"Now farewell, fathers."
He bent his knee to the priests, and then bowed over Gerda's hand
as he kissed it in parting.
"Forgive me, queen," he said. "The call of Eirinn must take me from
you for a time. It cannot be denied by me."
"Come back soon, and as a victor, and you will be forgiven," she
answered, laughing, and he stepped into the boat.
Then as he put off she sat down on a rock with the brethren behind
her, to watch us, and we saw her wave her hand in farewell.
"Concerning the arms, or the want thereof," said Dalfin presently.
"Our folk hold that a warrior should need naught but his weapons,
and that mail or shield are but cowardly devices. So I have had to
leave them, though I am not of that mind myself. Moreover, I shall
be likely to find a long tramp across the hills before me
presently, and I have no mind to be set on by my own people as a
wandering Dane, for the sake of wearing outland arms to please
myself."
It was not a quarter of an hour before we were alongside the little
tottering landing stage which the fishers had built for themselves
of the ribs of some wreck at the foot of their glen. Some of the
children who swarmed in the village of huddled turf huts caught
sight of us first, and fled, yelling.
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