But , instead of mounting Gullfaxi , as she expected , Sigurd stood still . ` And the sword , ' he said , looking fondly up to the place where it hung . ` My father is a king , but he has not got any sword so beautiful as that . Why , the jewels in the scabbard are more splendid than the big ruby in his crown ! Has it got a name ? Some swords have , you know . ' ` It is called `` Gunnfjoder , '' the `` Battle Plume , '' ' answered Helga , ` and `` Gullfaxi '' means `` Golden Mane . '' I do n't suppose , if you are to get on the horse at all , it would matter your taking the sword too . And if you take the sword you will have to carry the stick and the stone and the twig as well . ' ` They are easily carried , ' said Sigurd , gazing at them with scorn ; ` what wretched dried-up things ! Why in the world do you keep them ? ' ` Bather says that he would rather lose Gullfaxi than lose them , ' replied Helga , ` for if the man who rides the horse is pursued he has only to throw the twig behind him and it will turn into a forest , so thick that even a bird could hardly fly through . But if his enemy happens to know magic , and can throw down the forest , the man has only to strike the stone with the stick , and hailstones as large as pigeons ' eggs will rain down from the sky and will kill every one for twenty miles round . ' Having said all this she allowed Sigurd to ride ` just once ' round the house , taking the sword and other things with him . But when he had ridden round , instead of dismounting , he suddenly turned the horse 's head and galloped away . Soon after this Helga 's father came home and found his daughter in tears . He asked what was the matter , and when he heard all that had happened , he rushed off as fast as he could to pursue Sigurd . Now , as Sigurd happened to look behind him he saw the giant coming after him with great strides , and in all haste he threw the twig behind him . Immediately such a thick wood sprang up at once between him and his enemy that the giant was obliged to run home for an axe with which to cut his way through . The next time Sigurd glanced round , the giant was so near that he almost touched Gullfaxi 's tail .
In an agony XXXXX fear Sigurd turned quickly in his saddle and hit the stone with the stick .
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