runes were graven, and with that he touched her, so that she was seized with madness.

Odin returned next in the guise of a woman who was a skilled physician, and offered to cure Rinda, who was prostrate with sickness. In the end he prevailed and won the maiden for himself, and she became the mother of Boe.

At this time the gods ruled at Byzantium, and they were moved to wrath against Odin because that he had practised magic arts; so they deprived him of his high honours and drove him into exile. Oller ruled in his stead. Not until ten years had passed was Odin recalled to the throne, and then Oller fled to Sweden, where he was slain by certain Danes. It is said of Oller that he possessed a bone, graven with fearsome spells, with which he could cross the ocean as if it were a ship.

Odin reigned with greater dignity and power than before, and his renown was spread far among men. Then found he Boe, his son by Rinda, and him he constrained to go forth to avenge the death of Balder.

Thus it came that Hother was slain by Rinda's son in a fierce battle, but Boe1 was wounded unto death, so that he was borne from the field upon his shield. Next day he died, and the Ruthenian soldiers buried him in a stately mound, so that his memory might not perish in after days, but ever have renown among men.

After Hother's death his son Rorik became king.

1 Vale, who in mythology is the slayer of the wolf, is thus Boe (Beowulf) in Saxo's Danish legend. He receives his deathwound when he slays Hother, who, as Svipdag, was a dragon guarding beneath a grey rock great treasure, which shone like fire in the flood. At the same time Hother is confused with Hoder, Balder's blind brother. One of Svipdag's names was Odur. So do the divine and heroic elements of a passing mythology intermix in tradition. Each age, each race, and each bard leaves in turn impresses upon a persistent legend. The memory of the mythical hero may survive, or his deeds may become associated with the traditions of a national hero. Mythological incidents which appeal to the popular imagination not infrequently develop into independent narratives.

CHAPTER XXII

The Traditional Hamlet

Horwendil slays King Koll-Birth of Amleth-Horwendil slain by Feng -The Prince feigns Madness-His Witty Sayings-Polonius is slain—Amleth scolds his Mother-His Uncle's Treachery-Visit to Britain-His ReturnHow he won the Crown-Second Visit to Britain-Mission to Scotland-The Lovesick Queen-Amleth's Victory-Over-king claims his Kingdom-His Death-An Unfaithful Queen.

KING RORIK, Son of Hother, made joint governors of Jutland two brothers whose names were Horwendil1 and Feng. Their father, Gerwendil, was governor before them. Horwendil was chief ruler, but he sought for glory as a sea rover. King Koll, of Norway, was also ambitious for ocean renown, and he longed to battle with the ships of Horwendil. The rivals met together at an island in the midst of the sea, which they each desired to possess, and young Horwendil challenged Koll to fight a duel. Thus it came that the two men contended one against the other on a portion of spring-green sward.

Horwendil was the bolder and more daring of the two. He flung aside his shield and grasped his sword with both hands. Furious attack did he make upon the King of Norway, whose shield he split in twain. Then he inflicted wounds, and smote off Koll's foot so that he sank in death before the valorous young hero. But Horwendil honoured the sea king with stately burial, and

1 Rydberg identifies Horwendil with Orvandil, Svipdag's father, and holds that there are memories of the Svipdag myth in the Hamlet story as related by Saxo, Halfdan being the original of Feng, and Groa of Gerutha (Gertrude).

caused to be erected a great grave mound so that his memory might endure forever.

Many triumphs did Horwendil afterwards achieve, and to his king he gave gifts of the spoils of battle. So became he a hero in the kingdom. Rorik, who exalted Horwendil with honours, and made him King of Jutland, gave his daughter, the princess Gerutha1, to that renowned sea rover to be his wife. To them was a son born whose name was Amleth.

Now, Feng was stricken with jealousy because of his brother's fortune and renown, and he resolved to accomplish his death. His fell purpose he achieved with treachery, and to the crime of slaying his kin he added another, for he took Horwendil's widow to be his bride. Unto men did Feng declare that he had slain his brother because that he had shown cruelty unto Gerutha, whom he had rescued when in danger. In this he was believed. But Amleth was not deluded. He perceived the evil purpose of Feng's heart, and, fearing his own safety, he feigned madness with great cunning so that he might live to slay the usurper. He went about with mire on his face. Often would he sit brooding over the fire, cutting twigs and pointing them with barbs; and when asked why he did so, he said he was preparing to avenge his father's death.

2

There were those who suspected that his madness was a pretence, and he was cunningly put to test, but his foster-brother went about with him and gave him timely warning.

A horse was brought to Amleth, and he mounted it with his back to its neck, seeking to drive it by the tail. As he rode in this grotesque manner a wolf passed him,