ang an alliterative
measure, or _stabreim_, which Adalgoth, translating it into rhymed
verse, thus repeated to Valeria:

"Thor stood at the midnight end of the world,
And the battle-axe flew from his hand.
'As far as the battle-axe flies when hurled,
Is mine the sea and the land!'
And the hammer flew from his powerful hand
Like chaff by a hurricane blown:
And it fell in the farthest southern-land,
So that all became his own.
Since then 'tis German right and grace
With the hammer the lands to merit;
We come of the Hammer-God's noble race,
And his world-wide realm will inherit!"

A burst of applause from his Gothic hearers rewarded the royal
minstrel, who looked as if he could well realise the proud boast of the
song.

Harald once more emptied his deep golden cup. Then he rose and said:

"Now, my little sister Haralda, and you, my sailor brothers, we must
break up. We must be on board the _Midgardschlange_ before the moon
shines upon her deck. What says the Wikinga-Balk?--

"'Ill sleeps the ship
When her pilot lies on shore.'

"Long friendship--short parting; that is northern custom."

Totila laid his hand upon his guest's arm.

"Art thou in such haste? Fearest thou to become Romanised with us? Do
but remain; it does not come so quickly. And with thee would scarcely
happen."

"There thou art right, Rome-King," laughed the giant; "and, by Thor's
hammer, I am proud of it! But we must go. We had three things to do
here. To help you in battle. You do not need us. Or do you? Shall we
wait until new wars break out?"

"No," said Totila, with a smile; "we have peace and not new strife in
view. And if it should really once more come to a war--shall I prove
thee right, brother Harald, in thinking us Goths too weak to uphold our
rule alone? Have we not beaten our enemies without your help? Could we
not beat them again, we Goths alone?"

"I thought as much," said the Viking. "Secondly, we came to fetch you
back to the Northland. You will not come. And, thirdly, to lay waste
the islands of the Emperor of Grekaland. That is a merry sport, which
we have not sufficiently practised. Come with us, help us, and revenge
yourselves."

"No; the word of a king is sacred. We have agreed to an armistice which
has still several months to run. And listen, friend Harald. Have a care
and do not mistake _our_ islands for those o