment; which he--this may +console us--will doubtless have to expiate in the eternal torments of +hell. + +From the Archbishop's letter it appeared there could be no doubt that +our perjured Brother, Irenaeus, is none other than one who, in all the +courts of the north, has been for many years celebrated as a warrior +and singer, and crowned with all earthly fame and happiness, Jarl +Sigurd Halfredson; who appeared suddenly at the court of King Harald of +Halogaland--none knew whence he came--with one of the skalds of the +King, and through hammer throwing, and harp playing, soon won for +himself such renown that King Harald gave him three castles, the +command of all his armies, and his daughter Gunnlodh in marriage. + +But King Harald was the most furious Christian hater, and the bitterest +opposer of the Gospel in all the North. + +And for long years Jarl Sigurd led the troops of King Harald, and +always led them to victory. + +The Lord at that time tried his own with severe affliction. He had +turned his face from them, and the vassals of the Bishops, and of the +Christian princes of the North, could not stand before Jarl Sigurd, and +his dreaded hammer. + +But the end of this man of blood was horrible, and therefore it has +been--by the command of the holy Father--copied from the letter of the +Archbishop, as a fearful warning to all who read these pages. + +As he, that is to say, after once more in a great battle overthrowing +the Bishop's troops, was pursuing them in sinful joy, and shouting +"victory, victory!" he was mortally wounded by an arrow in the breast. + +King Harald caused his heathen priests and the skalds to draw near to +the right side of the death bed, to console him with songs of Valhalla. + +The wounded man waved them away with his hand. + +Then drew near, on the other side of the dying, three Christian +priests, who had been made prisoners in the battle, and would have +given him the holy last Sacrament, if he acknowledged the Lord. + +Indignantly the godless sinner repulsed them with his arm. And when +King Harald, astonished, asked him in whom then he believed, if not in +the heathen Gods, nor in the white Christ? he laughed and said--"I +believe in myself, and my strength. Kiss me once more, Gunnlodh, and +give me Greek wine in a golden cup." + +And he kissed her, and drank, and said-- + +"Glorious it is to die in victory"--and died. + +But he remained unhonoured and unburied by heathen priests and +Christians, since he had defiantly rejected both. + +So then it is certain and set forth as a warning to all--but to us a +righteous consolation--that the God accursed soul of this most +blasphemous of all sinners must burn in hell for ever and ever--Amen. + + + + + POSTSCRIPT. + + +What I here wrote down, years since, as my belief concerning the fate, +after death, of this abandoned sinner, has been fully confirmed by a +delightful testimony. + +That is to say, Brother Ignatius--who lately died--and certainly in +great sanctity--was before his death honoured by a wonderful vision. + +Saint Columban, himself, in a dream, led him by the hand into hell, and +there he saw, in the deepest pit of sulpher, Brother Irenaeus, burning +whole and entire. + +But upon his left shoulder blade, on the spot where he struck me, his +Abbot, sat an infernal raven, and hacked unceasingly through the +shoulder even to his blaspheming heart. + +Of this has Brother Ignatius assured us before his death. And therefore +have I hereunto add this also, about the raven and the shoulder blade, +in order that all who read these pages, but especially the disciples of +the holy Columban in this monastery, may learn the chastisement which +awaits him who lifts heart and hand against his soul's shepherd, the +Abbot. + + + + AMEN. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 1: "Oski," in reality one of the special forms of Odin, is, +in the Scandinavian mythology, the god who fulfils all the desires of +men.] + +[Footnote 2: Here the parchment is pierced through, and with different +ink three crosses are signed over the burnt out part.] + +[Footnote 3: Cup sacred to Bragi, the god of poetry. At the Yule feast +the heathen were wont, while the Bragi cup was passing round, to pledge +themselves by vows to the performance of deeds of special danger or +renown. They swore upon the Bragi cup, or upon the boar's head, which +was the principal dish of the feast.] + +[Footnote 4: A poetical expression of the Edda for the beginning of +drunkenness.] + +[Footnote 5: "Brisingamene," the necklace of Freya, the goddess of +love, was the symbol of female charm and attraction.] + +[Footnote 6: _i.e._ Peacebringer.] + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Saga of Halfred the Sigskald, by Felix Dahn + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAGA OF HALFRED THE SIGSKALD *** + +***** This file should be named 32443.txt or 32443.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/4/4/32443/ + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |