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"I am sped, Skallagrim Lambstail," cried Eric in a loud voice, and all men drew back to see giant Brighteyes die. Now his head fell against the rock and his eyes closed. Then Skallagrim, stooping, drew out the spear and kissed Eric on the forehead. "Farewell, Eric Brighteyes!" he said. "Iceland shall never see such another man, and few have died so great a death.
Nay, look not at the door: for, if thou stirrest, this spear shall find thee before thou hast gone a pace!" Now Hall stood forward, trembling with fear, for he saw the eye of Skallagrim watching him close, and while Lambstail watched, his fingers toyed with the handle of his axe. "It is true, lord, that Swanhild charged me with that message which I gave to the Lady Gudruda.
"Hold!" said Eric; "perhaps there is yet a deed for thee to do. Then thou mayest die, if it pleases thee." "Ay," said Skallagrim coming back, "perchance there is still a deed to do!" And, flinging down the axe, Skallagrim Lambstail the Baresark fell upon the floor and wept. But Eric did not weep. Only he drew Whitefire from the heart of Gudruda and looked at it.
Then come the clang of swords, and groans, and the sound of riven helms, till presently Brighteyes passes southward on the wind, bearing in his hand the half of a cloven shield. So Gizur bound the Hell-shoes on his father, and swore that he would neither rest nor stay till Eric Brighteyes was dead and dead was Skallagrim Lambstail.
Then she cleansed it and clothed it again in its rent armour, and bound on the Hell-shoes, and it was carried on horses to the sea-side, and with it were borne the bodies of Skallagrim Lambstail the Baresark, Eric's thrall, and of all those men whom they had slain in the last great fight on Mosfell, that is now named Ericsfell.
As they sat thus warming themselves, a man of the crew awoke and saw them, and being amazed, at once called to his fellows, saying that two giants were aboard, warming themselves at the fire. Now men sprang up, and, seizing their weapons, ran towards them, and among them was Hall the mate. Then suddenly Eric Brighteyes and Skallagrim Lambstail threw aside the cloaks and stood up.
Now when the six saw Eric and Skallagrim charge on them boldly, they wavered, and the end of it was that they broke and fled to either side before a blow was struck. For it had come to this pass, so great was the terror of the names of Eric Brighteyes and Skallagrim Lambstail, that no six men dared to stand before them in open fight. So the path being clear they rode on up the slope.
Eric leans on Whitefire and speaks: "Get thee gone, Skallagrim Lambstail!" he said; "get thee gone!" "It shall be as thou wilt, lord," answered the Baresark; "but I have not befriended thee so ill that thou shouldst fear for blows to come." "I will keep no man with me who puts my word aside, Skallagrim. What did I bid thee?
Then Eric spoke to Skallagrim. "What thinkest thou of yonder ship, Lambstail?" "I think this, lord: that she is fashioned wondrous like to the Gudruda." "That is in my mind also," said Eric, "and our fortune is good if it is she."
Otherwise it shall be thine also. Good friend hast thou been to me; now let us part and wend south and north. The King will be glad to greet thee yonder in London, Lambstail." "But one severing shall we know, lord," said Skallagrim, "and that shall be sword's work, nor will it be for long. It is ill to speak such words as these of the parting of lord and thrall.
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