erewith to load his ship, and the wood
was placed upon a cliff to dry. They gathered somewhat of all of the
valuable products of the land, grapes, and all kinds of game and fish,
and other good things. In the summer succeeding the first winter,
Skrellings were discovered. A great troop of men came forth from out the
woods. The cattle were hard by, and the bull began to bellow and roar
with a great noise, whereat the Skrellings were frightened, and ran away,
with their packs wherein were gray furs, sables, and all kinds of
peltries. They fled towards Karlsefni's dwelling, and sought to effect an
entrance into the house, but Karlsefni caused the doors to be defended
[against them]. Neither [people] could understand the other's language.
The Skrellings put down their bundles then, and loosed them, and offered
their wares [for barter], and were especially anxious to exchange these
for weapons, but Karlsefni forbade his men to sell their weapons, and
taking counsel with himself, he bade the women carry out milk to the
Skrellings, which they no sooner saw, than they wanted to buy it, and
nothing else. Now the outcome of the Skrellings' trading was, that they
carried their wares away in their stomachs, while they left their packs
and peltries behind with Karlsefni and his companions, and having
accomplished this [exchange] they went away. Now it is to be told, that
Karlsefni caused a strong wooden palisade to be constructed and set up
around the house. It was at this time that Gudrid, Karlsefni's wife, gave
birth to a male child, and the boy was called Snorri. In the early part
of the second winter the Skrellings came to them again, and these were
now much more numerous than before, and brought with them the same wares
as at first. Then said Karlsefni to the women: "Do ye carry out now the
same food, which proved so profitable before, and nought else." When they
saw this they cast their packs in over the palisade. Gudrid was sitting
within, in the doorway, beside the cradle of her infant son, Snorri, when
a shadow fell upon the door, and a woman in a black namkirtle entered.
She was short in stature, and wore a fillet about her head; her hair was
of a light chestnut color, and she was pale of hue, and so big-eyed, that
never before had eyes so large been seen in a human skull. She went up to
where Gudrid was seated, and said: "What is thy name?" "My name is
Gudrid; but what is thy name?" "My name is Gudrid," says she. The
housew