Frey and His Wife

by Maurice Hewlett

"You are the master of that boat, I take it?" said Gunnar. "A stranger in this water?"

"Not so much as that," replied Ogmund. "I come now and again to see my friends here. But I am from Iceland myself. My name is Ogmund."

Gunnar looked at him. "Are you Ogmund Dint?"

Ogmund said, "Some men call me that, and others who know me better call me Ogmund Ravensson. But that matters little to me. Now what might your name be, in fair return?"

Gunnar told him—but could not keep either eyes or tongue from Ogmund's wonderful cloak. "Gunnar is my name," he said, "and some call me Gunnar Helming, and some Gunnar Half-and-Half."

"What do they call you that for?"

"Because I take pleasure in wearing clothes like that fine cloak of yours," said Gunnar.

"Oh," said Ogmund, "my cloak! It is an ordinary cloak, I believe."

"I, too, like to believe that," said Gunnar.

Then Ogmund asked him for news of the country, "since it is some years now since I was here."