第13章
“Whyhaveyoucomehere，Olaf？“askedSteinarwhenheknewme。“Isittotakemylife？Ifso，neverwereyoumorewelcome。“
“No，Steinar，itistobidyoufarewell，sinceto-morrowatthefeastyoudie，andIamhelplesstosaveyou。Inallthingselsemenwillobeyme，butnotinthis。“
“Andwouldyousavemeifyoucould？“
“Aye，Steinar。Whynot？Surelyyoumustsufferenoughwithsomuchbloodandevilonyourhands。“
“Yes，Isufferenough，Olaf。SomuchthatIshallbegladtodie。Butifyouarenotcometokillme，thenitisthatyoumayscourgemewithyourtongue。“
“Notso，Steinar。ItisasIhavesaid，onlytobidyoufarewellandtoaskyouaquestion，ifitpleasesyoutoanswerme。Whydidyoudothisthingwhichhasbroughtaboutsuchmiseryandloss，whichhassentmyfather，mybrother，andahostofbravementothegrave，andwiththemmymother，whosebreastsnursedyou？“
“Isshedeadalso，Olaf？Oh！mycupisfull。“Hehidhiseyesinhisthinhandsandsobbed，thenwenton:“WhydidIdoit？Olaf，Ididnotdoit，butsomespiritthatenteredintomeandmadememad——madforthelipsofIdunatheFair。Olaf，Iwouldspeaknoillofher，sincehersinismine，butyetitistruethatwhenIhungbackshedrewmeon，norcouldIfindthestrengthtosayhernay。Doyoupraythegods，Olaf，thatnowomanmayeverdrawyouontosuchshameasmine。
HearkennowtothegreatrewardthatIhavewon。IwasneverwedtoIduna，Olaf。AthalbrandwouldnotsufferittillhewassureofthematterofthelordshipofAgger。Then，whenheknewthatthiswasgonefromme，hewouldsufferitstillless，andIdunaherselfseemedtogrowcold。Intruth，IbelievehethoughtofkillingmeandsendingmyheadasapresenttoyourfatherThorvald。ButthisIdunaforbade，whetherbecauseshelovedmeorforotherreasons，Icannotsay。Olaf，youknowtherest。“
“Aye，Steinar，Iknowtherest。Idunaislosttome，andforthatperhapsIshouldthankyou，althoughsuchathrustasthisleavestheheartsoreforlife。Myfather，mymother，mybrother——allarelosttome，andyou，too，whowereasmytwin，areabouttobelost。Nighthasyouall，andwithyouahundredothermen，becauseofthemadnessthatwasbredinyoubytheeyesofIdunatheFair，whoalsoislosttobothofus。Steinar，Idonotblameyou，forIknowyourswasamadnesswhich，fortheirownends，thegodssenduponmen，namingitlove。Iforgiveyou，Steinar，ifIhaveaughttoforgive，andItellyou，sowearyamIofthisworld，whichIfeelholdslittlethatisgood，that，ifImight，I’dyieldupmylifeinsteadofyours，andgotoseektheothers，thoughIdoubtwhetherIshouldfindthem，sinceI
thinkthatourroadsaredifferent。Hark！thepriestscallme。
Steinar，there’snoneedtobidyoutobebrave，forwhoofourNorthernraceisnot？That’souroneheritage:thecourageofabull。
Yetitseemstomethatthereareothersortsofcouragewhichwelack:totreadthedarkwaysofdeathwitheyesfixedonthingsgentlerandbetterthanweknow。Praytoourgods，Steinar，sincetheyarethebestwehavetoprayto，thoughdarkandbloodyintheirways；
praythatwemaymeetagain，wherepriestsandswordsarenotandwomenworknoruin，wherewemayloveasweoncelovedinchildhoodandthereisnomoresin。Fareyouwell，mybrotherSteinar，yetnotforever，forsureIamthatherewedidnotbeginandhereweshallnotend。Oh！Steinar，Steinar，whocouldhavedreamedthatthiswouldbethelastofallourhappyfellowship？“
WhenIhadspokensuchwordsasthesetohim，Iflungmyarmsabouthim，andweembracedeachother。Thenthatpicturefades。
Itwasthehourofsacrifice。Thevictimlaybounduponthestoneinthepresenceofthestatueofthegod，butoutsideofthedoorsofthelittletemple，thatallwhoweregatheredtheremightseetheoffering。
