oss
to know how to get out of the island. Hadvor told Hermod her dream,
and said she suspected there was some one in the island who would be
able to help them. Hermod said he knew of a Witch there, who was very
ready to help anyone, and that the only plan was to go to her. So they
went to the Witch's cave, and found her there with her fifteen young
sons, and asked her to help them to get to the mainland.

'There are other things easier than that,' said she, 'for the Giant
that was buried will be waiting for you, and will attack you on the
way, as he has turned himself into a big whale. I shall lend you a
boat, however, and if you meet the whale and think your lives are in
danger, then you can name me by name.'

[Illustration: Hadvor Burns the Lion's Skin.]

They thanked her greatly for her help and advice, and set out from the
island, but on the way they saw a huge fish coming towards them, with
great splashing and dashing of waves. They were sure of what it was,
and thought they had as good reason as ever they would have to call on
the Witch, and so they did. The next minute they saw coming after them
another huge whale, followed by fifteen smaller ones. All of these
swam past the boat and went on to meet the whale. There was a fierce
battle then, and the sea became so stormy that it was not very easy to
keep the boat from being filled by the waves. After this fight had
gone on for some time, they saw that the sea was dyed with blood; the
big whale and the fifteen smaller ones disappeared, and they got to
land safe and sound.

Now the story goes back to the King's hall, where strange things had
happened in the meantime. The Queen and her daughter had disappeared,
but a rat and a mouse were always fighting with each other there. Ever
so many people had tried to drive them away, but no one could manage
it. Thus some time went on, while the King was almost beside himself
with sorrow and care for the loss of his Queen, and because these
monsters destroyed all mirth in the hall.

One evening, however, while they all sat dull and down-hearted, in
came Hermod with a sword by his side, and saluted the King, who
received him with the greatest joy, as if he had come back from the
dead. Before Hermod sat down, however, he went to where the rat and
the mouse were fighting, and cut them in two with his sword. All were
astonished then by seeing two witches lying dead on the floor of the
hall.

Hermod now told the whole story