45-hermod and hadvor-第2章

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wear　over　your　other　clothes；　when　you　are　put　into　the　mound。　

The　Giant's　ghost　will　walk　after　you　are　both　left　together　in

there；　and　he　will　have　two　dogs　along　with　him。　　He　will　ask　you

to　cut　pieces　out　of　his　legs　to　give　to　the　dogs；　but　that　you

must　not　promise　to　do　unless　he　tells　you　where　Hermod　has　gone

to；　and　tells　you　how　to　find　him。　　He　will　then　let　you　stand　on

his　shoulders；　so　as　to　get　out　of　the　mound；　but　he　means　to

cheat　you　all　the　same；　and　will　catch　you　by　the　cloak　to　pull

you　back　again；　but　you　must　take　care　to　have　the　cloak　loose　on

your　shoulders；　so　that　he　will　only　get　hold　of　that。'



The　mound　was　all　ready　now；　and　the　Giant　laid　in　it；　and　into

it　Hadvor　also　had　to　go　without　being　allowed　to　make　any

defence。　　After　they　were　both　left　there　everything　happened

just　as　Olof　had　said。　　The　prince　became　a　Giant　again；　and

asked　Hadvor　to　cut　the　pieces　out　of　his　legs　for　the　dogs；　but

she　refused　until　he　told　her　that　Hermod　was　in　a　desert　island；

which　she　could　not　reach　unless　she　took　the　skin　off　the　soles

of　his　feet　and　made　shoes　out　of　that；　with　these　shoes　she

could　travel　both　on　land　and　sea。　　This　Hadvor　now　did；　and　the

Giant　then　let　her　get　up　on　his　shoulders　to　get　out　of　the

mound。　　As　she　sprang　out　he　caught　hold　of　her　cloak；　but　she

had　taken　care　to　let　it　lie　loose　on　her　shoulders；　and　so

escaped。



She　now　made　her　way　down　to　the　sea；　to　where　she　knew　there　was

the　shortest　distance　over　to　the　island　in　which　Hermod　was。　

This　strait　she　easily　crossed；　for　the　shoes　kept　her　up。　　On

reaching　the　island　she　found　a　sandy　beach　all　along　by　the　sea；

and　high　cliffs　above。　　Nor　could　she　see　any　way　to　get　up

these；　and　so；　being　both　sad　at　heart　and　tired　with　the　long

journey；　she　lay　down　and　fell　asleep。　　As　she　slept　she　dreamed

that　a　tall　woman　came　to　her　and　said；　'I　know　that　you　are

Princess　Hadvor；　and　are　searching　for　Hermod。　　He　is　on　this

island；　but　it　will　be　hard　for　you　to　get　to　him　if　you　have　no

one　to　help　you；　for　you　cannot　climb　the　cliffs　by　your　own

strength。　　I　have　therefore　let　down　a　rope；　by　which　you　will　be

able　to　climb　up；　and　as　the　island　is　so　large　that　you　might

not　find　Hermod's　dwelling…place　so　easily；　I　lay　down　this　clew

beside　you。　　You　need　only　hold　the　end　of　the　thread；　and　the

clew　will　run　on　before　and　show　you　the　way。　　I　also　lay　this

belt　beside　you；　to　put　on　when　you　awaken；　it　will　keep　you　from

growing　faint　with　hunger。'



The　woman　now　disappeared；　and　Hadvor　woke；　and　saw　that　all　her

dream　had　been　true。　　The　rope　hung　down　from　the　cliff；　and　the

clew　and　belt　lay　beside　her。　　The　belt　she　put　on；　the　rope

enabled　her　to　climb　up　the　cliff；　and　the　clew　led　her　on　till

she　came　to　the　mouth　of　a　cave；　which　was　not　very　big。　　She

went　into　the　cave；　and　saw　there　a　low　couch；　under　which　she

crept　and　lay　down。



When　evening　came　she　heard　the　noise　of　footsteps　outside；　and

became　aware　that　the　lion　had　come　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　and

