Then said Horant, Lady, if you were in my master's land I would sing to you every day." And he began to chant a lay of the Vikings, such as they are wont to make when the winds blow and the ship darts over the billows of the wild North Sea.

And when he had ended, Hilda took out a costly ring, and offered it to him as a reward. But he said, "Oh lady, not for myself do I desire so great a gift; but if I might bring it to my master, then I should be a joyful messenger indeed." "Who is your master?" she asked. what is he called? For your sake I must needs think well of him."

"And

Then Horant unfolded to her all the truth, and told her how he and his friends were not traders, but messengers from King Hettel, and how they had come to woo her for their lord. And Hilda said, "Gladly would I go with you and be his bride, if only I might listen to your singing every day."

"Lady," said Horant, "in Hettel's court there are many singers, and I am the least of them all. Therefore return with us, and you shall have such music as you have never dreamt of before."

"Alas!" answered the princess, "it is not in my own will to come. For my father is very stern, and very cruel to all who desire to woo me." "If that be all," said Horant, "leave the thing to us, and we will bring it to pass.'

Then he went to his comrades, and told them what Hilda had said. And it was arranged that they should make their ship ready to go, and tell the king that they must say farewell, for it was time that they must depart. But they asked him if the queen and the princess and their ladies would come down to the shore and look at their wares before they took them away.

The king consented to this, and on the appointed day he brought his wife and daughter to the shore. In their train came many maidens, and a hundred brave knights of Ireland, and great was the throng and press of the country folk who crowded to see them. In the confusion Wate seized the princess and bore her on his shoulder to the ship; the Danes leapt on board, and Yrold cut the cable. The sail was hoisted, and the rowers bent to the oars; and while King Hagen and his knights raged upon the shore, the princess was borne swiftly away over the ocean.

The wind was good, and the ship sped like a bird to the shores of Denmark, and there Hilda was married to Hettel with great pomp and joy. But, before the wedding feast was over, tidings came that the warships of Hagen were in the harbour. The Danes rose from the tables and ran down to the shore, and a fierce fight took place. Hettel was one of the first to be wounded, and men fell smitten on either side; soon there would have been no more left to fight. But Hettel cried to Hagen, saying: "What need is there to strive longer, or to let our men fall thus, like ripe corn beneath the hand of the reaper? Let us two decide the matter by single combat, and Hilda shall weep not only a husband, but a father slain!"

And when Hagen heard these words his wrath grew calm, and he answered: "Truly thou art a brave man and a worthy mate for my daughter! And if I had a score more daughters, I could wish no better match for them than men like thee."

Then he held out his hand, and peace was made between them; and a wise woman, skilled in the art of healing, came and laid herbs upon the

wounded, and cured them all. And the wedding feast was begun again with more joy than before, and when it was done, Hagen sailed away to Ireland, leaving his daughter to rule with Hettel over the land of the Danes.

Now at one time King Olaf thought that he would command a large ship to be built, larger than any that had been known in Norway till that time. And many men were set to the work, some to hew down trees, others to plane them, and others to bring tools and nails and all that was wanted. But one great difficulty beset them; no tree could be found large enough for the keel, though they searched all the forests, far and wide.

So one morning, two of the builders, named Thorgeir and Thorberg, got up early and went down to the ship yard, still wondering what they should do about the keel. Then they saw coming towards them a very tall man, dark of hue, with bent brows; he had only one eye, and was not good to look upon. And he asked them how the shipbuilding was going on. They answered that