l.'il SUPERSTITIONS. OMENS. 



back,' s;iiil tin.- .Jarl, 'and proceed no farther.' He thereupon 

 returned home, where he remained with his bird the next 

 season. The King deemed it strange that the Jarl did not 

 come, but thought something important had prevented him. 

 All was quiet during the summer, and when winter came the 

 King invited the Jarl to the Yule-feast, as in the previous year. 

 Thi- Jarl promised to go, as before, and when the time came 

 departed with his followers, and journeyed until he came to 

 the Liniaijord. He had now come on board, and intended to 

 cross the fjord. It is said that they had with them pregnant 

 I (itches. After they had got on board the Jarl thought he 

 heard the whelps in the bellies of the bitches barking, while 

 the mothers themselves were silent. This the Jarl and all 

 regarded as the greatest wonder, and they therefore turned 

 back, and stayed at home during that Yule. On the third 

 winter the King again invited the Jarl, who promised to come ; 

 and when the time came he departed, and journeyed until he 

 arrived at the Limafjord, resolving to remain there overnight. 

 Then a sight presented itself which was thought very strange. 

 They saw a wave rise within, and another without, the fjord, 

 and the two advanced to meet each other. The waves were 

 large and made a great noise when they met and fell together; 

 then it seemed as if the sea became bloody. Then the Jarl 

 said, ' This is a fearful portent, and we must turn back and 

 not accept the invitation.' This they did, and the Jarl 



remained at home also that Yule 



" It was resolved that the King should send messengers to 

 the Jarl to ascertain why he had not come. The Queen 

 advised that they should first meet and talk to him, and 

 thus see what the reason was. When the messengers told the 

 Jarl of their errand, he quickly got ready and went to visit 

 < Jorm with a fine retinue. The King received his father-in-law 

 well, and quickly went to speak with him. The King asked 

 why he had not once come at his bidding, and thus shown 

 disrespect to the King and his invitation The Jarl replied 

 that he had meant no disrespect, but had not once come to 

 the feast, because other things had prevented him. He then 

 told the wonders which they had seen, as mentioned before, 

 and asked if he would like to know what he thought each 

 wonder meant To this the King assented. The Jarl then 

 said : ' 1 will first take that one where we saw an oak with 

 small green acorns, with the old and large ones underneath. 

 That 1 think must foretell a change of belief which will come 

 over these lands, which will flourish more, and the fine acorns 

 foretell that ; but the present belief is betokened by the old 

 acorns on the ground, and they will rot and become mere dust : 



