The Wanderer's Necklace

n a great plain near to seas or inland lakes, on which plain stood mounds that I connected with the dead. What the dead were I did not quite und

r," whom Freydisa, the wise woman, my nurse, told me had lived hundreds or thousands of

f it cows were tied up. We lived in a place beyond, that was separated off from the cows by balks of rough timber. I used to watch them being milked

coloured hair and blue eyes, and was much bigger and stronger than I, came to my help, because we always loved each other. He fought Ragnar and made his nose bleed, after which my mother, the Lady Thora, who was very beautiful, boxed his ears. Then we all cried

ene which returns t

erce-looking man with a great forked beard, from which he was called Athalbrand Fork-beard. One of his nostrils was larger than the other, and he had a droop in his left eye, both of which peculiari

through a door at the top of the hall. She was clothed in a blue robe, her long fair hair, whereof she had an abundance, was arranged in two plaits which hung almost to her knees, and about her neck and arms were massive gold rings that tinkled as she walked. She had a round face, coloured like a w

ft home I had caught Ragnar kissing the daughter of one of our thralls behind the shed in which the calves were kept. She was a brown girl, very well made, as her rough robe, fastened beneath her breast with a strap, showed plainly, and she had big dark eyes with a sleepy look in them. Also, I

ugh both my father, Thorvald, and Iduna's father, Athalbrand, stormed and threatened, these two declare

ed lips of hers I became like a silly bird that is bewitched by a snake. At first I thought that he was going to be angry, but suddenly some idea seemed to strike him so that he called my father, Thorvald, outside the house. Afterwards I was se

r, "would you like to

, more than to be High King of Denmar

Iduna when she did not seem a goddess, called me a fool. Th

econd son," s

hem, also the gold that came with his mother will b

d Athalbrand again; "a silly half-man w

isdom that rules. One brain can govern many men; also, harps make merry music at a feas

jected Athalbrand, a sayin

tall and straight as a dart, and will y

swan," grumbled Athalbrand, while with m

, pulling at his long fork

my place when I am gone. Moreover, it is spread far and wide throughout the land that my daughter is to be wed to Thorvald's son, and it matters little to which son. At least, I will not have it said that she has been given the go-by. Th

d thanking the gods for the chance that had come my way-yes, and bless

duna gliding towards me in the blue twilight, looking mo

with me," and she laughed a little sof

I told her the tale that lovers have always told. How that I was ready to die for her (to which she answered that she had rather that I lived, since ghosts were no good husbands); how

d been thinking, namely, that I blessed Ragnar. At these words, of a sudden Iduna's fa

Ragnar--" and she checked herself, adding: "Come, let us ent

burst into shouts of laughter after their rude fashion. Moreover, beakers were thrust into

to drink more of the delight of Iduna's eyes. Still, go I must, since Athalbrand would have it so. The marriage, he said, should take place at Aar at the

ime he might find another husband for Iduna, who was more to his mind. For Athalbrand, as I learned afterwards, was a scheming and a false-hearted

that of the hunting of the white northern bear, when I saved

in fisherman who dwelt on this shore came to the hall to tell us that he had seen a great white bear on one of these floes, which, he believed, had swum from it to the land. He was a man w

, such a bear as once I saw when I was a boy. Come out and kill

e time of sowing was not yet. At the news of the club-footed man, we ran for our spears, and one of us went to tell the only thrall who could be spared to make ready the horses and come with us. Th

ge, one of the virgins of Odin, whom I loved and who loved me an

he asked me. "Has Iduna come

red, "but a w

est it might be Iduna before her time. Still, you go on

Is it just because you love to croak like a

me to me, and I must, that is all. I tell you that evil will be b

u are foolish, for if evil is to be, how can I avoid it?

ed to most of these fools about us. Go, Olaf, and meet your fore-ordained evil. Still, kiss me before you go le

disa, whom I loved dearly, but when I understood

duna?" I asked. "Iduna is my betrothed

hat he should not eat. There, begone, you think me jealous of Iduna, as old women can be, but it's not that, my dear. Oh! you'll le

ent. Indeed, I was musing so much of Iduna and how the time drew near when once more I should see her sweet face, wondering also why Ragnar and Freydisa should think so ill of her who seemed a goddess rather than a woman, that I forgot all about the bear. So

green flank. When it tilted towards us we perceived a track worn deep into the ice by the paws of the prisoned bear as it had march

din's curse be on that club-footed fool

einar doubtfully. "Don't you

does Olaf know about bears? He has been asleep for the last half-hour dreamin

sleep than some of us do when we a

eyes, for you've drunk the same milk, and that ties you tighter than

se, a bear is dead; see its sk

ur family prophet has settled

r was dead," answered

imself round in his quick fashi

the raven sitting on it? Or is this, perchance, one of Olaf

nd it is: Where is the live bear hiding? Can't you see that there were

know that?"

the birch wood yonder. It has a split claw on the l

id you not say so before?"

ss that I had been dreamin

a and the floating ice. See what wond

hook. But Ragnar, who cared nothing for scenery or sunsets, did not laugh. On the contrary, as was usual wi

nd that's why you let us come on here when you knew it was in the wood

g hunting spear, for among us Northmen to be told that

"It is true, Ragnar, I am not so fond of hunting as you are. Still, I think that there will be time to fight

g together. At least, I suppose that I heard them; at any rate, I know what they said, although, strangely eno

you remember what happened when your father called him 'niddering' last year because Olaf said it was not j

not kill so brave a lad, and threw him into the sea. It cost us that ship, since by the time we had picked him up she had put about and hoisted her large sail. Oh, Olaf

or if not there will be trouble with your mother and every

t you are right; and, what is more, there will be trouble among the men also, e

ld up my hand, and