"Will you grant him the favor of bestowing the weapons yourself, O Duke?" pleaded Adalo. "Then, when he grasps sword or spear, he must always remember the hero to whom he first owed them, and prove himself worthy of the giver." "I will," said the judge, rising and beckoning to the boy. Sippilo ascended the first of the steps leading to the Duke's chair. Hariowald took the little round shield lying before him and gave it to the lad, who seized it eagerly, passing his left arm under the upper bar of the shield and clasping the lower one with his hand. "I, Hariowald, son of Hariomar, Count of Linzgau, chosen by all the Alemanni Duke for this summer's Roman war, say to you, Sippilo, son of Adalger, of age to use weapons and worthy to receive them: "With the shield I give, protect, Better than thine own breast, Dearer than thine own body and life, The noble Alemanni Land and nation. Shield runes, and runes of defence, Deep burned thy brother Its solid framework within; They will hold and keep The shield's shelter for thee So long as thou thyself Dost hold and stand Fast by thy people." Then he handed him the spear, saying: "Runes of victory I, sure of triumph, Carved for thee myself On the sharp spear's handle. To mortal man never Lower it vanquished, Nor let its shaft be shattered. Some day, full lightly, From thy faithful hand When, white-bearded, thou dost win On thy shield the battle death 'Mid blissful victory-- Then, from thy faithful hand, Lightly will take it On swan-wings downward to thee floating, Shining in beauty, Valhalla's fairest Valkyria, And bear thee, loyal one, Upward to Odin." Lastly, he put on the belt from which the sword hung in its sheath, saying: "As the belt now girdles thee, So, as its own doth hold thee The Alemanni army. As the belt is for thee Ornament and defence, So art thou, as one link, Ornament and defence To us, the Alemanni." Then Sippilo drew the short sword from its sheath, held the hilt toward the shining sun, and said: