handmaids by the fire-side."

Then answered Granmar, "In nowise knowest thou how to speak
seemly things, and to tell of matters remembered from of old,
whereas thou layest lies on chiefs and lords; most like it is
that thou must have long been nourished with wolf-meat abroad in
the wild-woods, and has slain thy brethren; and a marvel it is to
behold that thou darest to join thyself to the company of good
men and true, thou, who hast sucked the blood of many a cold
corpse."

Sinfjotli answered, "Dim belike is grown thy memory now, of how
thou wert a witch-wife on Varinsey, and wouldst fain have a man
to thee, and chose me to that same office of all the world; and
how thereafter thou wert a Valkyria (1) in Asgarth, and it well-
nigh came to this, that for thy sweet sake should all men fight;
and nine wolf whelps I begat on thy body in Lowness, and was the
father to them all."

Granmar answers, "Great skill of lying hast thou; yet belike the
father of naught at all mayst thou be, since thou wert gelded by
the giant's daughters of Thrasness; and lo thou art the stepson
of King Siggeir, and were wont to lie abroad in wilds and woods
with the kin of wolves; and unlucky was the hand wherewith thou
slewest thy brethren making for thyself an exceeding evil name."

Said Sinfjotli, "Mindest thou not then, when thou were stallion
Grani's mare, and how I rode thee an amble on Bravoli, and that
afterwards thou wert giant Golnir's goat herd?"