Sigurd and His Brave Companions: A Tale of Medieval Norway

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.E must have gone to sleep in spite of all his worries, because he was suddenly awakened with a start, by a strange sound. It sounded as if some big body was rubbing against the door. He had not really dared to think that the voice they had heard calling from far away in the mountains belonged to a being which would come for them; nor of what kind of a being it really might be. Of course he knew that people who went up on the fells after the Softer people had moved down met uncanny customers —trolls, and spooks, and the Hulder. On many Saeters the Hulder took up her abode in the winter, after the people had left the place. But of the Draum64 H Sigurd ir His Brave Companions torp Saster, people told a story about some pilgrims, who, trapped by a snowstorm, had taken shelter there one fall more than forty years ago. A priest who was with the pilgrims, had sprinkled holy water about the place and had started praying, when suddenly, two Hulder women actually appeared, and crying out that the holy water scalded them, fled. Since that time, nobody had met with spooks or Hulder folk in the Draumtorp Saeter, or so said the men who used to come up there in the winter, to hunt or to cart down the fodder harvested on the fells during summertime. But maybe some of the "hidden" folk were on their way now, to take possession of the Saeter,just because they had come up there with so much on their consciences . That heavy thing lurching against the door sounded as if it might be a great furry troll—or maybe a bear. Yes, it might very well be a bear. And Ivar and Helge slept on, knowing nothing. But the next moment the body crashed against the door. Pails and stoolsand the whole pile of things came clattering down. The pails started rolling all over the floor, and Ivar and Helge sat upright on the bunk, screaming. With a thud, the body of the newcomer slumped to the floor, scattering the rest of the edifice with still more noise. Sigurd licked his dry lips and swallowed a couple 65 Sigurd 6- His Brave Companions of times. In a voice he did not recognize as his own, he called out shrilly: "In the name of Jesus Christ, who is there?" A groan,—and then a voice, muffled and indistinct, blubbered: "—name of Christ? Are there people here then? My God, my God! I've found my way to the abode of Christian men. Answer. Is there someone here? Quickly!" "We are three lads from Draumtorp, in the parish of Hof. This is our Saster. We are staying here to gather fodder lichen. But who are you?" "Three lads from—but it was a child speaking! Are there children here? But then some grown-ups must be here too. Answer, boy." "Aye, there are some men sleeping out in the barn," Sigurd lied bravely. "Go call them then; for Christ's sake, go and call the men. I must find a messenger. And some one must make me a fire, I am dying with cold. Go, boy, call the men." "If you have steel and flint, Sir"—Sigurd did not know why he addressed the stranger as "Sir"—"if you have steel and flint about you, I'll make up a fire at once."«T 1 » In my pouch. 66 Sigurd 6- His Brave Companions Conquering his terror, Sigurd slipped from the bunk and groped his way over to the stranger. He seemed to be lying face downward on the floor. When Sigurd touched him he felt that he was sopping wet, and that his mantle was of some soft cloth and lined with fur. The stranger tried to raise himself on one arm. Sigurd touched a wet, icy-cold hand with rings upon it, felt a girdle studded with metal ornaments, got hold of his pouch and found the fire-steel. He struck spark after spark on to the nest he had made of birch bark, and at last one stayed alive long enough to ignite the bark. Quickly Sigurd held it to the dry brushwood on the hearth, the next moment a roaring red flame burst forth, and Sigurd fed it eagerly with strips of bark and little twigs. The dancing firelight...