Allwise the Dwarf once by his cunning wiles entrapped the Heroes into
a promise that they would give him the beautiful Freya for his wife,
and he set out from his cavern home for Asgard that he might claim
fulfilment of the promise. Before leaving he gave orders to his servant
dwarfs that they should deck the place against his return with the
bride.
Now the Heroes of Asgard finding that they had been tricked into
making a promise which they did not intend marvelled how they might
spare themselves the fulfilling of it. Thor at length suggested that
as Allwise would visit Asgard by night, and as he could not bear the
sunlight, they should keep him engaged in talk until the sun rose, and
what is more he offered to do this himself, and so when the dwarf
reached the city of the Heroes it was Thor whom he first encountered,
and who hailed him thus: “What fellow art thou? Why art thou pale as
if thou hadst come from among the dead? Surely thou art but a sorry
bridegroom.”
Then answered the dwarf: “Allwise my name is; I dwell in a cavern
beneath the earth, and I am come to fetch my bride for the Heroes will
not break their plighted word.”
“I will break it,” said Thor firmly, “for Freya is my ward, and I was
not of those who made the promise to you. It is needful that I should
hallow the weddings of the Heroes.”
“Who is this fellow,” said Allwise the dwarf scornfully, “who claims to
control the fair-beaming maid?”
“Thor is my name,” answered the Hero wrathfully, “I am Longbeard’s son.
I have travelled far. Without my will thou shalt never have the maid,
or make this match.”
“I would rather have thy good will; I would sooner win than want the
snow-white maid.”
“The maiden’s love shall not be denied to thee, thou wise guest,” said
Thor with guile, “if thou canst tell me all that I want to know.”
“That can I do,” answered the dwarf confidently.
“Tell me, then, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole
history of mankind, how is the Earth, which lies about the sons of men,
called by all different beings that are?”
“It is ‘Earth’ among men; ‘Field’ among the Heroes; the Wanes call it
‘Way’; the Giants call it ‘Ever-green’; the Elfs call it ‘Growing,’ and
the High Gods call it ‘Clay.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history
of mankind, how is Heaven called by all the beings that are?”
“It is ‘Heaven’ among men; ‘Warmer’ among the Heroes; the Wanes call
it ‘Wind-woof’; the Giants call it ‘High-home’; the Elfs call it
‘Fair-roof’; and Dwarfs ‘Drip-hall.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history
of mankind, how is the Moon that all men see called by all the beings
that are?”
“It is ‘Moon’ among men; ‘Mylin’ among the Heroes; ‘Whirling-Wheel’ in
Hell; ‘Hastener’ by the Giants; ‘Sheen’ by the Dwarfs; while the Elfs
call it ‘Year-teller.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history
of mankind, how is the Sun that all men see called by all the beings
that are?”
“It is ‘Sol’ among men; ‘Sun’ among the Heroes; the Dwarfs call it
‘Day’s-child’; the Giants call it ‘Ever-glow’; ‘Fair-wheel’ the Elfs;
and ‘All-Sheer’ the sons of the Anses.”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history
of mankind, how are the clouds that are mingled with shadows called by
all the beings that are?”
“‘Sky’ among men; ‘Shower-boder’ among the Heroes; ‘Wind-floe’ among
the Wanes; ‘Wet-boder’ among the Giants; ‘Weather-main’ among the Elfs;
and in Hell they call it ‘Helm-of-Darkness.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history
of mankind, how is the Wind, that travels so far, called by all the
beings that are?”
“‘Wind’ among men; ‘Waverer’ among the Heroes; ‘Whooper’ among
the Giants; the Elfs call it ‘Soft-Gale’; in Hell they call it
‘Whistle-Gust.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history
of mankind, how is the Calm that rests called by all the beings that
are?”
“‘Calm’ it is called among men; ‘Lee’ among the Heroes; the Wanes call
it ‘Wind-slack’; the Giants call it ‘Sultry’; the Elfs ‘Soul-of-Day’;
and the Dwarfs ‘Day’s Rest.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole
history of mankind, what is the Main which men row over called by all
the beings that are?”
[Illustration: Allwise the dwarf and Thor]
“It is ‘Sea’ among men; ‘Level’ among the Heroes; ‘Wave’ among the
Wanes; ‘Sound-ham’ among the Giants; the Elfs call it ‘Sea-blink,’ and
the Dwarfs call it ‘Deep.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history
of mankind, how is ‘Fire’ that burns before the sons of men called by
all the beings that are?”
“It is ‘Fire’ among men; and ‘Fire’ among the Heroes; the Wanes call
it ‘Wavy;’ ‘Greedy’ the Giants; ‘Furnace fire’ the Dwarfs; and in Hell
they call it ‘Destroyer.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history
of mankind, how is the Wood that grows before the sons of men called by
all the beings that are?”
“It is ‘Wood’ among men; ‘Wield-fire’ among the Heroes; in Hell it is
‘Cliff-wrack’; Giants call it ‘Firewood’; the Elfs ‘Fair-foliage’; and
the Wanes call it ‘Wand.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history
of mankind, how is Night, Norwis’ daughter, called by all the beings
that are?”
“‘Night’ among men; ‘Newl’ among the Heroes; ‘Unlight’ the Giants;
‘Sleep-joy’ the Elfs; and the Dwarfs call it ‘Sleep-fairy.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history
of mankind, how is the Seed that the sons of men sow called by all the
beings that are?”
“‘Bigg’ among men; ‘Barley’ among the Heroes; the Wanes call it
‘Waxth’; ‘Oat’ the Giants; the Elfs ‘Lees-staff’; in Hell it is
‘Blight.’”
“Tell me, Allwise, for methinks thou, Dwarf, knowest the whole history
of mankind, how is the Ale the sons of men drink called by all the
beings that are?”
“‘Ale’ among men; ‘Beer’ among the Heroes; the Wanes call it ‘Draught’;
‘Clear-lees’ the Giants; in Hell it is ‘Mead’; while the Dwarfs call it
‘Good cheer!’”
“Now,” said Thor, “I never on one man’s tongue saw more of the olden
words, but with great wiles, oh, Allwise, hast thou been beguiled, for
the Day is upon thee, Dwarf; the hall is full of sunshine.”
[Illustration: The dwarf was suddenly turned into a figure of stone]
It was even as Thor said the day had come, and with it the Dwarf
who had been kept in close talk without guessing why was suddenly
turned into a figure of stone, and the Heroes were relieved of their
rash promise to send the beautiful Freya from Asgard as wife of the
dark-loving Allwise.
* * * * *
The Scandinavian Dwarf having resumed his place, Oberon turned to his
Queen and said that her Nymphidia had given them all a very pretty
little song, perhaps some of her attendants had stories they would like
to tell.
“Of course they have,” replied Titania, and turned to the fairies
immediately about her throne, saying, “now who shall it be?”
Quick, as befitted her name, was the first to respond with, “If a very
short story will do I can tell one,” and Pink almost in the same breath
said “I can tell one if a very short one will do.”
Titania stopped the others who would have offered also, and said,
“Quick and Pink shall tell them, then.”
At once Quick took her place, and when all the fairy kingdom was
attentive began to tell about
[Illustration: Quick]
[Illustration: She held it up to the woman]