allowing none to approach except the servant who brought the princess her
meals and who provided an ox daily for the monster's sustenance. Jarl
Herrand had offered Thora's hand in marriage, and immense sums of gold, to
any hero brave enough to slay this dragon; but none dared venture within
reach of its powerful jaws, whence came fire, venom, and noxious vapors.

Ragnar, who as usual thirsted for adventure, immediately made up his mind
to go and fight this dragon; and, after donning a peculiar leather and
woolen garment, all smeared over with pitch, he attacked and successfully
slew the monster.

"'Nor long before
In arms I reached the Gothic shore,
To work the loathly serpent's death.
I slew the reptile of the heath.'"
_Death Song of Regner Lodbrock_ (Herbert's tr.).

[Sidenote: Origin of name Lodbrok.] In commemoration of this victory,
Ragnar ever after bore also the name of Lodbrok (Leather Hose), although
he laid aside this garment as soon as possible, and appeared in royal
garb, to receive his prize, the beautiful maiden Thora, whom he had
delivered, and whom he now took to be his wife.

"'My prize was Thora; from that fight,
'Mongst warriors am I Lodbrock hight.
I pierced the monster's scaly side
With steel, the soldier's wealth and pride.'"
_Death Song of Regner Lodbrock_ (Herbert's tr.).

Thora gladly accompanied Ragnar back to Hledra, lived happily with him for
several years, and bore him two sturdy sons, Agnar and Erik, who soon gave
proof of uncommon courage. Such was Ragnar's devotion to his new wife that
he even forbore to take part in the usual viking expeditions, to linger by
her side. All his love could not long avail to keep her with him, however,
for she soon sickened and died, leaving him an inconsolable widower.

To divert him from his great sorrow, his subjects finally proposed that he
should resume his former adventurous career, and prevailed upon him to
launch his dragon ship once more and to set sail for foreign shores. Some
time during the cruise their bread supply failed, and Ragnar steered his
vessel into the port of Spangarhede, where he bade his men carry their
flour ashore and ask the people in a hut which he descried there to help
them knead and bake their bread. The sailors obeyed; but when they entered
the lowly hut and saw the filthy old woman who appeared to be its sole
occupant,