Tin: HARP. 395 



must find it dull. 'It is not so,' answered the king, 'lor lliis 

 winter guest of thine entertains me well, and I will drink to 

 him this evening ' ; and thus it happened. The king talked 

 much to Stuf, and he gave wise answers ; when the men went 

 to sleep the king asked Stuf to stay in the room where he was 

 to sleep, in order to entertain him. Stuf did so ; when the 

 king was in his bed Stuf entertained him, and sang a flokk, 

 and when it was finished he asked him to sing more. 



" The king was awake a long time, while Stuf entertained 

 him, and at last said : ' How many songs hast thou sung now ? ' 

 Stuf answered : ' I intended that you should count them.' ' I 

 have done it,' said the king ; ' they are thirty now, but why 

 doest thou only sing flokks ? Doest thou not know any drapas ? ' 

 Stuf answered : ' I know no fewer drapas than flokks, though 

 many flokks which I know are still unsung ' (Fornmanna 

 Sogur, c. 6>. 



The harp is mentioned in Voluspa, and seems to have been 

 used in early times. Gunnar played his harp with such skill 

 that even champions were moved. He could also play with 

 his toes, and charm snakes with its tones. Kognvald also 

 reckoned harp-playing among his Idrottir. Norna Gest was 

 very skilful on this instrument, and played famous tunes. 



" Gest took his harp and struck it long and well that evening, 

 so that every one thought it pleasant to listen ; he played 

 Gunnar's tune best ; finally he played the old Gudrunarbrogd, 

 which they had not heard before ; afterwards they went to 

 sleep" (Norna Gest's Saga, ch. 2 (Fornaldarsogur i.)). 



Kino- Huirleik's orchestra consisted of harp l and other 

 instruments, and Olaf Skautkonung kept for his table 

 regular performers. 



\Ve have no description of the shape or size of the harp. It 

 was no doubt a large instrument, as a little girl, Aslaug, wife 

 of Kagnar Lodbrok, could be hidden in it, and from Herraud 

 and Bosi's Saga we learn that a man could stand in it upright. 

 They sometimes had strings of silver and gold. 



The harp shown on the wood carvings give us an idea of its 



shape. 



Mental Exercises. The unravelling of puzzles seems to have 



1 The harp is also mentioned in 

 Atla Kvidn, 31; OddruDargrat, 29; 



Atlamal. (>2; Bard's Saga. 



