But I swear by the Treasure of the Sea that I will cross no blade to-night save with an alien, a foeman of the kindred.

Hearest thou, O chieftain, O Erne of the Sea-eagles ?" "Hear it I do," said the chieftain, "and I deem that thy meaning is that we should go supperless to bed; and this cometh of thy perversity: for we know thee despite thy vizard.

Belike thou deemest that thou shalt not be met this even, and that there is no free alien in the island to draw sword against thee.

But beware! For when we came aland this morning we found a skiff of the aliens tied to a great spear stuck in the bank of the haven; so that there will be one foeman at least abroad in the island.

But we said if we should come on the man, we would set his head on the gable of the hall with the mouth open toward the North for a token of reproach to the dwellers in the land over sea.