d did I draw a hair,
Of wondrous length and beyond compare.

37. "The hair in the tail of Grani hung,
--Well-nigh a foot and a fathom long.

38. "Well-nigh a foot and a fathom in height.
And it shone and gleamed like silver so bright.

39. "In days gone by, full far have I strayed,
Nor found I my candle and span of days."

40. The King he gave him pole and boat,
And directed the old man on his road.

41. "In the Land of the Franks is a lake broad and wide
Where thy candle and span of days do bide."

42. Long and long dived the courteous man
Before he came his candle upon.

43. Koernar the priest baptised him anon.
When the candle burnt out his life was done.

44. When the light in the lanthorn had burnt away,
Refrain:--_Be ready with a plan in trouble!_--
Then ended too his own life's day.
Refrain:--_Every lad should do so!_

INTRODUCTION TO THE BALLAD OF HJALMAR AND ANGANTYR

The following ballad was taken down by Hammershaimb from oral
recitation in Westmanhavn in 1846, and published at Copenhagen in 1855
in _Faeroeiske Kvaeder_, Vol. II. He took down a second version of the
same ballad, but consisting of only nineteen stanzas, at Sumbo in
1847, which he published in the _Antiquarisk Tidsskrift_, 1849-50.
This second version differs slightly from the one given in our text.
In it Arngrim is said to have twelve sons of whom Angantyr was the
youngest. Hjalmar is not expressly stated to have been a brother of
Angantyr, as he is in our version and in the Danish ballad _Angelfyr
and Helmer the Warrior_ (cf. p. 188 ff.). Moreover Angantyr is the
first to learn of the franklin's daughter, and he forthwith builds
a ship and sails away alone; and it is only later that Hjalmar also
hears of her and sets sail, thus reaching the spot when Angantyr has
already landed. More colour is given to the maiden's choice in the
second version by the additional detail that

Hjalmar leapt so lightly to land,
He made no footprint on the sand.

This, however, it is to be noted, is the regular formula by which the
landing of the hero is described in the Faroese ballads. Cf. _Lokka
Tattur_, v. 78.

It is the opinion of Hammershaimb that this ballad was the original
from which the longer ballad of _Arngrim's Sons_ sprang. This would
seem to be supported by Heusler's contention that _The Long Ballad_
of the _Marsk Stig_ Cycle was composed b