ure has ten tongues,
twenty eyes, forty feet, and walks with difficulty. King
Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That was a sow with nine little pigs.

Then the King had the sow killed and they found they had killed with
her nine little pigs, as Gestumblindi had said.

Then the King said:

I am beginning to suspect that I have to deal with a cleverer
man than myself in this business; but I don't know who you can
be.

Gestumblindi said:

I am such as you can see; and I am very anxious to save my
life and be quit of this task.

You must go on asking riddles, replied the King, till you have
exhausted your stock, or else till I fail to solve them.

Gestumblindi said:

What is the marvel which I have seen outside Delling's
doorway? It flies high, with a whistling sound like the
whirring of an eagle. Hard it is to clutch, O King. King
Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
That is an arrow, said the King.

Gestumblindi said:

What is the marvel which I have seen outside Delling's
doorway? It has eight feet and four eyes, and carries its
knees higher than its body. King Heithrek, read me this
riddle!

Heithrek replied:

I notice firstly that you have a long hood; and secondly that
you look downwards more than most people, since you observe
every creature of the earth.--That is a spider.

Gestumblindi said:

What is the marvel which I have seen outside Delling's
doorway? It shines upon men in every land; and yet wolves are
always struggling for it. King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
It is the sun. It gives light to every land and shines down on
all men. But the wolves are called Skalli and Hatti. Those are
the wolves who accompany the sun, one in front and one behind.

Gestumblindi said:

What is the marvel which I have seen outside Delling's
doorway? It was harder than horn, blacker than the raven,
whiter than the membrane of an egg, straighter than a shaft.
King Heithrek, read me this riddle!

Heithrek replied:

Your riddle is a good one, Gestumblindi. I have guessed it.
You saw an agate, and a sunbeam penetrated the ho