ants bring us of the best. But when he saw that I barely tasted the food, he was hurt, and reproached me, saying that such behavior was discourteous and ill-bred. But I had my answer ready, and said: 'It often makes men ill to eat food they are not used to; I am far from being ungrateful for your kindness, but am merely taking care of my health by eating my own food to which I am accustomed. You must not be hurt or consider me wanting in courtesy if I act thus for the sake of my own health.' Now, when Gudmund saw that his wicked designs were foiled, and that he could neither make his guests drink his wines nor eat his dainty food, he determined to try and persuade them to take the women of his household as wives. So he offered the King his daughter in marriage, and promised that each of my' men should marry the woman in the house he liked best. Many of my men inclined to accept his offer, but I, happily, by my advice prevented them from giving way to the temptation. Very carefully did I observe my host, lest he should have any suspicions about us, and with equal care I watched over my men lest they should taste the dangerous pleasures he offered them. Four of the Danes, who loved eating and drinking and riches more than anything on earth or in heaven, accepted the wine and the food, and the women of the household as wives. But the pleasures maddened them, and they went out of their minds, and no longer remembered anything or anyone whom they had ever known, and utterly forgot their homes, their
