The Book of Were-Wolves | Page 7

fierce storm fell upon them, so that they had to turn the helm, and run
before the wind, and so they came north to Finnmark, where they spent

the winter. One day they went inland, and came to a house in which sat
two beautiful women, who greeted them well, and inquired whence
they had come. They replied by giving an account of their journey and
their errand, and then asked the women who they were, and why they
were alone, and far from the haunts of men, although they were so
comely and engaging. The elder replied--that her name was Ingibjorg,
and that her daughter was called Hvit, and that she was the Finn king's
sweetheart. The messengers decided that they would return home, if
Hvit would come with them and marry King Hring. She agreed, and
they took her with them and met the king who was pleased with her,
and had his wedding feast made, and said that he cared not though she
was not rich. But the king was very old, and that the queen soon found
out.
"There was a Carle who had a farm not far from the king's dwelling; he
had a wife, and a daughter, who was but a child, and her name was
Bera; she was very young and lovely. Björn the king's son, and Bera
the Carle's daughter, were wont, as children, to play together, and they
loved each other well. The Carle was well to do, he had been out
harrying in his young days, and he was a doughty champion. Björn and
Bera loved each other more and more, and they were often together.
Time passed, and nothing worth relating occurred; but Björn, the king's
son, waxed strong and tall; and he was well skilled in all manly
exercises.
"King Hring was often absent for long, harrying foreign shores, and
Hvit remained at home and governed the land. She was not liked of the
people. She was always very pleasant with Björn, but he cared little for
her. It fell out once that the King Hring went abroad, and he spake with
his queen that Björn should remain at home with her, to assist in the
government, for he thought it advisable, the queen being haughty and
inflated with pride.
"The king told his son Björn that he was to remain at home, and rule
the land with the queen; Björn replied that he disliked the plan, and that
he had no love for the queen; but the king was inflexible, and left the
land with a great following. Björn walked home after his conversation

with the king, and went up to his place, ill-pleased and red as blood.
The queen came to speak with him, and to cheer him; and spake
friendly with him, but he bade her be of. She obeyed him that time. She
often came to talk with him, and said how much pleasanter it was for
them to be together, than to have an old fellow like Hring in the house.
"Björn resented this speech, and struck her a box in the ear, and bade
her depart, and he spurned her from him. She replied that this was
ill-done to drive and thrust her away: and 'You think it better, Björn, to
sweetheart a Carle's daughter, than to have my love and favour, a fine
piece of condescension and a disgrace it is to you! But, before long,
something will stand in the way of your fancy, and your folly.' Then
she struck at him with a wolf-skin glove, and said, that he should
become a rabid and grim wild bear; and 'You shall eat nothing but your
father's sheep, which you shall slay for your food, and never shall you
leave this state.'
After that, Björn disappeared, and none knew what had become of him;
and men sought but found him not, as was to be expected. We must
now relate how that the king's sheep were slaughtered, half a score at a
time, and it was all the work of a grey bear, both huge and grimly.
"One evening it chanced that the Carle's daughter saw this savage bear
coming towards her, looking tenderly at her, and she fancied that she
recognized the eyes of Björn, the king's son, so she made a slight
attempt to escape; then the beast retreated, but she followed it, till she
came to a cave. Now when she entered the cave there stood before her a
man, who greeted Bera, the Carle's daughter; and she recognized him,
for he was Björn, Hring's son. Overjoyed were they to meet. So they
were together in the cave awhile, for she would not part from him when
she had the chance of being with him; but he said that this