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232
A BOOK OF MYTHS

"Take thou thy women-folk.
"Maidens and wives;
"Over your ankles
"Lace on the white war-hose;
"Over your bosoms
"Link up the hard mail-nets;
"Over your lips
"Plait long tresses with cunning;—
"So war beasts full-bearded
"King Odin shall deem you,
"When off the grey sea-beach
"At sunrise ye greet him."—Charles Kingsley.

When the sun sent its first pale green light next morning over grey sky and sea, Odin awoke, and gazed from his watch-tower at the army on the beach. And, with great amazement, "What Longbeards are those?" he cried.

"They are Winilers!" said Freya, in joyous triumph, "but you have given them a new name. Now must you also give them a gift! Let it be the victory, I pray you, dear lord of mine."

And Odin, seeing himself outwitted and knowing that honour bade him follow the Northern custom and give the people he had named a gift, bestowed on the Longbeards and then' men the victory that Freya craved. Nor was the gift of Odin one for that day alone, for to him the Langobarden attributed the many victories that led them at last to find a home in the sunny land of Italy, where beautiful Lombardy still commemorates by its name the stratagem of Freya, the queen.

With the coming of Christianity, Freya, the Beloved, was cast out along with all the other old forgotten gods.