group of ancient kings in Denmark and appear repeatedly in old
Scandinavian literature. The account of them in the _Fróðaþáttr_ which
introduces the _Hrólfssaga_, is, briefly summarized, as follows.

Halfdan and Frothi were brothers, the sons of a king, and each was the
ruler of a kingdom. Halfdan had two sons, Hroar and Helgi, and a
daughter, Signy, the oldest of the three children, who was married to
Earl Sævil while her brothers were still young. The boys' foster-father
was Regin. Near Halfdan's capital was a wooded island, on which lived an
old man, Vifil, a friend of Halfdan. Vifil had two dogs, called Hopp and
Ho, and was skilled in soothsaying.

Frothi, envying his brother the crown of Denmark, attacked his capital
with a large army, reduced it to ashes, and took Halfdan captive and put
him to death. Regin took his foster-sons, Hroar and Helgi, to the island
and placed them in the care of Vifil, in order that they might not fall
into the hands of Frothi. Vifil took them to a cave (earth-hut), where
they usually stayed at night; but in the daytime they sported in the
grove. Frothi made every effort to locate them and make away with them,
calling in witches and wise men from all over the land to tell him where
they were, but in vain. Then he called in soothsayers, who told him the
boys were not on the mainland, nor far from the court. The king
mentioned Vifil's island, and they told him to look for the boys there.
Twice he sent men to search for them, but the men failed to find them.
Then the king went himself. Vifil, who knew the king was coming, met him
on the strand as if by chance, pretending to be looking after his sheep;
and when the king bade his men seize Vifil, the old man said, "Do not
detain me, or the wolves will destroy my sheep," and cried out, "Hopp
and Ho, guard my sheep." The king asked him to whom he was calling; he
said, to his dogs. But he had told the boys before, that, when he called