her man nor beast can come near them in
speed. They hit whatever they take aim at, and thus kill every man
who comes near them. When they are angry the very earth turns away in
terror, and whatever living thing they look upon then falls dead. Now ye
must not come in their way; but I will hide you here in the hut, and ye
must try to get them killed." They agreed to it, and she hid them, and
then took a leather bag, in which they thought there were ashes which
she took in her hand, and strewed both outside and inside of the hut.
Shortly after the Fins came home, and asked who had been there; and she
answered, "Nobody has been here." "That is wonderful," said they, "we
followed the traces close to the hut, and can find none after that."
Then they kindled a fire, and made ready their meat, and Gunhild
prepared her bed. It had so happened that Gunhild had slept the three
nights before, but the Fins had watched the one upon the other, being
jealous of each other. "Now," she said to the Fins, "come here, and lie
down one on each side of me." On which they were very glad to do so. She
laid an arm round the neck of each and they went to sleep directly. She
roused them up; but they fell to sleep again instantly, and so soundly
the she scarcely could waken them. She even raised them up in the bed,
and still they slept. Thereupon she too two great seal-skin bags, and
put their heads in them, and tied them fast under their arms; and then
she gave a wink to the king's men. They run forth with their weapons,
kill the two Fins, and drag them out of the hut. That same night came
such a dreadful thunder-storm that the could not stir. Next morning they
came to the ship, taking Gunhild with them, and presented her to Eirik.
Eirik and his followers then sailed southwards to Halogaland and he sent
word to Ozur Tote, the girl's father, to meet him. Eirik said he would
take his daughter in marriage, to which Ozur Tote consented, and Eirik
took Gunhild and went southwards with her (A.D. 922).
35. HARALD DIVIDES HIS KINGDOM.
When King Harald was fifty years of age many of his sons were grown up,
and some were dead. Many of them committed acts of great violence in the
country, and were in discord among themselves. They drove some of the
king's earls out of their properties, and even killed some of them.
Then the king called together a numerous Thing in the south part of the
country, and summoned to it all the people of the Uplands. At thi
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