第4章
TheyhadbeensearchingforusatAar，butinthatdarknesshadfoundnothing。Only，attheheadofthebridgewasFreydisa，atorchinherhand。Sheglancedatmebythelightofthetorch。
“Asmyheartforetold，soitis，“shesaid。“Bringhimin，“thenturnedandrantothehouse。
Theyboremeupbetweenthedoubleranksofstabledkinetowherethegreatfireofturfandwoodburnedattheheadofthehall，andlaidmeonatable。
“Ishedead？“askedThorvald，myfather，whohadcomehomethatnight；
“andifso，how？“
“Aye，father，“answeredRagnar，“andnobly。HedraggedSteinaryonderfromunderthepawsofthegreatwhitebearandslewitwithhissword。“
“Amightydeed，“mutteredmyfather。“Well，atleasthecomeshomeinhonour。“
Butmymother，whosefavouritesonIwas，lifteduphervoiceandwept。Thentheytooktheclothesfromoffme，and，whileallwatched，Freydisa，theskilledwoman，examinedmyhurts。Shefeltmyheadandlookedintomyeyes，andlayingherearuponmybreast，listenedforthebeatingofmyheart。
Presentlysherose，and，turning，saidslowly:
“Olafisnotdead，thoughneartodeath。Hispulsesflutter，thelightoflifestillburnsinhiseyes，andthoughthebloodrunsfromhisears，Ithinktheskullisnotbroken。“
Whensheheardthesewords，Thora，mymother，whoseheartwasweak，faintedforjoy，andmyfather，untwistingagoldringfromhisarm，threwittoFreydisa。
“Firstthecure，“shesaid，thrustingitawaywithherfoot。
“Moreover，whenIworkforloveItakenopay。“
Thentheywashedme，and，havingdressedmyhurts，laidmeonabednearthefirethatwarmthmightcomebacktome。ButFreydisawouldnotsufferthemtogivemeanythingsavealittlehotmilkwhichshepoureddownmythroat。
ForthreedaysIlaylikeonedead；indeed，allsavemymotherheldFreydisawrongandthoughtthatIwasdead。ButonthefourthdayI
openedmyeyesandtookfood，andafterthatfellintoanaturalsleep。OnthemorningofthesixthdayIsatupandspokemanywildandwanderingwords，sothattheybelievedIshouldonlyliveasamadman。
“Hismindisgone，“saidmymother，andwept。
“Nay，“answeredFreydisa，“hedoesbutreturnfromalandwheretheyspeakanothertongue。Thorvald，bringhitherthebear-skin。“
ItwasbroughtandhungonaframeofpolesattheendofthenicheinwhichIslept，that，aswasusualamongnorthernpeople，openedoutofthehall。Istaredatitforalongwhile。ThenmymemorycamebackandIasked:
“DidthegreatbeastkillSteinar？“
“No，“answeredmymother，whosatbyme。“Steinarwassorehurt，butescapedandnowiswellagain。“
“Letmeseehimwithmyowneyes，“Isaid。
Sohewasbrought，andIlookedonhim。“Iamgladyoulive，mybrother，“Isaid，“forknowinthislongsleepofmineIhavedreamedthatyouweredead“；andIstretchedoutmywastedarmstowardshim，forIlovedSteinarbetterthananyotherman。
Hecameandkissedmeonthebrow，saying:
“Aye，thankstoyou，Olaf，Ilivetobeyourbrotherandyourthralltilltheend。“
“Mybrotheralways，notmythrall，“Imuttered，forIwasgrowingtired。ThenIwenttosleepagain。
Threedayslater，whenmystrengthbegantoreturn，IsentforSteinarandsaid:
“Brother，IdunatheFair，whomyouhaveneverseen，mybetrothed，mustwonderhowitfareswithme，forthetaleofthishurtofminewillhavereachedLesso。Now，astherearereasonswhyRagnarcannotgo，andasIwouldsendnomeanman，Iprayyoutodomeafavour。ItisthatyouwilltakeaboatandsailtoLesso，carryingwithyouasapresentfrommetoAthalbrand’sdaughtertheskinofthatwhitebear，whichItrustwillserveherandmeasabed-coveringinwinterformanyayeartocome。Tellher，thanksbetothegodsandtotheskillofFreydisa，mynurse，Ilivewhoallthoughtmustdie，andthatI
trusttobestrongandwellforourmarriageattheSpringfeastwhichdrawson。SayalsothatthroughallmysicknessIhavedreamedofnonebuther，asItrustthatsometimesshemayhavedreamedofme。“
“Aye，I’llgo，“answeredSteinar，“fastashorses’legsandsailscancarryme，“addingwithhispleasantlaugh:“LonghaveIdesiredtoseethisIdunaofyours，andtolearnwhethersheisasbeautifulasyousay；alsowhatitisinherthatRagnarhates。“
“Becarefulthatyoudonotfindhertoobeautiful，“brokeinFreydisa，who，asever，wasatmyside。
