of winter, he found at the foot of
Snaeja-Tjoell, a little maiden of five years old, nearly frozen to
death. She had strayed from her mother's cottage, and could not find
the way back.

And although Halfred was very weary, and had many followers with him,
he sent them all nevertheless alone to the hall, took the child himself
upon his shoulder, and travelled many stages further, always tracking
the tiny footprints of the little maiden, who had fallen fast asleep,
until he found her mother's cottage. And he laid the child in the
mother's arms, and she woke and smiled. And the mother wished for him,
as a reward, that he should smile henceforth like a child that sees its
mother again. And this also had Oski granted to him.

But this is a mere idle tale of the heathen people; for there is no
Oski; and no heathen gods; and perchance also no[2] .... I say that he
carried the child back himself, carefully, to the mother. Many a Viking
would only, from compassion, have thrust her deeper in the snow; the
best would have given her to one of his followers to carry to the hall.
But to carry her back, himself, through the snow, to her mother, that
would no Viking have done that I know; above all when he was tired and
hungry.

I say, then, in Halfred there was great goodness of heart, such as is
generally wont to be found alone in innocent children; and therefore
his smile was heart-winning, as is a child's smile. And out of this,
therefore, have the heathen people invented that gift of Oski.

For that he did carry the child to the mother, that I certainly,
myself, fully and undoubtingly believe of Halfred. And I would be the
last not to believe it of him.

Nevertheless he could become suddenly very wrathful, when the veins in
his temples swelled. Then, often, if any enemy roused him by defiance,
he would dash, blindly raging, among the spears, like a Berseker.

Over and above all this, they tell many tales of the god-like gifts
which made maidens love him. But that is not a miracle, as it comes
very near being that a conquered singer should love him.

For he possessed a brilliant noble countenance, which no one forgot who
had once seen it, and a heart-winning soft, yet powerful voice. He
avoided rude jesting; and he could always divine what was the peculiar
charm of every fair maiden's beauty; and he knew how to put it to her
as a riddle, over which she herself had long been vainly pondering.

But other riddles, also, he kn