“Wherewereyoulastnight，brother，thatyoucameinnearthedawn，allcoveredwithmud？“askedRagnar，turninghisbackonIduna，withoutmakinganyanswertoherwords。
“DiggingintheWanderer’sgrave，brother，asIdunachallengedmetodo。“
Nowallthreeofthemturnedonmeeagerly，saveFreydisa，whostoodbythefirelistening，andwithonevoiceaskedifIhadfoundanything。
“Aye，“Ireplied。“IfoundtheWanderer，averynoble-lookingman，“
andIbegantodescribehim。
“PeacetothisdeadWanderer，“brokeinIduna。“Didyoufindthenecklace？“
“Yes，Ifoundthenecklace。Hereitis！“AndIlaidthesplendidthingupontheboard。
ThensuddenlyIlostmyspeech，sincenowforthefirsttimeIsawthat，twistedroundthechainofit，werethreebrokenwiresofgold。
IrememberedhowinmydreamIhadseenthebeautifulwomanbreaksuchwiresereshegavehalfofthejeweltothemaninwhosebreastIhadseemedtodwell，andforamomentgrewsofrightenedthatIcouldsaynomore。
“Oh！“exclaimedIduna，“itisbeautiful，beautiful！Oh！Olaf，Ithankyou，“andsheflungherarmsaboutmeandkissedme，thistimeinearnest。
Thensheseizedthenecklaceandfasteneditroundherthroat。
“Stay，“Isaid，awaking。“Ithinkyouhadbestnottouchthosegems。
Iduna，Ihavedreamedthattheywillbringnolucktoyouortoanywoman，saveone。“
Herethedark-facedFreydisalookedupatme，thendroppedhereyesagain，andstoodlistening。
“Youhavedreamed！“exclaimedIduna。“Icarelittlewhatyouhavedreamed。ItisforthenecklaceIcare，andnotalltheill-luckintheworldshallstaymefromthekeepingofit。“
HereagainFreydisalookedup，butSteinarlookeddown。
“Didyoufindaughtelse？“askedRagnar，interrupting。
“Aye，brother，this！“andfromundermycloakIproducedtheWanderer’ssword。
“Awondrousweapon，“saidRagnarwhenhehadexaminedit，“thoughsomewhatheavyforitslength，andofbronze，afterthefashionofthosethatareburiedinthegravemounds。Ithasseenmuchwearalso，and，Ishouldsay，hasloosedmanyaspirit。Lookatthegoldworkofthehandle。Trulyawondrousweapon，worthallthenecklacesintheworld。Buttellusyourstory。“
SoItoldthem，andwhenIcametotheimagesthatwehadfoundstandingonthecoffin，Iduna，whowaspayinglittleheed，stoppedfromherfondlingofthenecklaceandaskedwheretheywere。
“Freydisahasthem，“Ianswered。“ShowthemtheWanderer’sgods，Freydisa。“
“SoFreydisawaswithyou，wasshe？“saidIduna。
Thensheglancedatthegods，laughedalittleattheirfashionandraiment，andagainfelltofingeringthenecklace，whichwasmoretoherthananygods。
AfterwardsFreydisaaskedmewhatwasthedreamofwhichIhadspoken，andItoldittoher，everyword。
“Itisastrangestory，“saidFreydisa。“Whatdoyoumakeofit，Olaf？“
“Nothingsavethatitwasadream。Andyetthosethreebrokenwiresthataretwistedroundthechain，whichIhadnevernotedtillIsawthenecklaceinIduna’shand！Theyfitwellwithmydream。“
“Aye，Olaf，andthedreamfitswellwithotherthings。Haveyoueverheard，Olaf，thattherearethosewhosaythatmenlivemorethanonceuponthisearth？“
“No，“Ianswered，laughing。“Yetwhyshouldtheynotdoso，astheyliveatall？Ifso，perhapsIamthatWanderer，inwhosebodyIseemedtobe，onlythenIamsurethattheladywiththegoldenshellswasnotIduna。“AndagainIlaughed。
“No，Olaf，shewasnotIduna，thoughperchancetherewasanIduna，allthesame。Tellme，didyouseeaughtofthatpriestesswhowaswiththelady？“
“Onlythatshewastallanddark，oneofmiddleage。Butwhywastewordsonthismidnightmadness？Yetthatroyalwomanhauntsme。I
wouldthatIcouldseeheragain，ifonlyinadream。Also，Freydisa，IwouldthatIdunahadnottakenthenecklace。Ifearlestitshouldbringmisfortune。Whereisshenow？Iwilltellheragain。“
“WanderingwithSteinar，Ithink，andwearingthenecklace。Oh！Olaf，likeyouIfearitwillbringwoe。Icannotreadyourdream——asyet。“
