long.

King Olaf said: "I think your stories are very entertaining."

Everybody praised his stories and his talent.

Then the King wanted him to tell them much more about the adventures
he had met with on his travels. So Guest told them many amusing
stories till late in the evening. It was then time to go to bed; but
next morning the King sent for Guest, and wanted to talk to him still
further.

The King said: "I can't quite make out your age and how you can be
old enough to have been present when these events took place. You will
have to tell another story so as to make us better acquainted with
things of this kind."

Guest replied: "I suspected before that you would want to hear another
of my stories, if I told you what had happened about the gold."

"You must certainly tell me some more," replied the King.

IX. "I must tell you then," Guest began, "that I went north to Denmark
and there settled down on my estate, for my father had died a short
time before; and a little later I heard of the death of Sigurth and
the sons of Gjuki, and I felt that that was news indeed."

"What was the cause of Sigurth's death?" asked the King.

Guest replied: "It is generally believed that Guthorm the son of Gjuki
ran a sword through him while he was asleep in bed with Guthrun. On
the other hand, Germans say that Sigurth was slain out in the forest.
In the _Guthrunar-raetha_ again it is stated that Sigurth and the sons
of Gjuki had ridden to a gathering and that they slew him then. But
one thing is agreed by all--that they set on him when he was down and
off his guard, and that they were guilty of gross treachery towards
him."

Then one of the retinue asked:

"How did Brynhild behave then?"

Guest answered: "Brynhild then slew seven of her slaves and five
handmaidens, and ran herself through with a sword, commanding that she
should be taken to the pyre along with these people and burned beside
Sigurth. This was done, one pile being made for Sigurth and another
for Brynhild, and he was burned first, and then Brynhild. She was
taken in a chariot with a canopy of velvet and silk which was all
ablaze with gold, and thus was she burnt."

Then Guest was asked if Brynhild had chanted a lay after she was dead.
He replied that she had, and they asked him to recite it if he could.

Then Guest said: "As Brynhild was being driven to the pyre on the way
to Hell, she was brought near some cliffs where an ogress dwelt. The
ogress wa