The Horse Gullfaxi And The Sword Gunnfoder

: The Crimson Fairy Book

Many many years ago there lived a king and queen who had one only son,

called Sigurd. When the little boy was only ten years old the queen, his

mother, fell ill and died, and the king, who loved her dearly, built a

splendid monument to his wife's memory, and day after day he sat by it

and bewailed his sad loss.



One morning, as he sat by the grave, he noticed a richly dressed lady

close to him. He asked he
name and she answered that it was Ingiborg,

and seemed surprised to see the king there all alone. Then he told her

how he had lost his queen, and how he came daily to weep at her grave.

In return, the lady informed him that she had lately lost her husband,

and suggested that they might both find it a comfort if they made

friends.



This pleased the king so much that he invited her to his palace, where

they saw each other often; and after a time he married her.



After the wedding was over he soon regained his good spirits, and used

to ride out hunting as in old days; but Sigurd, who was very fond of his

stepmother, always stayed at home with her.



One evening Ingiborg said to Sigurd: 'To-morrow your father is going out

hunting, and you must go with him.' But Sigurd said he would much rather

stay at home, and the next day when the king rode off Sigurd refused to

accompany him. The stepmother was very angry, but he would not listen,

and at last she assured him that he would be sorry for his disobedience,

and that in future he had better do as he was told.



After the hunting party had started she hid Sigurd under her bed, and

bade him be sure to lie there till she called him.



Sigurd lay very still for a long while, and was just thinking it was no

good staying there any more, when he felt the floor shake under him as

if there were an earthquake, and peeping out he saw a great giantess

wading along ankle deep through the ground and ploughing it up as she

walked.



'Good morning, Sister Ingiborg,' cried she as she entered the room, 'is

Prince Sigurd at home?'



'No,' said Ingiborg; 'he rode off to the forest with his father this

morning.' And she laid the table for her sister and set food before her.

After they had both done eating the giantess said: 'Thank you, sister,

for your good dinner--the best lamb, the best can of beer and the best

drink I have ever had; but--is not Prince Sigurd at home?'



Ingiborg again said 'No'; and the giantess took leave of her and went

away. When she was quite out of sight Ingiborg told Sigurd to come out

of his hiding-place.



The king returned home at night, but his wife told him nothing of what

had happened, and the next morning she again begged the prince to go

out hunting with his father. Sigurd, however, replied as before, that he

would much rather stay at home.



So once more the king rode off alone. This time Ingiborg hid Sigurd

under the table, and scolded him well for not doing as she bade him.

For some time he lay quite still, and then suddenly the floor began to

shake, and a giantess came along wading half way to her knees through

the ground.



As she entered the house she asked, as the first one had done: 'Well,

Sister Ingiborg, is Prince Sigurd at home?'



'No,' answered Ingiborg,' he rode off hunting with his father this

morning'; and going to the cupboard she laid the table for her sister.

When they had finished their meal the giantess rose and said: 'Thank you

for all these nice dishes, and for the best lamb, the best can of beer

and the nicest drink I have ever had; but--is Prince Sigurd really not

at home?'



'No, certainly not!' replied Ingiborg; and with that they took leave of

each other.



When she was well out of sight Sigurd crept from under the table, and

his stepmother declared that it was most important that he should not

stay at home next day; but he said he did not see what harm could come

of it, and he did not mean to go out hunting, and the next morning, when

the king prepared to start, Ingiborg implored Sigurd to accompany his

father. But it was all no use, he was quite obstinate and would not

listen to a word she said. 'You will have to hide me again,' said he,

so no sooner had the king gone than Ingiborg hid Sigurd between the wall

and the panelling, and by-and-by there was heard once more a sound like

an earthquake, as a great giantess, wading knee deep through the ground,

came in at the door.



'Good day, Sister Ingiborg!' she cried, in a voice like thunder; 'is

Prince Sigurd at home?'



'Oh, no,' answered Ingiborg, 'he is enjoying himself out there in the

forest. I expect it will be quite dark before he comes back again.'



'That's a lie!' shouted the giantess. And they squabbled about it till

they were tired, after which Ingiborg laid the table; and when the

giantess had done eating she said: 'Well, I must thank you for all these

good things, and for the best lamb, the best can of beer and the best

drink I have had for a long time; but--are you quite sure Prince Sigurd

is not at home?'



'Quite,' said Ingiborg. 'I've told you already that he rode off with his

father this morning to hunt in the forest.'



At this the giantess roared out with a terrible voice: 'If he is near

enough to hear my words, I lay this spell on him: Let him be half

scorched and half withered; and may he have neither rest nor peace till

he finds me.' And with these words she stalked off.



For a moment Ingiborg stood as if turned to stone, then she fetched

Sigurd from his hiding-place, and, to her horror, there he was, half

scorched and half withered.



