Frey and His Wife

by Maurice Hewlett

The old man tossed his arms up. "There is no more to say."

Then Gunnar, even while his enemy stood by him, addressed the people. He said, "I come from a distant country, where Frey has been had in honour, but not in your way. Your way is beastliness and great shame to you because you read into the mind of the God what is the secret pleasure of the vilest of you, such as this old toothless man here. He, loving to see men's blood flow, believes that Frey takes joy in it also. But Frey knows very well that a man is better than a beast, and if he love the smell of beasts' blood, that is his affair, but the blood of men is more honourable than that, and reserved for better work. He says that I put into the mind of Frey to be done with the slaughter of men. Have it that I did; did I not well to bring his mind to what is excellent in men? Of what use to Frey, or what pleasure can he have in the blood of base or craven men? I said that I would shed the blood of this vile old man, and so I would if I thought that Frey would be the better of it. But the fact is that it would make the ground sick, and Frey would curse you for the gift. Have done with that, and be sure that Frey does not need blood at all, but honesty and the good works of your hands. If you have children, offer them to Frey, but alive, not dead. Shed marrow rather than blood, and Frey will approve your fruitfulness and bless the seed and the seed-plot. And if blood must be shed, let Frey shed his own for you, as the God of the Christians did, Who gives His people every day His body to eat and His blood to drink—which turn in their breasts to milk and in their veins to courage. Let Frey show himself such a God, and you will have no need for lascivious-minded old men to lead you into their own nasty vices." Then turning to Whitebeard, he said, "Get you gone, old monster, and gnash your gums apart where none can see your impotent malice."

The people applauded him when he had done. Some brought branches of trees, and some nests of eggs to Frey. Then Gunnar turned him round to face them, and they rejoiced.

But Sigrid was pale and trembling, and would not look at Gunnar or speak to him all the rest of the day. She stood about by Frey, and put her hand in his, and talked to him, sometimes touching his beard.

Gunnar made the best of it, and let her alone; but seeing her next day in the same mood of alienation, he asked her what the matter was, and "Is there anything I can do about it?" She began to tremble again, and violently; but she used all her force to control herself, and presently told him that all he could do was to leave the place. "If you seek my happiness," she said, "that is what you will do."

"Well," said Gunnar, "I do wish you happy, sweetheart."

"Ah," said she, "it is your sweethearting of me that has made this trouble."

"Well," he said again, "and it does make trouble, my dear; but it is a pleasant trouble when all's said; and there's a remedy for it."

"It is that which I desire," she said, and he said, "So do I desire it."

Then she said, "Do you know what you did yesterday? You made me untrue to Frey."