Chapter 9

That winter, Blind saw much in his sleep, and he recounted one of his dreams to the king, saying:

"It seemed to me a wolf ran eastward. He bit you, king, and gave you a blow."

The king interpreted the dream.

"The king of another country will come here, and when we first meet he will harm me, but later we will be at peace."

Then Blind said that he had dreamed that it seemed to him that many hawks were sitting in a house, "and I noticed in there your spirit, sire. He was all featherless and stripped of his coat."

The king said:

"A wind will come from the skies and shake my stronghold."

A third dream recounted Blind.

"Many swine ran south of the king's hall, rooting up earth with their tusks."

The king said:

"That means that the swell rushes over the beach, and the land will be flooded with water while the sun shines in the brightness of the sky."

Blind recounted a fourth dream.

'It seemed to me a furious giant came east. He bit you, which was a great wonder."

The king said:

'The messengers of some king will come to my hall. They will bite up all his weapons, and then ride away."

"I had a fifth dream," said Blind, "and it seemed that about me lay a grim serpent."

"There will come to land," said the king, "a handsome dragon-ship, laden with treasure."

"Sixth I dreamed," said Blind, "that it seemed that a black cloud with claws and wings came to the kingdom, and it flew away with you, king. Then I dreamed that a serpent was beside the farmer Hagall. It bit men furiously. It ate up you, and me, and all the retainers. What does that signify?"

The king said:

'I have heard that not far from Hagall's house lies a hibernating bear. I will go against that bear, and he will bristle greatly."

"Next I dreamed that a dragon-spirit was drawn about your hall, and it was thick with Hromund's shields."

The king said:

"You know that Hromund lost his sword and shield in the water. Or are you afraid of Hromund now?"

Blind dreamed more dreams, and each he recounted to the king, but the king interpreted them all favourably, and saw no omens in them. Now Blind recounted another dream, in which he felt himself touched, and he said: "It seemed to me that an iron ring was set about my neck."

The king said:

"This dream means that you will be hanged, and with that we are both doomed."