is
business, and learnt that he was going with Vakr to meet a brother and
nephew of his, to bring them to Bathstead, and that he expected to be
away from home for a week. The little skiff had now passed completely
round the motionless cutter, and Olaf's mother, having learnt all she
wanted, bade her rower quit Thorbiorn; the little boat shot swiftly
and suddenly away, leaving Thorbiorn with an uneasy sense of
witchcraft. So disquieted did he feel that he would have pursued her
and drowned "the old hag," as he called her, had he not been prevented
by Brand the Strong, who had been helped in his need by Olaf.

As the little craft shot away Biargey smiled mysteriously, and said to
her rower: "Now I feel sure that Olaf my son will be avenged. I have
work to do: let us not go home yet."

"Where, then, shall we go?" asked the man.

"To my brother Valbrand."

Valbrand

Now Valbrand was an old man who had been a mighty warrior in his
youth, but had now settled down to a life of quiet and peace; he had,
however, two promising sons, well-grown and manly youths. When
Valbrand saw his sister he came to meet her, saying:

"Welcome, sister! Seldom it is that we see thee. Wilt thou abide with
us this night, or is thine errand one that craves haste?"

"I must be home to-night," she replied, and added mysteriously: "But
there is help I would fain ask of thee. Wilt thou lend me thy
seal-nets? We have not enough to catch such fish as we need."

Valbrand answered: "Willingly, and thou shalt choose for thyself. Here
are three, one old and worn out, two new and untried; which wilt thou
take?"

"I will have the new ones, but I do not need them yet; keep them ready
for the day when I shall send and ask for them," Biargey replied, and
bade Valbrand farewell, and rowed away to her next brother.

Thorbrand and Asbrand

When Howard's wife came to her brother Thorbrand she was well received
by him and his two sons, and here she asked for the loan of a
trout-net, since she had not enough to catch the fish. Thorbrand
offered her her choice--one old and worn out, or two new and untried
nets; and again Biargey chose the new ones, and bade them be ready
when the messenger came.

From her third brother, Asbrand, who had only one son, Biargey asked a
turf-cutter, as hers was not keen enough to cut all she wanted; again
she was offered her choice, and chose the new, untried cutter, instead
of the old, rusty, notched one. Then Biargey ba