Some form of water rite under one shape or another was practised by Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Hebrews, Romans, Hindus, &c. In the Frankish annals, the Northmen when they were baptized were led into the rivers, a custom which apparently prevailed among the earlier Christians with adult people. Footnote 46: Cf. also Halfdan the Black’s Saga, c. 7; Laxdæla, c. 28; Fornmanna Sögur, i., p. 31; Olaf Tryggvason, i., pp. 13–14; Fornmanna Sögur. Footnote 47: Cf. Svarfdæla, c. 5. Footnote 48: This refers to Sigurd’s name ‘Snake Eye.’ Footnote 49: Heaven. Footnote 50: King. Footnote 51: This is the only place where Neri is mentioned. Footnote 52: It is probable that this third string northwards was a string of bad luck or evil fate; but Bugge says it meant Helgi’s fame in the North, which was to be everlasting. Footnote 53: Sigmund, Helgi’s father, is here called son of the Ylfings, though he was of the _Völsunga_ family. Even Helgi himself is called Skjöldung in the second Helgi lay. Footnote 54: The friend of wolves—a warrior who by his fights gave food to the wolves. Footnote 55: Dögling (1) a descendant of Dag, (2) a chief of any family. Footnote 56: The giving of garlic at the ceremony of _name-fastening_, seems to have had some symbolic meaning. From St. Olaf’s Saga we see that it was used for curing wounds: in Gudrunar Kvida the leek is used as opposed to grass, perhaps implying that the child to whom it was given would stand as high among men as it did amongst grass. Footnote 57: King. Footnote 58: These estates were given to him with the name-fastening, as was customary. Footnote 59: Ring-steads. Footnote 60: Sun mountains. Footnote 61: Snow mountains. Footnote 62: Fields of Sigar. Footnote 63: Ring-harbour. Footnote 64: High town. Footnote 65: Heaven-fields. Footnote 66: Sword. Footnote 67: Cf. also Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, c. 42. Footnote 68: Three fasting-times. Footnote 69: Probably a field belonging to a temple. Footnote 70: Cf. also Earlier Gulathing’s Law, 21. Footnote 71: Torfi had been vexed at Signy’s marriage, because he was away when the betrothal took place, and had not been consulted about the match. Footnote 72: Cf. also Harald Fairhair’s Saga, c. 21. Footnote 73: Cf. also Hord’s Saga, c. 9. CHAPTER IV. THE ARVEL, OR INHERITANCE FEAST. The inheritance feast—Its duration—Customs of the feast—Right of sitting in the high seat—The feast after Heidrek’s death—Division of property—Settlement of debts—Support of paupers—The arvel in Christian times—Consent of heirs to the disposal of property—Rules regulating inheritance—Adoption—Ceremony of adoption—Public announcement of adoption—Female degrees of inheritance—Property of foreigners.