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Thou hast his goodly sword and with it thou shalt sweep Blacktooth's head from his shoulders or perchance that shall be my lot," and with this Skallagrim sprang up, gnashing his teeth and clutching at the air. "Peace," said Eric. "Blacktooth is not here. Save thy rage until it can run along thy sword and strike him." "Nay, not here, nor yet so far off, lord. Hearken: I know this Ospakar.
Then Ospakar greeted her heartily, and made place for her by him at the top of the booth. "Ospakar Blacktooth," she said, "I am come to ask this of thee: that thou shalt befriend me in the suit which I have against Eric Brighteyes for the slaying of Earl Atli, my husband."
Now Ospakar Blacktooth had news of this sailing and took counsel of Gizur his son, and the end of it was that they made ready two great ships, dragons of war, and, placing sixty fighting men in each of them, sailed round the Iceland coast to the Westmans and waited there to waylay Eric.
"Never too soon can the hour come, Blacktooth," said Eric, and turning on his heel, he limped to the hall to clothe himself afresh. On the threshold of the men's door he met Groa the Witch. "Thou didst put grease upon my shoes, carline and witch-hag that thou art," he said. "It is not true, Brighteyes." "There thou liest, and for all this I will repay thee.
Then shall Asmund be wroth and drive Eric from Gudruda's side. Meanwhile, I will do this: In the north there dwells a man mighty in all things and blown up with pride. He is named Ospakar Blacktooth. His wife is but lately dead, and he has given out that he will wed the fairest maid in Iceland.
For now that the maid had passed from him the mind of Ospakar was set in winning her. Björn also, Asmund's son, spoke words of good comfort to him, for he envied Eric his great fame, and he thought the match with Blacktooth would be good. And so at length Ospakar rode away to Swinefell with all his company; but Gizur, his son, left his heart behind. For Swanhild had not been idle this while.
"Now there is an end of Eric," said Swanhild. "The arrow is yet on the bow," answered Gudruda. Blacktooth put out his might and reeled round and round the ring, dragging Eric with him. This way and that he twisted, and time on time Eric's leg was lifted from the ground, but so he might not be thrown.
Great stone castles were beginning to appear at all the chief places in Normandy, and when Duke Richard had succeeded Harold Blacktooth we find that the Duchy was assuming an ordered existence internally. The feudal system had then reached its fullest development, and the laws established by Rollo were properly administered.
Never had she been more beautiful to see; but her face was whiter than her robes. She looked with loathing on Blacktooth at her side, rough like a bear, and hideous as a troll. But he looked on her with longing, and laughed from side to side of his great mouth when he thought that at last he had got her for his own.
"Greeting, Gudruda, my sister!" she said. "When last we met I sat, Atli's bride, where to-day thou sittest the bride of Ospakar. Then Eric Brighteyes held thy hand, and little thou didst think of wedding Ospakar. Now Eric is afar so strangely do things come about and Blacktooth, Brighteyes' foe, holds that fair hand of thine."
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