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And so, when those two rode into our garth, and the gates were closed after them, we reined our horses round them, and drew our swords, and cried the ancient greeting with one mighty shout: "Skoal to Havelok Gunnarsson Skoal to Goldberga, Havelok's wife! Skoal! Yours we are, and for you we will die! Skoal!" Now one would like to tell of quiet days at Grimsby; but they were not to be.
It is a relief to realize that in the world there are at least a few women like Jane that don't have to be protected from Polk and his kind. Jane is one of the hunted that has turned and has come back to meet the pursuer with outstretched and disarming hand. This, I suspect, is to be about her first real tussle; skoal to the victor!
So I stood before Ingvar the Jarl, and wondered how things would go, and what Beorn had said, though I had no fear of him. And as the jarl gazed at me I raised my hand, saying in the viking's greeting: "Skoal to Jarl Ingvar!" At that he half raised hand in answer, but checked himself, saying shortly: "Who are you, and how come you by my father's boat?"
Before his father had time to reply, Helgi sprang from his seat with a shout, and saluting Osla on the cheek, exclaimed, "First of all King Estein's friends I wish you joy! Do you remember the sheep-skin coat? I have not forgotten the maiden. Skoal to Queen Osla!"
These jewels studded the drinking cups from which the Vikings drank "Skoal to the Northland!" The starfish were magnificent, of many colors, and one with fifteen arms covered with sharp, gray spines, and underneath pale yellow, fleshy feelers with suckers like a sea-anemone. These were as pliant as rubber in the water, but, when long out, as hard as stone.
In and out it flew, in and out, over the water and under, as the Varsimle', the leader doe of the Reindeer herd, walked past on the vernal banks, and it sang: "Skoal! Skoal! Gamle Norge Skoal!" and more about "a White Reindeer and Norway's good luck," as though the singer were gifted with special insight.
The Saxon kissed it, bending one knee, which was doubtless right for him, as owning allegiance thereto. But I shook hands in our own way, saying: "Skoal to Alfred the king." Which seemed to please him, for he answered: "Welcome to King Ranald. I am glad my letter brought you. My counsellor, Godred, feared you might not care to come." "The letter turned the scale, lord king," I said.
But now the last lurking doubt was gone, and there was no more delay, for the chiefs crowded with shouts of joy to the high place, and they knelt to Havelok and hailed him as king then and there; and so they led him to the great door of the hall, and the mightiest of them raised him high on a wide shield before all the freemen who waited on the green that is round the jarl's house, and they cried, "Skoal to Havelok the king!"
Boniface Church avers that the tolling bell on Christmas Eve never fails to provoke that weird and melancholy Wolf-cry from the wooded graveyard a hundred steps away, where they laid his Little Jim, the only being on earth that ever met him with the touch of love. Skoal! Skoal! For Norway Skoal! Sing ye the song of the Vand-dam troll.
"That will do well," said Sigurd; and the chief went back, and at once the host sat down. Then Havelok rode to them, and with him went we three and Sigurd and Biorn. There was a murmur of wonder as he came, and it grew louder as he unhelmed and stayed before them. And then one shouted, "Skoal to Havelok Gunnarsson!" and at once the shout was taken up along the line.
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