nd
benches, and turf, and anything else that would burn, and put cod's
oil on the pile, and fired the stead above them, so that the tale went
abroad that all these men were burned in their cups, and I with them.

"'But I took the name of Skallagrim and swore an oath against all men,
ay, and women too, and away I went to the wood-folk and worked much
mischief, for I spared few, and so on to Mosfell. Here I have stayed
these five years, awaiting the time when I shall find Ospakar and
Thorunna the harlot, and I have fought many men, but, till thou camest
up against me, none could stand before my might."

"A strange tale, truly," said Eric; "but now hearken thou to a stranger,
for of a truth it seems that we have not come together by chance,"
and he told him of Gudruda and the wrestling and of the overthrow of
Blacktooth, and showed him Whitefire which he won out of the hand of
Ospakar.

Skallagrim listened and laughed aloud. "Surely," he said, "this is the
work of the Norns. See, lord, thou and I will yet smite this Ospakar. He
has taken my wife and he would take thy betrothed. Let it be! Let it be!
Ah, would that I had been there to see the wrestling--Ospakar had never
risen from his snow-bed. But there is time left to us, and I shall yet
see his head roll along the dust. Thou hast his goodly sword and with it
thou shalt sweep Blacktooth's head from his shoulders--or perchance that
shall be my lot," and with this Skallagrim sprang up, gnashing his teeth
and clutching at the air.

"Peace," said Eric. "Blacktooth is not here. Save thy rage until it can
run along thy sword and strike him."

"Nay, not here, nor yet so far off, lord. Hearken: I know this Ospakar.
If he has set eyes of longing on Gudruda, Asmund's daughter, he will not
rest one hour till he have her or is slain; and if he has set eyes of
hate on thee--then take heed to thy going and spy down every path before
thy feet tread it. Soon shall the matter come on for judgment and even
now Odin's Valkyries[*] choose their own."

[*] The "corse-choosing sisters" who were bidden by Odin to
single out those warriors whose hour had come to die in
battle and win Valhalla.

"It is well, then," said Eric.

"Yea, lord, it is well, for we two have little to fear from any six men,
if so be that they fall on us in fair fight. But I do not altogether
like thy tale. Too many women are mixed up in it, and women stab in the
back. A man may deal with swords a