Then a woman appeared in the background beckoning, and all my dream
vanished away. Yet to my mind came the thought that it was to the lady
who gave the necklace that Death stood near, rather than to him to whom
it was given. For surely death was written in her sad and longing eyes.



So that dream ended. When I, Olaf, awoke in the morning, it was to find
that already everyone was astir, for I had overslept myself. In the
hall were gathered Ragnar, Steinar, Iduna and Freydisa; the elders were
talking together elsewhere on the subject of the forthcoming marriage.
I went to Iduna to embrace her, and she proffered me her cheek, speaking
all the while over her shoulder to Ragnar.

"Where were you last night, brother, that you came in near the dawn,
all covered with mud?" asked Ragnar, turning his back on Iduna, without
making any answer to her words.

"Digging in the Wanderer's grave, brother, as Iduna challenged me to
do."

Now all three of them turned on me eagerly, save Freydisa, who stood by
the fire listening, and with one voice asked if I had found anything.

"Aye," I replied. "I found the Wanderer, a very noble-looking man," and
I began to describe him.

"Peace to this dead Wanderer," broke in Iduna. "Did you find the
necklace?"