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On the opposite brink of the basin, tended each by a dark-eyed Hebe, who filled the wine-cups, and helped now and then to empty them, lay the especial friends and companions in arms of the Amal, Goderic the son of Ermenric, and Agilmund the son of Cniva, who both, like the Amal, boasted a descent from gods; and last, but not least, that most important and all but sacred personage, Smid the son of Troll, reverenced for cunning beyond the sons of men; for not only could he make and mend all matters, from a pontoon bridge to a gold bracelet, shoe horses and doctor them, charm all diseases out of man and beast, carve runes, interpret war-omens, foretell weather, raise the winds, and finally, conquer in the battle of mead-horns all except Wulf the son of Ovida; but he had actually, during a sojourn among the half-civilised Maesogoths, picked up a fair share of Latin and Greek, and a rough knowledge of reading and writing.
'I'm sure I don't know; some sort of slave's quill-driving, I suppose. 'Pelagia! do you know what philosophising is? 'No and I don't care. 'I do, quoth Agilmund, with a look of superior wisdom; 'I saw a philosopher the other day. 'And what sort of a thing was it? 'I'll tell you.
'Of course we will, said the Amal; 'anything to pass the time. 'But let it be about snow, said Agilmund. 'Not about Alruna-wives? 'About them, too, said Goderic; 'my mother was one, so I must needs stand up for them. 'She was, boy. Do you be her son. Now hear, Wolves of the Goths!
Agilmund son of Cniva, Goderic son of Ermenric, you are Balts, and to you the succession appertains. Draw lots here, which of you shall be our chieftain. 'No! no! Wulf! cried both the youths at once. 'You are the hero! you are the Sagaman! We are not worthy; we have been cowards and sluggards, like the rest.
Agilmund, go with a dozen to the west side of the court there in the kitchen; and wait till you hear my war-cry. Smid and the rest of you, come with me through the stables close to the gate as silent as Hela. And they went down to meet, full on the stairs below, old Miriam.
'All very true, Prince Wulf, said Agilmund, 'but I don't like the saga after all. It was a great deal too like what Pelagia here says those philosophers talk about right and wrong, and that sort of thing. 'I don't doubt it. 'Now I like a really good saga, about gods and giants, and the fire kingdoms and the snow kingdoms, and the Aesir making men and women out of two sticks, and all that.
Then down on them come the savage Bulgars by night, and slay king Agilmund, and carry off his daughter; and Lamissohn follows them, and defeats them with a great slaughter, and is made king; and so forth: till at last they have got how we shall never know near history and historic lands.
Where, too, was the hated figure of the Amal? and Wulf, and Smid? The men came on, led by Goderic and Agilmund, with folded arms, knitted brows, downcast eyes: a stern disgust, not unmingled with shame, on every countenance, told Philammon afresh of his sister's infamy. Goderic passed him close, and Philammon summoned up courage to ask for Wulf.... Pelagia he had not courage to name.
'She is a very conceited creature, and I hate her, said Pelagia. 'I believe you, said Wulf. 'What is an Alruna-maiden? asked one of the girls. 'Something as like you as a salmon is like a horse-leech. Heroes, will you hear a saga? 'If it is a cool one, said Agilmund; 'about ice, and pine-trees, and snowstorms, I shall be roasted brown in three days more.
Men we have one thing to do. The Amal must not go to the Valhalla without fair attendance. 'Not the poor girls? said Agilmund, who took for granted that Wulf would wish to celebrate the Amal's funeral in true Gothic fashion by a slaughter of slaves. 'No.... One of them I saw behave this very afternoon worthy of a Vala.
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