“It is my voice, truly,” said Bjoern, “and I would know this—­and this would Ospakar, who stands at my side, know also—­why thou comest here, carline? and why Gudruda weeps?”

“Gudruda weeps because she has good cause to weep, Bjoern.  She weeps because she has betrayed her love, Eric Brighteyes, my son, and is about to be sold in marriage—­to be sold to thee, Ospakar Blacktooth, like a heifer at a fair.”

Then Bjoern grew angry and cursed Saevuna, nor did Ospakar spare to add his ill words.  But the old dame sat in her chair, listening silently till all their curses were spent.

“Ye are evil, the twain of you,” she said, “and ye have told lies of Eric, my son; and ye have taken his bride for lust and greed, playing on the jealous folly of a maid like harpers on a harp.  Now I tell you this, Bjoern and Ospakar!  My blind eyes are opened and I see this hall of Middalhof, and lo! it is but a gore of blood!  Blood flows upon the board—­blood streams along the floor, and ye—­ye twain!—­lie dead thereon, and about your shapes are shrouds, and on her feet are Hell-shoon!  Eric comes and Whitefire is aloft, and no more shall ye stand before him whom ye have slandered than stands the birch before the lightning stroke!  Eric comes!  I see his angry eyes—­I see his helm flash in the door-place!  Red was that marriage-feast at which sat Unna, my kinswoman, and Asmund, thy father—­redder shall be the feast where sit Gudruda, thy sister, and Ospakar!  The wolf howls at thy door, Bjoern! the grave-worm opens his mouth! trolls run to and fro upon thy threshold, and the ghosts of men speed Hellwards!  Ill were the deeds of Groa—­worse shall be the deeds of Groa’s daughter!  Red is thy hall with blood, Bjoern!—­for Whitefire is aloft and—­I tell thee Eric comes!”—­and with one great cry she fell back—­dead.

Now they stood amazed, and trembling in their fear.

“Saevuna hath spoken strange words,” said Bjoern.

“Shall we be frightened by a dead hag?” quoth Ospakar, drawing his breath again.  “Fellows, bear this carrion forth, or we fling it to the dogs.”

Then the men tied the body of Saevuna, Thorgrimur’s widow, Eric’s mother, fast in the chair, and bore it thence.  But when at length they came to Coldback, they found that Swanhild was there with all her following, and had driven Eric’s grieve and his folk to the fells.  But one old carline, who had been nurse to Eric, was left there, and she sat wailing in an outhouse, being too weak to move.

Then the men set down the corpse of Saevuna in the outhouse, and, having told all their tale to the carline, they fled also.

That night passed, and passed the morrow; but on the next day at dawn Eric Brighteyes and Skallagrim Lambstail landed near Westman Isles.  They had made a bad passage from Fareys, having been beat about by contrary winds; but at length they came safe and well to land.

Now this was the day of the marriage-feast of Gudruda the Fair and Ospakar; but Eric knew nothing of these tidings.