son, and asked if he would ride to the Thing with her; he said he could
not ride if his kinsman Hrut set his face against it.

"Well!" says she, "I spoke to thee because I have better right to ask
this from thee than from any one else."

He answered, "I will make a bargain with thee: thou must promise to ride
back west with me, and to have no underhand dealings against Hrut or
myself".

So she promised that, and then they rode to the Thing. Her father Mord
was at the Thing, and was very glad to see her, and asked her to stay in
his booth white the Thing lasted, and she did so.

"Now," said Mord, "what hast thou to tell me of thy mate, Hrut?"

Then she sung him a song, in which she praised Hrut's liberality, but
said he was not master of himself. She herself was ashamed to speak out.

Mord was silent a short time, and then said--

"Thou hast now that on thy mind I see, daughter, which thou dost not
wish that any one should know save myself, and thou wilt trust to me
rather than any one else to help thee out of thy trouble."

Then they went aside to talk, to a place where none could overhear what
they said; and then Mord said to his daughter--

"Now tell me all that is between you two, and don't make more of the
matter than it is worth."