xplains. He describes shield-maidens, as Alfhild, Sela, Rusila
(the Ingean Ruadh, or Red Maid of the Irish Annals, as Steenstrup so
ingeniously conjectures); and the three she-captains, Wigbiorg, who fell
on the field, Hetha, who was made queen of Zealand, and Wisna, whose
hand Starcad cut off, all three fighting manfully at Bravalla fight.

SOCIAL LIFE AND MANNERS.

"Feasts".--The hall-dinner was an important feature in the old Teutonic
court-life. Many a fine scene in a saga takes place in the hall while
the king and his men are sitting over their ale. The hall decked with
hangings, with its fires, lights, plate and provisions, appears in Saxo
just as in the Eddic Lays, especially Rigsmal, and the Lives of the
Norwegian Kings and Orkney Earls.

The order of seats is a great point of archaic manners. Behaviour at
table was a matter of careful observance. The service, especially that
of the cup-bearer, was minutely regulated by etiquette. An honoured
guest was welcomed by the host rising to receive him and giving him a
seat near himself, but less distinguished visitors were often victims to
the rough horseplay of the baser sort, and of the wanton young gentleman
at court. The food was simple, boiled beef and pork, and mutton without
sauce, ale served in horns from the butt. Roast meat, game, sauces,
mead, and flagons set on the table, are looked on by Starcad as foreign
luxuries, and Germany was credited with luxurious cookery.

"Mimes and jugglers", who went through the country or were attached to
the lord's court to amuse the company, were a despised race because of
their ribaldry, obscenity, cowardice, and unabashed self-debasement;
and their newfangled dances and piping were loathsome to the old
court-poets, who accepted the harp alone as an instrument of music.

The story that once a king went to war with his jugglers and they ran
away, would represent the point of view of the old house-carle, who
was neglected, though "a first-class fighting man", for these debauched
foreign buffoons.

SUPERNATURAL BEINGS.

GODS AND GODDESSES.--The gods spring, according to Saxo's belief, from
a race of sorcerers, some of whom rose to pre-eminence and expelled and
crushed the rest, ending the "wizard-age", as the wizards had ended the
monster or "giant-age". That they were identic with the classic gods he
is inclined to believe, but his difficulty is that in the week-days we
have Jove : Thor; Mercury : Woden; wh