Theceremonieswereended。Leif，theheadpriest，inhisrobeofoffice，hadprayedanddrunkthecupbeforethegod，dedicatingtohimthebloodthatwasabouttofall，andnarratinginachantthecrimesforwhichitwasofferedupandallthetaleofwoethatthesehadbroughtabout。Then，inthemidstofanuttersilence，hedrewthesacrificialswordandheldittothelipsofOdinthatthegodmightbreatheuponitandmakeitholy。
Itwouldseemthatthegoddidbreathe；atleast，thatsideoftheswordwhichhadbeenbrightgrewdull。Leifturnedittothepeople，cryingintheancientwords:
“Odintakes；whodaredeny？“
Alleyeswerefixeduponhim，standinginhisblackrobe，andholdingaloftthegleamingswordthathadgrowndull。Yes，eventhepatienteyesofSteinar，bounduponthestone。
Thenitwasthatsomespiritstirredinmyheartwhichdrovemeontostepbetweenthepriestandhisprey。Standinginthedoorwayofthechapel，atall，youngshapeagainstthegloombehind，Isaidinasteadyvoice:
“Idaredeny！“
Agaspofwondermentwentupfromallwhoheard，andSteinar，liftinghimselfalittlefromthestone，staredatme，shookhisheadasifindissent，thenletitfallagain，andlistened。
“Hearken，friends，“Isaid。“Thisman，myfoster-brother，hascommittedasinagainstmeandmyHouse。MyHouseisdead——Ialoneremain；andonbehalfofthedeadandofmyselfIforgivehimhissin，which，indeed，waslesshisthananother’s。Isthereanymanamongyouwhoatsometimehasnotbeenledasidebywoman，orwhohasnotagainandagaindesiredtobesoledaside？Ifsuchaonetherebe，lethimsaythathehasnoforgivenessinhisheartforSteinar，thesonofHakon。Lethimcomeforwardandsayit。“
Nonestirred；eventhewomendroopedtheirheadsandweresilent。
“Then，ifthisisso，“Iwenton，“andyoucanforgive，asIdo，howmuchmoreshouldagodforgive？Whatisagod？Ishenotonegreaterthanman，whomustknowalltheweaknessofman，which，forhisownends，hehasbredintothefleshofman？How，then，canhedootherwisethanbepitifultowhathehascreated？Ifthisbeso，howcanthegodrefusethatwhichmenarewillingtogrant，andwhatsacrificecanpleasehimbetterthantheforegoingofhisownvengeance？Wouldagodwishtobeoutdonebyaman？IfI，Olaf，themancanforgive，whohavebeenwronged，howmuchmorecanOdinthegodforgive，whohassufferednowrongsavethatofthebreakingofthoselawswhichwilleverbebrokenbymenwhoareasithaspleasedhimtofashionthem？OnOdin’sbehalf，therefore，andspeakingashewouldspeak，couldhehavevoiceamongus，Idemandthatyousetthisvictimfree，leavingittohisownhearttopunishhim。“
Now，somewhommysimplewordshadtouched，Isupposebecausetherewastruthinthem，althoughinthosedaysandinthatlandnoneunderstoodsuchtruths，andothers，becausetheyhadknownandlovedtheopen-handedSteinar，whowouldhavegiventhecloakfromhisbacktothemeanestofthem，cried:
“Aye，lethimgofree。TherehasbeenenoughofdeaththroughthisIduna。“
Butmorestoodsilent，lostindoubtatthisnewdoctrine。OnlyLeif，myuncle，didnotstandsilent。Hisdarkfacebegantoworkasthoughadevilpossessedhim，as，indeed，Ithinkonedid。Hiseyesrolled；
hechampedhisjawslikeanangryhog，andscreamed:
“SurelythelordOlafismad，fornosanemanwouldtalkthus。Manmayforgivewhileitiswithinhispower；butthistraitorhasbeendedicatedtoOdin，andcanagodforgive？Canagodsparewhenhisnostrilsareopenedforthesmellofblood？Ifso，ofwhatuseisittobeagod？Howishehappierthanamanifhemustspare？Moreover，wouldyebringthecurseofOdinuponyouall？Isaytoyou——stealhissacrifice，andyouyourselvesshallbesacrificed，you，yourwives，yourchildren，aye，andevenyourcattleandthefruitofyourfields。“
