第121章

"For why art thou become so distraught and brainsick, that thou wilt choose to tend the flock of another, and be counted among the servants of monsters, sooner than encourage our marriage-troth with fitting and equal consent?"But she, that she might not suffer the constancy of her chaste mind to falter by looking at the world without, restrained her gaze, keeping her lids immovably rigid.How modest, then, must we think, were the women of that age, when, under the strongest provocations of their lovers, they could not be brought to make the slightest motion of their eyes! So when Ottar found that even by the merits of his double service he could not stir the maiden's gaze towards him, he went back to the fleet, wearied out with shame and chagrin.Sigrid, in her old fashion, ran far away over the rocks, and chanced to stray in her wanderings to the abode of Ebb; where, ashamed of her nakedness and distress, she pretended to be a daughter of paupers.The mother of Ottar saw that this woman, though bestained and faded, and covered with a meagre cloak, was the scion of some noble stock; and took her, and with honourable courtesy kept her by her side in a distinguished seat.For the beauty of the maiden was a sign that betrayed her birth, and her telltale features echoed her lineage.

Ottar saw her, and asked why she hid her face in her robe.Also, in order to test her mind more surely, he feigned that a woman was about to become his wife, and, as he went up into the bride-bed, gave Sigrid the torch to hold.The lights had almost burnt down, and she was hard put to it by the flame coming closer; but she showed such an example of endurance that she was seen to hold her hand motionless, and might have been thought to feel no annoyance from the heat.For the fire within mastered the fire without, and the glow of her longing soul deadened the burn of her scorched skin.At last Ottar bade her look to her hand.

Then, modestly lifting her eyes, she turned her calm gaze upon him; and straightway, the pretended marriage being put away, went up unto the bride-bed to be his wife.Siwald afterwards seized Ottar, and thought that he ought to be hanged for defiling his daughter.

But Sigrid at once explained how she had happened to be carried away, and not only brought Ottar back into the king's favour, but also induced her father himself to marry Ottar's sister.After this a battle was fought between Siwald and Ragnald in Zealand, warriors of picked valour being chosen on both sides.For three days they slaughtered one another; but so great was the bravery of both sides, that it was doubtful how the victory would go.

Then Ottar, whether seized with weariness at the prolonged battle, or with desire of glory, broke, despising death, through the thickest of the foe, cut down Ragnald among the bravest of his soldiers, and won the Danes a sudden victory.This battle was notable for the cowardice of the greatest nobles.For the whole mass fell into such a panic, that forty of the bravest of the Swedes are said to have turned and fled.The chief of these, Starkad, had been used to tremble at no fortune, however cruel, and no danger, however great.But some strange terror stole upon him, and he chose to follow the flight of his friends rather than to despise it.I should think that he was filled with this alarm by the power of heaven, that he might not think himself courageous beyond the measure of human valour.Thus the prosperity of mankind is wont ever to be incomplete.Then all these warriors embraced the service of King Hakon, the mightiest of the rovers, like remnants of the war drifting to him.

After this Siwald was succeeded by his son SIGAR, who had sons Siwald, Alf, and Alger, and a daughter Signe.All excelled the rest in spirit and beauty, and devoted himself to the business of a rover.Such a grace was shed on his hair, which had a wonderful dazzling glow, that his locks seemed to shine silvery.

At the same time Siward, the king of the Goths, is said to have had two sons, Wemund and Osten, and a daughter Alfhild, who showed almost from her cradle such faithfulness to modesty that she continually kept her face muffled in her robe, lest she should cause her beauty to provoke the passion of another.Her father banished her into very close keeping, and gave her a viper and a snake to rear, wishing to defend her chastity by the protection of these reptiles when they came to grow up.For it would have been hard to pry into her chamber when it was barred by so dangerous a bolt.He also enacted that if any man tried to enter it, and failed, he must straightway yield his head to be taken off and impaled on a stake.The terror which was thus attached to wantonness chastened the heated spirits of the young men.

Alf, the son of Sigar, thinking that peril of the attempt only made it nobler, declared himself a wooer, and went to subdue the beasts that kept watch beside the room of the maiden; inasmuch as, according to the decree, the embraces of the maiden were the prize of their subduer.Alf covered his body with a blood-stained hide in order to make them more frantic against him.