fair of speech as he was skilful in song. His words were
so persuasive that he had been known to call the fishes from the sea, to
move great lifeless rocks, and, what is harder, the hearts of kings. He
understood the voice of the birds, and the whispering of the breeze, the
murmur of the waves, and the roar of the waterfalls. He knew the length
and breadth of the earth, and the secrets of the sea, and the language
of the stars. And every day he talked with Odin the All-Father, and with
the wise and good in the sunlit halls of Gladsheim. And once every year
he went to the North-lands, and woke the earth from its long winter's
sleep, and scattered music and smiles and beauty everywhere.[EN#13]

Right gladly did Siegfried agree to sail with Bragi over the sea; for
he wot that the bright Asa-god would be a very different guide from
the cunning, evil-eyed Regin. So he went on board with Bragi, and the
gleaming Greyfell followed them, and the sailors sat at their oars. And
Bragi stood in the prow, and touched the strings of his harp. And, as
the music arose, the white sails leaped up the masts, and a warm south
breeze began to blow; and the little vessel, wafted by sweet sounds and
the incense of spring, sped gladly away over the sea.

Adventure V. In AEgir's Kingdom.

The vessel in which Siegfried sailed was soon far out at sea; for the
balmy south wind, and the songs of the birds, and the music from Bragi's
harp, all urged it cheerily on. And Siegfried sat at the helm, and
guided it in its course. By and by they lost all sight of land, and the
sailors wist not where they were; but they knew that Bragi, the Wise,
would bring them safely into some haven whenever it should so please
him, and they felt no fear. And the fishes leaped up out of the water
as the white ship sped by on woven wings; and the monsters of the deep
paused, and listened to the sweet music which floated down from above.
After a time the vessel began to meet great ice-mountains in the
sea,--mountains which the Reifriesen, and old Hoder, the King of the
winter months, had sent drifting down from the frozen land of the north.
But these melted at the sound of Bragi's music and at the sight of
Siegfried's radiant armor. And the cold breath of the Frost-giants,
which had driven them in their course, turned, and became the ally of
the south wind.

At length they came in sight of a dark shore, which stretched on either
hand, north and south, as far