14 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



blood of a kinsman. But Helgi replied, "No man can trust you, 

 and you will surely deceive us later, as you did our father, Halfdann. 

 The time is now come for you to pay for that bad deed." 



The king, finding every means of escape cut off, turned back into 

 the hall, and perished in the flames, together with all his men. And 

 thus was the death of Halfdann avenged by the boys, Hroarr and 

 Helgi. 



Wo'gg 1 was a mere boy, * ' If till sveinn," when he vowed the vow, 

 the fulfillment of which in later years raised him to the rank of hero. 

 Having heard much of the splendid qualities of King Hrolf, this 

 simple peasant youth came a long way to see for himself what the 

 man was like. Now, in those days Hrolf was young in years, tall 

 and very slender, anything but royal in appearance. 



Wogg went before the king and stared up at him without uttering 

 a word. "Well," said Hrolf, "what have you to say, boy, as you 

 stand there and look at me?" "In my home," replied W0gg, "I 

 heard say that Hrolf, the king at Hleithra, was the greatest man of 

 the Northland and now there sits in the high seat nothing but a 

 bean-pole (kraki) whom they call king." Then answered the king, 

 "Thou, boy, hast given me a name. Hrolf Kraki shall I be called 

 henceforth. But what gift dost thou give at the christening?" 

 "Alas," sighed Wogg, "I can give no gift, for I am a fee-less man." 

 Then the king, "It falls to him to give who has to give," and he drew 

 from his arm a golden ring and handed it to W0gg. "Be thou blessed 

 above all men," exclaimed the grateful W0gg, "this shall be my 

 highest treasure. And this oath I swear, to be the death of that 

 man, who shall be the death of thee. " 



The boyish love of adventure, together with the bravery of a man 

 but without the caution of a man, led more than one young hero to 

 his early death. Alphart* was the foster son of Hildebrand, Dietrich's 

 master-of-arms. He was still a lad when the feud arose between the 

 Emperor Ermenrich and his nephew Dietrich. But, eager to show 



1 Snorri, Edda, "Skaldskaparmal," C. 41. 

 ■ " Alpharta Tod," Deutsche! BMenbuck, B. i. 