shook　itself　there；　after　which　she　heard　a　man　coming　towards

the　couch。　　She　was　sure　this　was　Hermod；　because　she　heard　him

speaking　to　himself　about　his　own　condition；　and　calling　to　mind

Hadvor　and　other　things　in　the　old　days。　　Hadvor　made　no　sign；

but　waited　till　he　had　fallen　asleep；　and　then　crept　out　and

burned　the　lion's　skin；　which　he　had　left　outside。　　Then　she　went

back　into　the　cave　and　wakened　Hermod；　and　they　had　a　most　joyful

meeting。



In　the　morning　they　talked　over　their　plans；　and　were　most　at　a

loss　to　know　how　to　get　out　of　the　island。　　Hadvor　told　Hermod

her　dream；　and　said　she　suspected　there　was　some　one　in　the

island　who　would　be　able　to　help　them。　　Hermod　said　he　knew　of　a

Witch　there；　who　was　very　ready　to　help　anyone；　and　that　the　only

plan　was　to　go　to　her。　　So　they　went　to　the　Witch's　cave；　and

found　her　there　with　her　fifteen　young　sons；　and　asked　her　to

help　them　to　get　to　the　mainland。



'There　are　other　things　easier　than　that；'　said　she；　'for　the

Giant　that　was　buried　will　be　waiting　for　you；　and　will　attack

you　on　the　way；　as　he　has　turned　himself　into　a　big　whale。　　I

shall　lend　you　a　boat；　however；　and　if　you　meet　the　whale　and

think　your　lives　are　in　danger；　then　you　can　name　me　by　name。'



They　thanked　her　greatly　for　her　help　and　advice；　and　set　out

from　the　island；　but　on　the　way　they　saw　a　huge　fish　coming

towards　them；　with　great　splashing　and　dashing　of　waves。　　They

were　sure　of　what　it　was；　and　thought　they　had　as　good　reason　as

ever　they　would　have　to　call　on　the　Witch；　and　so　they　did。　　The

next　minute　they　saw　coming　after　them　another　huge　whale；

followed　by　fifteen　smaller　ones。　　All　of　these　swam　past　the

boat　and　went　on　to　meet　the　whale。　　There　was　a　fierce　battle

then；　and　the　sea　became　so　stormy　that　it　was　not　very　easy　to

keep　the　boat　from　being　filled　by　the　waves。　　After　this　fight

had　gone　on　for　some　time；　they　saw　that　the　sea　was　dyed　with

blood；　the　big　whale　and　the　fifteen　smaller　ones　disappeared；

and　they　got　to　land　safe　and　sound。



Now　the　story　goes　back　to　the　King's　hall；　where　strange　things

had　happened　in　the　meantime。　　The　Queen　and　her　daughter　had

disappeared；　but　a　rat　and　a　mouse　were　always　fighting　with　each

other　there。　　Ever　so　many　people　had　tried　to　drive　them　away；

but　no　one　could　manage　it。　　Thus　some　time　went　on；　while　the

King　was　almost　beside　himself　with　sorrow　and　care　for　the　loss

of　his　Queen；　and　because　these　monsters　destroyed　all　mirth　in

the　hall。



One　evening；　however；　while　they　all　sat　dull　and　down…hearted；

in　came　Hermod　with　a　sword　by　his　side；　and　saluted　the　King；

who　received　him　with　the　greatest　joy；　as　if　he　had　come　back

from　the　dead。　　Before　Hermod　sat　down；　however；　he　went　to　where

the　rat　and　the　mouse　were　fighting；　and　cut　them　in　two　with　his

sword。　　All　were　astonished　then　by　seeing　two　witches　lying　dead

on　the　floor　of　the　hall。



Hermod　now　told　the　whole　story　to　the　King；　who　was　very　glad　to

be　rid　of　such　vile　creatures。　　Next　he　asked　for　the　hand　of

Hadvor；　which　the　King　readily　gave　him；　and　being　now　an　old

man；　gave　the　kingdom　to　him　as　well；　and　so　Hermod　became　King。



Olof　married　a　good…looking　nobleman；　and　that　is　the　end　of　the

story。