"All depends upon his wife," they told him. "She has the power of choice in these matters." Gunnar said, "Leave me to deal with Frey's wife. I have a way with women."
GUNNAR MEETS WITH FREY. CONCERNING FREY'S WIFE
CHAPTER IX GUNNAR MEETS WITH FREY. CONCERNING FREY'S WIFE
Directed by the charcoal-burners, Gunnar made his way to the village where he was to find Frey in his temple. He reached a fine clearing in the forest by the late afternoon, and was soon remarked and almost as soon beset by the inhabitants. Young and old, mostly women, they came about him like a cloud of gnats. They were a wild, dark-haired and pale people, well-made but not tall. They were all barefoot, and had fierce, husky voices; but they were harmless, touching him by the prompting of curiosity, and delight in a thing so rare. His beard especially moved them. They must by all means touch that. "It is like Frey's beard. He is Frey's brother. Bring him to Frey then." So they spoke to each other. As they came into the village they formed a kind of procession. A young woman took him by either hand; children danced in front of him singing a shrill song; the older ones shuffled behind. Dogs capered and barked about.
Wooden houses built clear of the ground on piles formed the village. It was full of dogs and children, with one or two old men peering at the entry from the shelter of trees. He saw the roof of Frey's temple, a long building with a steep gable. The roof was of heather. They entered a forecourt and stood before the temple. In the midst was an altar of stone. There was a gallery to the house sheltered by the eaves of it, and held up by trunks of trees, smoothed and painted with zigzags in red, blue and yellow. A curtain hung over the doorway. He saw neither Frey nor his wife.