396 POETRY OR SCALDSHIP, MUSIC AND MENTAL EXEECISES. 



been one of the most favourite pastimes among chiefs and 

 other powerful men, and deep penetration was required to 

 understand them. Heidrek, a king of Keidgotaland, was 

 credited with having been able to unravel any riddle that had 

 ever been propounded to him. 



" A man named Gest the blind was a powerful hersir in 

 Eeidgotaland, but wicked and overbearing ; he had kept back 

 the tribute belonging to King Heidrek, and there was great 

 enmity between them. The king sent him word that he must 

 come to him and submit to the judgment of his wise men, or 

 fight. Gest did not like either of these terms, and became 

 very uneasy, for he knew that he had committed many offences ; 

 he then resolved to sacrifice to Odin for help, and begged of 

 him to look on his case, and promised a large reward. Late 

 one evening there was a knock at the door, and Gest the blind 

 went to open it ; he asked the name of the man who had come, 

 and he answered his name was Gest ; then they inquired of 

 each other about the tidings. The guest asked if anything 



frieved him ; Gest the blind told him everything carefully, 

 he guest said : ' I will go to the king on thy behalf, and see 

 how it will go ; let us exchange appearance and clothes ;' and 

 thus they did. The bondi 1 went away and hid himself while 

 the guest went in and stayed there during the night, and 

 every one thought it was Gest the blind. Next day Gest went 

 on the journey to the king, and did not stop until he came to 

 Arheimar (Heidrek's seat) ; he went into the hall and greeted 

 the king well. The king was silent and looked angrily at him. 

 ' Herra (lord),' said Gest, ' 1 am here in order to be reconciled 

 with you.' The king asked : ' Wilt thou obey the judgment 

 of my wise men ? ' Gest replied : ' Are there no other terms ? ' 

 The king said : ' There are ; if thou wilt come with a riddle 

 which I cannot guess, and thus procure thyself peace.' Gest 

 answered : ' I am little able to do that, and besides the other 

 part (the king) may be heard about it.' ' Wilt thou rather 

 submit to the decision of the wise men ? ' said the king. ' I 

 should prefer,' said Gest, ' to come with some riddles.' The king 

 agreed, and two chairs were brought on which they sat down. 

 Gest then propounded his riddles ' " (Hervarar Saga, ch. 15). 



Gest. 



I should wish to have 

 That which yesterday I had ; 



Try to know what it was, 

 Peace-maker among men ! 

 Tamer of words, 2 



1 Hersir is called here a boruli 



- One who subdues words an eloquent 



man for every chief was trained to be 

 a good speaker. 



