rew toward Yule, Eric became
very taciturn, and less cheerful than had been his wont. On one occasion
Karlsefni entered into conversation with Eric, and said: "Hast thou aught
weighing upon thee, Eric? The folk have remarked, that thou art somewhat
more silent than thou hast been hitherto. Thou hast entertained us with
great liberality, and it behooves us to make such return as may lie
within our power. Do thou now but make known the cause of thy
melancholy." Eric answers: "Ye accept hospitality gracefully, and in
manly wise, and I am not pleased that ye should be the sufferers by
reason of our intercourse; rather am I troubled at the thought, that it
should be given out elsewhere, that ye have never passed a worse Yule
than this, now drawing nigh, when Eric the Red was your host at
Brattahlid in Greenland." "There shall be no cause for that," replies
Karlsefni, "we have malt, and meal, and corn in our ships, and you are
welcome to take of these whatsoever you wish, and to provide as liberal
an entertainment as seems fitting to you." Eric accepts this offer, and
preparations were made for the Yule feast, and it was so sumptuous, that
it seemed to the people they had scarcely ever seen so grand an
entertainment before. And after Yule, Karlsefni broached the subject of a
marriage with Gudrid to Eric, for he assumed that with him rested the
right to bestow her hand in marriage. Eric answers favorably, and says,
that she would accomplish the fate in store for her, adding that he had
heard only good reports of him. And, not to prolong this, the result was,
that Thorfinn was betrothed to Thurid,[31-1] and the banquet was
augmented, and their wedding was celebrated; and this befell at
Brattahlid during the winter.

_Beginning of the Wineland Voyages._--About this time there began to be
much talk at Brattahlid, to the effect that Wineland the Good should be
explored, for, it was said, that country must be possessed of many goodly
qualities. And so it came to pass, that Karlsefni and Snorri fitted out
their ship, for the purpose of going in search of that country in the
spring. Biarni and Thorhall joined the expedition with their ship, and
the men who had borne them company. There was a man named Thorvard; he
was wedded to Freydis, a natural daughter of Eric the Red. He also
accompanied them, together with Thorvald, Eric's son, and Thorhall, who
was called the Huntsman. He had been for a long time with Eric as his
hunter and fis