Cast not till thou hast heard me, and mayst deem whether I may do aught to heal thy grief." "What mayst thou do ?" said Hallblithe; "art thou not a robber of the sea, a harrier of the folks that dwell in peace ?" The man laughed: "Yea," said he, "my craft is thieving and carrying off the daughters of folk, so that we may have a ransom for them.

Wilt thou come over the waters with me ?" Hallblithe said wrathfully: "Nay, rather, come thou ashore here! Thou seemest a big man, and belike shall be good of thine hands.

Come and fight with me; and then he of us who is vanquished, if he be unslain, shall serve the other for a year, and then shalt thou do my business in the ransoming." The man in the boat laughed again, and that so scornfully that he angered Hallblithe beyond measure: then he arose in the boat and stood on his feet swaying from side to side as he laughed.

He was passing big, long- armed and big-headed, and long hair came from under his helm like the tail of a red horse; his eyes were grey and gleaming, and his mouth wide.
In a while he stayed his laughter and said: "O Warrior of the Raven, this were a simple game for thee to play; though it is not far from my mind, for fighting when I needs must win is no dull work.

Look you, if I slay or vanquish thee, then all is said; and if by some chance stroke thou slayest me, then is thine only helper in this matter gone from thee.