hing
strange, in her appearance.

"Do not be afraid," said she, "at my unexpected appearance. I am the
owner of this house, and I thank you for the clean and neat state in
which you have kept it, and for the good order in which I find
everything with you. I would willingly have come sooner, but I had no
power to do so till this little heathen (pointing to the new-born
babe) was come to the light. Now I have free access. Only fetch no
priest from the mainland to christen it, or I must depart again. If
you will in this matter comply with my wishes, you may not only
continue to live here, but all the good that ever you can wish for I
will do you. Whatever you take in hand shall prosper; good luck shall
follow you wherever you go. But break this condition, and depend upon
it that misfortune after misfortune will come on you, and even on this
child will I avenge myself. If you want anything, or are in danger,
you have only to pronounce my name three times, and I will appear and
lend you assistance. I am of the race of the old giants, and my name
is Guru. But beware of uttering in my presence the name of Him whom no
giant may hear of, and never venture to make the sign of the cross, or
to cut it on beam or board in the house. You may dwell in this house
the whole year long, only be so good as to give it up to me on Yule
evening, when the sun is at the lowest, as then we celebrate our great
festival, and then only are we permitted to be merry. At least, if you
should not be willing to go out of the house, keep yourselves up in
the loft as quiet as possible the whole day long, and as you value
your lives do not look down into the room below until midnight is
past. After that you may take possession of everything again."

When the old woman had thus spoken she vanished, and Aslog and Orm
lived without any disturbance, contented and happy. Orm never made a
cast of his net without getting a plentiful draught; he never shot an
arrow from his bow that it was not sure to hit; in short, whatever
they took in hand, were it ever so trifling, evidently prospered.

When Christmas came, they cleaned up the house in the best manner, set
everything in order, kindled a fire on the hearth, and as the twilight
approached they went up to the loft, where they remained quite still
and quiet. At length it grew dark; they thought they heard a sound of
whizzing and snorting in the air, such as the swans used to make in
the winter time. There was a