in the house at Varmalek.

Now Hallgerda got a household about her; she was prodigal in giving, and
grasping in getting. In the summer she gave birth to a girl. Glum asked
her what name it was to have.

"She shall be called after my father's mother, and her name shall be
Thorgerda," for she came down from Sigurd Fafnir's-bane on the father's
side, according to the family pedigree.

So the maiden was sprinkled with water, and had this name given her, and
there she grew up, and got like her mother in looks and feature. Glum
and Hallgerda agreed well together, and so it went on for a while. About
that time these tidings were heard from the north and Bearfirth, how
Swan had rowed out to fish in the spring, and a great storm came down on
him from the east, and how he was driven ashore at Fishless, and he and
his men were there lost. But the fishermen who were at Kalback thought
they saw Swan go into the fell at Kalbackshorn, and that he was greeted
well; but some spoke against that story, and said there was nothing in
it. But this all knew that he was never seen again either alive or dead.
So when Hallgerda heard that, she thought she had a great loss in her
mother's brother. Glum begged Thorarin to change lands with him, but he
said he would not; "but," said he, "if I outlive you, I mean to have
Varmalek to myself". When Glum told this to Hallgerda, she said,
"Thorarin has indeed a right to expect this from us".




CHAPTER XV.