Now after I had gone, Grim, my father, tried to bring the child round,
but he could not do so; and therefore, leaving him near the fire, he
went softly to call Leva, my mother, to help him; and all the while he
was wondering who the child might be, though indeed a fear that he knew
only too well was growing in his heart, for there would surely he only
one whom Hodulf could wish out of his way.

As he opened the door that led to the sleeping room beyond the high
seat, the light shone on Leva, and showed her sitting up in bed with
wide eyes that seemed to gaze on somewhat that was terrible, and at
first he thought her awake. But she yet slept, and so he called her
gently, and she started and woke.

"Husband, is that you?" she said. "I had a strange dream even now which
surely portends somewhat."

Now, as all men know, our folk in the north are most careful in the
matter of attending to dreams, specially those that come in troubled
times, holding that often warning or good counsel comes from them. I
cannot say that I have ever had any profit in that way myself, being no
dreamer at all; but it is certain that others have, as may be seen
hereafter. Wherefore my father asked Leva what this dream might be.

"In my dream," she answered, "it seemed that you came into the house
bearing a sack, which you gave into my charge, saying that therein lay
wealth and good fortune for us. And I would not believe this, for you
said presently that to gain this the sack and all that was therein was
to be thrown into the sea, which seemed foolishness. Whereon I cast it
into a corner in anger, and thereout came pitiful cries and wailings.