mi: 



M;I;<>\\S. 



93 



to him to decide that, fur he was the wisest of them. It is 

 told that he took the arrow out of the king's mouth, and put 

 it by as it was. It was easy to know, for it was l>oimd with 

 gold. Fjolnir said to the men : 'I think it advisable that we 

 all tell the same tale about this event, and it seems to me 

 we cannot do better than say he was shot in the battle to-day. 

 That is more likely than the wonder which has occurred here.' 

 They all bound themselves firmly to tell the same story ' 

 (Jomsvikinga Saga). 



The most celebrated mythical arrows x of the Sagas were 



Fi_. 877, ^ real size. Arrow-head. In a round tumulus, with fragments of two 

 stone vases, pincers of iron tor blacksmith, a two-edged sword with hilt inlaid 

 with silver, the blade bent and the inlaid silver halt' melted ; a bent spear- 

 head, one axe, one shield-boss, fifteen arrow-heads, a horse-bit, two stirrups, two 

 spears, tour buckles for belts, and many ornaments for harness ; two hammers, 

 an anvil, fragments of a stone mould, remains of a bronze balance, two riles, 

 two blades of knives, and two celts of iron, a gimlet, two sharpening stones, 

 a piece of tlint, an iron key, fragments of checkers of bones, e. Norwav. 



Fig. NTs. .4 real size. Arrow-head of iron. Norway. 



the Gusi arrows, which had come into the possession of Ketil 

 Hceng, and were owned afterwards by his grandson, Orvar Odd. 

 There are several accounts of these wonderful arrows in the 

 Sagas. 



"Grim (father of Orvar-Odd) followed them (Odd. Gud- 

 mund, Sigurd) to the ships and said : ' Here are the costly 

 things which I want to give thee, Odd, my kinsman ; they are 

 three arrows which have a name and are called Gusi's nautai 

 (Gusi's followers).' He gave the arrows to Odd. who looked 

 at them and said: 'They are very costly.' The feathers were 

 gilded, and the arrows flew off and on the string by themselves, 

 and one never needs to search for them. These arrows Ketil 



1 It was only in later times that cross- 

 bows (Ids boji) were used, with a trigger 



or spring. They are mentioned about 

 the year 1200. 



