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Updated: June 14, 2025
There also was Groa with Swanhild, for now she dwelt at Middalhof; and the three fair children were set together in the hall to play, and men thought it great sport to see them. Now, Gudruda had a horse of wood and would ride it while Eric pushed the horse along.
They had a hard journey through the snow-drifts and the dark, but on the third day they came to Middalhof, knocked upon the door and entered. Now it was supper-time, and people, sitting at meat, saw a great black man, covered with snow and rime, stalk up the hall, and after him another smaller man, who groaned with the cold, and they wondered at the sight.
"Saevuna's prophecy was true," she said, "red was the marriage-feast of Asmund my father, redder has been the marriage-feast of Ospakar! She saw the hall of Middalhof one gore of blood, and lo! it is so; look upon thy work, Swanhild," and she pointed to the piled-up dead "look upon thy work, witch-sister, and grow fearful: for all this death is on thy head!" Swanhild laughed aloud.
"Be seated, Eric, and take no heed of this foolish talk. And for thee, Björn, art thou the Priest of Middalhof, and Gudruda's father, or am I? It has pleased me to betroth Brighteyes to Gudruda, and it pleased me not to betroth her to Ospakar, and that is enough for thee. For the rest, Ospakar would have slain Eric, not he Ospakar, therefore Eric's hands are clean.
And so they talked and were very glad with the gladness of youth and love, till Eric said he must on to Middalhof before the light failed, for he could not come on horseback the way that Gudruda took, but must ride round the shoulder of the hill; and, moreover, he was spent with toil and hunger, and Skallagrim grew weary of waiting. "Go!" said Gudruda; "I will be there presently!"
"Beggar women," said Jon, "whom they met at Ran River, had told them of the death of Ospakar, and of the great slaying at Middalhof, and they would know if the tidings were true." "It is true, Jon," said Eric; "but first give us food, if ye have it, for we are hungered and spent. When we have eaten we will speak."
"Fear not, lord; thy will is my will." "Say, Groa, is it thy wish to bide here in Middalhof when Unna is my housewife?" "It is my wish to serve thee as aforetime," she answered softly, "if so be that Unna wills it." "That is her desire," said Asmund and went his ways. But Groa stood looking after him and her face was fierce and evil.
Now Gudruda came safely to Middalhof, having been eleven days gone, and found that few had visited the house, and that these had been told that she lay sick abed. Her secret had been well kept, and, though Swanhild had no lack of spies, many days went by before she learned that Gudruda had gone up to Mosfell to nurse Eric. After this Gudruda began to make ready for her flight from Iceland.
This I prophesy of him: that women shall bring him to his end, and he shall die a hero's death, but not at the hand of his foes." And now the years went by peacefully. Groa dwelt with her daughter Swanhild up at Middalhof and was the love of Asmund Asmundson. But, though he forgot his oath thus far, yet he would never take her to wife.
"True enough thou art fair. What shall we do with this dead man?" "Leave him in the arms of Ran. So may all husbands lie." They spoke no more with her at that time, seeing that she was a witchwoman. But Asmund took her up to Middalhof, and gave her a farm, and she lived there alone, and he profited much by her wisdom.
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