from filthy garbage.  At last they did not even spare dogs:  to dying men every abomination was lawful; for there is nothing too hard for the bidding of extreme need.  At last when they were worn out with hunger, there came a general mortality.  Bodies were carried out for burial without end, for all feared to perish, and none pitied the perishing.  Fear indeed had cast out humanity.  So first the divisions deserted from the king little by little; and then the army melted away by companies.  He was also deserted by the prophet Ygg, a man of unknown age, which was prolonged beyond the human span; this man went as a deserter to Frode, and told him of all the preparations of the Huns.

Meanwhile Hedin, prince of a considerable tribe of the Norwegians, approached the fleet of Frode with a hundred and fifty vessels.  Choosing twelve out of these, he proceeded to cruise nearer, signalling the approach of friends by a shield raised on the mast.  He thus greatly augmented the forces of the king, and was received into his closest friendship.  A mutual love afterwards arose between this man and Hilda, the daughter of Hogni, a chieftain of the Jutes, and a maiden of most eminent renown.  For, though they had not yet seen one another, each had been kindled by the other’s glory.  But when they had a chance of beholding one another, neither could look away; so steadfast was the love that made their eyes linger.

Meanwhile, Frode distributed his soldiers through the towns, and carefully gathered in the materials needed for the winter supplies; but even so he could not maintain his army, with its burden of expense:  and plague fell on him almost as great as the destruction that met the Huns.  Therefore, to prevent the influx of foreigners, he sent a fleet to the Elbe to take care that nothing should cross; the admirals were Revil and Mevil.  When the winter broke up, Hedin and Hogni resolved to make a roving-raid together; for Hogni did not know that his partner was in love with his daughter.  Now Hogni was of unusual stature, and stiff in temper; while Hedin was very comely, but short.  Also, when Frode saw that the cost of keeping up his army grew daily harder to bear, he sent Roller to Norway, Olmar to Sweden, King Onef and Glomer, a rover captain, to the Orkneys for supplies, each with his own forces.  Thirty kings followed Frode, and were his friends or vassals.  But when Hun heard that Frode had sent away his forces he mustered another and a fresh army.  But Hogni betrothed his daughter to Hedin, after they had sworn to one another that whichever of them should perish by the sword should be avenged by the other.