self. And, to prevent
the cave being noticed by its height, he levelled the hump down to the
firmer ground. Then he set out to war; but being unable with his aged
limbs to go down into battle, he leaned on the shoulders of his escort
and walked forth propped by the steps of others. So he perished in the
battle, where he fought with more ardour than success, and left his
country a sore matter for shame.

For Gunnar, in order to punish the cowardice of the conquered race by
terms of extraordinary baseness, had a dog set over them as a governor.
What can we suppose to have been his object in this action, unless it
were to make a haughty nation feel that their arrogance was being more
signally punished when they bowed their stubborn heads before a yapping
hound? To let no insult be lacking, he appointed governors to look after
public and private affairs in its name; and he appointed separate ranks
of nobles to keep continual and steadfast watch over it. He also
enacted that if any one of the courtiers thought it contemptible to do
allegiance to their chief, and omitted offering most respectful homage
to its various goings and comings as it ran hither and thither, he
should be punished with loss of his limbs. Also Gunnar imposed on the
nation a double tribute, one to be paid out of the autumn harvest, the
other in the spring. Thus he burst the bubble conceit of the Norwegians,
to make them feel clearly how their pride was gone, when they saw it
forced to do homage to a dog.

When he heard that the king's daughter was shut up in some distant
hiding-place, Gunnar strained his wits in every nerve to track her
out. Hence, while he was himself conducting the search with others, his
doubtful ear caught the distant sound of a subterranean hum. Then he
went on slowly, and recognized a human voice with greater certainty. He
ordered the ground underfoot to be dug down to the solid rock; and
when the cave was suddenly laid open, he saw the winding tunnels. The
servants were slain as they tried to guard the now uncovered entrance
to the cave, and the girl was dragged out of the hole, together with the
booty therein concealed. With great foresight, she had consigned at
any rate her father's swords to the protection of a more secret place.
Gunnar forced her to submit to his will, and she bore a son Hildiger.
This man was such a rival to his father in cruelty, that he was ever
thirsting to kill, and was bent on nothing but the destruction