the man who looked after
the sheep how often he met the shepherd from Laugar. He said nearly
always as was likely since there was only a neck of land between the
two dairies. Then said Aud, "You shall meet the shepherd from Laugar
to-day, and you can tell me who there are staying at the
winter-dwelling[3] or who at the dairy, and speak in a friendly way of
Thord as it behoves you to do." The boy promised to do as she told
him. And in the evening when the shepherd came home And asked what
tidings he brought. The shepherd answered, "I have heard tidings which
you will think good, that now there is a broad bedroom-floor between
the beds of Thord and Gudrun, for she is at the dairy and he is
swinging at the rear of the hall, he and Osvif being two together
alone at the winter-dwelling." "You have espied well," said she, "and
see to have saddled two horses at the time when people are going to
bed." The shepherd did as she bade him. [Sidenote: Aud's revenge] A
little before sunset Aud mounted, and was now indeed in breeches. The
shepherd rode the other horse and could hardly keep up with her, so
hard did she push on riding. She rode south over Salingsdale-heath and
never stopped before she got to the home-field fence at Laugar. Then
she dismounted, and bade the shepherd look after the horses whilst she
went to the house. And went to the door and found it open, and she
went into the fire-hall to the locked-bed in the wall. Thord lay
asleep, the door had fallen to, but the bolt was not on, so she walked
into the bedroom. Thord lay asleep on his back. Then And woke Thord,
and he turned on his side when he saw a man had come in. Then she drew
a sword and thrust it at Thord and gave him great wounds, the sword
striking his right arm and wounding him on both nipples. So hard did
she follow up the stroke that the sword stuck in the bolster. Then Aud
went away and to her horse and leapt on to its back, and thereupon
rode home. Thord tried to spring up when he got the blow, but could
not, because of his loss of blood. Then Osvif awoke and asked what had
happened, and Thord told that he had been wounded somewhat. Osvif
asked if he knew who had done the deed on him, and got up and bound up
his wounds. Thord said he was minded to think that Aud had done it.
Osvif offered to ride after her, and said she must have gone on this
errand with few men, and her penalty was ready-made for her. Thord
said that should not be done at all, for she ha