第6章

“Iknownotwhatwillorwillnothappen，“answeredSteinar，“butuntilthenIcannotcome。Gonow，Iprayyou，ifyoumust，andbearmywordsandgreetingstothemenofAgger，whomsoonIhopetomeetmyself。“

Sotheywent，asIthought，heavilyenough。Awhileafterwardsmyfatherroseandcameintothehall，wherefrommybedIcouldseeSteinarseatedonastoolbythefirebrooding。HeaskedwherethemenofAggerwere，andSteinartoldhimwhathehaddone。

“Areyoumad，Steinar？“heasked。“thatyouhavesentthemawaywithsuchananswer？Whydidyounotconsultmefirst？“

“Becauseyouwereasleep，Foster-father，andthemessengerssaidtheymustcatchthetide。AlsoIcouldnotleaveAaruntilIhadseenOlafandIdunamarried。“

“IdunaandOlafcanmarrywithoutyourhelp。Ittakestwotomakeamarriage，notthree。IseewellthatyouoweloveandloyaltytoOlaf，whoisyourfoster-brotherandsavedyourlife，butyouowesomethingtoyourselfalso。IprayOdinthatthisfollymaynothavecostyouyourlordship。Fortuneisawenchwhowillnotbearslighting。“

“Iknowit，“answeredSteinar，andtherewassomethingstrangeinhisvoice。“Believeme，Idonotslightfortune；Ifollowherinmyownfashion。“

“Thenitisamadfashion，“grumbledmyfather，andwalkedaway。

ItcomesbacktomethatitwassomedaysafterthisthatIsawtheghostoftheWandererstandingonhisgravemound。Ithappenedthus。

OnacertainafternoonIhadbeenridingalonewithIduna，whichwasagreatjoytome，thoughIwouldsoonerhavewalked，forthenIcouldhaveheldherhand，andperhaps，ifshehadsufferedit，kissedher。I

hadrecitedtoherapoemwhichIhadmadecomparinghertothegoddessIduna，thewifeofBragi，shewhoguardedtheapplesofimmortalyouthwhereofthegodsmusteatordie，shewhosegarmentwasthespring，wovenoftheflowersthatsheputonwhensheescapedfromwinter’sgiantgrasp。Ithinkthatitwasaverygoodpoemofitsownsort，butIdunaseemedtohavesmalltasteforpoetryandtoknowlittleofthelovelygoddessandherapples，althoughshesmiledsweetlyandthankedmeformyverses。

Thenshebegantotalkofothermatters，especiallyofhow，afterwewerewed，herfatherwishedtomakewaruponanotherchieftainandtoseizehisland。Shesaidthatitwasforthisreasonthathehadbeensoanxioustoformanalliancewithmyfather，Thorvald，assuchanalliancewouldmakehimsureofvictory。Beforethattime，shetoldmethathe，Athalbrand，hadpurposedtomarryhertoanotherlordforthisveryreason，butunhappilythislordhadbeenkilledinbattle。

“Nay，happilyforus，Iduna，“Isaid。

“Perhaps，“sheansweredwithasigh。“Whoknows？Atanyrate，yourHousewillbeabletogiveusmoreshipsandmenthanhewhoisdeadcouldhavedone。“

“YetIlovepeace，notwar，“Ibrokein，“Iwhohatetheslayingofthosewhohaveneverharmedme，anddonotseektodieontheswordsofmenwhomIhavenodesiretoharm。Ofwhatgoodiswarwhenonehasenough？Iwouldbenowidow-maker，Iduna，nordoIwishthatothersshouldmakeyouawidow。“

Idunalookedatmewithhersteadyblueeyes。

“Youtalkstrangely，Olaf，“shesaid，“andwereitnotknowntobeotherwise，somemightholdthatyouareacoward。Yetitwasnocowardwholeaptaloneonboardthebattleship，orwhoslewthegreatwhitebeartosaveSteinar’slife。Idonotunderstandyou，Olaf，youwhohavedoubtsastothekillingofmen。Howdoesamangrowgreatexceptuponthebloodofothers？Itisthatwhichfatshim。Howdoesthewolflive？Howdoesthekitelive？HowdoesOdinfillValhalla？Bydeath，alwaysbydeath。“

“Icannotansweryou，“Isaid；“yetIholdthatsomewherethereisananswerwhichIdonotknow，sincewrongcanneverbetheright。“

Then，asshedidnotseemtounderstand，Ibegantotalkofotherthings，butfromthatmomentIfeltasthoughaveilswungbetweenmeandIduna。Herbeautyheldmyflesh，butsomeotherpartinmeturnedawayfromher。Weweredifferent。

WhenwereachedthehallwemetSteinar，whowaslingeringnearthedoor。HeranforwardandhelpedIdunatodismount，thensaid:

“Olaf，Iknowthatyoumustnotovertireyourselfasyet，butyourladyhastoldmethatshedesirestoseethesunsetfromOdin’sMount。

HaveIyourleavetotakeherthere？“

“IdonotyetneedOlaf’sleavetowalkabroad，thoughsomefewdayshenceitmaybedifferent，“brokeinIduna，withamerrylaugh，beforeIcouldanswer。“Come，lordSteinar，letusgoandseethissunsetwhereofyoutalksomuch。“

