432 SUPERSTITIONS. SHAPE-CHANGING. 



the cattle of thy father ; thou shalt kill it for thy food, so 

 much of it that it will be unexampled, and never shalt thou 

 get out of this spell, and this revenge shall harm thee.' 



"Thereafter Hjorn. disappeared, and no one knew what had 

 become of him. When he was missed he was searched for, 

 and nowhere found, as was likely. Then it is told that the 

 king's cattle were killed in large numbers, as a big and fierce 

 grey bear began to attack them. One evening the bondi's 

 daughter (Bjorn's sweetheart) happened to see this fierce bear, 

 which came to her and fondled her much. She thought she 

 recognized in this bear the eyes of Bjorn, Hring's son, and did 

 not shun him much. The bear walked away, and she followed 

 until it came to a cave. When she came there a man 

 greeted Bera, 1 the bondi's daughter. She recognized Bjorn, 

 and they were very glad to see each other. They stayed in 

 the cave for a while, for she would not part before she need. 

 He said it was unfit for her to stay there with him, as he was a 

 beast by day and a man by night. King Hring came home 

 from his warfare, and was told what had occurred while he was 

 away, that his son Bjorn had disappeared, and a large beast 

 had come into the country and attacked his own cattle mostly. 

 The queen urged much to have the beast slain, but it was 

 delayed a while ; the king disliked this, and thought it strange. 

 One night, when Bera and Bjorn were in their bed, Bjorn said, 

 * I expect that to-morrow is my death-day, and that I shall be 

 hunted up, and I take no pleasure in life because of the ill 

 fate that lies on me, though I have one enjoyment, namely, 

 that we are two, which will now be changed. I will give thee 

 the ring which is under my left arm ; to-morrow thou wilt see 

 men who attack me, and when I am dead go to the king and 

 ask him to give thee what is under the left shoulder of the 

 bear, which he will grant. The queen will suspect thee when 

 thou goest away, and give thee the flesh of the animal to eat, 

 but thou shouiclst not eat it, for thou art pregnant, as thou 

 knowest, and wilt bear three boys, who are ours, and on them 

 will it be seen if thou eatest of the bear's flesh, and this queen 

 is the greatest witch. Then go home to thy father, and 

 there bring up the boys ; one of them will seem the worst to 

 thee, and, if thou art not able to have them at home for the 

 sake of their overbearing and unruliness, then take them away 

 with thee to this cave. Thou wilt find here a chest with three 

 compartments ; the runes by its side will tell what is to belong 

 to each of them ; three weapons are in the rock, and each of 

 them shall have the one intended for him. The first-born of 



1 The woman's name means she-bear. 



