know no more about him.

THE LEGEND OF THORGUNNA.

A ship from Iceland chanced to winter in a haven near Helgafels. Among
the passengers was a woman named Thorgunna, a native of the Hebrides,
who was reported by the sailors to possess garments and household
furniture of a fashion far surpassing those used in Iceland. Thurida,
sister of the pontiff Snorro, and wife of Thorodd, a woman of a vain and
covetous disposition, attracted by these reports, made a visit to the
stranger, but could not prevail upon her to display her treasures.
Persisting, however, in her inquiries, she pressed Thorgunna to take up
her abode at the house of Thorodd. The Hebridean reluctantly assented,
but added, that as she could labour at every usual kind of domestic
industry, she trusted in that manner to discharge the obligation she
might lie under to the family, without giving any part of her property
in recompense of her lodging. As Thurida continued to urge her request,
Thorgunna accompanied her to Froda, the house of Thorodd, where the
seamen deposited a huge chest and cabinet, containing the property of
her new guest, which Thurida viewed with curious and covetous eyes. So
soon as they had pointed out to Thorgunna the place assigned for her
bed, she opened the chest, and took forth such an embroidered bed
coverlid, and such a splendid and complete set of tapestry hangings, and
bed furniture of English linen, interwoven with silk, as had never been
seen in Iceland.

"Sell to me," said the covetous matron, "this fair bed furniture."

"Believe me," answered Thorgunna, "I will not lie upon straw in order to
feed thy pomp and vanity;" an answer which so greatly displeased Thurida
that she never again repeated her request. Thorgunna, to whose character
subsequent events added something of a mystical solemnity, is described
as being a woman of a tall and stately appearance, of a dark complexion,
and having a profusion of black hair. She was advanced in age; assiduous
in the labours of the field and of the loom; a faithful attendant upon
divine worship; grave, silent, and solemn in domestic society. She had
little intercourse with the household of Thorodd, and showed particular
dislike to two of its inmates. These were Thorer, who, having lost a leg
in the skirmish between Thorbiorn and Thorarin the Black, was called
Thorer-Widlegr (wooden-leg), from the substitute he had adopted; and his
wife, Thorgrima, called Galldra-Kinna (wicked sor