here are so many persons already. But stay, I have a
thought. The wife of the Viking has no children, and how often has she
not wished for a little one! People always say, 'The stork has brought
a little one;' and I will do so in earnest this time. I shall fly with
the child to the Viking's wife. What rejoicing there will be yonder!"

And the stork lifted the little girl out of the flower-cup, flew to
the wooden house, picked a hole with his beak in the bladder-covered
window, laid the charming child on the bosom of the Viking's wife, and
then hurried up to the stork-mamma, and told her what he had seen and
done; and the little storks listened to the story, for they were big
enough to do so now.

"So you see," he concluded, "the princess is not dead, for she must
have sent the little one up here; and now that is provided for too."

"Ah, I said it would be so, from the very beginning!" said the
stork-mamma; "but now think a little of your own family. Our
travelling time is drawing on; sometimes I feel quite restless in my
wings already. The cuckoo and the nightingale have started; and I
heard the quails saying that they were going too, so soon as the wind
was favourable. Our young ones will behave well at the exercising, or
I am much deceived in them."

The Viking's wife was extremely glad when she woke next morning and
found the charming infant lying in her arms. She kissed and caressed
it; but it cried violently, and struggled with its arms and legs, and
did not seem rejoiced at all. At length it cried itself to sleep; and
as it lay there still and tranquil, it looked exceedingly beautiful.
The Viking's wife was in high glee: she felt light in body and soul;
her heart leapt within her; and it seemed to her as if her husband and
his warriors, who were absent, must return quite as suddenly and
unexpectedly as the little one had come.

Therefore she and the whole household had enough to do in preparing
everything for the reception of her lord. The long coloured curtains
of tapestry, which she and her maids had worked, and on which they had
woven pictures of their idols, Odin, Thor, and Freya, were hung up;
the slaves polished the old shields, that served as ornaments; and
cushions were placed on the benches, and dry wood laid on the
fireplace in the midst of the hall, so that the flame might be fanned
up at a moment's notice. The Viking's wife herself assisted in the
work, so that towards evening she was very tired,