great and
must prevail; and this Fakeer might carry on with his conjuring tricks
till doomsday, and it would not play bluff upon a man like me."

Now at this the Fakeer was so much incensed that his hand trembled; and,
lo! in the midst of a miracle the cards fell from up his sleeve.

"Where are you now?" asked the virtuous person. "And yet it shakes not
me!"

"The devil fly away with the Fakeer!" cried the priest. "I really do not
see the good of going on with this pilgrimage."

"Cheer up!" cried the virtuous person. "Great is the right, and shall
prevail!"

"If you are quite sure it will prevail," says the priest.

"I pledge my word for that," said the virtuous person.

So the other began to go on again with a better heart.

At last one came running, and told them all was lost: that the powers of
darkness had besieged the Heavenly Mansions, that Odin was to die, and
evil triumph.

"I have been grossly deceived," cried the virtuous person.

"All is lost now," said the priest.

"I wonder if it is too late to make it up with the devil?" said the
virtuous person.

"O, I hope not," said the priest. "And at any rate we can but try.--But
what are you doing with your axe?" says he to the rover.

"I am off to die with Odin," said the rover.

XVIII

THE TOUCHSTONE

The King was a man that stood well before the world; his smile was sweet
as clover, but his soul withinsides was as little as a pea. He had two
sons; and the younger son was a boy after his heart, but the elder was
one whom he feared. It befell one morning that the drum sounded in the
dun before it was yet day; and the King rode with his two sons, and a
brave array behind them. They rode two hours, and came to the foot of a
brown mountain that was very steep.

"Where do we ride?" said the elder son.

"Across this brown mountain," said the King, and smiled to himself.

"My father knows what he is doing," said the younger son.

And they rode two hours more, and came to the sides of a black river
that was wondrous deep.

"And where do we ride?" asked the elder son.

"Over this black river," said the King, and smiled to himself.

"My father knows what he is doing," said the younger son.

And they rode all that day, and about the time of the sunsetting came to
the side of a lake, where was a great dun.

"It is here we ride," said the King; "to a King's house, and a priest's,
and a house where you will learn much."

At the gates of