er came in
like the in-falling of a river; but it availed them much that the ship
was so good, and the crew aboard her so hardy.

Now sang Biorn:

"No widow, methinks,
To thee or me drinks;
No ring-bearer fair
Biddeth draw near;
Salt are our eyne
Soaked in the brine;
Strong our arms are no more,
And our eyelids smart sore."

Quoth Asmund: "Small harm though your arms be tried somewhat, for no
pity we had from you when we rubbed our eyes whenas ye must needs rise
early a-mornings to go to Baldu's Meadows."

"Well," said Frithiof, "why singest thou not, Asmund?"

"Not I," said Asmund; yet sang a ditty straightway:

"Sharp work about the sail was
When o'er the ship seas tumbled,
And there was I a-working
Within-board 'gainst eight balers;
Better it was to bower,
Bringing the women breakfast,
Than here to be 'mid billows
Black Ellidi a-baling."

"Thou accountest thy help of no less worth than it is?" said Frithiof,
laughing therewith; "but sure it showeth the thrall's blood in thee that
thou wouldst fain be awaiting at table."

Now it blew harder and harder yet, so that to those who were aboard
liker to huge peaks and mountains than to waves seemed the sea-breakers
that crashed on all sides against the ship.

Then Frithiof sang:

"On bolster I sat.
In Baldur's Mead erst,
And all songs that I could
To the king's daughter sang;
Now on Ran's bed belike
Must I soon be a-lying,
And another shall be
By Ingibiorg's side."

Biorn said: "Great fear lieth ahead of us, foster-brother, and now dread
hath crept into thy words, which is ill with such a good man as thou."

Says Frithiof: "Neither fear nor fainting is it, though I sing now of
those our merry journeys; yet perchance more hath been said of them than
need was: but most men would think death surer than life, if they were
so bested as we be."

"Yet shall I answer thee somewhat," said Biorn, and sang:

"Yet one gain have I gotten
Thou gatst not 'mid thy fortune,
For meet play did I make me
With Ingibiorgs eight maidens;
Red rings we laid together
Aright in Baldur's Meadow,
When far off was the warder
Of the wide land of Halfdan."