than the Queen came to talk with Hermod, and said that she wanted him to
marry her daughter. Hermod told her straight and plain that he would
not do so, at which the Queen grew terribly angry, and said that in that
case neither should he have Hadvor, for she would now lay this spell on
him, that he should go to a desert island and there be a lion by day and
a man by night. He should also think always of Hadvor, which would cause
him all the more sorrow, and from this spell he should never be freed
until Hadvor burned the lion's skin, and that would not happen very
soon.

As soon as the Queen had finished her speech Hermod replied that he also
laid a spell on her, and that was, that as soon as he was freed from her
enchantments she should become a rat and her daughter a mouse, and fight
with each other in the hall until he killed them with his sword.

After this Hermod disappeared, and no one knew what had become of him;
the Queen caused search to be made for him, but he could nowhere be
found. One time, when Olof was in the castle beside Hadvor, she asked
the Princess if she knew where Hermod had gone to. At this Hadvor became
very sad, and said that she did not.

'I shall tell you then,' said Olof, 'for I know all about it. Hermod has
disappeared through the wicked devices of the Queen, for she is a witch,
and so is her daughter, though they have put on these beautiful forms.
Because Hermod would not fall in with the Queen's plans, and marry her
daughter, she has laid a spell on him, to go on an island and be a lion
by day and a man by night, and never be freed from this until you burn
the lion's skin. Besides,' said Olof, 'she has looked out a match for
you; she has a brother in the Underworld, a three-headed Giant, whom she
means to turn into a beautiful prince and get him married to you. This
is no new thing for the Queen; she took me away from my parents' house
and compelled me to serve her; but she has never done me any harm, for
the green cloak I wear protects me against all mischief.

Hadvor now became still sadder than before at the thought of the
marriage destined for her, and entreated Olof to think of some plan to
save her.

'I think,' said Olof, 'that your wooer will come up through the floor of
the castle to you, and so you must be prepared when you hear the noise
of his coming and the floor begins to open, and have at hand blazing
pitch, and pour plenty of it into the opening. That will prove too much