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Updated: May 22, 2025
Now thou shalt die, as I have promised thee and as I promised Gudruda the Fair!" "So shall I the more quickly find Gudruda and lose sight of thy evil face, Swanhild the harlot! Swanhild the murderess! Swanhild the witch! For I know this: thou shalt not escape! thy doom draws on also! and haunted and accursed shalt thou be for ever!
But Swanhild caught him by the arm; then gently raised her head and looked again, long and steadily. Presently she turned and laughed softly. "Things go well for us," she said; "the sot lies drunk. We have nothing to fear from him. He lies drunk in a pool of ale." Then Gizur looked. The moonlight poured into the little room, and by it he saw the great shape of Skallagrim.
On the day of the opening of the Thing Ospakar Blacktooth came from the north, and with him his son Gizur and a great company of men. Ospakar was blithe, for from the Thing he should ride to Middalhof, there to wed Gudruda the Fair. Then Swanhild clad herself in beautiful attire, and, taking men with her, went to the booth of Ospakar.
Swanhild waited upon the side of the fell for nearly two hours in all. Then, hearing a noise above her, she looked up, and there, black with dirt and wet with water, was Gizur, and with him was the thrall. "What luck, Gizur?" she asked. "This, Swanhild: Eric may hold Mosfell no more, for we have found a way to bolt the fox." "That is good news, then," said Swanhild. "Say on."
Now Asmund went out seeking Swanhild, and presently he met her near the stead. He could not see her face, and that was well, for it was not good to look on, but her mien was wondrous wild. "Where hast thou been, Swanhild?" he asked. "Mourning Eric Brighteyes," she made answer. "It is meeter for Gudruda to mourn over Eric than for thee, for her loss is heavy," Asmund said sternly.
"And thy price, Toad?" "Thou art the price, lady," piped the goblin. "Thou shalt give thyself to me when thy day is done, and merrily will we sisters dwell in Hela's halls, and merrily for ever will we fare about the earth o' nights, doing such tasks as this task of thine, Swanhild, and working wicked woe till the last woe is worked on us. Art thou content?" Swanhild thought.
"It is Swanhild, and we are fey!" quoth Skallagrim, and they ran back to the helm, where Skallagrim sank upon the deck in fear. "See, Skallagrim, she glides before the Gudruda's beak! she glides backwards and she points yonder there to the right! Shall I put the helm down and follow her?" "Nay, lord, nay; set no faith in witchcraft or evil will befall us."
"But there were two of his brothers who would not yield to him, and who yet peacefully ruled in the realms over which their father had placed them. Olaf the son of King Harald and Queen Swanhild was the sovereign king in Viken, and his brother Halfdan in like manner ruled in Thrandheim. Full ill content was Erik that he could not truthfully call himself the lord over all Norway.
And it seemed to him that the wraith of Swanhild kissed him on the brow, sighed and vanished, bearing the rat in her bosom. Eric awoke suddenly, just as though he had never slept, and looked around. He knew by the lowness of the sun that it was far into the night, and that he had slept for many hours.
If ever my tongue whisper word of love into thy ears, may dumbness seize it, and may it wither to the root!" Swanhild heard and sank upon the ground before him, her head bowed almost to her feet. "Now, Swanhild, fare thee well," said Eric. "Living or dead, may I never see thy face again!"
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