loft, but not with tricks, and lies,
and false women's witchery. It was a woman who greased thy wrestling
soles; mayhap it will be a woman that binds on thy Hell-shoes when all
is done--ay! and who makes them ready for thy feet."

"Of women, as of men," answered Eric, "there is this to be said, that
some are good and some evil."

"Yes, lord, and this also, that the evil ones plot the ill of their
evil, but the good do it of their blind foolishness. Forswear women and
so shalt thou live happy and die in honour--cherish them and live in
wretchedness and die an outcast."

"Thy talk is foolish," said Eric. "Birds must to the air, the sea to
the shore, and man must to woman. As things are so let them be, for they
will soon seem as though they had never been. I had rather kiss my dear
and die, if so it pleases me to do, than kiss her not and live, for at
the last the end will be one end, and kisses are sweet!"

"That is a good saying," said Skallagrim, and they fell asleep side by
side and Eric had no fear.

Now they awoke and the light was already full, for they were weary and
their sleep had been heavy.

Hard by the mouth of the cave is a little well of water that gathers
there from the rocks above and in this Eric washed himself. Then
Skallagrim showed him the cave and the goodly store of arms that he had
won from those whom he had slain and robbed.

"A wondrous place, truly," said Eric, "and well fitted to the uses of
such a chapman[*] as thou art; but, say, how didst thou find it?"

[*] Merchant.

"I followed him who was here before me and gave him choice--to go, or to
fight for the stronghold. But he needs must fight and that was his bane,
for I slew him."

"Who was that, then," asked Eric, "whose head lies yonder?"

"A cave-dweller, lord, whom I took to me because of the lonesomeness
of the winter tide. He was an evil man, for though it is good to be
Baresark from time to time, yet to dwell with one who is always Baresark
is not good, and thou didst a needful deed in smiting his head from
him--and now let it go to find its trunk," and he rolled it over the
edge of the great rift.

"Knowest thou, Skallagrim, that this head spoke to me after it had left
the man's shoulders, saying that where its body fell there I should
fall, and where it lay there I should lie also?"

"Then, lord, that is likely to be thy doom, for this man was
foresighted, and, but the night before last, as we rode out to seek
sheep, h