777 A' JARL'S ATTRIBUTE. 



489 



From this we learn the occupation of himself and wife and 

 their manner of living, that he was a warrior, and had a know- 



ledge of runes. 



Rig went thence 



Kight onwards ; 



He came to a hall, 



The door was to the south, 



And it was shut ; 



A ring l was in the door-post. 



Then he went in ; 



The floor was strewn with rushes; 



The man and the wife sat, 



Looked into (each other's) eyes ; 



Fadir and Modir 



Played with their fingers. 



The husband sat, 

 And twisted strings, 

 Bent an elm, 

 Shafted arrows; 

 And the housewife 

 Looked at her arms, 

 Smoothed the linen, 

 Folded the sleeves. 



She let her fald stand out ; 2 

 A brooch was on her breast ; 

 She wore long trai lings, 3 

 A blue-dyed sark ; 

 A brow brighter, 

 A breast lighter, 

 A neck whiter, 

 Than pure snow. 



The mother took 



A broidered cloth, 



A white one of flax, 



Covered the table ; 



Then she took 



Thin loaves, 



White loaves of wheat, 



And laid them on the cloth. 



Forth she set 

 Full trenchers, 



Silver covered, 

 On the table, 

 Shining pork 

 And roasted birds ; 

 Wine was in a jug ; 

 The cups (were) mounted; 

 They drank and talked ; 

 The day was passing away. 



Eig could give them 



Good advice ; 



Then he rose, 



And made his bed ; 



He was there 



Three nights together : 



Then he went on 



In the middle of the path ; 



Then there passed 



Nine months. 



Modir gave birth to a boy, 

 Wrapped him in silk 

 Sprinkled him with water, 

 Called him jarl. 

 His hair was fair, 

 Cheeks bright ; 

 His eyes were keen, 

 As a young snake's. 4 



The Jarl grew up 

 There in the house ; 

 Shook the lind, 5 

 Laid the strings, 

 Bent the elm, 

 Shafted the arrows, 

 Threw the javelins, 

 Shook the spears, 

 Rode horses, 

 Set on the hounds, 

 Brandished the sword, 

 Practised swimming. 



1 Probably for fastening the door. 



2 This peculiar head-dress is still 

 found in Iceland and Normandy. 



3 A kirtle trailing, long trailing dress. 



4 In Volsunga Saga the same expres- 

 sion occurs. 



5 The shield of linden tree. 