'Now you see what has happened through your own obstinacy,' said she;

'but we must lose no time, for your father will soon be coming home.'



Going quickly into the next room she opened a chest and took out a ball

of string and three gold rings, and gave them to Sigurd, saying: 'If you

throw this ball on the ground it will roll along till it reaches some

high cliffs. There you will see a giantess looking out over the rocks.

She will call down to you and say: "Ah, this is just what I wanted!

Here is Prince Sigurd. He shall go into the pot to-night"; but don't be

frightened by her. She will draw you up with a long boat-hook, and you

must greet her from me, and give her the smallest ring as a present.

This will please her, and she will ask you to wrestle with her. When you

are exhausted, she will offer you a horn to drink out of, and though she

does not know it, the wine will make you so strong that you will easily

be able to conquer her. After that she will let you stay there all

night. The same thing will happen with my two other sisters. But, above

all, remember this: should my little dog come to you and lay his paws on

you, with tears running down his face, then hurry home, for my life will

be in danger. Now, good-bye, and don't forget your stepmother.'



Then Ingiborg dropped the ball on the ground, and Sigurd bade her

farewell.



That same evening the ball stopped rolling at the foot of some high

rocks, and on glancing up, Sigurd saw the giantess looking out at the

top.



'Ah, just what I wanted!' she cried out when she saw him; 'here is

Prince Sigurd. He shall go into the pot to-night. Come up, my friend,

and wrestle with me.'



With these words she reached out a long boat hook and hauled him up the

cliff. At first Sigurd was rather frightened, but he remembered what

Ingiborg had said, and gave the giantess her sister's message and the

ring.



The giantess was delighted, and challenged him to wrestle with her.

Sigurd was fond of all games, and began to wrestle with joy; but he was

no match for the giantess, and as she noticed that he was getting faint

she gave him a horn to drink out of, which was very foolish on her part,

as it made Sigurd so strong that he soon overthrew her.



'You may stay here to-night,' said she; and he was glad of the rest.



Next morning Sigurd threw down the ball again and away it rolled for

some time, till it stopped at the foot of another high rock. Then he

looked up and saw another giantess, even bigger and uglier than the

first one, who called out to him: 'Ah, this is just what I wanted! Here

is Prince Sigurd. He shall go into the pot to-night. Come up quickly and

wrestle with me.' And she lost no time in hauling him up.



The prince gave her his stepmother's message and the second largest

ring. The giantess was greatly pleased when she saw the ring, and at

once challenged Sigurd to wrestle with her.



They struggled for a long time, till at last Sigurd grew faint; so she

handed him a horn to drink from, and when he had drunk he became so

strong that he threw her down with one hand.



On the third morning Sigurd once more laid down his ball, and it rolled

far away, till at last it stopped under a very high rock indeed, over

the top of which the most hideous giantess that ever was seen looked

down.



When she saw who was there she cried out: 'Ah, this is just what I

wanted! Here comes Prince Sigurd. Into the pot he goes this very night.

Come up here, my friend, and wrestle with me.' And she hauled him up

just as her sisters had done.



Sigurd then gave her his stepmother's message and the last and largest

ring. The sight of the red gold delighted the giantess, and she

challenged Sigurd to a wrestling match. This time the fight was fierce

and long, but when at length Sigurd's strength was failing the giantess

gave him something to drink, and after he had drunk it he soon brought

her to her knees. 'You have beaten me,' she gasped, so now, listen to

me. 'Not far from here is a lake. Go there; you will find a little girl

playing with a boat. Try to make friends with her, and give her this

little gold ring. You are stronger than ever you were, and I wish you

good luck.'



With these words they took leave of each other, and Sigurd wandered on

till he reached the lake, where he found the little girl playing with

a boat, just as he had been told. He went up to her and asked what her

name was.



She was called Helga, she answered, and she lived near by.



So Sigurd gave her the little gold ring, and proposed that they should

have a game. The little girl was delighted, for she had no brothers or

sisters, and they played together all the rest of the day.



When evening came Sigurd asked leave to go home with her, but Helga at

first forbade him, as no stranger had ever managed to enter their house

without being found out by her father, who was a very fierce giant.



However, Sigurd persisted, and at length she gave way; but when they

came near the door she held her glove over him and Sigurd was at once

transformed into a bundle of wool. Helga tucked the bundle under her arm

and threw it on the bed in her room.



Almost at the same moment her father rushed in and hunted round in every

corner, crying out: 'This place smells of men. What's that you threw on

the bed, Helga?'



'A bundle of wool,' said she.



'Oh, well, perhaps it was that I smelt,' said the old man, and troubled

himself no more.



The following day Helga went out to play and took the bundle of wool

with her under her arm. When she reached the lake she held her glove

over it again and Sigurd resumed his own shape.



They played the whole day, and Sigurd taught Helga all sorts of games

she had never even heard of. As they walked home in the evening she

said: 'We shall be able to play better still to-morrow, for my father

will have to go to the town, so we can stay at home.'



