shecried,"haveihadawickeddream?isitnotmyownlovelycherubthatliesthere."thenshekisseditandfondledit;butthechildstruggledandfought,andbitasifshehadbeenalittlewildcat.

thevikingdidnotreturnonthatday,northenext;hewas,however,onthewayhome;butthewind,sofavorabletothestorks,wasagainsthim;foritblewtowardsthesouth.awindinfavorofoneisoftenagainstanother.

aftertwoorthreedayshadpassed,itbecamecleartotheviking'swifehowmattersstoodwiththechild;itwasundertheinfluenceofapowerfulsorcerer.bydayitwascharminginappearanceasanangeloflight,butwithatemperwickedandwild;whileatnight,intheformofanuglyfrog,itwasquietandmournful,witheyesfullofsorrow.hereweretwonatures,changinginwardlyandoutwardlywiththeabsenceandreturnofsunlight.andsoithappenedthatbydaythechild,withtheactualformofitsmother,possessedthefiercedispositionofitsfather;atnight,onthecontrary,itsoutwardappearanceplainlyshoweditsdescentonthefather'sside,whileinwardlyithadtheheartandmindofitswouldbeabletoloosenthiswickedcharmwhichthesorcererhadworkeduponit?thewifeofthevikinglivedinconstantpainandsorrowaboutit.herheartclungtothelittlecreature,butshecouldnotexplaintoherhusbandthecircumstancesinwhichitwaswasexpectedtoreturnshortly;andwereshetotellhim,hewouldverylikely,aswasthecustomatthattime,exposethepoorchildinthepublichighway,andletanyonetakeitawaywhogoodwifeofthevikingcouldnotletthathappen,andshethereforeresolvedthatthevikingshouldneverseethechildexceptingbydaylight.

onemorningtheresoundedarushingofstorks'wingsovertheroof.morethanahundredpairofstorkshadrestedthereduringthenight,torecoverthemselvesaftertheirexcursion;andnowtheysoaredaloft,andpreparedforthejourneysouthward.

"allthehusbandsarehere,andready!"theycried;"wivesandchildrenalso!"

"howlightweare!"screamedtheyoungstorksinchorus."somethingpleasantseemscreepingoverus,evendowntoourtoes,asifwewerefulloflivefrogs.ah,howdelightfulitistotravelintoforeignlands!"

"holdyourselvesproperlyinthelinewithus,"criedpapaandmamma."donotuseyourbeakssomuch;ittriesthelungs."andthenthestorksflewaway.

aboutthesametimesoundedtheclangofthewarriors'trumpetsacrosstheheath.thevikinghadlandedwithhismen.theywerereturninghome,richlyladenwithspoilfromthegalliccoast,wherethepeople,asdidalsotheinhabitantsofbritain,oftencriedinalarm,"deliverusfromthewildnorthmen."

lifeandnoisypleasurecamewiththemintothecastleofthevikingonthemoorland.agreatcaskofmeadwasdrawnintothehall,pilesofwoodblazed,cattlewereslainandservedup,thattheymightfeastinreality,thepriestwhoofferedthesacrificesprinkledthedevotedparishionerswiththewarmblood;thefirecrackled,andthesmokerolledalongbeneaththeroof;thesootfelluponthemfromthebeams;buttheywereusedtoallthesethings.guestswereinvited,andreceivedhandsomepresents.allwrongsandunfaithfulnesswereforgotten.theydrankdeeply,andthrewineachother'sfacesthebonesthatwereleft,whichwaslookeduponasasignofgoodfeelingamongstthem.abard,whowasakindofmusicianaswellaswarrior,andwhohadbeenwiththevikinginhisexpedition,andknewwhattosingabout,gavethemoneofhisbestsongs,inwhichtheyheardalltheirwarlikedeedspraised,andeverywonderfulactionbroughtforwardwithhonor.everyverseendedwiththisrefrain,-

"goldandpossessionswillfleeaway,

friendsandfoesmustdieoneday;

everymanonearthmustdie,

butafamousnamewillneverdie."andwiththattheybeatupontheirshields,andhammereduponthetablewithknivesandbones,inamostoutrageousmanner.

theviking'swifesatuponaraisedcrossseatintheopenhall.sheworeasilkdress,goldenbracelets,andlargeamberbeads.shewasincostlyattire,andthebardnamedherinhissong,andspokeoftherichtreasureofgoldwhichshehadbroughttoherhusband.herhusbandhadalreadyseenthewonderfullybeautifulchildinthedaytime,andwasdelightedwithherbeauty;evenherwildwayspleasedhim.hesaidthelittlemaidenwouldgrowuptobeaheroine,withthestrongwillanddeterminationofaman.shewouldneverwinkhereyes,evenif,injoke,anexperthandshouldattempttocutoffhereye-browswithasharpsword.

thefullcaskofmeadsoonbecameempty,andafreshonewasbroughtin;forthesewerepeoplewholikedplentytoeatandoldproverb,whicheveryoneknows,saysthat"thecattleknowwhentoleavetheirpasture,butafoolishmanknowsnotthemeasureofhisownappetite."yes,theyallknewthis;butmenmayknowwhatisright,andyetoftendowrong.theyalsoknew"thateventhewelcomeguestbecomeswearisomewhenhesitstoolonginthehouse."buttheretheyremained;forporkandmeadaregoodthings.andsoattheviking'shousetheystayed,andenjoyedthemselves;andatnightthebondmensleptintheashes,anddippedtheirfingersinthefat,andlickedthem.oh,itwasadelightfultime!