to hang up his
mantle, saying that it would be a pleasure to him if he could see the
likeness of his approaching death rehearsed in some way. The request
was granted; and the watcher on the outlook, thinking that the thing
was being done to Hagbard, reported what she saw to the maidens who were
shut within the palace. They quickly fired the house, and thrusting away
the wooden support under their feet, gave their necks to the noose to
be writhen. So Hagbard, when he saw the palace wrapped in fire, and the
familiar chamber blazing, said that he felt more joy from the loyalty of
his mistress than sorrow at his approaching death. He also charged the
bystanders to do him to death, witnessing how little he made of his doom
by a song like this:

"Swiftly, O warriors! Let me be caught and lifted into the air. Sweet, O
my bride! Is it for me to die when thou hast gone.

"I perceive the crackling and the house ruddy with flames; and the love,
long-promised, declares our troth.

"Behold, thy covenant is fulfilled with no doubtful vows, since thou
sharest my life and my destruction.

"We shall have one end, one bond after our troth, and somewhere our
first love will live on.

"Happy am I, that have deserved to have joy of such a consort, and not
to go basely alone to the gods of Tartarus!

"Then let the knot gripe the midst of the throat; nought but pleasure
the last doom shall bring,

"Since there remains a sure hope of the renewal of love, and a death
which will soon have joys of its own.

"Either country is sweet; in both worlds shall be held in honour the
repose of our souls together, our equal truth in love,

"For, see now, I welcome the doom before me; since not even among the
shades does very love suffer the embrace of its partner to perish." And
as he spoke the executioners strangled him. And, that none may think
that all traces of antiquity have utterly disappeared, a proof of the
aforesaid event is afforded by local marks yet existing; for the killing
of Hagbard gave his name to the stead; and not far from the town of
Sigar there is a place to be seen, where a mound a little above the
level, with the appearance of a swelling in the ground, looks like an
ancient homestead. Moreover, a man told Absalon that he had seen a beam
found in the spot, which a countryman struck with his ploughshare as he
burrowed into the clods.

Hakon, the son of Hamund, heard of this; but when he was seen to be on
the point of turni