Itwasthedaybeforethatofmymarriage。Iseethemmovingabout，theshapesofallthoselong-forgottenmenandwomen，arrayedintheirbravestgarmentsandrudeornamentsofgoldandsilver，foragreatcompanyhadbeenbidden，manyofwhomcamefromfar。Iseemyuncle，Leif，thedark-browedpriestofOdin，passingbetweenthehallandthetemplewhereonthemorrowhemustcelebratethemarriageritesinsuchafashionaswoulddohonourtothegod。IseeIduna，AthalbrandandSteinartalkingtogetherapart。Iseemyselfwatchingallthislifeandstirlikeonewhoismazed，andIknowthatsinceIhadenteredtheWanderer’sgraveallthingshadseemedunrealtome。
Iduna，whomIloved，wasabouttobecomemywife，andyetbetweenmeandIdunacontinuallywasthrustavisionofthewomanofmydream。AttimesIthoughtthattheblowfromthebear’spawhadhurtmybrain；
thatImustbegoingmad。Iprayedtothegodsthatthismightnotbeso，andwhenmyprayersavailedmenothingIsoughtthecounselofFreydisa。
Shelistenedtomystory，thensaidbriefly，“Letbe。Thingswillgoastheyarefated。Youarenomadderthantherestofmen。Icansaynomore。“
Itwasthecustomofthattimeandlandthat，ifpossible，thewifetobeshouldnotpassthenightbeforehermarriageunderthesameroofasherfuturehusband。ThereforeAthalbrand，whosemoodhadbeenstrangeoflate，wentwithIdunatosleepinhisbeachedship。AtmyrequestSteinarwentwiththem，inorderthathemightseethattheywerebroughtbackingoodtimeinthemorning。
“Youwillnotfailmeinthis，Steinar？“Isaid，claspinghishand。
Hetriedtoanswersomething，butthewordsseemedtochokeinhisthroatandheturnedaway，leavingthemunspoken。
“Why，“Iexclaimed，“onemightthinkyouweregoingtobemarried，notI。“
“Aye，“brokeinIdunahurriedly。“ThetruthisthatSteinarisjealousofme。Howisitthatyoucanmakeusallloveyousomuch，Olaf？“
“WouldthatIweremoreworthyofyourlove，“Ianswered，smiling，“asinyearstocomeIhopetoshowmyself。“
Athalbrand，whowaswatching，tuggedathisforkedbeardandmutteredsomethingthatsoundedlikeanoath。Thenherodeoff，kickinghishorsesavagelyandnotnotingmyoutstretchedhand，orsoitseemed。
Ofthis，however，Itooklittleheed，forIwasengagedinkissingIdunainfarewell。
“Benotsad，“shesaid，asshekissedmebackonthelips。“Rememberthatwepartforthelasttime。“Againshekissedmeandwent，laughinghappily。
Themorningcame。Allwasprepared。Fromfarandneartheguestsweregathered，waitingtodohonourtothemarriagefeast。EvensomeofthemenofAggerwerethere，whohadcometopayhomagetotheirnewlord。
Thespringsunshonebrightly，asitshoulduponamarriagemorn，andwithoutthedoorsthetrumpetersblewblastswiththeircurvedhorns。
InthetemplethealtarofOdinwasdecoratedwithflowers，andbyit，alsodecoratedwithflowers，theofferingawaitedsacrifice。Mymother，inherfinestrobe，thesame，intruth，inwhichsheherselfhadbeenwed，stoodbythedoorofthehall，whichwasclearedofkineandsetwithtables，givingandreturninggreetings。Herarmwasroundme，who，asbridegroom，wasclothedinnewgarmentsofwovenwoolthroughwhichranapurplestreak，thebestthatcouldbemadeinalltheland。Ragnarcameup。
“Theyshouldbehere，“hesaid。“Thehourisoverpast。“
“Doubtlessthefairbridehasbeenlongindeckingherself，“answeredmyfather，lookingatthesun。“Shewillcomepresently。“
Stilltimewenton，andthecompanybegantomurmur，whileastrange，coldfearseemedtogripmyheart。Atlengthamanwasseenridingtowardsthehall，andonecried，“Atlast！Herecomestheherald！“
Anotheranswered:“Foramessengerofloveheridesslowlyandsadly。“
Andasilencefellonallthatheardhim。
Theman，astrangertous，arrivedandsaid:
“IhaveamessageforthelordThorvaldfromthelordAthalbrand，whichIwaschargedtodeliveratthishour，neitherbeforenorafter。
ItisthathesailedforLessoattherisingofthemoonlastnight，therepurposingtocelebratethemarriageofhisdaughter，theladyIduna，withSteinar，lordofAgger，andisthereforegrievedthatheandtheladyIdunacannotbepresentatyourfeastthisday。“
Now，whenIheardthesewordsIfeltasthoughaspearhadbeenthrustthroughme。“Steinar！Oh！surelynotwithmybrotherSteinar，“I