When they were near the house Helga again held her glove over Sigurd,

and once more he was turned into a bundle of wool, and she carried him

in without his being seen.



Very early next morning Helga's father went to the town, and as soon

as he was well out of the way the girl held up her glove and Sigurd was

himself again. Then she took him all over the house to amuse him, and

opened every room, for her father had given her the keys before he left;

but when they came to the last room Sigurd noticed one key on the bunch

which had not been used and asked which room it belonged to.'



Helga grew red and did not answer.



'I suppose you don't mind my seeing the room which it opens?' asked

Sigurd, and as he spoke he saw a heavy iron door and begged Helga to

unlock it for him. But she told him she dared not do so, at least if she

did open the door it must only be a very tiny chink; and Sigurd declared

that would do quite well.



The door was so heavy, that it took Helga some time to open it, and

Sigurd grew so impatient that he pushed it wide open and walked in.

There he saw a splendid horse, all ready saddled, and just above it

hung a richly ornamented sword on the handle of which was engraved

these words: 'He who rides this horse and wears this sword will find

happiness.'



At the sight of the horse Sigurd was so filled with wonder that he was

not able to speak, but at last he gasped out: 'Oh, do let me mount him

and ride him round the house! Just once; I promise not to ask any more.'



'Ride him round the house!' cried Helga, growing pale at the mere idea.

'Ride Gullfaxi! Why father would never, never forgive me, if I let you

do that.'



'But it can't do him any harm,' argued Sigurd; 'you don't know how

careful I will be. I have ridden all sorts of horses at home, and have

never fallen off not once. Oh, Helga, do!'



'Well, perhaps, if you come back directly,' replied Helga, doubtfully;

'but you must be very quick, or father will find out!'



But, instead of mounting Gullfaxi, as she expected, Sigurd stood still.



'And the sword,' he said, looking fondly up to the place where it hung.

'My father is a king, but he has not got any sword so beautiful as that.

Why, the jewels in the scabbard are more splendid than the big ruby in

his crown! Has it got a name? Some swords have, you know.'



'It is called "Gunnfjoder," the "Battle Plume,"' answered Helga, 'and

"Gullfaxi" means "Golden Mane." I don't suppose, if you are to get on

the horse at all, it would matter your taking the sword too. And if you

take the sword you will have to carry the stick and the stone and the

twig as well.'



'They are easily carried,' said Sigurd, gazing at them with scorn; 'what

wretched dried-up things! Why in the world do you keep them?'



'Bather says that he would rather lose Gullfaxi than lose them,' replied

Helga, 'for if the man who rides the horse is pursued he has only to

throw the twig behind him and it will turn into a forest, so thick that

even a bird could hardly fly through. But if his enemy happens to know

magic, and can throw down the forest, the man has only to strike the

stone with the stick, and hailstones as large as pigeons' eggs will rain

down from the sky and will kill every one for twenty miles round.'



Having said all this she allowed Sigurd to ride 'just once' round the

house, taking the sword and other things with him. But when he had

ridden round, instead of dismounting, he suddenly turned the horse's

head and galloped away.



Soon after this Helga's father came home and found his daughter in

tears. He asked what was the matter, and when he heard all that had

happened, he rushed off as fast as he could to pursue Sigurd.



Now, as Sigurd happened to look behind him he saw the giant coming after

him with great strides, and in all haste he threw the twig behind him.

Immediately such a thick wood sprang up at once between him and his

enemy that the giant was obliged to run home for an axe with which to

cut his way through.



The next time Sigurd glanced round, the giant was so near that he almost

touched Gullfaxi's tail. In an agony of fear Sigurd turned quickly in

his saddle and hit the stone with the stick. No sooner had he done this

than a terrible hailstorm burst behind, and the giant was killed on the

spot.



But had Sigurd struck the stone without turning round, the hail would

have driven right into his face and killed him instead.



After the giant was dead Sigurd rode on towards his own home, and on the

way he suddenly met his stepmother's little dog, running to meet him,

with tears pouring down its face. He galloped on as hard as he could,

and on arriving found nine men-servants in the act of tying Queen

Ingiborg to a post in the courtyard of the palace, where they intended

to burn her.



Wild with anger Prince Sigurd sprang from his horse and, sword in hand,

fell on the men and killed them all. Then he released his stepmother,

and went in with her to see his father.



The king lay in bed sick with sorrow, and neither eating nor drinking,

for he thought that his son had been killed by the queen. He could

hardly believe his own eyes for joy when he saw the prince, and Sigurd

told him all his adventures.



After that Prince Sigurd rode back to fetch Helga, and a great feast was

made which lasted three days; and every one said no bride was ever seen

so beautiful as Helga, and they lived happily for many, many years, and

everybody loved them.



[From Islandische Mahrchen.]



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