old man seemed little concerned thereat. Now and then he rode along
chanting to himself an extemporary song, which ran somewhat thus--


Maids who choose the slain,
Disappointed now.
The Hawk of the Mountain,
The Wolf of the West,
Meet in fierce combat.
Sinks the bold Wolf-cub,
Folds his wing the Falcon!
Shall the soft priestling
Step before him to Valhal,
Cheating Lok's daughter
Of weak-hearted prey?
Lo! the Wolf wakens.
Valkyr relaxes,
Waits for a battlefield,
Wolf-cub to claim.
Friendly the Falcon,
Friendly the Gray-Wolf.


So it ran on, to the great scandal of Lucius, who longed for better
knowledge of the Gothic tongue to convince the old man of the folly
of his heathen dreams. Meinhard, who was likewise rather shocked,
explained that the father and son had been recent arrivals, who had
been baptized because Euric required his followers to embrace his
faith, but with little real knowledge or acceptance on the part of
the father. Young Odorik had been a far more ardent convert; and,