"Hearken, my husband. I have been a good wife to thee, though thou hast
not been all good to me. But thus shalt thou atone: thou shalt swear
that, though she is a girl, thou wilt not cast this bairn forth to
perish, but wilt cherish and nurture her."

"I swear it," he said.

"And thou shalt swear that thou wilt not take the witchwoman Groa to
wife, nor have anything to do with her, and this for thine own sake:
for, if thou dost, she will be thy death. Dost thou swear?"

"I swear it," he said.

"It is well; but, husband, if thou dost break thine oath, either in the
words or in the spirit of the words, evil shall overtake thee and all
thy house. Now bid me farewell, for I die."

He bent over her and kissed her, and it is said that Asmund wept in that
hour, for after his fashion he loved his wife.

"Give me the babe," she said, "that it may lie once upon my breast."

They gave her the babe and she looked upon its dark eyes and said:

"Fairest of women shalt thou be, Gudruda--fair as no woman in Iceland
ever was before thee; and thou shalt love with a mighty love--and thou
shalt lose--and, losing, thou shalt find again."

Now, it is said that, as she spoke these words, her face grew bright as
a spirit's, and, having spoken them, she fell back dead. And they laid
her in earth, but Asmund mourned her much.

But, when all was over and done, the dream that he had dreamed lay heavy
on him. Now of all diviners of dreams Groa was the most skilled, and
when Gudruda had been in earth seven full days, Asmund went to Groa,
though doubtfully, because of his oath.

He came to the house and entered. On a couch in the chamber lay Groa,
and her babe was on her breast and she was very fair to see.

"Greeting, lord!" she said. "What wouldest thou here?"

"I have dreamed a dream, and thou alone canst read it."

"That is as it may be," she answered. "It is true that I have some skill
in dreams. At the least I will hear it."

Then he unfolded it to her every word.

"What wilt thou give me if I read thy dream?" she said.

"What dost thou ask? Methinks I have given thee much."

"Yea, lord," and she looked at the babe upon her breast. "I ask but a
little thing: that thou shalt take this bairn in thy arms, pour water
over it and name it."

"Men will talk if I do this, for it is the father's part."

"It is a little thing what men say: talk goes by as the wind. Moreover,
thou shalt give them the lie in the child's name, for