Thorvald, bring hither the bear-skin." It was brought and hung on a frame of poles at the end of the niche in which I slept, that, as was usual among northern people, opened out of the hall.

I stared at it for a long while.

Then my memory came back and I asked: "Did the great beast kill Steinar ?" "No," answered my mother, who sat by me.

"Steinar was sore hurt, but escaped and now is well again." "Let me see him with my own eyes," I said.
So he was brought, and I looked on him.

"I am glad you live, my brother," I said, "for know in this long sleep of mine I have dreamed that you were dead"; and I stretched out my wasted arms towards him, for I loved Steinar better than any other man.
He came and kissed me on the brow, saying: "Aye, thanks to you, Olaf, I live to be your brother and your thrall till the end." "My brother always, not my thrall," I muttered, for I was growing tired.
Then I went to sleep again.
Three days later, when my strength began to return, I sent for Steinar and said: "Brother, Iduna the Fair, whom you have never seen, my betrothed, must wonder how it fares with me, for the tale of this hurt of mine will have reached Lesso.