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And surely it was not so, for had not Eric been made outlaw? Men were not made outlaw for a little thing. Nay, she would meet her fate, and ask no more of Eric and his doings. On the morrow, as Gudruda sat in her chamber, it was told her that Saevuna, Thorgrimur's widow and Eric's mother, had come from Coldback to speak with her.
Then the men tied the body of Saevuna, Thorgrimur's widow, Eric's mother, fast in the chair, and bore it thence. But when at length they came to Coldback, they found that Swanhild was there with all her following, and had driven Eric's grieve and his folk to the fells. But one old carline, who had been nurse to Eric, was left there, and she sat wailing in an outhouse, being too weak to move.
"Whom seekest thou, maid Gudruda?" he asked, and the voice he spoke with was the voice of waters. "I seek Eric Brighteyes," she answered, "who passed hither a thousand years ago, and for love of whom I am heart-broken." "Eric Brighteyes, Thorgrimur's son?" quoth Odin. Then, in her dream, she wept sore, and prayed of Odin by the name of Freya that he would give Eric to her for a little space.
With my own eyes I saw thee stamp on the naked foot of Eric, Thorgrimur's son; with my own eyes I saw thee, like a wolf, fasten that black fang of thine upon him there is the mark of it; and, as for the matter of the greased shoes, thou knowest best what hand thou hadst in it." "I had no hand. If any did this thing, it was Groa the Witch, thy Finnish bedmate.
Thou shalt learn this lesson, Eric Brighteyes, Thorgrimur's son: for here we have but the beginning of the tale. For its end, I will write it in runes of blood." "Write on," said Eric. "Thou canst do no worse than thou hast done," and he passed thence. For a while Swanhild crouched upon the ground, brooding in silence. Then she rose, and, throwing up her arms, wept aloud.
He was named Eric Brighteyes, Thorgrimur's son, and in those days there was no man like him for strength, beauty and daring, for in all these things he was the first. But he was not the first in good-luck. Two women lived in the south, not far from where the Westman Islands stand above the sea.
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