had killed two geese and let the blood run into a bowl, and she had
taken up the third goose to kill it.

"What means this business, foster-mother?" said he.

"True it will prove, Cormac, that you are a hard one to help," said she.
"I was going to break the spell Thorveig laid on thee and Steingerd. Ye
could have loved one another been happy if I had killed the third goose
and no one seen it."

"I believe nought of such things," cried he; and this song he made about
it:--

(67)
"I gave her an ore at the ayre,
That the arts of my foe should not prosper;
And twice she has taken the knife,
And twice she has offered the offering;
But the blood is the blood of a goose--
What boots it if two should be slaughtered?--
Never sacrifice geese for a Skald
Who sings for the glory of Odin!"

So they went to the holmgang: but Thorvald gave the spae-wife a still
greater fee, and offered the sacrifice of geese; and Cormac said:--

(68)
"Trust never another man's mistress!
For I know, on this woman who weareth
The fire of the field of the sea-king
The fiends have been riding to revel.
The witch with her hoarse cry is working
For woe when we go to the holmgang,
And if bale be the end of the battle
The blame, be assured, will be hers."

"Well," she said, "I can manage so that none shall know thee." Then
Cormac began to upbraid her, saying she did nought but ill, and wanting
to drag her out to the door to look at her eyes in the sunshine. His
brother Thorgils made him leave that:--"What good will it do thee?" said
he.

Now Steingerd gave out that she had a mind to see the fight; and so she
did. When Cormac saw her he made this song:--

(69)
"I have fared to the field of the battle,
O fair one that wearest the wimple!
And twice for thy sake have I striven;
What stays me as now from thy favour?
This twice have I gotten thee glory,
O goddess of ocean! and surely
To my dainty delight, to my darling
I am dearer by far than her mate."

So then they set to. Cormac's sword bit not at all, and for a long while
they smote strokes one upon the other, but neither sword bit. At last
Cormac smote upon Thorvard's side so great a blow that his ribs gave
way and were broken; he could fight no more, and thereupon they parted.
Cormac looked and saw where a bul