put to her.

Now it happened in the first winter of Olaf's being in Holmgard,
that at the yule feast, when Gerda had been borne in after this
fashion, Valdemar asked her whether any foreign prince or warrior
would enter his dominions or turn his arms against his kingdom
during the following year.

The old mother ran her bent fingers through the thin locks of her
white hair, and gazing with dim eyes into the vast hall, thus spoke
her prophecy:

"No token of any disastrous war do I discern," she said, "nor any
other misfortune. But one wondrous event I see. In the land of
Norway there has lately been born a child who will be bred up here,
in Holmgard, until he grows to be a famous prince; one so highly
gifted that there has never before been seen his equal. He will
do no harm to this kingdom; but he will in every way increase thy
fame. He will return to his native land while yet he is in the flower
of his age, and he will reign with great glory in this northern
part of the world. But not for long, not for long. Now, carry me
away."

While these words were being spoken, Queen Allogia's eyes rested
upon Olaf Triggvison, who was acting as cup bearer to his uncle
Sigurd. She saw the drinking horn tremble in his hand, so that the
wine it held dripped over the silver rim, and fell upon the front
of his white kirtle; and she divined that it was to him that the
prophecy referred. But no sign of this suspicion did she betray,
either at that time or in the after days. Yet none the less she