esently that to gain this the sack and all that was therein was
to be thrown into the sea, which seemed foolishness. Whereon I cast it
into a corner in anger, and thereout came pitiful cries and wailings.
Then said I that it were ill to drown aught that had a voice as of a
child, and so you bade me leave it. Then I seemed to sleep here; but
presently in my dream I rose and looked on the sack again, and lo! round
about it shone a great light, so that all the place was bright, and I
was afraid. Then you came and opened the sack, and therein was a
wondrous child, from whose mouth came a flame, as it were the shaft of a
sunbeam, that stretched over all Denmark, and across the sea to England,
whereby I knew that this child was one who should hereafter be king of
both these lands. And on this I stared even as you woke me."

Now Grim was silent, for this was passing strange, and moreover it
fitted with his thought of who this child might be, since Hodulf. would
make away with him thus secretly.

"What make you of the dream?" asked Leva, seeing that he pondered on it.

"It is in my mind that your dream will come true altogether, for already
it has begun to do so," he answered. "Rise and come into the hall, and I
will show you somewhat."

On that Leva made haste and dressed and came out, and there, lying as if
in sleep before the fire, was the wondrous child of her dream, and the
sack was under his head as he lay; and she was wont to say to those few
who knew the story, that the kingliness of that child was plain to be
seen, as had been the flame of which she had dreamed, so that all might
know it, though the clothes that he wore were such as a churl might be
ashamed of.

Then she cried out a little, but not loudly, and knelt by the child to
see him the better; and whether he had come to himself before and had
dropped asleep for very weariness, or out of his swoon had passed into
sleep, I cannot say, but at her touch he stirred a little.

"What child is this? and how came he here?" she asked, wondering.

"Already your dream has told you truly how he came," Grim answered, "but
who he is I do not rightly know yet. Take him up and bathe him, wife;
and if he is the one I think him, there will be a mark whereby we may
know him."

"How should he be marked? And why look you to find any sign thus?"

But Grim had turned down the rough shirt and bared the child's neck and
right shoulder, whereon were bruises that made Leva well-n