she determined to pay no attention; but as she opened her mouth
to tell her father that her husband must be called Njal, she
found herself answering instead: 'If I do marry it will be to no
one except Habogi.'

'Who IS Habogi?' asked her father and sisters; 'We never heard of
such a person.'

'All I can tell you is that he will be my husband, if ever I have
one,' returned Helga; and that was all she would say.

Before very long the young men who lived in the neighbouring
villages or on the sides of the mountains, had heard of this talk
of the three girls, and Sigmunds and Sigurds in scores came to
visit the little cottage. There were other young men too, who
bore different names, though not one of them was called 'Habogi,'
and these thought that they might perhaps gain the heart of the
youngest. But though there was more than one 'Njal' amongst
them, Helga's eyes seemed always turned another way.

At length the two elder sisters made their choice from out of the
Sigurds and the Sigmunds, and it was decided that both weddings
should take place at the same time. Invitations were sent out to
the friends and relations, and when, on the morning of the great
day, they were all assembled, a rough, coarse old peasant left
the crowd and came up to the brides' father.

'My name is Habogi, and Helga must be my wife,' was all he said.
And though Helga stood pale and trembling with surprise, she did
not try to run away.