THE BOY IN THE GERMANIC HERO-SAGAS 9 



before they could do more, Jormunrekk's men came to the rescue, 

 and Hamf>ir and Sorli had to look to their own safety. Blow upon 

 blow was showered upon them, but with no effect, for they wore 

 magic garments, which made them proof against iron. "Stone 

 them with stones," cried the King, "since iron cannot harm them." 

 As they sank to the ground, Hampir exclaimed with his last breath, 

 "Off were his head, if Erpr had lived, our brother whom we slew by 

 the way. We have fought a good fight. There lie the Goths slain 

 at our feet. What matters it if we die now or tomorrow? The 

 evening over can no man live when the fates have spoken. " 



The murder of King Halfdann by his brother, FroSi, was fully 

 avenged by his sons Hroarr 1 and Helgi long before they had reached 

 the age when a man's work was to be expected of them. On the 

 death of their father the boys were taken to an island by their foster- 

 father, Reginn. Vifill, the peasant, lived there, a rich man, and 

 still loyal to the memory of the murdered Halfdann. Vifill had two 

 dogs, the one named Hopp, the other Ho. This island seemed to 

 Reginn the best hiding place for the boys, in order that they might 

 be saved from the fate of their father. The peasant could keep a 

 sharp lookout for Fr63i, and give the warning in time for them to 

 escape. Vifill himself was none too eager for the task. "We are 

 struggling against what is fated," he said, but he promised to do 

 his best to help the young princes. So he took them to his home and 

 made a cave for them. In this they generally spent the nights, but 

 wandered about the peasant's forests in the daytime. Thus they 

 were separated from Reginn, who, because of his possessions in Den- 

 mark, had to go to Fr63i the king, and swear allegiance to him. 

 Fr63i now sent out messengers in all directions far and near, promis- 

 ing great gifts to anyone who could give him information about his 

 nephews, but threatening with dire vengeance those who concealed 

 the boys from him, if they were discovered. 



No one was able to tell the king any news of the missing boys. At 

 last he had seeresses and soothsayers from all lands come to him, and 

 had the country scoured from one end to the other, but without 



1 "Saga Hrolfs Konungs Kraka," Fornaldarsfigur, vol. I, pp. 3 ff. 



