“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