Northern mythology

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NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY. 85
skates and hunted the beasts of the forest.
They came to
a place called Ulfdal, where they built themselves a house
near a lake called Ulfsiar (Wolf-waters). One morning early
they found on the bank of the lake three maidens sitting and
spinning flax, with swan-plumages lying beside them. They
were Valkyriur. Two of them, named Hladgun Svanhvit
and Hervor Alvit, were daughters of a king named Hlodver
the third was Olrun, the daughter of Kiar king of Valland.
The brothers conducted them to their dwelling, and
took them to wife, Egil obtaining Olrun, Slagfin Svanhvit,
and Volund Alvit. After having lived eight years
with their husbands, the Valkyriur flew away in quest of
conflicts, and did not return ; whereupon Egil and Slagfin
set out on their snow- skates in search of them, but Volund
remained at home in Ulfdal. According to old tradition,
Volund was of all men the most skilful. His hours of
solitude were passed in making rings of gold and setting
them with precious stones : these he hung on a line of
bast. Thus did he while away the long hours, anxiously
awaiting his fair consort^s return.
Having received intelligence that Volund was alone in
his dwelling, Nidud (Ni]?u^r), king of the Niarer in Sweden,
sent a party of armed men thither by night, during
Volund^s absence at the chase, who on searching the house,
found the line of rings, to the number of seven hundi'ed,
one of which they carried ofi". On his return, Volund proceeded
to roast beards flesh, and while the meat was at the
fire, sat down on a bear-skin to count his rings. Missing
one, he concluded that Alvit
was returned and had taken
it. In anxious expectation of seeing her enter, he at
length fell asleep, and on waking found that his hands
and feet were fast bound with heavy chains, and that Nidud
was standing by his
side, who charged him with having
stolen the gold from him of which the rings were made.
Volund repelled the ftharge, declaring that while their