stood, for already I had dismounted and was pointing to the gr

thing," s

een turned over; for it is frozen underneath and pressed up into little mounds between the bear's claws. Also that tin

uns the track, sure enough, and, as I thought, the brute has a split claw;

w which lay beyond the bush we saw the

id Ragnar. "Never ha

ed with undergrowth, that some hundred yards farther on became dense birch forest. "I think it would be well t

ck. For my brother's taunts rankled in me and I was determined that I should kill this beast

go on for I have never yet seen o

id Ragnar with a laugh. Then they both spra

of some firs that were mingled with the birch, made the place gloomy in that low light. Always in front of me ran the huge slots of the bear till at length the

osing to meet me at its head. This, indeed, Ragnar did, but Steinar halted because of a crunching sound that caught his ear, and then stepped to the right between two fallen birches to discover its cause. Next moment, as he told me afterwards, he stood frozen, for there behind the boughs of one of t

where he had gone-at any rate, it remained upreared and beating at the air. Then a doubt took it, its huge paws sank until it sat like a begging dog, sniffing the wind. At this moment Ragnar came back shouting, an

ar's shoulder, or, rather, in his leathern garment, and was dragging him from under the tree. When it saw me it reared itself up again, lifting Steinar and holding him to its breast with one paw. I went mad at the sight, and charged it, driving

d!" gaspe

rees, on the top of one of which sat a small bird spreading its tail in jerks; the red light of evening, and about us the great silences of the sky above and of the lonely forest beneath. It

to get behind the bear. Ragnar understood. He threw his cap into the brute's face, and then, after it had growled

ll my strength, and cut into its spine above the tail, paralysing it. It was a great blow, as it need to be to cleave the thick hair and hide, and my swo

ening it the more. I ran in and grasped Steinar, whom the bear was again hugging to its breast. Seeing me, it loosed Steinar, whom I dragged away and cast behind me, but in the effort I slipped and fell forward. The bear smote a

ome artery in its throat, and all the talk which followed, as well as though I heard it with my ears. It roared and roared, vomiting blood and stre

ea

which I lay, and again muttered: "Dead! Well, V

inar and once again

his garments half torn off him. Still, as the words passed Ragnar's li

ch hurt?" a

head swims. I have had a bad dream." Then his eyes fell on the bear

," answered Ragnar

stretched there as white as the snow, with a smile upon my face and i

o save me?" a

walk that bridge in better fashion. You w

Steinar with a sob. "It is borne in upon

both of us. There was something more in him than there is in us, Steinar. Come, lift him to my back

fight with the

the Hall of Aar, laid like a corpse across the back of one of the horses. They had been searching for us at Aar, but in that darkne

," she said. "Bring him in," th

kine to where the great fire of turf and wood burn

my father, who had come home

dragged Steinar yonder from under the paws of t

my father. "Well, at least

from off me, and, while all watched, Freydisa, the skilled woman, examined my hurts. She felt my he

ose, and, turni

, the light of life still burns in his eyes, and though the

heart was weak, fainted for joy, and my father, untw

g it away with her foot. "Moreover,

e fire that warmth might come back to me. But Freydisa would not suffer the

t on the fourth day I opened my eyes and took food, and after that fell into a natural sleep. On the morning of th

ne," said my mo

rn from a land where they speak another ton

ch I slept, that, as was usual among northern people, opened out of the ha

eat beast k

by me. "Steinar was sore hurt, b

m with my own

for know in this long sleep of mine I have dreamed that you were dead"; and I stret

ssed me on the

I live to be your brother a

," I muttered, for I was growing

strength began to return,

s that you will take a boat and sail to Lesso, carrying with you as a present from me to Athalbrand's daughter the skin of that white bear, which I trust will serve her and me as a bed-covering in winter for many a year to come. Tell her, thanks be to the gods and to the sk

ng with his pleasant laugh: "Long have I desired to see this Iduna of yours, and to l

her too beautiful," broke in Frey

d Steinar, smiling, as he left the plac

hose words, Freydisa?"

s she not, and Steinar is handsome, is he not, and of an age when man seeks

una is my betrothed and that Steinar was fostered wi

here is the broth. Drink it, and I, whom some call a wise woman and others a witch,

ad swallowed the broth, "wh

, Olaf. Also because it has not pleased me to marry, as it is

and why have you not

st. And I am not married because another woman took the only man I wanted before I met him. That was my b

t tell you that our gods of wood and stone are true gods which rule t

ent, where would the priest be? Also, as regards these gods-well, whatever they may or may not be, at least they are the voices that in our day speak to us from that land whence we came and whither we go. The world has known millions of days, and

see her going now, a wooden bowl in her hand, and in it a horn spoon of which the handle was cracked

ot yet returned. Being still weak from my great illness, I was seated in the sun in the shelter of the house, wrapped up in a cloak of deer

ow," I said to him. "I trust

even days the wind has been high, and doubtles

n," suggested Ragnar, who had joined us, a spear in his hand, for he h

d him, my brother. Just then, however, three men appeared through trees that grew about the hall, and came towards the bridge, whereon Ragnar's great wolfhounds, knowing them for strangers

not? And a certain Steinar dwells here wit

re from his birth up, but is now away from home on a visit to the lord Ath

we are and what we seek," answered the man, adding: "Fear not,

ere are men who would know the story of S

ame, and the m

of my lord. Her tale was that she had quarrelled with Hakon because another woman had crept into her place. Finding that this tale was true, and that Hakon had treated her ill indeed, we gave her shelter, and here her son Steinar was born, in giving birth to whom she died-o

l of bore him ere she died-for after Steingerdi's death he married her-were

he bear nearly killed S

people, being the only male left living of his issue. This, by the wish of the head men of Agger, where is Hakon's hall, we h

age great?" a

n all Jutland there was n

n Fortune's favour. Well, men of Agger, enter and rest you.

In front was a young woman, wrapped in a coat of furs, talking eagerly to a man who rode by her. Behind, clad in armour, with a battle-axe

ugh for me. Then I

he lord Athalbrand and his folk. A happy sight in

re, I pray you. You are not yet strong, my son

t which I saw my mother frown. Then I would no longer be restrained, but ran forward, crying greetings as I came,

all these

which, I thought to myself, came doubtless from the cold wind.

ou are. I had hoped to find you well again, though, not kno

ned to grasp Steinar's hand, adding: "I kn

came of myself. But my

brand Fork-beard was dismounting,

n. Now that the flesh is off you I see you lack bone, unlike some others," and he glanced at the broad-shouldered Steinar. "Greeting to you, Thorvald. We are come here through a sea that

quickly: "Nay, no offence; you are welcome here, whatever your humour, and you too, my daught

d Steinar absently, for

Agger with the news that your father, Hakon, and your half-brothers are all drowned. They say

ll, as I never saw my father or my brothers, and

iest man in Jutland in cattle, lands, thralls and stored gold. Young friend, your luck is great," and he stared

bracing him. "Not for nothing did I save you from the b

e to you, and with them rule and greatness, Steinar, Lord of Ag

, who stood by, burst into a loud laugh. Then, putting

ay, trouble not about Iduna. Steinar, Lo

hair, bright as the gold rings that tinkled on her rounded arms. She was kind to me also, and bade me tell her the story of the slaying of the bear, which

had never known them, blood still calls to blood; and so, I believe, did most there present. At any rate my father

he sum was that Steinar must now be one of the weal

ter?" he added with a half-drunken laugh, for all the liquor he had swallowed had got a hold of his brain. Recovering himself, he went on: "It is my will, Thorvald, that

orward on the table