for the neck, and it was inlaid with gems quite down to the skirt. On
her neck she had glass beads. On her head she had a black hood of
lambskin, lined with ermine. A staff she had in her hand, with a knob
thereon; it was ornamented with brass, and inlaid with gems round
about the knob. Around her she wore a girdle of soft hair, and therein
was a large skin-bag, in which she kept the talismans needful to her
in her wisdom. She wore hairy calf-skin shoes on her feet, with long
and strong-looking thongs to them, and great knobs of latten at the
ends. On her hands she had gloves of ermine-skin, and they were white
and hairy within. Now, when she entered, all men thought it their
bounden duty to offer her becoming greetings, and these she received
according as the men were agreeable to her. The franklin Thorkell took
the wise-woman by the hand, and led her to the seat prepared for her.
He requested her to cast her eyes over his herd, his household, and
his homestead. She remained silent altogether. During the evening the
tables were set; and now I must tell you what food was made ready for
the spae-queen. There was prepared for her porridge of kid's milk, and
hearts of all kinds of living creatures there found were cooked for
her. She had a brazen spoon, and a knife with a handle of walrus-tusk,
which was mounted with two rings of brass, and the point of it was
broken off. When the tables were removed, the franklin Thorkell
advanced to Thorbjorg and asked her how she liked his homestead, or
the appearance of the men; or how soon she would ascertain that which
he had asked, and which the men desired to know. She replied that she
would not give answer before the morning, after she had slept there
for the night. And when the (next) day was far spent, the preparations
were made for her which she required for the exercise of her
enchantments. She begged them to bring to her those women who were
acquainted with the lore needed for the exercise of the enchantments,
and which is known by the name of Weird-songs, but no such women came