Wayland, and the fairies took him in their arms
and bore him across the waves to a bower in the forest, where he
dreamed that Alvilda and Slagfid and Eigil were all bending over him.

When he woke Alvilda was indeed there, and he seemed to catch glimpses
of his brothers amid the leaves of the trees. 'Arise, my husband,'
said Alvilda, 'and go straight to the Court of Nidud. He still sleeps,
and knows nothing. Throw this mantle on your shoulders, and they will
take you for his servant.'

So Wayland went, and reached the royal chamber, and in his sleep the
King trembled, though he knew not that Wayland was near. 'Awake,'
cried Wayland, and the King woke, and asked who had dared to disturb
him thus.

'Be not angry,' answered Wayland; 'had you slain Wayland long ago, the
misfortune that I have to tell you of would never have happened.'

'Do not name his name,' said the King, 'since he sent me those
drinking cups a burning fever has laid hold upon me.'

'They were not shells, as he told you,' answered Wayland, 'but the
skulls of your two sons, Sir King. Their bodies you will find in
Wayland's tower. As for your daughter she is tossing, bound, on the
wild waves of the sea. But now I, Wayland, have come to give you your
deathblow----' But before he could draw his sword fear had slain the
King yet more quickly.

So Wayland went back to Alvilda, and they went into another country,
where he became a famous smith, and he lived to a good old age; and
when he died he was carried in Alvilda's arms to Walhalla, as Freya
had promised.

THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD

_THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD_

Many hundreds of years ago, when the Plantagenets were kings, England
was so covered with woods that a squirrel was said to be able to hop
from tree to tree from the Severn to the Humber. It must have been
very different to look at from the country we travel through now; but
still there were roads that ran from north to south and from east to
west, for the use of those that wished to leave their homes, and at
certain times of the year these roads were thronged with people.
Pilgrims going to some holy shrine passed along, merchants taking
their wares to Court, fat Abbots and Bishops ambling by on palfreys
nearly as fat as themselves, to bear their part in the King's Council,
and, more frequently still, a solitary Knight, seeking adventures.

Besides the broad roads there were small tracks and little green
paths, and these led to clum