“Yes，go，“Isaid，“onlydonotstaytoolong，forIthinkastormcomesup。ButwhoisthathastaughtSteinartolovesunsets？“

Sotheywent，andbeforetheyhadbeengoneanhourthestormbrokeasIhadforeseen。Firstcamewind，andwithithail，andafterthatthunderandgreatdarkness，litupfromtimetotimebypulsinglightning。

“SteinarandIdunadonotreturn。Iamafraidforthem，“IsaidatlasttoFreydisa。

“Thenwhydoyounotgotoseekthem？“sheaskedwithalittlelaugh。

“IthinkIwill，“Isaid。

“Ifso，Iwillcomewithyou，Olaf，foryoustillneedanurse，though，formypart，IholdthatthelordSteinarandtheladyIdunacanguardthemselvesaswellasmostfolk。No，Iamwrong。ImeanthattheladyIdunacanguardherselfandthelordSteinar。Now，benotangry。Here’syourcloak。“

Sowestarted，forIwasurgedtothisfoolishjourneybysomeimpulsethatIcouldnotmaster。ThereweretwowaysofreachingOdin’sMount；

one，theshorter，overtherocksandthroughtheforestland。Theother，thelonger，ranacrosstheopenplain，betweenthemanyearthtombsofthedeadwhohadlivedthousandsofyearsbefore，andpastthegreatmoundinwhichitwassaidthatawarrioroflongago，whowasnamedtheWanderer，layburied。Becauseofthedarknesswechosethislatterroad，andpresentlyfoundourselvesbeneaththegreatmassoftheWanderer’sMount。Nowthedarknesswasintense，andthelightninggrewrare，forthehailandrainhadceasedandthestormwasrollingaway。

“Mycounselis，“saidFreydisa，“thatwewaithereuntilthemoonrises，whichitshoulddosoon。Whenthewindhasdrivenawaythecloudsitwillshowusourpath，butifwegooninthisdarknessweshallfallintosomepit。Itisnotcoldto-night，andyouwilltakenoharm。“

“No，indeed，“Ianswered，“fornowIamasstrongagainaseverI

was。“

Sowestayedtillthelightning，flashingforthelasttime，showedusamanandawomanstandingquiteclosetous，althoughwehadnotheardthembecauseofthewind。TheywereSteinarandIduna，talkingtogethereagerly，withtheirfacesveryneartoeachother。Atthesamemomenttheysawus。Steinarsaidnothing，forheseemedconfused，butIdunarantousandsaid:

“Thanksbetothegodswhosendyou，Olaf。ThegreatstormcaughtusatOdin’stemple，wherewewereforcedtoshelter。Then，fearingthatyouwouldgrowfrightened，westarted，andlostourway。“

“Isitso？“Ianswered。“SurelySteinarwouldhaveknownthisroadeveninthedark。Butwhatmatter，sinceIhavefoundyou？“

“Aye，heknewassoonaswesawthisgravemound。ButSteinarwastellingmethatsomeghosthauntsit，andIbeggedhimtostayawhile，sincethereisnothingIdesiresomuchastoseeaghost，whobelievelittleinsuchthings。Sohestayed，thoughhesayshefearsthedeadmorethantheliving。Freydisa，theytellmethatyouareverywise。

Cannotyoushowmethisghost？“

“Thespiritdoesnotaskmyleavetoappear，lady，“answeredFreydisainherquietvoice。“Still，attimesitdoesappear，forIhaveseenittwice。Soletusbideherealittleonthechance。“

Thenshewentforwardafewstepsandbegantomuttertoherself。

Someminuteslaterthecloudsbrokeandthegreatmoonwasseenridinglowdowninaclearsky，illuminingthegravemoundandalltheplain，savewherewestoodintheshadowofthemount。

“Doyouseeaught？“askedFreydisapresently。“Ifnot，letusbegone，forwhentheWanderercomesatallitisattherisingofthemoon。“

SteinarandIdunaanswered，“No，“butI，whodidseesomething，said:

“Lookyonderamongtheshadows。Mayhapitisawolfstirring。Nay，itisaman。Look，Iduna。“

“Ilookandfindnothing，“sheanswered。

“Lookagain，“Isaid。“Hereachesthetopofthemountandstandstherestaringtowardsthesouth。Oh！nowheturns，andthemoonlightshinesuponhisface。“

“Youdream，Olaf，“saidSteinar。“Ifyoudonotdream，tellusofthelikenessofthisspirit。“

“Itslikeness，“Ianswered，“isthatofatallandnobleman，wornasthoughwithyearsandsorrows。Hewearsstrangericharmourthatisdintedandsoiled；onhisheadisacapofmailwithtwolongear-

pieces，beneathwhichappearshisbrownhairlinedwithgrey。Heholdsared-colouredswordwhichishandledwithacrossofgold。Hepointstheswordatyou，Steinar。Itisasthoughhewereangrywithyou，orwarnedyou。“

Now，whenSteinarheardthesewordsheshookandgroaned，asI

rememberedafterwards。ButofthisItooknonoteatthetime，forjustthenIdunacriedout: