Conjtiration of the Dead 1 1 1 



Skirnir does not, like Svipdag, begin by a visit to a 

 tomb. He borrows a horse from the god Frey, and 

 that god's sword. He knows that he will have to ride 

 through the flame which surrounds Gerd's home. ' Give 

 nie,' he says — 



' Give me thy steed, then, that he may bear me through 

 The murk flickering flame.' 



From a fragment of poetry not actually included in 

 the collection called Edda, but of just the same char- 

 acter as its poetry, we have another presentation of this 

 fire, which always seems to surround the dead. This 

 time it appears as if it flared out of the tomb itself, or 

 the funeral mound. The fragment of poetry of which 

 I speak is taken from the Saga of Hervor and Heidrek.^ 

 The story tells, among otlier things, of the visit made 

 by a lady, Hervor, to the ' how ' ^ of her father, Agantyr, 

 which lies on an island in Sweden — much as Day- 

 Swoop visits tlie tomb of Groa — in order to summon 

 him from his death-sleep and learn from him the burial- 

 place of a certain magic sword which is an heirloom. 

 When she first comes to the island Hervor finds a shep- 

 herd, and asks the way to the mound. He answers — 



' Who is this to the island come alone ? 



Go hence straightway shelter to seek.' 



Hervfir repeats her question ; but he supposes her to be 

 a witch and runs away. 



' Run we fast as our feet will carry us ; 



All is awful for me to look upon : 

 Fires are flickering, graves are gaping ; 



Burn fold and fell. Let us run faster.' 



1 Hervarar Saga ok Heidreks, caps. iv. v. 



2 Funeral mound. 



