64 FOSTEB-SBOTEEBSOOD. 



have entered the heart of one with whom he had shared so 

 many dangers. 



The love which existed between foster-children and foster- 

 parents is seen in many instances. When Olaf, son of 

 Hoskuld and Melkorka, daughter of king Myrkjartan, came 

 to Ireland 



" The foster-mother of Melkorka, who was bedridden from 

 sickness and old age, was most moved by this news ; she 

 walked without a stick to see Olaf. The king (Myrkjartan) 

 said to Olaf: 'Here is the foster-mother of Melkorka, who 

 would like to hear from thee about her condition.' Olaf took 

 the old woman in his arms and seated her on his knee, and 

 told her that her foster-daughter was well-off in Iceland. He 

 handed to her the knife and the belt, and she recognized 

 them and wept with joy. She said the son of Melkorka 

 was imposing in appearance, as was likely, he being her 

 son. The old woman was in good health all that winter" 

 (Laxdtela, c. 21). 



To carry a foster-brother's last request and greetings to his 

 relatives or friends, to bury him in a suitable manner, and to 

 bring to the funeral pile or to the mound his property with 

 all the love that could be shown, were considered obligatory by 

 the surviving one. 



"Asmund being one day in the forest met a man, who 

 called himself A ran, and after a while proposed that they 

 should try each other in some idrottir. Asmimd saying he 

 was ready, they proceeded with such idrottir as were customary 

 among young men in those times, and no one could have 

 determined who was the better man. They then began to 

 wrestle hard, and neither could excel the other, and after it 

 both were tired. Aran said to Asmund : ' We will not try 

 our skill with weapons, for that would be to the injury of us 

 both. I should like to swear to each other foster-brotherhood, 

 that each shall avenge the other, and possess in common 

 property gotten and ungotten.' They also took oaths that 

 whoever lived the longest should have a mound thrown up 

 over the other, and place therein as much property as seemed 

 to him befitting, and the survivor had to sit with the dead one 

 in the mound for three nights, and then depart, if he liked. 

 Then both drew their blood and let it flow together; this 

 was then regarded as an oath" (Egil and Asmund's Saga, 

 c. 6). 



