ered a full inquiry to be
made into the mischance that had cut off his brother so suddenly. But he
could not manage, by all his arts, to escape silent condemnation in the
thoughts of the common people. He afterwards asked Karl, "Who had killed
Harald?" and Karl replied that it was deceitful in him to ask a question
about something which he knew quite well. These words earned him his
death; for Frode thought that he had reproached him covertly with
fratricide.

After this, the lives of Harald and Halfdan, the sons of Harald by Signe
the daughter of Karl, were attempted by their uncle. But the guardians
devised a cunning method of saving their wards. For they cut off the
claws of wolves and tied them to the soles of their feet; and then
made them run along many times so as to harrow up the mud near their
dwelling, as well as the ground (then covered with, snow), and give the
appearance of an attack by wild beasts. Then they killed the children
of some bond-women, tore their bodies into little pieces, and scattered
their mangled limbs all about. So when the youths were looked for in
vain, the scattered limbs were found, the tracks of the beasts were
pointed out, and the ground was seen besmeared with blood. It was
believed that the boys had been devoured by ravening wolves; and hardly
anyone was suffered to doubt so plain a proof that they were mangled.
The belief in this spectacle served to protect the wards. They were
presently shut up by their guardians in a hollow oak, so that no trace
of their being alive should get abroad, and were fed for a long time
under pretence that they were dogs; and were even called by hounds'
names, to prevent any belief getting abroad that they were hiding. (1)

Frode alone refused to believe in their death; and he went and inquired
of a woman skilled in divination where they were hid. So potent were
her spells, that she seemed able, at any distance, to perceive anything,
however intricately locked away, and to summon it out to light. She
declared that one Ragnar had secretly undertaken to rear them, and had
called them by the names of dogs to cover the matter. When the young
men found themselves dragged from their hiding by the awful force of
her spells, and brought before the eyes of the enchantress, loth to be
betrayed by this terrible and imperious compulsion, they flung into her
lap a shower of gold which they had received from their guardians. When
she had taken the gift, she suddenl