ever go away without some gift."

He replied, "This I will do, sire, and return thanks for this inquiry."

And now they did so constantly; and when the king was not occupied with
weightier affairs he talked with him, and his sorrow by degrees wore
away, and he was again in good spirits.

19. OF KING SIGURD.

King Sigurd was a stout and strong man, with brown hair; of a manly
appearance, but not handsome; well grown; of little speech, and often
not friendly, but good to his friends, and faithful; not very eloquent,
but moral and polite. King Sigurd was self-willed, and severe in his
revenge; strict in observing the law; was generous; and withal an
able, powerful king. His brother Olaf was a tall, thin man; handsome
in countenance; lively, modest, and popular. When all these brothers,
Eystein, Sigurd and Olaf were kings of Norway, they did away with many
burthens which the Danes had laid upon the people in the time that Svein
Alfifason ruled Norway; and on this account they were much beloved, both
by the people and the great men of the country.

20. OF KING SIGURD'S DREAM.

Once King Sigurd fell into low spirits, so that few could get him to
converse, and he sat but a short time at the drinking table. This was
heavy on his counsellors, friends, and court; and they begged King
Eystein to consider how they could discover the cause why the people who
came to the king could get no reply to what they laid before him. King
Eystein answered them, that it was difficult to speak with the king
about this; but at last, on the entreaty of many, he promised to do
it. Once, when they were both together, King Eystein brought the matter
before his brother, and asked the cause of his melancholy. "It is a
great grief, sire, to many to see thee so melancholy; and we would like
to know what has occasioned it, or if perchance thou hast heard any news
of great weight?"

King Sigurd replies, that it was not so.

"Is it then, brother," says King Eystein, "that you would like to travel
out of the country, and augment your dominions as our father did?"

He answered, that it was not that either.

"Is it, then, that any man here in the country has offended?"

To this also the king said "No."

"Then I would like to know if you have dreamt anything that has
occasioned this depression of mind?"

The king answered that it was so.

"Tell me, then, brother, thy dream."

King Sigurd said, "I will not tell it, unless thou inter