“HowcanIifsheisforOlaf？“answeredSteinar，smiling，ashelefttheplacetomakereadyforhisjourneytoLesso。
“Whatdidyoumeanbythosewords，Freydisa？“Iaskedwhenhewasgone。
“Littleormuch，“shereplied，shrugginghershoulders。“Idunaislovely，isshenot，andSteinarishandsome，ishenot，andofanagewhenmanseekswoman，andwhatisbrotherhoodwhenmanseekswomanandwomanbeguilesman？“
“Peacetoyourriddles，Freydisa。YouforgetthatIdunaismybetrothedandthatSteinarwasfosteredwithme。Why，I’dtrustthemforaweekatseaalone。“
“Doubtless，Olaf，beingyoungandfoolish，asyouare；alsothatisyournature。Nowhereisthebroth。Drinkit，andI，whomsomecallawisewomanandothersawitch，saythatto-morrowyoumayrisefromthisbedandsitinthesun，ifthereisany。“
“Freydisa，“IsaidwhenIhadswallowedthebroth，“whydofolkcallyouawitch？“
“IthinkbecauseIamalittlelessofafoolthanotherwomen，Olaf。
Alsobecauseithasnotpleasedmetomarry，asitisheldnaturalthatallwomenshoulddoiftheyhavethechance。“
“Whyareyouwiser，andwhyhaveyounotmarried，Freydisa？“
“IamwiserbecauseIhavequestionedthingsmorethanmost，andtothosewhoquestionanswerscomeatlast。AndIamnotmarriedbecauseanotherwomantooktheonlymanIwantedbeforeImethim。Thatwasmybadluck。Still，ittaughtmeagreatlesson，namely，howtowaitandmeanwhiletoacquireunderstanding。“
“Whatunderstandinghaveyouacquired，Freydisa？Forinstance，doesittellyouthatourgodsofwoodandstonearetruegodswhichruletheworld？Oraretheybutwoodandstone，assometimesIhavethought？“
“Thenthinknomore，Olaf，forsuchthoughtsaredangerous。IfLeif，youruncle，Odin’shighpriest，heardthem，whatmighthenotsayordo？Rememberthatwhetherthegodsliveorno，certainlythepriestlives，andonthegods，andifthegodswent，wherewouldthepriestbe？Also，asregardsthesegods——well，whatevertheymayormaynotbe，atleasttheyarethevoicesthatinourdayspeaktousfromthatlandwhencewecameandwhitherwego。Theworldhasknownmillionsofdays，andeachdayhasitsgod——oritsvoice——andallthevoicesspeaktruthtothosewhocanhearthem。Meanwhile，youareafooltohavesentSteinarbearingyourgifttoIduna。Orperhapsyouareverywise。
Icannotsayasyet。WhenIlearnIwilltellyou。“
Thenagainsheshruggedhershouldersandleftmewonderingwhatshemeantbyherdarksayings。Icanseehergoingnow，awoodenbowlinherhand，andinitahornspoonofwhichthehandlewascrackedlongways，andthusinmymindendsallthesceneofmysicknessaftertheslayingofthewhitebear。
ThenextthingthatIrememberisthecomingofthemenofAgger。ThiscannothavebeenverylongafterSteinarwenttoLesso，forhehadnotyetreturned。Beingstillweakfrommygreatillness，Iwasseatedinthesunintheshelterofthehouse，wrappedupinacloakofdeerskins——forthenorthernwindblewbitter。Bymestoodmyfather，whowasinahappymoodnowheknewthatIshouldliveandbestrongagain。
“Steinarshouldbebackbynow，“Isaidtohim。“Itrustthathehascomebynoill。“
“Ohno，“answeredmyfathercarelessly。“Forsevendaysthewindhasbeenhigh，anddoubtlessAthalbrandfearstolethimsailfromLesso。“
“OrperhapsSteinarfindsAthalbrand’shallapleasantplacetobidein，“suggestedRagnar，whohadjoinedus，aspearinhishand，forhehadcomeinfromhunting。“Therearegooddrinkandbrighteyesthere。“
Iwasabouttoanswersharply，sinceRagnarstungmewithhisbittertalkofSteinar，ofwhomIknewhimtobesomewhatjealous，becausehethoughtIlovedmyfoster-brothermorethanIdidhim，mybrother。
Justthen，however，threemenappearedthroughtreesthatgrewaboutthehall，andcametowardsthebridge，whereonRagnar’sgreatwolfhounds，knowingthemforstrangers，setupafuriousbayingandsprangforwardtotearthem。Bythetimethebeastswerecaughtandquelled，thesemen，agedpersonsofpresence，hadcrossedthebridgeandweregreetingus。
“ThisisthehallofThorvaldofAar，isitnot？AndacertainSteinardwellsherewithhim，doeshenot？“askedtheirspokesman。
“Itis，andIamThorvald，“answeredmyfather。“AlsoSteinarhasdweltherefromhisbirthup，butisnowawayfromhomeonavisittothelordAthalbrandofLesso。Whoareyou，andwhatwouldyouofSteinar，myfosterling“