<p>"The Voluspa, the shamaness, had foretold he would gain his vengeance but lose something precious.<br>He had thought long on this. What was most precious to him? His<br>hound? His horse, His boat ? His sword?<br>Did she really mean something solid; or something more elusive, his boldness, his courage?<br>What could she mean?<br>"All prophesies were like that," said Ulf the oarsman, "unclear, tricky."</p>...