n her bearing as she might have been, but nothing
to hurt.

On the evening of the second day men came to the house from sea. They
told of the merchandise in the ship, which was well enough and to be had
at easy rates, and of a waif woman that sailed in her, no one could tell
why, and had chests of clothes beyond comparison, fine coloured stuffs,
finely woven, the best that ever came into that island, and gewgaws for a
queen. At the hearing of that Aud's eyes began to glisten. She went
early to bed; and the day was not yet red before she was on the beach,
had a boat launched, and was pulling to the ship. By the way she looked
closely at all boats, but there was no woman in any; and at that she was
better pleased, for she had no fear of the men.

When they came to the ship, boats were there already, and the merchants
and the shore folk sat and jested and chaffered in the stern. But in the
fore part of the ship, the woman sat alone, and looked before her sourly
at the sea. They called her Thorgunna. She was as tall as a man and
high in flesh, a buxom wife to look at. Her hair was of the dark red,
time had not changed it. Her face was dark, the cheeks full, and the
brow smooth. Some of the merchants told that she was sixty years of age
and others laughed and said she was but forty; but they spoke of her in
whispers, for they seemed to think that she was ill to deal with and not
more than ordinary canny.

Aud went to where she sat and made her welcome to Iceland. Thorgunna did
the honours of the ship. So for a while they carried it on, praising and
watching each other, in the way of women. But Aud was a little vessel to
contain a great longing, and presently the cry of her heart came out of
her.

"The folk say," says she, "you have the finest women's things that ever
came to Iceland?" and as she spoke her eyes grew big.

"It would be strange if I had not," quoth Thorgunna. "Queens have no
finer."

So Aud begged that she might see them.

Thorgunna looked on her askance. "Truly," said she, "the things are for
no use but to be shown." So she fetched a chest and opened it. Here was
a cloak of the rare scarlet laid upon with silver, beautiful beyond
belief; hard by was a silver brooch of basket work that was wrought as
fine as any shell and was as broad as the face of the full moon; and Aud
saw the clothes lying folded in the chest, of all the colours of the day,
and fire, and precious gems; and her heart