[CentOS] svn: Authorization failed

How do I set up a subversion repository so
that svn can use an svnserve running locally?
I own the repository.
svnserve -d -r ... runs as me.
svn mkdir -m 'make trunk' svn://localhost/redeye/trunk
fails with
svn: Authorization failed
There is no request for credentials.

Is anyone that can willing to share an example that works?

I'm running CentOP 6.2

[hennebry at 67-61-185-5 reps]$ svn --version
svn, version 1.6.11 (r934486)
    compiled Jun 23 2012, 00:28:25

Copyright (C) 2000-2009 CollabNet.
Subversion is open source software, see http://subversion.tigris.org/
This product includes software developed by CollabNet (http://www.Collab.Net/).

The following repository access (RA) modules are available:

* ra_neon : Module for accessing a repository via WebDAV protocol using Neon.
   - handles 'http' scheme
   - handles 'https' scheme
* ra_svn : Module for accessing a repository using the svn network protocol.
   - with Cyrus SASL authentication
   - handles 'svn' scheme
* ra_local : Module for accessing a repository on local disk.
   - handles 'file' scheme

[hennebry at 67-61-185-5 reps]$ svnserve --version
svnserve, version 1.6.11 (r934486)
    compiled Jun 23 2012, 00:28:25

Copyright (C) 2000-2009 CollabNet.
Subversion is open source software, see http://subversion.tigris.org/
This product includes software developed by CollabNet (http://www.Collab.Net/).

The following repository back-end (FS) modules are available:

* fs_base : Module for working with a Berkeley DB repository.
* fs_fs : Module for working with a plain file (FSFS) repository.

Cyrus SASL authentication is available.

-- 
Michael   hennebry at web.cs.ndsu.NoDak.edu
"On Monday, I'm gonna have to tell my kindergarten class,
whom I teach not to run with scissors,
that my fiance ran me through with a broadsword."  --  Lily