ing off his arm_).--Take this ring! And ride at
once to Flugumyr and give it to Lady Helga, with this last message from
Thorolf Bjarnason that you shall have peace for life and limb, although
you have slain him.

_Helgi_.--That ring? That is the ring of Einar the Rich!

_Sigurd_.--Ah, the wretch stole the right ring, and now he has ridden
away! Holy Mother of God, then I know not what to do for you!

_Helgi_ (_close to him, as before_).--I shall not live more than three
days, and then I shall awake in the place I dreamed of. Deacon, as sure
as you want to be saved yourself, read masses for my soul when I am
dead.

_Sigurd_.--I shall, depend on it. It may be your dream signifies the
fall of that chieftain whom you shall harm most. I dreamed (BRAND
_and_ JORUN _appear behind them_), that night when I lodged at Sauda--I
dreamed three times in succession that Brand Kolbeinsson stood at my
bedside and said, 'Domine Jesu Christe, accipe spiritum meum!'

_Helgi_.--And what mean these words?

_Sigurd_.--My Lord Jesus Christ, receive thou my soul!

_Jorun_ (_throwing her arms about_ BRAND).--Never let such dreams
trouble you, my dear husband. (_The others are startled by her words_.)

_Brand_.--Thorolf prophesied to me that I would not have a priest near
me when I was put to death.

_Jorun_.--That prophecy shall not come true, in case you really should
suffer a sudden death now. Come into the church, deacon, and shrive me
and my husband.

_Sigurd_.--Come along with us into the church, Helgi Skaftason! For it
is the last refuge of every man.

_Helgi_.--I want to have my food, and no consecrated host! And when I
am done eating it is better I should see how the watches are kept. Never
forget those masses, deacon!

(_All depart. After a little while_ KALF _and_ THORGEIR _poke their
heads in and enter, when they see that the room is empty_.)

_Kalf_.--Nobody here; come now, we are going to play.

_Thorgeir_.--Yes, play great, big men!

_Kalf_.--Father is going to fight against Kolbein the Young now, and
Broddi with him. Will you be Broddi?

_Thorgeir_.--No, I want to be papa!

_Kalf_.--Then you want to be what I wanted to be; so I shall be Kolbein
the Young. So, now let's begin.

_Thorgeir_.--Yes, and I am papa.

_Kalf_.--Now first we have got to fight one another.

_Thorgeir_.--No. Because I am papa!

_Kalf_ (_commands_).--Draw up your forces in battle array, Brand
Kolbeinsson! Come now, Geiri, and play wi