“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: