the presence of
others that he was stupid, and helped him with his work so that he
had to think how much stronger she was. She evidently wished to
take away from him all rights as master of the house. Sometimes she
pretended to be very lively, to distract him and to prevent him
from brooding. He had not done anything to carry out his plan, but
she did not believe that he had given it up.

During this time Toenne became more and more as he was before his
marriage. He grew thin and pale, silent and slow-witted. Jofrid's
despair increased each day, for it seemed as if everything was to
be taken from her. Her love for Toenne came back, however, when she
saw him unhappy. "What is any of it worth to me if Toenne is
ruined?" she thought. "It is better to go into slavery with him
than to see him die in freedom."

***

Jofrid, however, could not at once decide to obey Toenne. She fought
a long and severe fight. But one morning she awoke in an unusually
calm and gentle mood. Then she thought that she could now do what
he demanded. And she waked him, saying that it should be as he
wished. Only that one day he should grant her to say farewell to
everything.

The whole forenoon she went about strangely gentle. Tears rose
easily to her eyes. The heath was beautiful that day for her sake,
she thought. Frost had passed over it, the flowers were gone, and
the whole moor had turned brown. But when it was lighted by the
slanting rays of the autumn sun, it looked as if the heather glowed
red once more. And she remembered the day when she saw Toenne for
the first time.

She wished that she might see the old king once more, for he had
helped her to find her happiness. She had been seriously afraid of
him of late. She felt as if he were lying in wait to seize her. But
now she thought he could no longer have any power over her. She
would remember to look for him towards night when the moon rose.

It happened that a couple of wandering musicians came by about
noon. Jofrid had the idea to ask them to stop at her house the
whole afternoon, for she wished to have a dance. Toenne had to
hasten to her parents and ask them to come. And her small brothers
and sisters ran down to the village for the other guests. Soon many
people had collected.

There was great gaiety. Toenne kept apart in a corner of the house,
as was his habit when they had guests, but Jofrid was quite wild in
her fun. With shrill voice she led the dance and was eager in