Whentheyheardthis，thepeoplegroanedandshoutedout:
“LetSteinardie！Killhim！KillhimthatOdinmaybefed！“
“Aye，“answeredLeif，“Steinarshalldie。See，hedies！“
Then，withaleapliketothatofahungrywolf，hesprangupontheboundmanandslewhim。
Iseeitnow。Therudetemple，theglaringstatueofthegod，thegatheredcrowd，openmouthedandeyed，thespringsunshineshiningquietlyoverall，and，runningpasttheplace，aewecallingtothelambthatithadlost；IseethedyingSteinarturnhiswhiteface，andsmileafarewelltomewithhisfadingeyes；IseeLeifgettingtohishorribleritesthathemightlearntheomen，andlastlyIseetheredswordoftheWandererappearsuddenlybetweenmeandhim，andinmyhand。Ithinkthatmypurposewastocuthimdown。Onlyathoughtarosewithinme。
Thispriestwasnottoblame。Hedidnomorethanhehadbeentaught。
Whotaughthim？Thegodheserved，throughwhomhegainedhonourandlivelihood。Sothegodwastoblame，thegodthatdrankthebloodofmen，asathralldrinksale，tosatisfyhisfilthyappetite。Couldsuchamonsterbeagod？Nay，hemustbeadevil，andwhyshouldfreemenservedevils？Atleast，Iwouldnot。Iwouldcasthimoff，andlethimavengehimselfuponmeifhecould。I，Olaf，wouldmatchmyselfagainstthisgod——ordevil。
IstrodepastLeifandthealtartowherethestatueofOdinsatwithinthetemple。
“Hearken！“Isaidinsuchavoicethatallliftedtheireyesfromthesceneofbutcherytome。“YoubelieveinOdin，doyounot？“
Theyanswered“Aye。“
“Thenyoubelievethathecanrevengehimselfupononewhorejectsandaffrontshim？“
“Aye，“theyansweredagain。
“Ifthisbeso，“Iwenton，“willyousweartoleavethematterbetweenOdinandme，Olaf，tobesettledaccordingtothelawofsinglecombat，andgivepeacetothevictor，withpromisefromallharmsaveatthehandsofhisfoe？“
“Aye，“theyanswered，yetscarcelyunderstandingwhattheysaid。
“Good！“Icried。“Now，GodOdin，I，Olaf，aman，challengeyoutosinglecombat。Strikeyoufirst，you，Odin，whomInameDevilandWolfoftheskies，butnogod。Strikeyoufirst，bloodymurderer，andkillme，ifyoucan，whoawaityourstroke！“
ThenIfoldedmyarmsandstaredatthestatue’sstonyeyes，whichstaredbackatme，whileallthepeoplegasped。
ForafullminuteIwaitedthus，butallthathappenedwasthatawrensettledontheheadofOdinandtwitteredthere，thenflewofftoitsnestinthethatch。
“Now，“Icried，“youhavehadyourturn，andminecomes。“
IdrewtheWanderer’ssword，andsprangatOdin。Myfirststrokesunkuptothehiltinhishollowbelly；mynextcutthesceptrefromhishand；mythird——agreatone——hewedtheheadfromoffhim。Itcamerattlingdown，andoutofitcrawledaviper，whichreareditselfupandhissed。Isetmyheeluponthereptile’sheadandcrushedit，andslowlyitwritheditselftodeath。
“Now，goodfolk，“Icried，“whatsayyouofyourgodOdin？“
Theyanswerednothing，forallofthemwereinflight。Yes，evenLeiffled，cursingmeoverhisshoulderashewent。
PresentlyIwasalonewiththedeadSteinarandtheshatteredgod，andinthatlonelinessstrangevisionscametome，forIfeltthatIhaddoneamightydeed，onethatmademehappy。Roundthewallofthetemplecreptafigure；itwasthatofFreydisa，whosefacewaswhiteandscared。
“Youareagreatman，Olaf，“shesaid；“buthowwillitend？“
“Idonotknow，“Ianswered。“Ihavedonewhatmyhearttoldme，neithermorenorless，andIbidetheissue。Odinshallhavehischance，forhereIstaytilldark，andthen，ifIlive，Ileavethisland。Go，getmeallthegoldthatisminefromthehall，andbringitheretomebymoonrise，andwithitsomegarmentsandmyarmour。Bringmealsomybesthorse。“