King Alfreds Viking | Page 7

too must
say the same. I have left my brother unhonoured, and I dare not go
back."
Pale and drawn the jarl's face was, and I knew he meant what he said.
Nevertheless it seemed to me that some one must know what Sigurd
willed.
"Jarl Einar," I said, "this is a strange business, and one cannot tell what
it means. Now Sigurd was my father's close friend, and I have had
nought to do with him. I will go back, therefore, and learn what I can of
him. I think he will not harm me, for he has no reason to do so.
Moreover if he does, none will learn what he needs."
"I have heard," said Thord, "that a good warrior may ask what he will

of a dead hero, so that he shows no fear and is a friend. If his courage
fails, however, then he will be surely destroyed."
Then I said:
"I have no cause to fear Sigurd, save that he is a ghost. I do not know if
I fear him as such; that is to be seen."
Now Einar laid his hand on mine and spoke gravely:
"I think it is a hero's part to do what you say. If you go back and return
in safety, the scalds will sing of you for many a long day. Go, therefore,
boldly; this is not a matter from which you should be held back, as it
has come into your mind."
Then said Thord:
"It will be well to ask Sigurd for a token whereby we may know that he
sends messages by you."
And Einar said on that:
"In Sigurd's hand is his sword Helmbiter. I think he will give that to the
man who dares speak to him, for he will know that it goes into brave
hands. Ask him for it bravely."
"Put me ashore, therefore, before my courage goes," I said; and they
pulled the boat to the bank where I could step on a rock and so to shore.
And when I was there, Kolgrim rose up and followed me without a
word.
"Bide here for two hours, jarl, and maybe I will return in that time," I
said. "Farewell."
So I turned away as they answered me, thinking that Kolgrim held the
boat's painter. But he came after me, and I spoke to him:
"Why, Kolgrim, will you come also?"

"You shall not go alone, Ranald the king's son; I will come with you as
far as I dare."
"That is well," I answered, and with that wasted no more words, but
climbed the hillside a little, and then went steadily towards where the
mound was, with Kolgrim close at my shoulder, and the jarl and Thord
looking fixedly after us till we were out of sight.
Chapter II.
The Gifts of Two Heroes.
I will not say that my steps did not falter when we came to whence we
could see the mound. But it was lonely and still and silent; no shape of
warrior waited our coming.
"Almost do I fear to go nearer," said Kolgrim.
"Put fear away, comrade," said I; "we shall fare ill if we turn our backs
now."
"Where you go I go," he answered, "though I am afraid."
"The next best thing to not being afraid is to be afraid and not to show
it," I said then, comforting myself also with a show of wisdom at least.
"Maybe fear is the worst thing we have to face."
So we went on more swiftly, and at last were on the tongue of land on
the tip of which the mound stood. Still, since we could not see the open
doorway, which was towards the water, the place seemed not so terrible.
Yet I thought that by this time we should have seen Sigurd, or maybe
heard his voice from the tomb. So now I dared to call softly:
"Jarl Sigurd, here is one, a friend's son, who will learn what you will."
My voice seemed to fill all the ring of mountains with echoes, but there
was no answer. All was still again when the last voice came back from
the hillsides.

Then I went nearer yet, and passed to the waterside, where I could look
slantwise across the doorway. And again I called, and waited for an
answer that did not come.
"It seems that I must go even to the door, and maybe into the mound," I
said, whispering.
"Not inside," said Kolgrim, taking hold of my arm.
But I had grown bolder with the thought that the hero seemed not angry,
and now I had set my heart on winning the sword of which the jarl had
told me, and I thought that I dared go even inside the tomb to