n the weather had grown fair, and they sat alone, he
told her that his ship was bound for Orkney Isles.

Then, as though by chance, Swanhild laid her white hand in his, and on a
sudden looked deep into his eyes, and said with trembling lips, "Ah, go
not yet, lord!--I pray thee, go not yet!"--and, turning, she fled away.

But Atli was much moved, and he said to himself: "Now a strange thing
is come to pass: a fair maid loves an old man; and yet, methinks, he
who looks into those eyes sees deep waters," and he beat his brow and
thought.

But Swanhild in her chamber laughed till the tears ran from those same
eyes, for she saw that the great fish was hooked and now the time had
come to play him.

For she did not know that it was otherwise fated.

Gudruda, too, saw all these things and knew not how to read them, for
she was of an honest mind, and could not understand how a woman may love
a man as Swanhild loved Eric and yet make such play with other men,
and that of her free will. For she guessed little of Swanhild's
guilefulness, nor of the coldness of her heart to all save Eric; nor of
how this was the only joy left to her: to make a sport of men and put
them to grief and shame. Atli said to himself that he would watch this
maid well before he uttered a word to Asmund, and he deemed himself very
cunning, for he was wondrous cautious after the fashion of those about
to fall. So he set himself to watching, and Swanhild set herself to
smiling, and he told her tales of warfare and of daring, and she clasped
her hands and said:

"Was there ever such a man since Odin trod the earth?" And so it went
on, till the serving-women laughed at the old man in love and the wit of
her that mocked him.

Now upon a day, Eric having made an end of sowing his corn, bethought
himself of his vow to go up alone against Skallagrim the Baresark in his
den on Mosfell over by Hecla. Now, this was a heavy task: for Skallagrim
was held so mighty among men that none went up against him any more; and
at times Eric thought of Gudruda, and sighed, for it was likely that
she would be a widow before she was made a wife. Still, his oath must
be fulfilled, and, moreover, of late Skallagrim having heard that a
youngling named Eric Brighteyes had vowed to slay him single-handed,
had made of a mock of him in this fashion. For Skallagrim rode down
to Coldback on Ran River and at night-time took a lamb from the fold.
Holding the lamb beneath his arm, he d