THE LAY OF RIG
24. He went in; the floor was strewed, a couple sat facing each other, Fadir and Modir, with ringers playing.
25. The husband sat, and twisted string, bent his bow, and arrow-shafts prepared; but the housewife looked on her arms, smoothed her veil, and her sleeves fastened;
26. Her head-gear adjusted. A clasp was on her breast; ample her robe, her sark was blue; brighter was her brow, her breast fairer, her neck whiter than driven snow.
27. Rig would counsel give to them both, and himself seated on the middle seat, having on either side the domestic pair.
28. Then took Modir a figured cloth of white linen, and the table decked. She then took thin cakes of snow-white wheat, and on the table laid.
29. She set forth salvers full, adorned with silver, on the table game and pork, and roasted birds. In a can was wine; the cups were ornamented. They drank and talked; the day was fast departing, Rig would counsel give to them both.
30. Rig then rose, the bed prepared; there he then remained three nights together; then departed on the midway. Nine months after that passed away.
31. Modir then brought forth a boy: in silk they wrapped him, with water sprinkled him, and named him Jarl. Light was his hair, bright his cheeks, his eyes piercing as a young serpent's.
32. There at home Jarl grew up, learned the shield to shake, to fix the string, the bow to bend, arrows to
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