all thou hadst
let a weasel go who would live to nip thee?"

"Him I will surely live to shorten by a head," quoth Eric.

"Nay, lord, this one for me--Ospakar for thee, Hall for me!"

"As thou wilt, Baresark. Among so many there is room to pick and choose.
Tell on, nurse!"

Then she told how Swanhild came out to Iceland, and, having won Ospakar
Blacktooth and Gizur to her side, had laid a suit against Eric at the
Thing, and there bore false witness against him, so that Brighteyes was
declared outlaw, being absent. She told, too, how Gudruda had betrothed
herself to Ospakar, and how Swanhild had moved down to Coldback and
seized the lands. Lastly she told of the rising of Saevuna from her
deathbed, of her going to Middalhof, of the words she spoke to Bjoern and
Ospakar, and of her death in the hall at Middalhof.

When all was told, Eric stooped and kissed the cold brow of his mother.

"There is little time to bury thee now, my mother," he said, "and
perchance before six hours are sped there will be one to bury at thy
side. Nevertheless, thou shalt sit in a better place than this."

Then he cut loose the cords that bound the body of Saevuna to the chair,
and, lifting it in his arms, bore it to the hall. There he set the
corpse in the high seat of the hall.

"We need not start yet a while, Skallagrim," said Eric, "if indeed thou
wouldst go a-guesting with me to Middalhof. Therefore let us eat and
drink, for there are deeds to do this day."

So they found meat and mead and ate and drank. Then Eric washed himself,
combed out his golden locks, and looked well to his harness and
to Whitefire's edge. Skallagrim also ground his great axe upon the
whetstone in the yard, singing as he ground. When all was ready, the
horses were caught, and Eric spoke to the carline:

"Hearken, nurse. If it may be that thou canst find any of our folk--and
perchance now that they see that Swanhild has ridden to Middalhof some
one of them will come down to spy--thou shalt say this to them. Thou
shalt say that, if Eric Brighteyes yet lives, he will be at the foot of
Mosfell to-morrow before midday, and if, for the sake of old days and
fellowship, they are minded to befriend a friendless man, let them come
thither with food, for by then food will be needed, and I will speak
with them. And now farewell," and Eric kissed her and went, leaving her
weeping.

As it chanced, before another hour was sped, Jon, Eric's thrall, who had
stayed at home