Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/99

Rh Just as he picked up the sword he heard a roar and saw the old griffin coming.

But he struck the griffin so hard with the sword that it fell dead. Very soon he slew the other griffins.

Then he and the maidens went down to the shore and watched all day for a ship. After a long time a ship came for water.

At first the sailors were afraid to land. They thought the three maidens were mermaids because they were dressed in seaweed.

Hagen begged them to come ashore and showed them the armor and the sword. Then they were not afraid.

The commander of the ship gave them beautiful clothes when he heard that their fathers were kings. But he was at war with Hagen's father. So he wished to keep the young man prisoner.

Hagen ordered the sailors to sail to his home. They refused, and Hagen threw thirty of them into the sea.

Then the commander let him have his own way.

When Hagen came into his father's palace, his mother knew him at once by a little mark on his neck.

Then King Sigeband made a great feast because his son had come back. The doors of the