er deed, as well as her
husband by her warning. Starkad was induced by this to let Helge go
scot-free; saying that a man whose ready and assured courage so surely
betokened manliness, ought to be spared; for he vowed that a man ill
deserved death whose brave spirit was graced with such a dogged will to
resist.

Starkad went back to Sweden before his wounds had been treated with
medicine, or covered with a single scar. Halfdan had been killed by his
rivals; and Starkad, after quelling certain rebels, set up Siward as the
heir to his father's sovereignty. With him he sojourned a long time; but
when he heard--for the rumour spread--that Ingild, the son of Frode (who
had been treacherously slain), was perversely minded, and instead
of punishing his father's murderers, bestowed upon them kindness and
friendship, he was vexed with stinging wrath at so dreadful a crime.
And, resenting that a youth of such great parts should have renounced
his descent from his glorious father, he hung on his shoulders a mighty
mass of charcoal, as though it were some costly burden, and made his
way to Denmark. When asked by those he met why he was taking along so
unusual a load, he said that he would sharpen the dull wits of King
Ingild to a point by bits of charcoal. So he accomplished a swift and
headlong journey, as though at a single breath, by a short and speedy
track; and at last, becoming the guest of Ingild, he went up, as his
custom was, in to the seat appointed for the great men; for he had been
used to occupy the highest post of distinction with the kings of the
last generation.

When the queen came in, and saw him covered over with filth and clad
in the mean, patched clothes of a peasant, the ugliness of her guest's
dress made her judge him with little heed; and, measuring the man by the
clothes, she reproached him with crassness of wit, because he had gone
before greater men in taking his place at table, and had assumed a seat
that was too good for his boorish attire. She bade him quit the place,
that he might not touch the cushions with his dress, which was fouler
than it should have been. For she put down to crassness and brazenness
what Starkad only did from proper pride; she knew not that on a high
seat of honour the mind sometimes shines brighter than the raiment. The
spirited old man obeyed, though vexed at the rebuff, and with marvellous
self-control choked down the insult which his bravery so ill deserved;
uttering at thi