, and, glaring evilly, thrust out your corpses to the hungry
raven."

Bess again: "Gram, ere he shall shut his own eyes in death, shall first
make him a ghost, and, smiting him on the crest, shall send him to
Tartarus. We fear no camp of the Swedes. Why threaten us with ghastly
dooms, maiden?"

Groa answered him: "Behold, I will ride thence to see again the roof of
my father which I know, that I may not rashly set eyes on the array of
my brother who is coming. And I pray that your death-doom may tarry for
you who abide."

Bess replied: "Daughter, to thy father go back with good cheer; nor
imprecate swift death upon us, nor let choler shake thy bosom. For often
has a woman, harsh at first and hard to a wooer, yielded the second
time."

Whereupon Gram could brook no longer to be silent, and pitching his
tones gruffly, so as to mimic a gruesome and superhuman voice, accosted
the maiden thus:

"Let not the maiden fear the brother of the fleet giant, nor turn pale
because I am nigh her. For I am sent by Grip, and never seek the couch
and embrace of damsels save when their wish matches mine."

Groa answered: "Who so mad as to wish to be the leman of giants? Or what
woman could love the bed that genders monsters? Who could be the wife
of demons, and know the seed whose fruit is monstrous? Or who would fain
share her couch with a barbarous giant? Who caresses thorns with her
fingers? Who would mingle honest kisses with mire? Who would unite
shaggy limbs to smooth ones which correspond not? Full ease of love
cannot be taken when nature cries out against it: nor doth the love
customary in the use of women sort with monsters."

Gram rejoined: "Oft with conquering hand I have tamed the necks of
mighty kings, defeating with stronger arm their insolent pride. Thence
take red-glowing gold, that the troth may be made firm by the gift, and
that the faith to be brought to our wedlock may stand fast."

Thus speaking, he cast off his disguises, and revealed his natural
comeliness; and by a single sight of him he filled the damsel with
well-nigh as much joy as he had struck her with fear before at his
counterfeit. She was even incited to his embraces by the splendour of
his beauty; nor did he fail to offer her the gifts of love.

Having won Groa, Bess proceeded and learnt that the road was beset
by two robbers. These he slew simply by charging them as they rushed
covetously forth to despoil him. This done, loth to seem to have do