His sword.

"Quern-bitter of Hakon the Good,
Wherewith at a stroke he hewed
The millstone through and through,
And Foot-breadth of Thoralf the Strong,
Were neither so broad nor so long,
Nor so true."

Then the Scald took his harp and sang,
And loud through the music rang
The sound of that shining word;
And the harp-strings a clangor made,
As if they were struck with the blade
Of a sword.

And the Berserks round about
Broke forth in a shout
That made the rafters ring;
They smote with their fists on the board,
And shouted, "Long live the sword,
And the King."

But the King said, "O my son,
I miss the bright word in one
Of thy measures and thy rhymes."
And Halfred the Scald replied,
"In another 't was multiplied
Three times."

Then King Olaf raised the hilt
Of iron, cross-shaped and gilt,
And said, "Do not refuse;
Count well the gain and the loss,
Thor's hammer or Christ's cross:
Choose!"

And Halfred the Scald said, "This
In the name of the Lord I kiss,
Who on it was crucified!"
And a shout went round the board,
"In the name of Christ the Lord,
Who died!"

Then over the waste of snows
The noonday sun uprose,
Through the driving mists revealed,
Like the lifting of the Host,
By incense-clouds almost
Concealed.

On the shining wall a vast
And shadowy cross was cast
From the hilt of the lifted sword,
And in the foaming cups of ale
The Berserks drank "Was-hael!
To the Lord!"

--_Henry Wadsworth Longfellow._

CHAPTER II.

[Illustration]

YULE-TIDE IN ENGLAND

"Christians in old time did rejoice
And feast at this blest tide."

--_Old Carol._

No country has entered more heartily into Yule-tide observance than
England. From the earliest known date her people have celebrated this
festival with great ceremony. In the time of the Celts it was
principally a religious observance, but this big, broad-shouldered
race added mirth to it, too. They came to the festivities in robes
made from the skins of brindled cows, and wearing their long hair
flowing and entwined with holly.

The Druids in the temples kept the consecrated fires burning briskly.
All household fires were extinguished, and any one wishing to rekindle
the flam