away when we
left the thane, and as we drew near it we saw an old woman walking
away from it, and from us also. She did not seem to hear us when we
called to her; and, indeed, such was the fear of Danes that often
folk would fly when they saw us, and the faster because we called,
not waiting to find out who we were.

Then from out of the cottage came another old woman, who hobbled
into the track and looked after the first, shaking her fist after
her, and then following her slowly, looking on the ground. She
never glanced our way at all, and our horses made no noise to speak
of in the snow.

We drew up to her, and then I saw that she had a hammer in her
right hand and a broad-headed nail in her left. I wondered idly
what she was about with these things, when she stooped and began to
hammer the nail into the iron-hard ground, and I could hear her
muttering some words quickly.

I reined up to watch her, puzzled, and said to Harek:

"Here is wizardry; or else what is the old dame about?"

"It is somewhat new to me," the scald said, looking on with much
interest; for if he could learn a new spell or charm, he was
pleased as if he had found a treasure.

Then I saw that she was driving the nail into a footprint. There
were three tracks only along the snow--two going away from the
cottage and one returning. That which went and returned was made by
this old woman, as one might see from her last steps, which made a
fourth track from the door.

"She is hammering the nail into her own footprint," I said, noting
this.

Now she sang in a cracked voice, hammering savagely the while; and
now and then she shook her fist or hammer, or both, towards where
the other old dame had gone out of sight round a bend of the lane.

Then she put her hand to her back and straightened herself with a
sort of groan, as old dames will, and slowly turned round and saw
us.

Whereat she screamed, and hurled the hammer at Kolgrim, who was
laughing at her, cursing us valiantly for Danes and thieves, and
nearly hitting him.

"Peace, good mother," I said; "we are not Danes. Here is earnest
thereof," and I threw her a sceatta from my pouch.

She clutched it from the ice pool where it fell, and stared at us,
muttering yet. Then Harek spoke to her.

"Mother, I have much skill in spells, but I know not what is
wrought with hammer and nail and footprint. I would fain learn."

"Little know you of spells if you know not that," she said, having
lo