gasped，andstaggeredagainstthedoor-post，whereIstoodlikeonewhohasbeenstruckhelpless。
Ragnarsprangatthemessenger，and，dragginghimfromhishorse，wouldhavekilledhimhadnotsomestayedhishand。Myfather，Thorvald，remainedsilent，buthishalf-brother，thedark-browedpriestofOdin，liftedhishandstoheavenandcalleddownthecurseofOdinuponthetroth-breakers。Thecompanydrewswordsandshoutedforvengeance，demandingtobeledagainstthefalseAthalbrand。Atlengthmyfathercalledforsilence。
“Athalbrandisamanwithoutshame，“hesaid。“SteinarisaviperwhomIhavenursedinmybreast，aviperthathasbittenthehandwhichsavedhimfromdeath；aye，youmenofAgger，youhaveaviperforyourlord。Idunaisalight-of-loveuponwhomallhonestwomenshouldspit，whohasbrokenheroathandsoldherselfforSteinar’swealthandrule。IswearbyThorthat，withyourhelp，myfriendsandneighbours，Iwillbeavengeduponallthreeofthese。Butforsuchvengeancepreparationsmustbemade，sinceAthalbrandandSteinararestrong。
Moreover，theylieinanisland，andcanonlybeattackedbysea。
Further，thereisnohaste，sincethemischiefisdone，andbynowSteinartheSnakeandIdunatheLight-of-lovewillhavedrunktheirmarriage-cup。Come，eat，myfriends，andnottoosadly，seeingthatifmyhousehassufferedshame，ithasescapedworseshame，thatofwelcomingafalsewomanasabrideofoneofus。Doubtless，whenhisbitternessispast，Olaf，myson，willfindabetterwife。“