he Wind Wife; to her face it must always be Thorgunna. And if
any of the young men called her _mother_, she would speak no more that
day, but sit apart in the hall and mutter with her lips.

"This is a queer piece of goods that we have gotten," says Finnward
Keelfarer, "I wish we get no harm by her! But the good wife's pleasure
must be done," said he, which was his common word.

When she was at work, Thorgunna wore the rudest of plain clothes, though
ever clean as a cat; but at night in the hall she was more dainty, for
she loved to be admired. No doubt she made herself look well, and many
thought she was a comely woman still, and to those she was always
favourable and full of pleasant speech. But the more that some pleased
her, it was thought by good judges that they pleased Aud the less.

When midsummer was past, a company of young men upon a journey came to
the house by Frodis Water. That was always a great day for Aud, when
there were gallants at table; and what made this day the greater, Alf of
the Fells was in the company, and she thought Alf fancied her. So be
sure Aud wore her best. But when Thorgunna came from the bed-place, she
was arrayed like any queen and the broad brooch was in her bosom. All
night in the hall these women strove with each other; and the little
maid, Asdis, looked on, and was ashamed and knew not why. But Thorgunna
pleased beyond all; she told of strange things that had befallen in the
world; when she pleased she had the cue to laughter; she sang, and her
voice was full and her songs new in that island; and whenever she turned,
the eyes shone in her face and the brooch glittered at her bosom. So
that the young men forgot the word of the merchants as to the woman's
age, and their looks followed her all night.

Aud was sick with envy. Sleep fled her; her husband slept, but she sat
upright beside him in the bed, and gnawed her fingers. Now she began to
hate Thorgunna, and the glittering of the great brooch stood before her
in the dark. "Sure," she thought, "it must be the glamour of that
brooch! She is not so fair as I; she is as old as the dead in the
hillside; and as for her wit and her songs, it is little I think of
them!" Up she got at that, took a light from the embers, and came to her
guest's bed-place. The door was locked, but Aud had a master-key and
could go in. Inside, the chests were open, and in the top of one the
light of her taper shone upon the glittering of t