LITMIR.BIZ

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And now if the sooth thou sayest, that these King-folk cherish thee well,

       Then let them give thee a gift whereof the world shall tell:

       Yea hearken to this my counsel, and crave for a battle-steed."

      Yet wroth was the lad and answered: "I have many a horse to my need,

       And all that the heart desireth, and what wouldst thou wish me more?"

      Then Regin answered and said: "Thy kin of the Kings of yore

       Were the noblest men of men-folk; and their hearts would never rest

       Whatso of good they had gotten, if their hands held not the best.

       Now do thou after my counsel, and crave of thy fosterers here

       That thou choose of the horses of Gripir whichso thine heart holds dear."

      He spake and his harp was with him, and he smote the strings full sweet,

       And sang of the host of the Valkyrs, how they ride the battle to meet,

       And the dew from the dear manes drippeth as they ride in the first of the sun,

       And the tree-boughs open to meet it when the wind of the dawning is done:

       And the deep dales drink its sweetness and spring into blossoming grass,

       And the earth groweth fruitful of men, and bringeth their glory to pass.

      Then the wrath ran off from Sigurd, and he left the smithying stead

       While the song yet rang in the doorway: and that eve to the Kings he said:

       "Will ye do so much for mine asking as to give me a horse to my will?

       For belike the days shall come, that shall all my heart fulfill,

       And teach me the deeds of a king."

      Then answered King Elf and spake:

       "The stalls of the Kings are before thee to set aside or to take,

       And nought we begrudge thee the best."

      Yet answered Sigurd again;

       For his heart of the mountains aloft and the windy drift was fain:

       "Fair seats for the knees of Kings! but now do I ask for a gift

       Such as all the world shall be praising, the best of the strong and the swift

       Ye shall give me a token for Gripir, and bid him to let me choose

       From out of the noble stud-beasts that run in his meadow loose.

       But if overmuch I have asked you, forget this prayer of mine,

       And deem the word unspoken, and get ye to the wine."

      Then smiled King Elf, and answered: "A long way wilt thou ride,

       To where unpeace and troubles and the griefs of the soul abide,

       Yea unto the death at the last: yet surely shalt thou win

       The praise of many a people: so have thy way herein.

       Forsooth no more may we hold thee than the hazel copse may hold

       The sun of the early dawning, that turneth it all unto gold."

      Then sweetly Sigurd thanked them; and through the night he lay

       Mid dreams of many a matter till the dawn was on the way;

       Then he shook the sleep from off him, and that dwelling of Kings he left

       And wended his ways unto Gripir. On a crag from the mountain reft

       Was the house of the old King builded; and a mighty house it was,

       Though few were the sons of men that over its threshold would pass:

       But the wild ernes cried about it, and the vultures toward it flew,

       And the winds from the heart of the mountains searched every chamber through,

       And about were meads wide-spreading; and many a beast thereon,

       Yea some that are men-folk's terror, their sport and pasture won.

      So into the hall went Sigurd; and amidst was Gripir set

       In a chair of the sea-beast's tooth; and his sweeping beard nigh met

       The floor that was green as the ocean, and his gown was of mountain-gold,

       And the kingly staff in his hand was knobbed with the crystal cold.

      Now the first of the twain spake Gripir: "Hail King with the eyen bright!

       Nought needest thou show the token, for I know of thy life and thy light.

       And no need to tell of thy message; it was wafted here on the wind,

       That thou wouldst be coming to-day a horse in my meadow to find:

       And strong must he be for the bearing of those deeds of thine that shall be.

       Now choose thou of all the way-wearers that are running loose in my lea,

       And be glad as thine heart will have thee and the fate that leadeth thee on,

       And I bid thee again come hither when the sword of worth is won,

       And thy loins are girt for thy going on the road that before thee lies;

       For a glimmering over its darkness is come before mine eyes."

      Then again gat Sigurd outward, and adown the steep he ran

       And unto the horse-fed meadow: but lo, a grey-clad man,

       One-eyed and seeming-ancient, there met him by the way:

       And he spake: "Thou hastest, Sigurd; yet tarry till I say

       A word that shall well bestead thee: for I know of these mountains well

       And all the lea of Gripir, and the beasts that thereon dwell."

      "Wouldst thou have red gold for thy tidings? art thou Gripir's horse-herd then?

       Nay sure, for thy face is shining like the battle-eager men

       My master Regin tells of: and I love thy cloud-grey gown.

       And thy visage gleams above it like a thing my dreams have known."

      "Nay whiles have I heeded the horse-kind," then spake that elder of days,

       "And sooth do the sages say, when the beasts of my breeding they praise.

       There is one thereof in the meadow, and, wouldst thou cull him out,

       Thou shalt follow an elder's counsel, who hath brought strange things about,

       Who hath known thy father aforetime, and other kings of thy kin."

      So Sigurd said, "I am ready; and what is the deed to win?"

      He said: "We shall drive the horses adown to the water-side,

       That cometh forth from the mountains, and note what next shall betide."

      Then the twain sped on together, and they drave the horses on

       Till they came to a rushing river, a water wide and wan;

       And the white mews hovered o'er it; but none might hear their cry

       For the rush and the rattle of waters, as the downlong flood swept by.

       So the whole herd took the river and strove the stream to stem,

       And many a brave steed was there; but the flood o'ermastered them:

       And some, it swept them down-ward, and some won back to bank,

       Some, caught by the net of the eddies, in the swirling hubbub sank;

       But one of all swam over, and they saw his mane of grey

       Toss over the flowery meadows, a bright thing far away:

       Wide then he wheeled about them, then took the stream again

And with the waves' white horses mingled

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