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Updated: May 22, 2025
Now Swanhild was the keenest-sighted of all women of her day in Iceland, and when she looked at these two men she knew one of them for Jon, Eric's thrall, and she knew the horse also it was a white horse with black patches, that Jon had ridden for many years. She watched them go till they came to the booth, and it seemed to her that they left their horses and entered.
She strained her eyes towards Mosfell to catch the light gleaming on Eric's golden helm, and presently it gleamed indeed, white not red. "See," said Swanhild at her side, "Eric comes!" "Not Eric, but his thrall," answered Gudruda, "to tell us that Eric is sped." They waited in silence while Jon galloped towards them. "What news of Brighteyes?" cried Swanhild.
But Swanhild did not come into the hall, though ever Earl Atli sought her dark face and lovely eyes of blue, and he wondered greatly how his wooing had sped. Still, at this time he spoke no more of it to Asmund. Now Skallagrim drank much ale, and glared about him fiercely; for he had this fault, that at times he was drunken.
Now Atli was uneasy in his mind, and, saying nothing, he hurried up to the hall, and through it into Swanhild's bower. There she sat on a couch, her eyes red with weeping, and her curling hair unbound. "What now, Swanhild?" he asked. "Why lookest thou thus?" "Why look I thus, my lord?" she answered heavily. "Because I have to tell thee that which I cannot find words to fit," and she ceased.
"How then comes it that thou didst charge Hall with that message to Gudruda? How then comes it that thou didst send her the lock of hair which thou didst cozen me to give thee?" "I charged Hall with no message, and I sent no lock of hair," Swanhild answered. "Stand thou forward, Hall!" said Eric, "and liar and coward though thou art, dare not to speak other than the truth!
Least of all will we yield to thee who, after working many ills, didst throw me in a witch-sleep, and to him who slew the wife sleeping at my side. Hearken, Swanhild: here we stand, awaiting death, nor will we take mercy from thy hand. For know this, we shall not die alone. Last night as we sat on Mosfell we saw the Norns weave our web of fate upon their loom of darkness.
I may sleep little now that Gudruda is dead, for that which I saw in her eyes haunts me." Then they went on, and the face of Gizur grew white with fear. Now the thrall and those with him on the crest of the fell heard the murmur of the company of Gizur and Swanhild as they won the mountain side, though they could not see them because of the rocks.
"What did Swanhild say, then, Earl Atli?" The Earl told him. "It was to be looked for from her," said Eric, "though I never thought of it. Now hearken!" and he told him all. Atli groaned aloud. "I know this now, Eric," he said: "that thou speakest truth, and once more I have been deceived. Eric, I forgive thee all, for no man may fight against woman's witchcraft, and witch's wine.
For he knew this well: that Gizur and Swanhild would before long come up against them, and, if they could not take them by force, would set themselves to watch the mountain-path and starve them out. When Eric and Skallagrim rode away from Middalhof the fight still raged fiercely in the hall, and nothing but death might stay it.
Then Skallagrim turned and went to clean his harness and the golden helm of Eric. Now at Coldback Gizur spoke with Swanhild. "Thou hast brought the greatest shame upon me," he said, "for thou hast caused me to slay a sleeping woman. Knowest thou that my own men will scarcely speak with me? I have come to this evil pass, through love of thee, that I have slain a sleeping woman!"
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