t, and pushed the boat from the shore into the
waters of the haven again, and, so doing, there was such plashing of
the waters that those people dancing upon the fair green holm became
'ware of Harold's presence, and were afeared, so that, ceasing from
their sport, they made haste down to the shore and did on the skins and
dived into the waters with shrill cries. But there was one of them
that could not do so, because Harold bore off that skin wherewith she
was wont to begird herself, and when she found it not she wailed and
wept and besought Harold to give her that skin again,--and, lo! it was
Eleanor, the wife of Egbert! Now when Harold saw that it was his
mother that so entreated him he was filled with wonder, and he drew
nearer the shore to regard her and to hear her words, for he loved her
passing well. But he denied her that skin, knowing full well that so
soon as she possessed it she would leave him and he should never again
behold her. Then Eleanor related to him how that she had been drowned
in the sea through treachery of the harp-maiden, and how that the souls
of drowned people entered into the bodies of seals, nor were permitted
to return to earth, save only one night in every month, at which time
each recovered his human shape and was suffered to dance in the
moonlight upon the fair green holm from the hour of sunset unto the
hour of sunrise.

"Give me the skin, I pray thee," she cried, "for if the sun came upon
me unawares I should crumble into dust before thine eyes, and that
moment would a curse fall upon you. I am happy as I am; the sea and
those who dwell therein are good to me,--give me the skin, I beseech
thee, that I may return whence I came, and thereby shall a great
blessing accrue to thee and thine."

But Harold said: "Nay, mother, I were a fool to part so cheerfully with
one whom I love dearer than life itself! I shall not let you go so
easily; you shall come with me to our home, where I have lived alone
too long already. I shall be alone no longer,--come with me, I say,
for I will not deliver up this skin, nor shall any force wrest it from
me!"

Then Eleanor, his mother, reasoned a space with him, and anon she
showed him the folly of his way; but still he hung his head upon his
breast and was loath to do her bidding, until at last she sware unto
him that if he gave to her that skin he should, upon the next dancing
night, have to wife the most beautiful maiden in the world, and
theref